Grayson paused, his fork hovering mid-air. He looked at Carson, then at the empty space across the table, his expression unreadable.
"It is a two-person dwelling," Grayson said, his voice clipped. "There is no tactical utility in overcrowding it."
"I don't care about utility," Carson said, leaning forward. "I care about the fact that you came back with a gardening book and a change in demeanor that has made Lucson, for the first time in my life, seem almost unsettled."
Mailah watched the exchange, noting the way Grayson's jaw tightened. He wasn't angry; he was processing a request that fell outside his usual operational parameters.
"I am not a vacation destination, Carson," Grayson said.
"No," Carson countered, his voice dropping the theater. "But you're finally a human being. I'd like to see where that happened."
