“How many helicopters have you been in?”
“What?” Iro laughed.
“You seem either tired or bored, so I’m making conversation.”
“I’m not bored, Arwen,” she said and kissed the top of Arwen’s head. “I don’t think I could ever be bored with you.”
“I doubt that. I’m very boring.”
“Howare you boring?”
“You’ve only really seen me at the bar, or when you’re taking me on extravagant dates, but normally, I’m just working, or I’m at home. Being a lawyer seems really interesting when you’re watching them argue in court on TV, and it’s all dramatic, but it’s not like that at all. It’s much slower, mostly less intense, with fewer dramatic objections.”
“I bet you’re amazing in court,” she replied, focusing on picturing just that. “May I see you argue someday?”
“Oh, no way.” Arwen laughed, wrapping an arm around Iro’s waist. “I’m rarely in court for a trial. I’m a litigator, yes, but we typically end up settling. So, it’s mainly arbitration or depositions. Sometimes, we go in front of a judge for a ruling, but not often. Most people I go up against know they’re guilty of something, so they like to avoid a big trial because then, everyone else will know that, too.”
“I guess I can’t watch you in a deposition, huh?”
“I’m usually behind the camera while the person we’re questioning is in front of it. I promise you, babe, itisvery boring. And when I’m not doing boring things at work, I’m doing boring things at home.”
“Go on,” Iro said as she squeezed Arwen’s shoulder.
“You already know I make my own soaps and toothpaste; that kind of thing.”
“Yes.”
“Well, sometimes, I also make my own paper out of old paper. I recycle it. I have a whole kit thing.”
“A paper-making kit?”
“Yeah. You take the stuff you want to recycle, and you kind of pulverize it. Then, you press it, dry it, and eventually, you have a single sheet of paper.” Arwen laughed again. “You can make more than one sheet, obviously. It’s fun, and I end up with my own paper that I can use and remake over and over again, never having to buy new paper. I use legal pads at work, and I kind of hate it, but they work for me and I need them. I’ve tried a smart notebook thing and a tablet, as well as my laptop, but I just work better with those, so to make up for using all that paper, I make my own for home.”
“Will you teach me?”
Arwen shifted to look at her and asked, “You want me to show you how I make paper?”
“Why not? We could do that tonight instead of watching a movie.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look like you could fall asleep during that movie. Are you sure you’re even up for dinner?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” Iro replied and cupped Arwen’s cheek. “And I would love to make a single sheet of paper with you tonight, beautiful Arwen.”
CHAPTER 17
Arwen
“Do you like it?” she asked.
“Yes, it’s good,” Iro said. “I’ve never had vegan Chinese food, and honestly, I haven’t given it much thought in terms of Chinese food being vegan, but it makes sense. There’s a ton of meat alternatives, and they don’t usually use cheese; that kind of thing.”
Iro set her bowl on the coffee table in front of them.
“Finally,” Arwen stated.
“Finally, what?”
“Finally, I can do this,” she replied, moving to straddle Iro’s hips. “You really liked that food, huh? Took you forever to finish eating.”
