“Why not?”

“Because if some of my other sources see me with you, they might not be sources long. Not to mention any story I write will be questioned on credibility and bias if I’m seen with you.”

A reasonable argument. Not one he liked, but reasonable. “Then you can partner with me silently. Counsel me on my findings and make suggestions.”

She considered him for long seconds, the scrutiny of her stare more challenging to bear than the vor who’d all but bought him from his mother all those years ago. “Why would you want that? I treated you badly after you helped me, and I can absolutely understand you wanting my help in exchange, but I just gave you what you wanted. Why spend any more time around me?”

Because she was smart. Funny. Compassionate and gorgeous. And for some reason he couldn’t properly categorize or comprehend, being around her brought a rare peace to his thoughts. A calmness he couldn’t remember having since well before his father changed their lives forever.

He focused on the turn into her neighborhood and used the task of paralleling in a spot just down from her house to formulate his words. He put the gearshift in park, shifted in his seat enough to brace his hand on her seat back and met her stare head-on. “We have a commonality in our respective jobs. Both of us rely on healthy relationships to stay abreast of what’s happening in our world. Fostering ours to our mutual benefit makes sense. To cut you out at this juncture would cut us both short, and I’m not a person who walks away from beneficial arrangements. Are you?”

Her lips twitched and a smile twinkled behind her eyes, but her wry tone was just as sharp as Roman’s. “You sure you’re not in sales? Because I’m pretty sure you could move some snake oil with lines like that.”

Snake oil. That was a phrase he’d have to look up, but the sentiment was clear enough. “I like to think of myself as an opportunity engineer.”

“Ha!” Her sharp laughter rounded the car’s interior. “Smooth and creative.” Her laughter dimmed, but her smile remained. “All right, fine. Silent partners. You let me know what you find, and I’ll give you my feedback. But you gotta let me know if you come across any leads I can use. Deal?”

“Deal.” He popped the latch on his door and, surprisingly, Cassie waited for him to round to her side.

Of course, the first words out of her mouth as he helped her to her feet were “You know you don’t have to see me to the door. I can find my way there just fine.”

“You can, but you won’t. We’ve discussed this.”

“You mean, you dictated.”

“There are some things a man cannot compromise on.” He guided her across the street, her soft perfume mingling with the night’s breeze. It was a pleasant scent. Nothing cloying like some women favored, but light and crisp like petals scented on a spring morning.