Атлант расправил плечи

           Farabove,onthecrestofahill,onetreecaughtthefirstraysofsunlight.

           Theystoppedandlookedateachother.Sheknew,onlywhenhedidit,thatshehadknownhewould.Heseizedher,shefeltherlipsinhismouth,feltherarmsgraspinghiminviolentanswer,andknewforthefirsttimehowmuchshehadwantedhimtodoit.

           Shefeltamoment’srebellionandahintoffear.Heheldher,pressingthelengthofhisbodyagainstherswithatense,purposefulinsistence,hishandmovingoverherbreastsasifhewerelearningaproprietor’sintimacywithherbody,ashockingintimacythatneedednoconsentfromher,nopermission.Shetriedtopullherselfaway,butsheonlyleanedbackagainsthisarmslongenoughtoseehisfaceandhissmile,thesmilethattoldhershehadgivenhimpermissionlongago.Shethoughtthatshemustescape;instead,itwasshewhopulledhisheaddowntofindhismouthagain.

           Sheknewthatfearwasuseless,thathewoulddowhathewished,thatthedecisionwashis,thatheleftnothingpossibletoherexceptthethingshewantedmost—tosubmit.Shehadnoconsciousrealizationofhispurpose,hervagueknowledgeofitwaswipedout,shehadnopowertobelieveitclearly,inthismoment,tobelieveitaboutherself,sheknewonlythatshewasafraid—yetwhatshefeltwasasifshewerecryingtohim:Don’taskmeforit—oh,don’taskme—doit!

           Shebracedherfeetforaninstant,toresist,buthismouthwaspressedtohersandtheywentdowntothegroundtogether,neverbreakingtheirlipsapart.