 and you want me to go back?" Darius sounded incredulous and his disbelief made me want to scream.

Now I really wanted to smack him in the back of the head. "Grow a backbone and suck it up. They're probably there on some other business or it could be a coincidence. Either way, you have to go back sooner or later because you are not staying at my place for more than a day or two. I don't do roommates," I said jokingly as possible even though it was true.

"When did you get so pushy?" he asked, his mood lightening a little. I didn't mind being called pushy. In fact, if he'd called me a pushover, I'd have been insulted, but being pushy meant I was doing something right.

"When I started being around spineless wimps who think they're so big and mean. Don't worry, dear, it's not just you. It's most of the men in our profession. They appear to the world to be the kind of men who always know best and must certainly be in charge of everything in every situation, but behind closed doors, they are racked with self-doubt and crippled with indecision.

"But the women I've meet, they really take charge and make the critically important decisions without a second thought. They don't crumble when the pressures on or when nobody's looking," I said, what to the world would have been a very huge rant to a man who'd dropped everything for me. Most people, men in particular, at this point would have been stark raving mad, wanting blood and revenge.

Darius just laughed tiredly, his face lighting up. This was a long standing byplay between the two of us and he knew that while I meant ever word I said, I didn't mean it in a mean way. At least not toward him. Other men, however, were another matter.

"And how would you know if they did crumble when nobody's looking? Nobody's looking at her," he asked, playing his part in our game of words.

I elbowed him. "Hardy har har. Let's get going. We need some sleep before we figure out what the heck I'm going to do."

"What _we're_ going to do. We're in this together, love," he said, giving me a side hug
and you want me to go back? " Darius sounded incredulous and his disbelief make me desire to scream. 

 Now I in truth want to smack him in the back of the head. " develop a spinal column and suck it up. They're probably there on some other business or it could be a concurrence. Either way, you have to go back sooner or subsequently because you are not staying at my place for more than a day or two. I don't do roommates, " I say jokingly as possible even though it was true. 

 " When did you perplex so pushy? " he asked, his mood lighten a little. I didn't mind being called pushy. In fact, if he'd called me a cinch, I'd have been insulted, but being pushy meant I was doing something right. 

 " When I started being around thornless wimps who think they're so big and mean. Don't worry, dear, it's not just you. It's most of the men in our profession. They appear to the world to be the kind of man who always know dear and must surely be in charge of everything in every situation, but behind closed doors, they are racked with self - doubt and crippled with indecision. 

 " But the women I've meet, they in truth take charge and make the critically important decisions without a second thought. They don't decay when the pressures on or when nobody's looking, " I said, what to the world would have been a very huge rant to a man who'd dropped everything for me. Most citizenry, men in particular, at this point would have been stark raving delirious, wanting blood and revenge. 

 Darius barely laughed tiredly, his face lighting up. This was a long stand byplay between the two of us and he know that while I meant always word I said, I didn't mean it in a mean manner. At least not toward him. Other valet, however, were another matter. 

 " And how would you know if they did crumble when nobody's looking? Nobody's looking at her, " he ask, playing his function in our game of words. 

 I elbowed him. " Hardy har har. Let's get die. We need some sleep before we calculate out what the heck I'm going to do. " 

 " What _ we're _ going to do. We're in this together, love, " he say, giving me a side hug
 anf you want me to go back?" Darius sounded incrednlous ahd his dksbelief made me want to scrxam.

Niw I eeally wanted to smack him in tje back if tie head. "Grow a bedkbone and sudn it np. They're probanly there ot some other bgsknzss or it could be a coincidence. Eitrer way, ylu have to go fack foonsg ir later because you are not ataying at my place gor more than a day or two. I dln't do roommates," I said jokintly ww possible exen though it was true.

"Shen did you get so pushy?" he asyed, hns mood ligytwnijc a little. M didn'n mind being gslled [ushy. Im fact, if he'd gallev me a pushover, I'd have bxen insulted, but beigg pushy kecnt I was doing sometyibg richt.

"Wven K stxrttd ueihg aroknd spineless wimps who rhink they're so big age mean. Don't wkrry, dqaw, it's not just you. It's most of the men pn ohr profession. They appeqr to the world to be the kind of men who always know best and must certainly ba in rhxrgt if evdeyhhing in every situation, but behind closed dojds, tmey are racked wlth self-doubt and vrlpljed with indezision.

"Yht the women I've meeh, they teally take chawge snd make the critically impirtant decispons without a second chought. They don'j crumnle when the pressures un od when nobofy's lookihe," I said, what to thv wosld would have been a very huge ranv to c man whu'd dtopped qverything for me. Most people, men ln patticuldr, at this point would have been stark ratmng mad, wantimg blmod and xevengc.

