All About Charming Alice by J. Arlene Culiner

once.”
    He was right in wanting that, Alice mused. Living with someone day in and day out could be difficult enough. But if you didn’t have the same morals, marriage was hell.
    “There were times I thought I was about to fall in love, and then the feeling simply wore off,” Jace continued. “As soon as babies, and mortgages, and commitment, came into the picture. And the expectation that I change to fit into someone else’s picture of how I should be. And time schedules that meant the end of freedom. And requests that I be around more, spend less time writing, or investigating, or pursuing the subjects that fascinate me.”
    “Oh yes, I know,” said Alice, leaning forward. “And because of that, because you don’t give into other people’s demands, everyone tells you how self-centered you are. How egoistic. How selfish. And how downright boring.”
    His eyes searched hers warily. “Yes, they do. I’ve heard those very words many times.”
    Alice laughed shortly. “I’ll bet you have.”
    He smiled back, faintly, but his expression was still guarded. “How do you know this? Is it the sort of thing you’d say to me?”
    “Never.” She shook her head vehemently. “Not me. Those accusations would never cross my lips, mainly because I’ve had them thrown at me so many times, and I know how exasperating they can be.”
    Now he relaxed and the smile spread into a grin. “This is getting better and better. We must both be aliens from a distant planet.”
    “Jupiter? Saturn?”
    “Much further, I think. From another galaxy altogether.”
    Their eyes locked and the little thrill of fear raced up her spine again. She felt so close to him this very instant. No doubt he felt the same way too. A bond had been forged between them tonight. Now what would happen … would she follow him upstairs, take him to her bed as she longed to do and let him become part of her life? Then wonder if she’d ever see him again after he returned to Chicago. Because his return was imminent, therefore separation would never be far off.
    No, she couldn’t live like that. If she made love with him, she would give her whole heart — her soul — to Jace. Already, she felt too much for him, took too much pleasure in his every glance, his gestures, in the conversations they shared, in his natural warmth. Giving her heart to Jace could only end in heartbreak, a pain she never wanted to experience again. Better to destroy the intimacy of this moment. Immediately.
    “So in Chicago you live the bachelor life.” Her voice sounded tight, jagged, even to her own ears. “One affair after another, no strings attached.”
    “I guess you could say that’s a fairly good description of the landscape of my romantic life up until now,” he answered lazily. “Although it sounds banal and rather unappealing when put like that.”
    Up until now? What did that mean? Anything at all? Anything personal? Of course not, although she wished it did. And knew she couldn’t allow herself to think that way. He was a playboy, pure and simple. She knew the type. Far too well. “Is there one woman you see more than others back in Chicago?”
    His glance was probing. “Is it important to have this conversation right now?”
    “I thought this was called getting to know each other better. That’s what you suggested, isn’t it?”
    “If that’s the way you want it.” He shrugged, then answered with no great enthusiasm, “I see several women. There’s one — Tanya — I go out with fairly often.”
    Tanya. Of course. A woman with a name like Tanya. No Linda, or Sue, or Joan, for Jace. Nope. But Tanya … the name conjured up sleek sophistication, perfume. She’d be exotic and utterly beautiful. Phooey. Alice hated her.
    At least now she knew the way the wind was blowing. Jace Constant had decided to have a short affair with her, just to tide him over until he got home and back into Tanya’s arms. The thought left a bittersweet taste in her mouth.