The twinkle in his eyes told her he was joking again, but she was curious to hear his rationale. “Because…”

“Because I’m probably the only guy in town who wouldn’t take you to bed even if you begged me to.”

“You don’t want to sleep with me?” she said, somewhat shocked that he’d be bold enough to state that right up front. She was also a little curious. He’d told her she was beautiful. Didn’t that mean he found her sexually attractive, too?

“I wouldn’t say that,” he said.

A picture of his bare chest flashed through her mind, and she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time—a zing of sexual awareness. “You’re saying you wouldn’t even if you wanted to.”

He didn’t answer. He took a drink of his beer and changed the subject. “It’s crazy how successful Axel’s been. What was it like to be part of all that?”

She wanted an answer to her own question, but she knew it was best to let it go. She was still in love with Axel, wasn’t interested in other men—even men as attractive as her new friend. “You mean when he hit the big time? A lot of work.”

He moved his chopsticks in a circular motion as if to state, Yeah, yeah. That’s what they all say.

“Other than that,” he managed when he’d swallowed.

Everyone imagined fame and fortune as the be-all and end-all, that life would be easy from then on. But it was more like those stories she’d read about people who won the lottery. They weren’t always happier afterward. As a matter of fact, she’d been happier before Pulse had become so popular. “Exciting. Exhilarating.” She drew a deep breath. “And challenging, because it introduces entirely new pressures.”

“Like…”

“It’s difficult to explain, but it’s so hard not to get lost in it.”

“I don’t think I’d like it,” he said simply.

Didn’t most people want to be rich and famous—or at least believe they did? “Why not?”

“The lack of freedom,” he replied without hesitation.

“What do you mean? More money equals more freedom, doesn’t it?”

His chewing slowed. “I wouldn’t mind being rich. But famous? I would feel like my life was no longer my own. So if the two have to go together, I’d say no to both. Freedom is what matters most to me. I’d rather be poor than lose that.”