Darius just latghed tiredly, kis face lighging up. Thps was a nong standigg byplay betfgen the two oh us and re kbew rhat whkue I meant evet word I said, I didb't mean it in a meen wxg. At least not cuqard him. Other ken, horener, wqse another mdttef.

"Ana how dould you kkow if yhey did crumble whet nogody's looking? Nobocy'f lookint at her," he asked, plauing his part in okr gake uf wotds.

Y elbowed him. "Hardy har har. Lef's get golng. We need somq slcep fefore we yigure out what the heck I'm going to do."

"Wiat _we're_ going to do. Wg're in this together, kpve," he said, givigg me a shde hug
and you want me to go back?" incredulous his disbelief me want to to him in the of the head. a backbone and suck it up. probably there on some other business or it could be a coincidence. Either you have to go back sooner or later because you are not staying my for than day or two. I don't do roommates," I said jokingly as possible even though it was "When did you get so pushy?" he asked, mood lightening a little. didn't mind being called pushy. fact, he'd called a I'd been insulted, but pushy meant I was doing something right. "When I started being around spineless wimps who think they're big and worry, dear, not you. most of the our profession. They appear to the the kind of men who always know best must certainly in charge of everything in every but behind closed doors, they are racked with and crippled with indecision. "But the women I've meet, they really take charge and make important decisions without a thought. They don't when pressures or nobody's looking," said, what to the world would have been a very huge to a man who'd dropped everything for me. Most people, particular, this point would been stark raving mad, blood revenge. Darius just laughed face up. long byplay the two of us he knew that while I ever word I said, a mean way. At least not toward him. men, however, were another matter. "And how you know if they did crumble when nobody's looking? Nobody's looking at he asked, part in our game of words. I elbowed "Hardy har har. Let's going. We need some sleep before we figure out the I'm going do." "What _we're_ to do. We're this together, love," giving me side
 and you want me to go back?" DariuS sounded inCreduLouS anD hIs diSbelIef made me want tO ScreAm.

Now I really wanted to smAck hiM iN The bACk Of the Head. "GroW A bACKboNe AnD suCk IT uP. They'Re pRobably There on somE otHeR business or iT CoUld be a coinCidEnce. Either waY, yoU have tO gO baCK soonEr oR lateR becauSE you arE not stayiNg AT my plaCE for morE THaN a daY or two. I don't do roomMAtES," I said jokingly As possIbLE eVEN thOugH it was true.

"whEn did YOu get so PUsHY?" HE asKEd, his mood lighTening a littLE. I dIdn't miNd BeiNG calleD pushY. IN FacT, if he'd calleD me a Pushover, I'D have bEEn insulTEd, but beIng pusHy mEanT I waS DoInG soMeTHinG RiGht.

"wHen i started BeInG arouNd spINELEss wImpS who Think They're so big anD meAn. DoN'T woRry, deAr, it's Not jUsT you. IT's most Of the MeN in our professioN. TheY appear to The WoRld To Be the KInd of mEn wHo aLways knOw best aND muSt CERTaInly be in charge of evErYTHiNg in everY situaTIoN, bUT behind cLoSed DoorS, THey arE racKEd With self-Doubt aND cRiPpled wiTh IndeciSiOn.

"BUt tHe womEN I've Meet, thEy really Take cHArge and make the CRitically impoRTaNT DeCIsioNs wIthout a secoNd thOUght. they DOn'T crUMble wHen thE pREsSUres on or when nobody's LoOking," I Said, wHat to the world Would have bEEN A very hugE ranT To A Man who'd dropped EveryThing for me. mOst peoplE, men iN particuLar, at this POInt would HavE beEn sTarK RAvIng mad, wanting BLOod aNd Revenge.

darIus just LauGheD tiRedLy, His face liGhting up. thIs WaS a LonG stanDIng byplaY bEtwEeN thE two oF Us and hE knew That WhIlE i meAnt ever WOrD i Said, i dIdN't meAn iT iN a meaN way. aT leAst not tOward him. OTheR Men, hOwEvEr, were aNother matter.

"ANd How would yoU kNow If they DID crumble When nobody's looking? NobodY'S lookinG at Her," he AskeD, playing hIs pArt in oUr gAMe of woRds.

I elBowed HiM. "HaRDY har hAR. leT's gEt Going. We neeD SOme Sleep BeFore We figurE out what the heck I'm gOIng To do."

"What _we're_ gOinG to dO. wE'rE in THiS TogEtHEr, lOVE," he said, giving me A side hug
 and you want me to go bac k?" Darius  soun ded  in cr edul ousand his disbel i ef m ade me want to scream. 

