"Be careful. You say that enough times and I might actually start to believe you," she replied with a grin. She was only half joking. As much as Astoria would have liked to believe him, she thought he was just being generous with his words. But part of her was still flattered by his compliments. "Oh, I'm sure you do. But in this instance you aren't," she said honestly. She wanted Cormac to know that he wasn't just there for her entertainment, that she was there because she liked him. She just didn't have the courage to say it more boldly.
Astoria shrugged but she smiled more genuinely this time., relieved that they weren't going to end up in another argument. Cormac's insistence that he'd take it as a compliment and the edge of defensive in his voice made her wonder if he'd been insecure or uncertain in that moment. It was oddly sweet, though she knew he wouldn't appreciate that thought. "It's the not the first time you've surprised me. And you aren't boring. You've never been boring." Quite the contrary. Perhaps the first time they'd met but all she remembered from then was how angry she'd been. Either way he'd always managed to get a reaction out of her. The image that came to mind at his description made her laugh. "I don't think you could either. You shouldn't." And really, she wouldn't want him to. Maybe she didn't know Cormac all too well but so far she liked him just the way he was, even knowing he could be an asshole when he wanted to be.