She felt the shift in him, as soon as the joke had left her lips. She knew where she erred, as soon as she spoke, she knew. Yet, even as she felt her mistake, she was intrigued by his reaction. He matched her verbally, as expected, but his mind was not in the moment now. She wanted to watch his reactions, further learn how this new star on her horizon functioned, but he had earned his freedom from her searching gaze.
She still knew so little about this man, about what drove him and his motivations. He knew very little of her. What she could not tolerate was him dismissing her as a woman as weak as the prattle in Witch Weekly would have one believe. She allowed him to take her glass, allowed him to build some barrier inside that changed his tone. She took her glass back and sipped for a moment, allowing him to speak. She listened, but now he would hear her.
“Then I will make the same pact with you. I take this seriously and I am willing, but believe me when I say this: I do not ask for kid gloves from you, Samuel. While I will follow your guidance, I do not ask for your protection. I will hold my own.” It was best he learn that now.
She still knew so little about this man, about what drove him and his motivations. He knew very little of her. What she could not tolerate was him dismissing her as a woman as weak as the prattle in Witch Weekly would have one believe. She allowed him to take her glass, allowed him to build some barrier inside that changed his tone. She took her glass back and sipped for a moment, allowing him to speak. She listened, but now he would hear her.
“Then I will make the same pact with you. I take this seriously and I am willing, but believe me when I say this: I do not ask for kid gloves from you, Samuel. While I will follow your guidance, I do not ask for your protection. I will hold my own.” It was best he learn that now.
![[Image: Bka0H0x.jpeg]](https://i.imgur.com/Bka0H0x.jpeg)