Page 50 of Fierce-Zander

Both groups were lying in the sun and just watching the tour group as if they were on stage and didn’t have a care in the world.

“I wonder if they are so relaxed because they are more active at night or this is just their domain and they know they rule it,” he said.

“I think it’s the second,” she said. “That confidence we talked about. They know they’ve got the power. No reason to show any weakness and they aren’t.”

“Having the power isn’t always a good thing though,” he said.

“It is when it comes to the survival of the strongest.”

“The skunk isn’t the strongest, but man, they could get an enemy to move away if they want.”

She laughed. “Scent is a pretty powerful sense. You use what you can when you feel you might be overpowered.”

“Fight or flee,” he said. “Both are powerful choices though many don’t think that.”

“See,” she said. “That is why we are here right now. That is why you and I can make this work.” He lifted an eyebrow at her. “I meant it could work if we want it to.”

“I agree,” he said. “But go on and say why you think that. What is your comment about?”

“Not everyone has to fight. Fleeing sometimes is the best option. It’s what you do to survive for another day. I tell that to my clients. You can fight to stay together, if they are a couple, or you can flee. Maybe in the end, fighting isn’t enough and they flee, but you should be open to trying both and doing what is best.”

It would always bother her that her parents didn’t try. They fled and that was it.

“You should,” he said. “There is no one answer that solves it all and it will never be that way.”

The tour group moved on. They were hanging back so that they could talk and not be overheard.

Zander grabbed her hand. “I think we’ve got an understanding of each other on a level I’ve never had before. Not sure how I feel about that either.”

“I know how I’m starting to feel,” she said quietly.

He looked at her, but she wasn’t going to elaborate at this point.

No reason for it.

Body tingles in her heart and lady parts were driving her to feel and say things she didn’t often.

Regan said she would go with the flow and that’s what she was going to do and see how the rest of the day went.

15

HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE

“That was so much fun,” Regan said hours later. “I’m starving.”

“Hungry enough that you didn’t want to go to a restaurant and wait but drive home and eat subs here?” he asked.

Zander found it funny but didn’t care one way or another if it was what she wanted.

“Yep,” she said. “Sometimes it’s just nice to talk without an audience. Don’t you think? And when we left I wasn’t as hungry as I am now. Good thing we ordered ahead in the car and I just ran in to get them.”

She was moving around her kitchen and pulling down plates and grabbing napkins out of the holder on her island.

He pulled out a stool and sat down, Regan doing the same and then jumping back up. She seemed nervous, which didn’t go with her personality at all.

“What are you doing now?” he asked. He opened his sub and put it on the plate and then tugged the small bag of chips apart and dumped some on the plate next to his ham and Swiss.

“A drink,” she said. “Water or tea? I don’t have beer. I didn’t think of it and don’t keep soda in the house or I drink it and don’t need it. It’s a treat when I need a jolt of sugar and caffeine at work.”

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