Текст книги "True"
Автор книги: Laurann Dohner
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Текущая страница: 8 (всего у книги 24 страниц)
He stopped, stared at her. “Okay. I’ll relay that to the task force members.”
“Did Agent Brice give you the names of the employees at Cornas? How many of them were arrested?”
“Just you. We were given no list of employee names.”
She pushed at the sheet, trying to climb off the side of the bed. “Do you have a pen and paper? I want to write them down. They’ll try to flee the country.”
True blocked her from standing by stepping next to the bed. “Stay down. You’re healing. I’ll bring you something to write on.”
“Thank you.” She covered her legs and leaned back against his padded headboard.
True walked to the bedroom door but then paused, turning to face her. “You should also write out a list of personal contacts so we can notify them of where you are. I’m sure your loved ones are worried.”
“No one will notice I’m gone for quite a while.”
He tilted his head, frowning. “What about the male in your life? He must be frantic, attempting to discover your whereabouts.”
“You mean a boyfriend? I don’t date.”
He stepped closer. “Why not?”
She dropped her gaze to his chest again. “I just don’t.”
“Jeanie? Answer me.”
Her gaze lifted to his. “I just don’t. Can’t we leave it at that?”
“No. You’re an attractive female. There should be a male in your life.”
She glanced anywhere but at him, her cheeks warming from embarrassment. It made her feel elated that he thought she was attractive. That feeling quickly faded. He could have said it to be polite.
“I just thought it was safer. I was living a lie, unable to trust anyone because it could get me killed. A boyfriend could have been a plant hired by my bosses to see if I was trustworthy or not. I also didn’t want either of those places to think I had close ties to anyone who could be hurt by association. They loved to make threats about killing the people we cared about if we betrayed our confidentiality clauses.” She paused. “I distanced myself from my friends and family to protect them. They only hear from me on birthdays or Christmas. I knew they weren’t empty threats after…” She just couldn’t say it.
“They forced you to become a test subject,” he guessed.
“Yes,” she whispered. “After that I had no doubts about how evil those bastards could be.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He left the room. One glance at the nightstand assured her he’d taken the cell phone. She really wanted to dial the number for Agent Brice. He had a lot of explaining to do and she had some choice words to say to him. He’d lied and she’d been used. True wouldn’t make that up.
She huddled on his bed. One sweeping glance across the room revealed he didn’t display many mementos or personal items. It reminded her more of a hotel room than a home. It made her sad. She wished there were mementos on his walls or at least some photos of friends to indicate he had a lot of people in his life.
True disconnected the call and ground his teeth in frustration. The task force team seemed leery of Jeanie’s story. Trey had listened to him until Tim came on the phone a few minutes into the conversation. The male again demanded she be returned to his custody. It wasn’t going to happen.
A slight noise in the other room alerted him to Jeanie’s movements. He stalked to the doorway and peered inside. She’d slipped out of bed, had crossed the room and stood in front of his dresser.
“What are you doing?”
She jumped and spun around, eyes wide. Suspicion surfaced that she might be searching for a weapon. He wanted to trust her but refused to be made a fool of again.
“I didn’t want to disturb you but I was hoping I might be able to borrow some of your clothes.”
“Why?”
She waved a hand down the front of her body. “I’m not a huge fan of these gowns. They are kind of uncomfortable and they didn’t have anything else for me to wear at the hospital.”
“There are shirts in the top drawer. You may borrow one.” The idea of his clothing against her bare skin created an odd, possessive reaction inside him. He didn’t like it one bit but refused to deny her comfort.
“Do you have any boxers or drawstring shorts?”
“Third drawer down.”
“Thank you.” She appeared emotionally torn as she just stood there. “I hate that this is so awkward between us. I imagined things would be different if we ever saw each other again.”
Curiosity became too strong to resist. “How so?”
“It never crossed my mind that you’d think I was one of the bad guys.”
“You’re female.” He hoped a little humor would ease the tense situation.
“You know what I mean.” She sighed. “Thank you for at least giving me the benefit of a doubt by bringing me here instead of allowing them to take me to prison.”
He took a cautious step closer, then another, before coming to a halt. “You never harmed me or any others I spoke to from Drackwood. Fuller is a bad place for females. One was killed there a few months ago. I refuse to allow you to be put in danger.”
