Dani opened the door to the shower stall and found a cozy space that offered a bit more room than the original shower footprint had. She even had a dome light overhead. She turned the water on, waited for it to warm as it ran over her outstretched hand. “So, my shower is fixed.”

Zed scratched the back of his neck. “Technically, it was fixed a while ago. It just didn’t have any walls around it.”

“Well, how do I know it works?” she asked.

“I can’t guarantee it will stand another hundred years, but it will at least last through the fall.”

Dani slid his t-shirt over his head. “I think I’m going to have to try it out.”

She tucked her fingers into the waistband of his jeans and pulled him closer. He stopped her, putting his hand on her shoulders. “This isn’t some gratitude thing, is it? Because I saved you?”

“No, this is an ‘I enjoy having sex with you’ thing. You’re a nice person and an amazing partner.”

“Thank you, that’s true,” he agreed.

She laughed. “That’s very diplomatic of you. I know I’m not giving as much as you’re hoping for. I’m just not used to relationships.”

“What are you used to?”

Dani shrugged. “Casual stuff. You know, you have sex, you both put your clothes on, say thanks and part ways. No meals, or romantic motorcycle rides or kissing under the spirit bottles on my front porch. I haven’t had a steady boyfriend since college. I’m not good at being open with someone I’m having sex with, the thought of starting that here, particularly with someone who has a pretty heavy influence on whether I’m welcome here in town or not, really freaked me out. And I sort of shrugged you off.”

“I wouldn’t ever do anything to keep you from being welcome in town,” he insisted. “Well, unless you threw a TV through my bathroom window and then, yeah, people might judge you a little, but I wouldn’t do anything to rile people against you. I’m not a creep.”

She held up her finger as if raising a point in court. “That is oddly specific.”

“Long story, and a big reason I prefer baths.”

“I know you’re not a creep,” she told him. “The problem here is that I don’t want to hurt you. In a few months, I’m going to move on to the next job and I don’t want things to be sad or weird between us. And I thought maybe going back to treating you like an acquaintance instead of someone who’s O-face I’m pretty desperate to see would make things easier. But I was wrong. And I’m sorry.”

“Why do you assume I’m going to be the one who’s upset?

Dani pursed her lips. “Oh, honey.”

“Okay, fine,” Zed grumbled.