have been fine.”
He shook his head. “We’re not done yet. There could be ten more times we encounter someone I can’t communicate with. On top of that, I would have been incredibly alone and stressed if you hadn’t been with me to keep my mind off the reason I’m here.”
She flushed yet again. “I don’t think my methods of distraction were in the job description when Charley asked me to accompany you.”
He chuckled. “Probably not but did she specifically tell you not to have sex with me?” he teased.
She groaned. “Semantics? That’s your defense?”
“Or… If she asks if we had sex, which seems absurd and highly unlikely, you could say no. Not by the most commonly recognized definition of the term.” He beamed as if he’d just provided the best defense of all time.
“That’s what I was planning to tell my mother and also my future husband if they asked.” She sucked in a breath and pursed her lips after that ridiculous admission slipped out.
He chuckled. “Then I better keep my cock tucked away nice and secure for the rest of the trip so you’re able to use that line.”
She groaned again. “I’m not sure I want to. I’m not sure I ever want to marry for one thing. It’s a lot of work, and I’ve met everyone my mother finds suitable. She’s started resorting to older men who are widowers lately.”
Ajax’s eyes went wide. “You’ve been dating old men?”
She giggled. The look on his face was priceless. “Not old men and no. I’ve turned her down every time, and most of them were under fifty.”
He shuddered. “Fifty? That’s almost twice your age.” His brow furrowed again.
She couldn’t keep from laughing. “You’re so horrified. It’s not that weird. I’m twenty-eight. Eligible. As far as older single men are concerned, I’m a catch.” She beamed dramatically, jerking her head back and to the side.
Ajax’s face scrunched up, though at least he was finally almost smiling. “I can see where the attraction is for them, of course, but what about you?”
“See? That’s why I’ve said no every time.”
“Doesn’t anyone in your world date or marry outside the church?”
“Not often. It’s sort of frowned upon. Usually, if someone meets someone they like who isn’t a member of the church, the person either converts or they both move away and leave the church. We don’t have a lot of people attending without their spouse.”
“How big is this church of yours?”
“In my town, it’s about five hundred, but there are other congregations in other towns, and we have gatherings with them a few times a year. People often meet someone they end up marrying from another congregation.”
He looked horrified. “You haven’t mentioned love a single time. All these people just meet and marry and procreate and go to church. Does anyone believe in love?”
She hesitated a moment, thinking how to address his question. “Of course, people love each other. It’s impressed upon us to find someone we get along with and love will come with time.”
“Now you’re talking about loving someone like you’d love a parent or sibling. I’m talking about being in love. Romantic love. Not just a friend you sort of like and have bad sex with to make babies.”
“It’s not as bad as you’re describing it. I know lots of people who are happily married.”
“Uh-huh.” He didn’t believe her. That was obvious.
She wasn’t even sure she believed herself anymore. Not after last night. When she got home, she feared she would end up looking closely at every couple she knew to see if she thought they had the kind of chemistry she had with Ajax.
This thing with Ajax though wasn’t love either. It was lust. A physical attraction that was dragging her under so deeply that she was behaving like someone with no morals at all.
“Huh. I just realized something,” Ajax pointed out.
She was afraid to hear this new revelation.
“You live in two worlds. I don’t think I fully grasped that. Part of you is dedicated to something you were born into. You follow the teachings of your parents and your church without question or hesitation. I doubt you’ve ever considered the possibility that your religion might be a bit stricter than necessary to satisfy your god.”
She gasped. “You say that like there’s more than one God.”
He stared at her a moment. “I didn’t mean to insult you. I don’t actually care if there is or isn’t more than one god or goddess for that matter. Let me finish. You have another