Сумерки

           Mybloodwasracing,andIwishedIcouldslowit,sensingthatthismustmakeeverythingsomuchmoredifficult-thethuddingofmypulseinmyveins.Surelyhecouldhearit.

           "Theblushonyourcheeksislovely,"hemurmured.Hegentlyfreedhisotherhand.Myhandsfelllimplyintomylap.Softlyhebrushedmycheek,thenheldmyfacebetweenhismarblehands.

           "Beverystill,"hewhispered,asifIwasn’talreadyfrozen.

           Slowly,nevermovinghiseyesfrommine,heleanedtowardme.Thenabruptly,butverygently,herestedhiscoldcheekagainstthehollowatthebaseofmythroat.Iwasquiteunabletomove,evenifI’dwantedto.

           Ilistenedtothesoundofhisevenbreathing,watchingthesunandwindplayinhisbronzehair,morehumanthananyotherpartofhim.

           Withdeliberateslowness,hishandssliddownthesidesofmyneck.Ishivered,andIheardhimcatchhisbreath.Buthishandsdidn’tpauseastheysoftlymovedtomyshoulders,andthenstopped.

           Hisfacedriftedtotheside,hisnoseskimmingacrossmycollarbone.Hecametorestwiththesideofhisfacepressedtenderlyagainstmychest.

           Listeningtomyheart.

           "Ah,"hesighed.

           Idon’tknowhowlongwesatwithoutmoving.Itcouldhavebeenhours.Eventuallythethrobofmypulsequieted,buthedidn’tmoveorspeakagainasheheldme.Iknewatanymomentitcouldbetoomuch,andmylifecouldend-soquicklythatImightnotevennotice.AndIcouldn’tmakemyselfbeafraid.Icouldn’tthinkofanything,exceptthathewastouchingme.

           Andthen,toosoon,hereleasedme.