Page 47 of About Love and Revenge

Now I can say that being on the other side of the table is not pleasant. Despite that, I want her too much to back off. “What are your terms?”

She doesn't hesitate. “I want you to promise me that when our desire has burned out, we'll get along like two adults. That means I'll still have my job.” She pauses and takes a sip of her wine. “I will never bother you with dreams of love or anything else. If you're willing to test the physical attraction we feel, only that, then I'd like to give it a try.”

Odin

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Let's get this straight:are you proposing that we give in to our attraction but without allowing feelings to be involved?”

Even saying it out loud shocks me.

I never imagined I would hear something like this, and it has nothing to do with pretense, just with the fact that most women usually fantasize about commitment from the very beginning of their relationships. In all involvements I've had so far, without exception, I've made it clear that I wasn't looking for anything more than a date.

Two or three times, I even considered one of my partners for something other than weekday sex outings, but all it took was an extra couple of rounds for me to be sure I couldn't go through with it.

That said, what Elina just offered should sound like a dream come true, but that's not how it feels.

I remember our conversation on the plane, in which she said that she would never marry, that she liked to be alone. Me too, despite knowing that if I want heirs, at some point I will have to take my relationships to another level until I find the one who will be my life partner.

I don't have any illusions about overwhelming passion. If I can find a woman who even slightly fits what I'm hoping for, that's fine.

It's just that realizing Elina wasn't gambling when she said she didn't care about saving her virginity for marriage, as her family demanded, disconcerted me. I think I saw her as a version of Cinthya, her mother, only with more personality. However, Elina is demonstrating an admirable ability to make decisions about her own life.

“Yes,” she replies, seeming oblivious to the turmoil she's caused in me. “I've never been in a relationship before. By choice, needless to say. I don't know you well enough, but I don't think you want emotional bonds either, so I think it could be a perfect arrangement.”

“How did you reach that conclusion?”

She shrugs. “You're older than I am and you're still single.”

“And how do you know I'm not looking for someone to take as my wife?”

“Oh . . . Are you?” For the first time, she looks awkward.

“Not at the moment,” I say honestly.

“Then I don't understand what the problem is."

I think before answering, but the truth is, I don't even know myself. “Is that your only rule? No emotional ties?”

“The main one. But there's another important one for me. As long as we're together, we don't see other people. I wouldn't feel good having simultaneous relationships, much less being part of a love triangle,” she says.

Just the thought of her being with anyone else makes me crazy with jealousy. “I don't share, Elina, and I'm not interested in more than one woman at a time either. If I ever happen to look at someone else, I’ll know it's time to move on.”

“Good. So do we have a deal?”

If the situation wasn't so crazy I might laugh, but my mood isn't even close to joking. “So far you've laid down your rules. Let's settle mine.”

“Okay.”

“Loyalty is also an essential item for me. The second thing is that even though we take our relationship away from the realm of work, we'll go out in public together whenever I have a social event or dinner, like today.”

“But that’s practically dating.”

“Call it what you want, but we're not going to hide.”

She doesn't say anything, but I can tell I've taken her by surprise. “People will gossip. I don't want to be accused of dating the boss.”

“No one will talk about you if they want to keep their job.”

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