He frowned at that but refused to get into an argument; he felt much too satisfied. By the time he had served her up a large plate, she stared at it with avaricious greed. He smiled. “I’m just waiting for the day you look at me like that.”
Startled, she frowned at him, and then burst into laughter. “When it happens, you’ll be so invested in what we’re doing that you won’t even see it.”
He had to admit that scenario sounded damn good to him too.
She started eating, and it wasn’t long before she stopped to catch her breath. “Want to go for a run in the morning?”
He raised his head from his food and asked, “Same place?”
She nodded; then she finally broke down and told him about her day.
“Ouch.” He stared at her in fascination. “So she runs all the time?”
Kate nodded. “It’s her way of coping, though I don’t know how effective it is.”
“No, but it’s what works for her.”
“Still, it’s hard on the body to do that much running, especially since she never really relaxes. She’s really, really lean, like a potentially unhealthy lean.”
Simon shook his head. “It would be very hard to get enough nutrients in a case like that. I do know lots of long-distance and endurance runners,” he noted, “but the stuff they put into their shakes and guzzle back is amazing.”
She nodded. “I’ve heard of that.”
“Some of those people who can’t just do marathons, they have to do four or five days of running.”
She shrugged. “I can’t even imagine. What are they called? Ultramarathoners or something?”
He nodded. “They are a class all on their own.”
“A scary class all on their own,” she said, with a chuckle, as she happily dug into the meatballs in front of her. Soon she sat back, a happy smile on her face. “This has got to be the best Italian food I’ve ever had.”
“You’re also starving,” he reminded her.
She nodded. “I am, and this hits the spot beautifully.” She looked over at him. “You do know that I’d be very happy to pay my half for all the food I eat here, right?”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” he replied, “but, if you ever offer, I’ll get mad.”
She frowned.
He shook his head, one eyebrow raised. “Don’t even go there.”
“I have money,” she stated. “I’m not a charity case.”
“That’s fine. You’re at my house. I’ll put on the food.”
She obviously didn’t like it, but, short of getting into an argument that neither of them had the energy for, she was willing to at least drop the subject for now.
He smiled. “Besides, it really won’t break the bank.”
“Yes, but I don’t want it to become something that I just expect.”
“Do you ever think you’ll get to that point?”
She looked startled for a moment and then shrugged. “Probably not.”
“Good, then calm down.” She frowned. He shook his head again. “No, that’s not an arguable item. We each have enough issues and problems in our individual worlds that this doesn’t need to become an issue.”
“I guess,” she agreed reluctantly. “I’d invite you to my place but…”