"She'd be furious with me for putting up with it. In that instance, she'd have a right to be. I'm fine with anyone I see not liking her or not wanting her in our business. I don't want her in our business. I'm not fine with being seen as someone's lapdog." The disrespect on both sides of it would inevitably spill over and cause public issues in such a case.

"Fair enough. I'll stop worrying before I really start. You wouldn't be who you are if you weren't out there doing what you do. I happen to like who you are. I don't think that's going to change." It was still a little hard to believe that they had moved forward with very little fuss or effort on either of their parts. He wasn't used to things going smoothly. The chemistry between them had surprised him, too. He felt a small twinge of heat thinking about it, a little something of that showing in his expression.