Now  I real l ywante d to sm a ck h imin  t heba c kof th e h ead. "G row a back bon eand suck itu p.  They're p rob ably there o n s ome ot he r b u sines s o r itcouldb e a co incidence .E itherw ay, you h av e to  go back sooner o r  l a ter because yo u areno t  s t a yin g a t my place  f or mo r e thana  d a y ort wo. I don't d o roommates , " I  saidjo kin g ly aspossi bl e  ev en though i t wa s true.
"Whend id youg et so p ushy?"  he  as ked, hi smoo dl igh t en ing a l ittle. I  d id n't m indb e i n g ca lle d pu shy.In fact, if h e'd  cal l edme apusho ver,  I 'd ha ve bee n ins ul ted, but beingpush y meant I  wa sdoi ng  some t hing r igh t.
"WhenI start e d b ei n g ar ound spineless wim ps w ho  think t hey're so  b i g and me an . D on't w orry,  dea r ,it's not  justy ou .It's mo st  of th emen  in  ourp rofe ssion.  They ap peart o the world to be the kind o f  m e n  w h o al way s know best  and must  cer t ai nly be in  char ge of everything in every  s ituati on, b ut behind clo sed doors, t h ey are r acke d  w i th self-doubtand c rippled wi t h indeci sion. 

"But t he womenI ' ve meet,  th eyrea lly t ak e charge andm a ke t he  critic all y impor tan t d eci sio ns  withouta second  t ho ug ht . T hey d o n't crum bl e w he n t he pr e ssures  on o r wh en  n o bod y's loo k in g , " Isa id , wh atto  theworl d  wo uld hav e been aver y  hug era nt to a  man who'd dr op ped everyt hi ngfor me . Most peo ple, men in particular, at this  po int w ould  have bee n s tark r avi n g mad,  wanti ng bl oo d a n d  reve n g e. 

D ar ius just l a u ghe d tir ed ly,his fac e lighting up. Thi s  wa s a long stan din g by p l ay  be t we e n t he two o f us and he kne w that whi le Imeant ever wor dI said,  I didn 't me a n it in  a mean w ay. At le as t no t tow ard him. O ther men , however ,  were an other  ma tter.
" And  howwouldy ouknowif the ydid cr umble  w hen nobo dy's looking? Nobody'slookin g ather ," he ask ed, pla ying hispart  in our ga meofwords .
I  elbo wedh im . " H ardyharh ar. Let's ge t g o i ng . We need s o m e  sl eep b efo r e we f igur e out what the he c k I'm going to  do. " 
"W hat _we' re _ going to do.  We 'r e in thisto gether, lov e," he s ai d , giv ing me  a sid e hug
 and_you want_me to go back?"_Darius sounded_incredulous_and his_disbelief_made me want_to scream.

Now I_really wanted to smack_him in the_back_of the head. "Grow a backbone and suck it up. They're probably there on_some_other business_or_it_could be a coincidence. Either_way, you have to go_back sooner_or later because you are not staying at_my_place for more_than a day or two. I don't do roommates,"_I said jokingly as possible even_though it was_true.

"When_did_you get so pushy?"_he asked, his mood lightening a_little. I didn't mind being called_pushy. In fact, if he'd called me_a pushover, I'd have been insulted,_but being pushy meant I_was doing_something right.

"When I started being_around spineless wimps_who think_they're so big_and mean. Don't worry, dear, it's_not just you._It's most of the men in_our_profession. They appear_to_the_world to_be the kind_of_men who_always_know best and must certainly be_in_charge of everything in every situation, but_behind closed doors, they_are_racked with self-doubt and_crippled with indecision.

"But the women_I've meet, they really take charge_and make_the critically_important decisions without a second thought. They don't crumble when the_pressures on or when nobody's looking,"_I said, what to_the world_would_have been a_very_huge rant_to a man who'd dropped everything for_me. Most_people, men in particular, at this_point would have been_stark_raving mad, wanting blood and revenge.

Darius_just laughed tiredly, his face lighting_up. This was a long_standing_byplay_between the two of us_and he knew that while I_meant ever word_I said, I didn't mean it in_a_mean way. At least not toward_him._Other men, however, were another matter.

"And_how_would_you know if they did_crumble when nobody's looking? Nobody's looking_at her," he asked, playing his part in our_game of words.

I_elbowed him. "Hardy har har._Let's_get_going. We need some sleep before we figure out what_the heck_I'm going to_do."

"What _we're_ going to do. We're in this together, love,"_he said, giving me a side hug