“Oh, no!” she threw a gloved hand with a cheek-to-cheek grin. “I was planning more on waiting you out,” Lory laughed, with a little too much gum.

Haha, hahaha … what? He wouldn’t know she meant it.

She schooled her face back into that politely interested countenance … though it looked more school marmish than ‘professional’ this time.

“I think we should switch it up for a few hundred years, and then put your idea in action,” she laughed.

Totally a joke.

“I agree with you, but.”

At this, it was her turn to look a little nervous.

“First off – do you hit women?”