“Killed? You mean executed?”
“Not by us.” He regretted the fear he identified on her features. “The guards there allow the inmates a little exercise sometimes by having them walk between the cages. The female’s cell door wasn’t locked by mistake and she was attacked by other prisoners when they freed some of the males. The guards weren’t able to save her.”
She took a step back and bumped into his dresser. “That’s horrible. They beat her to death?”
“You don’t want the details. She didn’t die well.”
“Thank you for believing me. I’m afraid of Polanitis. He has to know I’m the reason Drackwood got busted. I never called in sick for work except the day of the raid. He’d do anything to get even.”
True felt grateful she didn’t question him further about the human who was killed. “I want to believe everything you say.”
She flinched. “It’s hard to trust me. I understand.”
He didn’t enjoy seeing the unhappiness on her face. “You can change your clothes in the bathroom.” His gaze ran down her body, lingering a little too long on her shapely, attractive legs. “I want you comfortable.”
She turned away. The dresser was tall and she had to ease up on tiptoe to peer inside when she opened the top drawer. He immediately went to her aid. True’s torso pressed against her back when he reached around her, his hand brushing hers as he grabbed a shirt.
Jeanie sucked a sharp breath, her head jerking in his direction to stare at his face. He studied her features. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I know.” She didn’t edge away.
She smelled sweet. The lingering scent of her fear played hell on his libido. It would be easy to wrap an arm around her waist, lift her off her feet and carry her to his bed just steps away. He became aware of their size differences. He’d never mounted a human but wanted to.
The golden brown of her eyes was absolutely beautiful. His gaze lowered to her slightly parted lips. The urge to kiss them formed as his body responded to the soft curves of her ass lightly touching his thighs. The two hospital gowns she wore were thin, easy to get rid of. He fisted the shirt and pulled it out of the drawer.
“Go into the bathroom to change. Close the door,” he managed to get out as he put a little space between them. The way his voice deepened couldn’t be helped.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. I’ve barely gotten any sleep in the past two days.” He refused to admit his bad mood wasn’t the result of weariness. He wanted Jeanie. She’d probably scream if he attempted to mount her.
“Go now,” he ordered, his control about to slip. She smelled too good, was too close and his dick grew harder with each passing second. She’d notice if he didn’t get her away from him. He shoved the shirt at her. “Take this. It’s really soft and one of my favorites.”
“What about boxers? Or shorts?”
“You’ll be in bed recovering from your injuries. You don’t need them and the shirt will fall long on you.” She’d be bare from the waist down beneath it. His imagination went there. Flame had said she shaved most of the hair from her sex. He’d never had the urge to explore a human female’s anatomy but Jeanie was different. There wasn’t one inch of her that he wouldn’t like to memorize by touch and taste. “Go on. I need to change out of my uniform.”
She accepted the shirt. He turned his back in case she noticed the way the material of his pants strained to contain his erection. He wanted her in another room and away from him.
He gripped the bottom of his shirt, knowing the sight of him stripping out of it would motivate her to flee. The door clicked closed before he pulled it over his head and tossed it to the corner. He glanced at the bathroom door and cursed softly.
I’m supposed to protect her but who will keep her safe from me?
Chapter Seven
Jeanie studied her reflection in the mirror as she removed both hospital gowns. Bruises still marred one side of her face and her chin but the colors were wrong. They should be black and blue, not greenish yellow. The bandage covered her lower abdomen on one side, gauze sealed beneath a clear plastic cover. It was ugly but she worried that what hid under it looked worse. She hesitated before carefully tugging at the edges, the adhesive a little painful when it pulled away from her skin. She dropped the bandage in the trash next to the toilet.
The bullet wound wasn’t a hole. It was a two-inch red line with tiny dots from staples. They hadn’t bothered with stitches. She brushed her fingertip over the jagged, angry line marring her skin, stunned. She hadn’t torn open her lab coat to examine how badly she’d been hurt when she’d been shot but there had been a lot of blood.
Something was off. There should have been a bloody hole, not a mostly healed incision line. Her knees weakened and she swayed, having to grab the counter to keep upright. A small noise escaped her parted lips while she tried to figure out how that was possible.
“Jeanie?” True’s voice startled her from the other side of the door. “Are you all right?”
She lunged at the shirt she’d laid on the counter, grabbed it, and pulled it over her head. “Yes. No. I don’t know.”
