A few nights later, Keith asked if she would meet him for dinner, drinks, and conversation. The wording pleased Selene more than she expected. Not because it was charming, though it was. Not because it was careful, though that too was true. What pleased her was the honesty of it. He had not hidden behind vague phrasing or a casual suggestion meant to seem effortless. He had asked for exactly what he wanted: her company, her attention, and more conversation. So she agreed. The

They left the restaurant together beneath a cool evening sky, the soft glow of downtown lights reflecting across the river. The air carried that early-night hush Selene had always liked—quiet enough for honesty, alive enough to keep silence from becoming awkward. Keith fell into step beside her easily, hands in his coat pockets, his expression thoughtful rather than tense. Selene noticed that. A great many people, after the conversation they had just had, would have become pe

Mistress Selene watched Keith across the small restaurant table as he finished his wine. They had been seeing each other for a few weeks now. Dinner dates, quiet conversations, long walks afterward. Keith was thoughtful, attentive, and surprisingly easy to talk to. There was an ease to him that Selene appreciated. But there was something he didn’t know. And Selene had reached the point where she believed he should. Keith leaned back in his chair. “You’re quiet tonight.” Selen