A few hours later, eating dinner and having taken her second dose of Limeren that day, Kate couldn't deny she felt extra relaxed. Maybe it was the drug, or maybe it was just being in a place where nothing was expected of her. There were books to read, films to watch and even board games and puzzles. It was nothing like her normal days, sending job application after job application and going to stressful interviews that never led to a job. She looked up and saw Michael smiling at her. 'Fancy playing a board game?' he asked. His eyes were such a deep shade of brown, Kate thought. She couldn't think why she hadn't noticed earlier. To her annoyance, she felt her cheeks going red. 'Sure,' she replied. 'I'm very competitive, though,' she warned. 'I feel as if I've known you for months, not days,' she said. She already knew he lived not far away, that he was a student studying for his PhD and that he had dimples in his cheeks when he smiled and a cute way of putting a pen behind his ear when he was reading. She couldn't be completely certain, but she thought he seemed to be making sure he sat next to her for meals and hung out with her whenever he could. Or maybe she was the one who was always looking for him. 'So, do you think you're feeling any side effects?' he asked her one evening. They were sitting on the sofa, watching a film. Michael's knee was almost touching her leg, and if his hand moved even a tiny bit, it would be touching hers. Her heart beat faster and all she could think about was closing the gap and feeling his skin touch hers. She was blushing again, she knew it. 'Any what?' she asked, forcing her mind back to the conversation. Looking back, a few months later, Kate had to admit, nothing was ever going to be as perfect as those first days together. Eventually, real life had to interrupt. She got a job a few days after the trial ended and he went back to the library and his books and research projects. It was the end of her money worries but also the end of spending all day, every day together and all the excitement of falling in love. But still, they saw each other when they could and met each other's parents. Everyone expected them to get married, and when he finally produced a ring and asked her to marry him, she felt that old excitement again.