It gets a chuckle out of him. "A very neat threat, and one I'm sure isn't empty. It is a reasonable point. I suppose let me put it another way, then. What does the reality gain you that the appearance does not? If you are to live in my home and we are to appear entwined at social functions, this is one thing. I would prefer to be a respected partner than a flattered provider of resources to be gotten around. Making the affair a reality, rather than an appearance, seems to veer dangerously close to positioning me as the latter, under the circumstances."

If it comes out a bit like a test, it's meant to.