He cringes almost imperceptibly, his smile just this side of forced. She's not easily conned, so he eases himself down on the bed, shrugging.

"We have this... tension between us. The concept is that I flirt with Arthur, and he pretends to be grumpy about it. Of course, I know now that it's all a charade with Arthur, that he needs me to be this over the top, that his eye-rolls and shaking of his head are really his way of saying 'I like you.'

But back then... I really had no idea what was reality between us. I'm afraid he didn't let himself want me, and therefore I wasn't certain of anything. I didn't want to know if he really hated me."