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"We should have some water," he says, pouring two glasses.
"So responsible of you..."
"I'm twice your age, Sparkplug. What do you expect?"
I shock myself by reaching across the table and touching his hand. "Don't say that like it's a bad thing. And anyway, I doubt you'retwicemy age."
"I'm forty-three."
"And I'm twenty-four. See, told ya."
He grins. "Okay, but not far off..."
"Like I said, don't say it like it's a bad thing. It means you're mature. You've got experience... And, well—" I bite my lip.
"Don't leave me hanging, Sera," he says in a gruff voice. When I don't reply, he continues, "Sera is short for Seraphina, isn't it? They used your full name on the website for the speech. It's a beautiful name... almost as beautiful as you look when you're nervous."
"I'm not nervous," I say.
"Then finish your thought," he says sternly.
I toss my hair. Fine. If he wants it, I'll give it to him. "That excerpt was from a romance book where the hero was older than the heroine. In fact, most of my books are like that. They have an age gap. It's hot."
His eyes glimmer as he squeezes my hand. "So I'm your fetish," he says with a teasing tone.
"I wouldn't put it like that."
"No? How would you put it?"
"You're my..."
"Dream come true?" he offers.
I playfully flip him the bird, making him laugh.
He keeps his hand on mine, his eyes fixed on me.
"I like it when you look at me like that," I confess.
"Like what?"
"Like nobody else exists. It's intense."
This champagne is making me very talkative, but is that a bad thing? I don't always have to be trapped inside myself, scared to say the things I want to say.
"You are the only woman who exists, Sparkplug," he says huskily. "I felt it the instant I laid eyes on you in the café, and I think it now. You're beautiful. Intelligent. Insightful. You're... you."
I laugh. "Well, duh."
"You're unapologetically yourself," he continues. "There's something intensely attractive about that. When you were giving your speech, I was so impressed. I was proud."
"Thank you," I murmur. "Some people think it's a silly idea. They think the humane approach will cause AI to turn on us."
"What do you think?"
"I think everyone and everything has the capacity for good," I tell him. "I know how that sounds, especially in this cynical world, but I truly believe that."
"That's because you're a kind, loving person."