He jerked open the door before she managed to tug the shirt all the way down to her thighs. She gave him her back in an attempt to maintain her modesty. The quick action made her dizzy and she almost tripped over her own feet. A big, solid arm wrapped around her rib cage to anchor her upright and he used his body to support her.
“Jeanie? What’s wrong?”
She didn’t twist her head to peer back at him but instead met his gaze in the mirror. “How long was I out?”
“I don’t understand. Did you faint?”
“No! I was shot! I felt the pain, saw the blood, but I just removed the bandage. Was I in a coma or something?”
He adjusted his hold enough to turn her around to face him. She noticed he was shirtless. She couldn’t help but stare at all that tan skin. The well-defined muscles of his arms were imposing but fascinating at the same time.
“Take a deep breath and calm down,” he demanded.
“I just saw where I was shot. It’s almost healed. How is that possible? When was I shot? How many days was I in the hospital before I woke up?”
True shifted his hold until his arm hooked her at her hips and his free hand pushed the hair away from her face. “You were given Mercile drugs. The same thing they used on Species to help us heal fast.”
She was glad he held her when that information sank in. “The ones the FDA banned?” She’d read about that in the news. Once it had become known that Mercile Industries had used illegal methods to produce some groundbreaking pharmaceutical drugs by abusing New Species, every product they’d made had gone under extensive investigation. The results had been appalling when they found evidence that human drug trials had ended with fatalities, something Mercile had managed to cover up until that point. “They are dangerous, aren’t they?”
A muscle along his jaw jumped. “You were in critical condition and the doctors felt they had nothing to lose. You responded well to the healing drug but were taken off it as soon as you were out of danger.”
“When was I shot?”
“Yesterday morning.”
“That’s impossible.” She reached between them, pressing her palm over the wound. “I’ve had surgery before. This looks at least two weeks old. It should still be raw and need stitches or something. It doesn’t even need a bandage. I…”
Her mind blanked, too overcome with conflicting thoughts. It shouldn’t be possible but she saw the evidence. What kind of damage had been done to her internal organs if the drugs were flawed? What kind of long-term side effects had she been exposed to? She tried to remember the exact details of how those people involved in the drug studies had died but couldn’t.
True growled and bent, scooping her into his arms. She didn’t protest when he carried her to the bedroom. “Dr. Harris should have explained this to you.” He gently deposited her on the bed and crouched.
She held his gaze.
“You are fine. The drug helped you heal faster. You would have died without it.”
A detail surfaced. “Some of those poor people had seizures and strokes from medications made by Mercile.”
“I didn’t know you were dosed until after it was done. I made Dr. Harris take you off it as soon as I learned the risks. Some of it is still in your system though so your healing is continuing. We’re given it regularly when we’re injured.”
It was sobering. “Your people purposely take Mercile drugs?”
“They used us to perfect their performance.” He shrugged. “They work fine on Species but apparently are too strong for humans.”
She touched her cheek. “I’m healing at an accelerated rate.”
“Yes. Now you’ll heal normally after they completely leave your system.” He reached out and took her hand, gently holding it. “That’s why you need to take it easy and get plenty of rest. Don’t worry about anything right now. Stress is bad for your recovery.”
She couldn’t prevent the bitter laugh. “Right. Don’t be stressed. I just discovered I’ve been working for some asshole who used me to screw over the NSO and I was almost sent to prison. I’m considered to be a bad person by your task force guys but all I wanted to do was save people.” The reality of her situation slammed home. “You’re not even sure if you can trust me.” She ducked her head, not wanting him to see her blink away tears. It was embarrassing to seem so weak after all he’d survived during his lifetime.
“Jeanie.”
The way he said her name in that sexy, husky voice drew her gaze. He released her hand and stood. She wondered if he was disgusted with her tears. He did the unexpected though by sitting on the edge of the bed and leaned sideways enough to brace one hand on the other side of her hip. He closed the space between them until their faces were inches apart.
She forgot how to breathe. There were no chains holding his arms above his head now, nothing to stop him from doing anything he wanted. He sniffed as he leaned in, seemingly interested in her neck as his nose brushed it. She held very still, unsure what his intentions were.
“True?” She whispered, drawing in a sharp breath.
