"Not a complaint I hear about men very often," she said with a laugh. Taking it as a joke, as a courtesy to Niko, even if she suspected more than he was letting on. She folded her arms, looked off into the distance, and was silent for a moment.

"Anyway, to your earlier point, as far as ... friends go? Like I said earlier, the heart wants what it wants. There's no shame in it, in the end."

More than that she wouldn't say, she resolved, not unless he pushed it.