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Her lips twisted. “Our folks were on basically the same loser trajectory.”

He nodded sympathetically.

“Anyway. This thing between us is going to get out of control,” she said, an understandable fear zipping through her.

“Unless we control it,” he said, comprehension dawning. Then, “How?”

“The same way we’ve done everything else: we set out the rules.” Her heart sang as she said those words because it just made the most perfect sense. Of course it did! When all else fails, stick with what you know.

“I’m listening.”

Relief was a glorious wave inside of her now.

“Okay. Think about what usually complicates sex.”

“Everything?”

“Work with me here. It will be much more fun.”

He nodded once.

“It’s not just emotions, it’s the specific emotions. Possessiveness, jealousy, hopes that aren’t in alignment. So first of all, let’s say we both agree what this is from the outset and that’s it. We don’t talk about some mythical future, we sure as hell don’t ask ‘what it means’.”

He frowned. “You think that will work?”

“I can’t see why not. We’re two of the most driven, determined people there are. We can do this.”

He didn’t say anything, which she took for agreement.

“We don’t let this change what we’re doing with the baby. I think conceiving a child with IVF sums up our relationship much more neatly than if it happens the old-fashioned way.”

“Agreed.”

Good. Buy in. That’s what she wanted.

“Obviously, no deep feelings. If either one of us starts to want more than we’ve agreed, to feel something other than respect and friendship, and desire, they say so, and we stop immediately.”

“Sounds sensible.”

“I agree.”

He stared down at her for a long time, and her heart throbbed hard against her ribs.

“So?” she said, impatience getting the better of her.

“One last thing,” he said, thoughtfully.

She waited.

“Let’s consider this a trial. We’ll say, for now, that it’s just for this weekend. Once we get back to New York, everything should go back to normal.”

“Unless we agree otherwise,” she said, because it made perfect, perfect sense.

“Yes.”

“Okay. So?” she repeated.

“So, yes. I’m on board. Let’s have sensible sex, Tia.”