He backed up a little to stare into her eyes. “You’re not aroused. I used to smell it on you when we were this close.”
Jeanie swallowed, stunned. Her cheeks warmed. “What?” She really hoped she’d passed out and had entered a nightmare. Wake up! Nothing changed as he blinked, the appealing brown of his eyes revealing darker flecks near his pupils as she stared deeply into them.
“I’ve thought a lot about our interactions in the past and if you’d still react the same way now that I’m no longer restrained.”
She had no words.
“I wasn’t sure if you were into control or if it was my body you found attractive.”
“I…” She swallowed again. “Control? I don’t understand.” She didn’t want to talk about his body. It was half bare and way too close to her.
“Some humans feel sexual excitement when they have physical dominance over another person. You could do anything to me without consequences. Was that why you were aroused?”
“I hated you being in chains. Not a day went by that I didn’t wish you were out of them.” That was honest.
He frowned. She glanced at his wide chest, the perfectly defined muscles of his pecs, at the dusky-rose color of the flat disks of his nipples. They were slightly stiff, the centers beaded. She swallowed hard, unable not to glance downward to his washboard abs that nearly begged to be touched. She quickly looked up but her blush intensified when she realized he’d caught her perusal.
“It was my body that drew that reaction from you?”
She looked away and wished a hole would open up under her so she could disappear. He had her pinned on his bed between his hand beside her hip, the headboard behind her, and his body blocking her exit off the side.
“Jeanie?”
The sharp growl startled her and she jerked her gaze back to stare into his face. He appeared a little angry. “What?”
“I want answers and you’re the only one who can give them to me. Don’t play human games. Be direct. Why did I smell arousal on you when we were near each other?”
The urge to touch him became so strong she fisted her hand to stop herself from following through with the action. So many horrible things had been done to him in his lifetime that she figured he deserved answers to any questions he asked. Even if they happened to be uncomfortable and embarrassing for her.
“I won’t hurt you.”
“I believe that. It’s just that I didn’t expect this conversation.” She stalled, feeling a tiny bit of guilt. “It’s not an easy topic, you know?”
“Answer me,” he demanded, softening his tone.
“I was always attracted to you,” she admitted, lowering her gaze to his neck. It made admitting her secrets a little easier. “We weren’t able to spend a lot of time together but I just felt this pull toward you. It didn’t make much sense but that’s how I felt.”
“You wanted me to touch you?”
She nodded, lowering her chin but then turned her head away since it left her staring at his nipples. “Yes.”
“Did you feel the same attraction with other Species males?”
“No! It was just you.” She lifted her head, holding his gaze.
“Why me? I need to know.”
“Oh hell.” She was embarrassed. “You really want to discuss this?”
“I do.”
“I just liked you. You’re attractive, True. You didn’t frighten me by snarling or snapping when I had to collect blood. I just…liked you.”
“But you don’t anymore? I’m not frightening you. I don’t smell fear.”
“Oh wow.” She closed her eyes, realizing he wasn’t going to let the subject go until she’d completely humiliated herself to appease his curiosity. She was sure he didn’t understand how difficult it had been on her to be attracted to a man who’d been in that nightmare situation. There just seemed something so wrong about it, a bit perverse even.
“Jeanie?”
He’d lost his patience, gauging by his irritated growl. She opened her eyes to stare at him miserably. “What do you want from me, 710? An apology? I have beaten myself up so many times it’s not funny. I’m completely ashamed of myself for how I responded to you.”
He drew back, his mouth pressing into a firm line. “My name is True.”
“Sorry. I’m just used to thinking about you by number.”
“It shames you to have been attracted to me?” His voice deepened and he seemed angry. “To an animal?”
“You’re not that.” She stopped and gently placed her hand on the front of his chest between his nipples, to avoid touching them. He was really warm, his skin silky soft with a solid mass of muscle behind it. It took willpower just to leave it there instead of exploring more of him. She’d love to surf her palm over the waves of abdominal muscles protruding from the otherwise flat surface of his stomach.
“You were locked inside that hellish place and it was just wrong on so many levels to be attracted to you there. Not because of your genetics but because you’d been victimized enough.”
His gaze narrowed. “I no longer smell arousal from you. Why is that?”
