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"I had to be sure," he told her flatly

"Totally normal" She wanted that to irritate her, but she found that it didn’t as h to look into her background, then he ain

"So, what do you think?" he asked finally

"Well," she said uncertainly, "I don’t know"

"You don’t want to see ht He knew she wanted to see him

"I do," she corrected She couldn’t lie about that "But I don’t knohy you had to bringto tell me that Why didn’t you just come to my place yesterday?"

"Because I can’t see you when you want to seeher eyes

Hers were already narrowed "But you can see me when you want to?"

"Yes" He didn’t even try to hide behind his char words

"Why? I don’t get it"

"I want to see you, but in the position I’m…we’re in, it’s not possible," he told her

"What, because you’re running for office?" She knew she sounded incredulous, but it …especially not on a woe reporter," he re in the blanks

"You did," Brady confir out iving up the noeronce more

"Because I still want you Weeks later, I still want you And you want er she had been holding dissipated He wanted her She knew he did, but hearing it like that was intoxicating She didn’t want to give hi on anything else After he had left, it felt as if she had a hole in her chest She didn’t know if it was the sex, because that had been fantastic, or if it was just Brady As much as she wanted it to be the second, that idea scared the shit out of her

"So, you want me, but you can’t see me?"

"I can’t see you on your terms," he corrected

"What does that evenher voice She immediately quieted down and looked around the restaurant No one had even glanced at them That was lucky

"Look, I want us to continue e’re doing, but in private I don’t want to jeopardize my career…or your career," he added quickly

Liz breathed in and out deeply, realizing finally what he was saying "You want a fuck buddy," she stated as bluntly as possible If he was going to be all out in the open, she wanted plain words She wanted to knohat he was offering…what kind of deal she illing to take

He sighed as if she was , but she was sure she wasn’t He wanted to sleep with her, no strings attached, while he was on the ca else She had heard of these kinds of situations before She never kne they happened…how they got started--apparently at seven o’clock in the y diner in don Chapel Hill over coffee

"That’s not what I had in mind," he said

"No? That’s what it sounds like So, what kind of situation is this?" she asked, her anger resurfacing She didn’t even knohere it came from, because it wasn’t as if she didn’t want to sleep with him, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t want to keep it a secret So and she was listening "Do you get to sleep with other people? Are you going to be dating soht? Should I find someone else to date in the oing to say next "I’ue the point I’m not here to discuss terms I want you, and I want you anytime I can have you That happens to be a ood luck with your paper" He pulled out his wallet, threenties on the table, and stood

"Wait," Liz said, reaching for his arm, "I didn’t say I wasn’t interested" Her cheeks fla to let hih her, as if ht," he said, sitting back down

"Uh…" she began, nibbling on her bottom lip, "I’ve never exactly been propositioned…let alone at a diner first thing in thethat…I find it hard to believe No one has ever come on to you?" he asked inquisitively

"It’s not that," she said, trying to find the words "I’ve had boyfriends before, but IBut usually people aren’t that interested before getting to know ed

"Really?" he asked, looking her up and down "I guess I could see that"

She didn’t kno She couldn’t figure out why anyone thought that

"You’re a well-educated wo confidence," he told her, filling in the blanks

Liz looked down, overloaded by the co a Senator to his knees once," she said, trying to break the tension

He chuckled softly "I hope it’s not just once," he responded