Two blocks from the restaurant, Bennett broke the silence that had followed them from the pub. “You’ve become awfully quiet.”

“Well, it’s pretty hard to get to know someone when you’re not allowed to ask any questions. And since I ran out of small talk, this is what you get.”

“I see.”

Ruby glanced at Bennett. “Besides, you find me hideous, so what’s the point.”

“I don’t find you hideous.”

“Then why’d you say it?”

Bennett sighed. “A while back, you mentioned something about your gaydar not being broken, followed by an invitation to go out for a drink so we could get to know one another better. Correct?”

“Yes. What about it?”

“I’m not looking for a relationship, especially with a mortal, and calling you hideous seemed the easiest way to stop your incessant invitations.”

“What’s wrong with mortals?”

“Nothing, except after a few weeks or months or sometimes years, they no longer want to be mortal, and when I refuse to turn them, things head south rapidly. So, I’m just preventing the inevitable.”

Ruby stepped in front of Bennett and blocked her path. “So, you do find me attractive.”

“What I find is that you’re extraordinarily annoying at times. Why can’t you simply take no for an answer? Do you fall into bed with every lesbian you meet or…or is there just something about me that…um…”

“Melts my butter?”

Bennett drew back her head. “Well, that’s an interesting analogy.”

“It is what it is,” Ruby said as they began walking again. “And if you’ve looked in the mirror recently, you’d see you’re not exactly ugly. You dress well. You carry yourself well, and you’re obviously educated. Why wouldn’t I want to ask you out on a date?”

“It’s not the fact you’d want to ask me out. It’s the fact you keep doing so even though I continue to rebuff your advances.”

“Yes, but it sounds like you’ve got one thing wrong.”

“Such as?”

“Such as, I’m not looking for a relationship either.”

Upon reaching the bottom step leading to the brownstone, Bennett considered Ruby for a second before beginning the climb. “Why not?”

“I don’t want one.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Bennett said, holding the door open for Ruby.

“Why?”

“Because everyone wants a relationship.”

“Oh, so you’re an expert on what everyone wants?”