He apparently found it somehow insulting that she didn’t show any physical signs that she still found him sexy. Her tense body relaxed as she took a few settling breaths. As much as she saw him as a person, there were major differences between Species and humans. She needed to remember that if she let down her guard. Any embarrassment caused by allowing him to know how he affected her dimmed in comparison to causing him to feel as if she viewed him as less than anything purely remarkable.
She breathed through her nose, loving how he smelled. She studied his firm lips. They were generously full, a Species trait that she’d fantasized about often. Just thinking about what it would feel like to brush her mouth against his caused a flutter in her belly and her nipples hardened. She examined his eyes next. That shade of brown had become her favorite color after meeting him. Everything about him was fascinating.
His nostrils flared and she studied his nose. It was wider than a human’s, a little flatter, and perfectly matched his other features. Slight wrinkles crinkled the top sides of it as he sniffed, a cute sight. He had strong cheekbones, a square chin, and everything about him seemed as masculine as a man could be in her opinion. There was nothing boyish about that face. To label him handsome seemed an understatement. Some people thought New Species looked a bit too harsh but she didn’t agree.
“I’ve been trying to fight how I feel when you’re near me, True.” She was proud she’d said his new name. It was something she’d have to keep repeating inside her head so she wouldn’t accidently call him 710. “I’m not now. How do I smell?”
The low growl that rumbled from him and the slight vibrations under her hand were sexy but a bit scary at the same time. She wasn’t sure if it was caused by anger but quickly dismissed that when he leaned in closer. She didn’t see that in his eyes as she studied them but whatever he felt looked pretty intense.
Jeanie wondered if he would kiss her. He cocked his head to one side and sniffed her neck instead. Goose bumps of the good kind broke out over her arms as his warm breath teased the sensitive skin under her ear. A TV special she’d watched on a cable station flashed through her mind. She tilted her face away to give him free access to her throat to acknowledge his dominance, the way she’d seen wolves do. He could bite, his sharp fanglike canines a real threat if he planned to draw blood.
True had exhibited some traits at Drackwood that were reminiscent of the male wolf featured in the animal-behavior show. The gracefulness of his movements were similar to those proud creatures, he tended to growl and snarl to express his feelings, and watched everything around him with a keen wariness. He might be a human being but she’d be a fool to forget his other heritage. Jeanie gave him her absolute trust by releasing all fear.
He’s not going to hurt me. He could have when we were inside his cell but he never did. Relax. Breathe. God, did he just lick me?
The wet, hot tongue flicked her skin so fast she wasn’t sure if it really happened. Another low growl sounded from him. She wanted to look at him, see his expression, but didn’t want him to stop whatever he was doing. Her thumb moved, stroking his silky skin. He pressed his chest more firmly against her hand, seeming to encourage her to continue. She braved inching her palm higher and the pad of her thumb made contact with his taut nipple as it brushed over the tip. She hesitated when he sucked in a sharp breath.
“Jeanie.”
Her breathing increased at how husky his voice sounded. “Yes?” She could barely whisper.
“Go lock yourself in the bathroom.”
That was the last thing she expected him to say with them nearly pressed against each other on his bed while sitting upright. He didn’t move away, didn’t remove his arms from either side of her, keeping her trapped between his body and the headboard. Her heart rate increased but she wasn’t afraid. Him wanting to put a door between them indicated she was in some kind of danger but she didn’t believe that.
“Why?”
The tip of his nose brushed her throat. “Go.”
She’d have to shove back against the headboard and wiggle away from him through the opening between his flattened hand on the mattress next to her thigh and the top of the bed to accomplish that feat.
“True? Why?”
He slowly lifted his head and she met his gaze. The brown of his eyes appeared darker but it might have been because his pupils were larger than normal. “I want you.”
Her lips parted but no words came forth. She wasn’t exactly surprised by that announcement after the conversation they’d had. It did explain why he had been so adamant to find out why she’d responded to him the way she had in the past. He’d just admitted the attraction was mutual. That’s a good thing, right? One glance at his stern expression cast doubt. She struggled to find the right way to ask him what was wrong with being attracted to her.
“I’ll take you if you don’t get away from me right now.”
Take me where? Oh! He means sex. He’ll take me as in…holy shit! He means it. Images of him leaning into her and pushing her flat filled her thoughts. It didn’t send her into a panic to get away. She’d wanted True for what seemed like forever. He was right there in front of her and she’d mourned his loss after he’d been freed from Drackwood, certain she’d never see him again. A lot of lonely nights and dreams about him had left her with a ton of regrets. She’d have given a lot just to have had five minutes alone with him.
