A chuckle escaped Dumas when Mari refused his offer of help.   He felt like he was glimpsing a new side of her.  At the club, her eagerness to please always came across as submissiveness.  But now Dumas could see that Mari possessed a stubborn streak -- at least when it came to things that she felt strongly about.  “Alright, you win.  I surrender to your hospitality.”<br/><br/>Coke sounded tempting.  But Dumas knew that he’d have enough trouble falling asleep in a new place, without putting a bunch of caffeine into his system.  “A glass of water would be great.  Thanks.”<br/><br/>Eagerly, Dumas accepted the plate from Mari.  Holding it under his nose, he savored the wonderful aroma of slightly charred meat.  Then, as reverently a priest bearing a holy relic in some religious procession, Dumas carried the steak over to the kitchen table and sat down.  Part of him wanted to carve off the biggest hunk that he could possibly shove into his mouth.  However, since he was in the company of a lady, Dumas settled for a more modest first bite.  He even finished chewing before giving his review.  “Oh my god, Mari!  This is fantastic.  Seriously, I would sleep in the hallway every night for this.”<br/><br/>After several more bites, followed draining half his glass of water, Dumas remembered that people generally conversed during meals.  Forcing himself to slow down a little, he gave Mari a playful smile.  “So.  Regarding this list of things I can’t ask a girl -- is there anything else on it that I should know about?”