“Okay, I’ll behave,” Bennett said, holding up her hands.

“That’ll be a first.”

As always, Lisa could give as good as she got, but there was something in her tone that gave Bennett pause. “Is something wrong?”

“No.”

“Then why aren’t you with Jimmy tonight?”

Lisa thought for a moment. “Because Jimmy wants to take it to the next level.”

“Bondage?”

Lisa shot Bennett another look, but this time she was grinning. “You said you were going to behave.”

“Right. I suppose I did,” Bennett said, casually looking out the window. “So, enlighten me. What’s the next level?”

“He wants us to move in together.”

Bennett hesitated for a second. “Oh, cohabitation. Not exactly a new concept,” she said flatly. “Except I thought you said it was a casual relationship. It doesn’t sound too casual to me.”

“It is casual. We got together so we’d have someone to hang out with and have a little fun. It’s not serious, and it’s definitely not permanent,” Lisa said as she flipped on the turn signal. “In a little less than eight years, my life is going to change, and Jimmy won’t be a part of that change. I see no point in sharing my apartment with him simply because…um…simply because he wants to.”

“Your life doesn’t have to change, Lisa.”

“Please don’t start,” Lisa said, raising her voice slightly. “For generations, you’ve given us all a choice, and I’ve made mine. You’re not going to change my mind. You’ll never be able to change my mind, so the way I see it, I can either turn this van around, and Gus can drive you tonight, or you drop the subject, and we continue on our way. What’s it going to be?”

Bennett had played almost every variation of poker known to man, and one rule applied to all of them. You needed to know when to hold them and know when to fold them, and right now, Bennett would have readily folded a hand of five aces so her night wouldn’t end with Gus.

“All right. I’ll drop it,” Bennett said. “But I still don’t see what the problem is. If you don’t want to move in with the halfling, just tell him no.”

“I have, but he doesn’t want to listen, so we’ve ended up having a few knock-down-drag-out fights because of it.”

Bennett grew rigid. “If you tell me that son-of-a-bitch has laid one hand on you, so help me—”

“Chillax, Bennett. It’s just a saying. Geez,” Lisa said, casting a quick look at her passenger. “And if he or anyone else ever tried to hit me, trust me, all those self-defense and martial arts classes I’ve taken would pay off in a heartbeat.”

“Good to hear,” Bennett said, settling back in her seat.