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So she sauntered, or she did whatever walk the high heels would allow, into the bar and went and sat down. He came and sat down beside her.

“I’ll have a soda water,” said Gideon.

“I’ll have a Coke,” she said.

Sheena, the bartender, was an absolutely stunning woman. She had tattoos on her left arm, a twining vine with flowers. She looked edgy and mysterious, and like she’d pair well with Gideon.

Rory ignored the tightness in her stomach.

“On the house,” Sheena said, grinning. “Heroes don’t pay.”

Gideon looked tense for a moment, and she was about to give him asnowy plover, but then he managed a smile. “Thank you, Sheena.”

“You’re very welcome, Gideon.”

“There,” she said. “That was friendly. And you remembered her name.”

She didn’t ask if it was because she was a beautiful woman with curves like Highway 101. Because she wasn’t going to act petty like that.

“I did,” he said, after a beat.

“Okay, there are a lot of people in here.”

“Yes, there are.”

“So, should we go talk to them or...”

“I think we’re going to have to focus on each other,” he said.

“What?”

“It’s unavoidable. We have to dance with each other. I’m going to have to test out my flirting skills on you. And you can try yours on me.”

“Why do we have to do that?” she asked.

“Because everybody in here thinks we’re together.”

“I didn’t mean...”

“It’s better this way. If people think you’re with me... Well, that raises your mystique, doesn’t it?”

The problem was he was right. She wanted to badger him about his ego, but there was no ego here. Just Gideon knowing full well how his reputation worked in this town.

“Did it ever occur to you that other men might not want your castoffs?” she asked.

“No. Because in my experience, they do.”

“I just don’t know what it’s like,” she said. “To go through life with this much confidence.”

“Yeah that’s...not really so much what it is anymore. You know now that I terrify people without even trying.”

“You’re not scary,” she said.

“Many people think I am,” he said, darkly.

“You don’t have to be offended by the fact that I don’t think you’re scary. You’re not in military fatigues carrying a weapon, I might find you vaguely more threatening then, but even so, I wouldn’t be your target so...”

“Fine. I get it. But I am just saying, most people think I’m a little bit scary.”