We’re in his room. No cameras. No guards to rush inside this room to hurt either of us for breaking any rules now. There are no rules. The only thing that stopped her from asking him to kiss her was the next thought that popped into her head. This is just going to be sex to him and nothing more.
He abruptly rolled off the bed, putting space between them. He faced the wall by the door, his hands fisted at his sides. “Go into the bathroom. Shower. You need to wash away that scent right now.”
She didn’t budge. He’d snarled the words but she’d understood each one. Part of her wanted to flee to the next room and lock the door the way he’d suggested. It would be smarter and safer where her heart was concerned if she never knew his touch. I can’t miss what I’ve never had, her logical side stated. Of course, that’s bullshit, another part of her protested. It will just be one more regret to add to a long list if I run away from this opportunity.
His fingers flexed. “Did you hear me? Get away, Jeanie.”
She moved, getting to her knees. The mattress was big and a little firmer than she liked but it was his bed. “True?”
He snapped his head in her direction. It was impossible to ignore the way his lips parted and those sharp canines were revealed in a silent snarl. He looked pissed but instinct assured her that wasn’t the emotion behind his fighting stance. Frustration could also drive any man into wanting to punch holes in a wall.
This is it. No turning back once you open your mouth. Speak now or hate myself later for being a coward who chickened out on doing the one thing I’ve wanted most. I always said I’d pay any price to get to be with him even one time. “Come here.” She lifted her hand, ignored that it trembled a little, and reached toward him.
He slowly turned around and took a step closer, then another, as if drawn to her by some magnetic pull he couldn’t deny. She glanced up and down his body as he walked over. True was one big man with his towering height and bulky muscles. A little uncertainty struck when she considered that she knew very little about how New Species actually had sex. Some of the employees she’d worked with had hinted that the males took females doggy style and were rough. He had human parts though, probably bigger than average too. He’d have to be careful or he might break her.
True approached Jeanie with trepidation. She didn’t understand that he was very close to losing his control or that she was agreeing to share sex. He broke out in a sweat at the prospect of actually getting her naked and under him. He paused, studying her kneeling in the middle of his bed. She looked so human and small. Fragile.
She made a strange sound and he jerked his focus to her face. He noticed the way her lips curved upward at the corners. It was a sign of amusement.
“What is funny?”
“Nothing.” She spoke so softly that he had to strain to make sure he heard her correctly.
He didn’t believe her. “You smiled. Why?”
“Um…” She licked her lips. “I just realized that you can actually do what most men only joke about.”
“I don’t understand.”
Her expression sobered. “It’s nothing. Come here.” She wiggled her fingers, implying he should clasp her hand.
He didn’t budge. “What can I do that other males make humor over?”
Jeanie bit her lower lip. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Don’t play human games.” It frustrated him that she always avoided his questions or dismissed them. A Species female wouldn’t.
“You can break me.”
He didn’t see fear in her eyes or smell it when he sniffed the air. The very sweet smell of her had changed into something more tempting. No matter how powerful a male was, he could be brought to his knees by the scent of arousal that strong pulsing off a female, especially one True wanted as badly as he did Jeanie. His gaze lowered to the bottom of the shirt she’d borrowed. It hid the sight of her legs. That thin barrier was the only reason he hadn’t lunged at her and put his mouth between her thighs to discover if she tasted as good as she smelled. His protective feelings for her also held him in check. She’d just stated she was worried he’d cause her harm.
“I won’t damage you.” He couldn’t hide the insult over his word being questioned. Everything inside him felt hardwired to protect her but he refused to reveal the weakness. “I promised I wouldn’t.”
Her outstretched hand dropped to flatten over her lower belly. “That’s not what I meant.”
“You believe I’ll snap your neck or back.” His breath caught from the feel of her hand on his bare skin. “To break someone implies that.”
“No.” Her cheeks turned a pinker shade. “Not in this case. It’s a human saying.” She spoke in rushed words. “Men boast about being able to break a woman when they have sex. It’s, um, not about really breaking anything on them. Oh hell. Please forget I said anything. It was a bad joke but I’m nervous. I tend to babble when I am.”
