分节阅读_102

  ed tration to begin.
  ”it seems to be… much easier for you, o me.”
  ”does it seem that way to you?” he murmured, his nose gliding to the
  y jaw. i felt his hahan a moth's wing, brushing
  my damp hair back, so that his lips could touch the hollow beh my ear.
  ”much, much easier,” i said, trying to exhale.
  ”hmm.”
  ”so i was w…” i began again, but his firag
  my e, and i lost my train of thought.
  ”yes?” he breathed.
  ”why is that,” my voibarrassing me, ”do you think?”
  i felt the tremor of his breath on my neck as he laughed. ”mind over
  matter.”
  i pulled back; as i moved, he froze — and i o lohe
  sound .
  we stared cautiously at each other for a moment, and then, as his
  ched jaw gradually relaxed, his expression became puzzled.
  ”did i do something wrong?”
  ”e. y me crazy,” i explained.
  he sidered that briefly, and when he spoke, he sounded pleased.
  ”really?” a triumphant smile slowly lit his face.
  ”would you like a round of applause?” i asked sarcastically.
  he grinned.
  ”i'm just pleasantly surprised,” he clarified. ”i hundred years
  or so,” his voice was teasing, ”i never imagihihis. i
  didn't believe i would ever fied to be with… in another
  way than my brothers ahen to fihough it's all
  i'm good at it… at being with you…”
  ”yo,” i poi.
  he shrugged, allowing that, ah laughed in whispers.
  ”but how it be so easy now?” i pressed. ”this afternoon…”
  ”it's not easy,” he sighed. ”but this afternoon, i was still… undecided.
  i am sorry about that, it was unfivable for me to behave so.”
  ”nivable,” i disagreed.
  ”thank you.” he smiled. ”you see,” he ued, looking down now, ”i
  wasn't sure if i was strong enough…” he piy hands and
  pressed it lightly to his fad while there was still that
  possibility that i might be… overe” — he breathed i my
  wrist — ”i tible. until i made up my mind that i was strong
  enough, that there ossibility at all that i would… that i ever
  could…”
  i'd ruggle so hard for words. it was so… human.
  ”so there's no possibility now?”
  ”mier,” he repeated, smilih bright even in the
  darkness.
  ”as easy,” i said.
  he threw back his head aly as a whisper, but still
  exuberantly.
  ”easy for you!” he ameouose with his fiip.
  and then his face tly serious.
  ”i'm trying,” he whispered, his voied. ”if it gets to be… too
  much, i'm fairly sure i'll be able to leave.”
  i scowled. i didn't like the talk of leaving.
  ”and it will be harder tomorrow,” he ued. ”i've had the st of
  you in my head all day, and i've grown amaziized. if i'm
  away frth of time, i'll have tain. not
  quite from scratch, though, i think.”
  ”don't go away, then,” i responded, uo hide the longing in my
  voice.
  ”that suits me,” he replied, his fag ile smile.
  ”bring on the shackles — i'm your priso his long hands formed
  manay oke. he laughed his quiet, musical
  laugh. he'd laughed mht than i'd ever heard iime i'd
  spent with him.
  ”you seem more… optimisti usual,” i observed. ”i haven't seen you
  like this before.”
  ”isn't it supposed to be like this?” he smiled. ”the glory of first love,
  and all that. it's incredible, isn't it, the differeween reading
  about somethi iures, a?”