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a fine farce。 Guilt turned to irritation； and she slammed the front door hard to make sure he heard。
As soon as they got back to the flat Jude threw open the windows to let the breeze； which was still balmy though the night had long since fallen； e and go。 News from the streets outside came with it； of course； but nothing momentous： the inevitable sirens； chatter from the pavement； jazz from the club down the block。 With the windows wide； she sat down on the bed beside Gentle。 It was time for them to speak without any other agenda but the truth。
〃I didn't think we'd end up this way；〃 she said。 〃Here。 Together。〃
〃Are you glad we have？〃
〃Yes； I'm glad；〃 she said； after a pause。 〃It feels right。〃
〃Good；〃 he replied。 〃It feels perfectly natural to me too。〃
He slid around the back of her and； threading his hands through her hair； began to work his fingers against her scalp。 She sighed。
〃You like that？〃 he asked。
〃I like that。〃
〃Do you want to tell me how you feel？〃
〃About what？〃
〃About me。 About us。〃
〃I told you； it feels right。〃
〃That's all？〃
〃No。〃
〃What else？〃
She closed her eyes； the persuasive fingers almost easing the words out of her。 〃I'm glad you're here because I think we can learn from one another。 Maybe even love each other again。 How does that sound？〃
〃Fine by me；〃 he said softly。
〃And what about you？ What's in your head？〃
〃That I'd forgotten how strange this Dominion is。 That I need your help to make me strong。 That I'm afraid I may act strangely sometimes； make mistakes； and I want you to love me enough to forgive me if I do。 Will you？〃
〃You know I will；〃 she said。
〃I want you to share my visions； Judith。 I want you to see what's shining in me and not be afraid of it。〃
〃I'm not afraid。〃
〃That's good to hear；〃 he said。 〃That's so very good。〃 He leaned towards her； putting his mouth close to her ear。 〃We make the rules from now on；〃 he whispered。 〃And the world follows。 Yes？ There's no law but us。 What we want。 What we feel。 We'll let that consume us； and the fire'H spread。 You'll see。〃
He kissed the ear into which he'd poured these seductions； then her cheek； and finally her mouth。 She started to kiss him back； fervently； putting her hands around his head as he had hers； kneading the flesh from which his hair sprang and feeling its motion against his skull。 He had his hands on the neck of her blouse； but he didn't bother to unbutton it。 Instead he tore it open； not in a frenzy but rhythmically； rent after rent； like a ritual of uncovering。 As soon as her breasts were bare his mouth was on them。 Her skin was hot； but his tongue was hotter； painting her with spiral tracks of spittle； then closing his mouth around her nipples until they were harder than the tongue that teased them。 His hands were reducing her skirt to tatters in the same efficient way he'd torn open her blouse。 She let herself drop back onto the bed； with the rags of blouse and skirt beneath her。 He looked down at her； laying his palm at her crotch； which was still protected from his touch by the thin fabric of her underwear。
〃How many men have had this？〃 he asked her； the question murmured without inflection。 His head was silhouetted against the pale billows at the window； and she could not read his expression。 〃How many？〃 he said； moving the ball of his hand in a circular motion。 From any other source but this the question would have offended or even enraged her。 But she liked his curiosity。
〃A few。〃
He ran his fingers down into the space between her legs and worked his middle fingers under the fabric to touch her other hole。 〃And this？〃 he said； pushing at the place。
She was less fortable with this inquiry； verbal or digital； but he insisted。 〃Tell me；〃 he said。 〃Who's been in here？〃
〃Just one；〃 she said。
〃Godolphin？〃 he replied。
〃Yes。〃
He removed his finger and rose from the bed。 〃A family enthusiasm；〃 he remarked。
〃Where are you going？〃
〃Just closing the curtains；〃 he said。 〃The dark's better for what we're going to do。〃 He drew the drapes without closing the window。 〃Are you wearing any jewelry？〃 he asked her。
〃Just my earrings。〃
〃Take them off；〃 he said。
〃Can't we have a little light？〃
〃It's too bright as it is；〃 he replied； though she could barely see him。 He was watching her as he undressed； that much she knew。 He saw her slide her earrings from the holes in her lobes and then take off her underwear。 By the time she was pletely naked so was he。
〃I don't want a little part of you；〃 he said； approaching the bottom of the bed。 〃I want all of you； every last piece； and I want you to want all of me。〃
〃I do；〃 she said。
〃I hope you mean that。〃
〃How can I prove it？〃
His gray form seemed to darken as she spoke； receding into the shadows of the room。 He'd said he'd be invisible； and now he was。 Though she felt his hand graze her ankle； and looked down the bed to find him； he was beyond the grasp of her eye。 But pleasure flowed from his touch nevertheless。
〃I want this；〃 he said as he caressed her foot。 〃And this。〃 Now her shin and thigh。 〃And this〃…her sex…〃as much as the rest； but no more。 And this； and these。〃 Belly； breasts。 His touch was on them all； so he had to be very close to her now； but still invisible； 〃And this sweet throat； and this wonderful head；〃 Now the hands slid away again； down her arms。 〃And these〃 he said； 〃to the ends of your fingers。〃
The touch was back at her foot again； but everywhere his hands had been…which was to say her entire body…trembled with anticipation at the touch ing again。 She raised her head from the pillow a second time in the hope of glimpsing her lover。
〃Lie back；〃 he told her。
〃I want to see you。〃
〃I'm here；〃 he said； his eyes stealing a gleam from somewhere as he spoke： two bright dots in a space that； had she not known it was bounded； could have been limitless。 After his words； there was only his breath。 She couldn't help but let the rhythm of her own inhalations and exhalations fall hi with his； a lulling regularity which steadily slowed。
After a time； he raised her foot to his mouth and licked the sole from heel to toe in one motion。 Then his breath again； cooling the fluid he'd bathed her with； and slowing still further as it came and went； until her system seemed to teeter on termination at the end of each breath； only to be coaxed back into life again as she inhaled。 This was the substance of every moment； she realized： the body…never certain if the next lungful would be its last…hovering for a tiny time between cessation and continuance。 And in that space out of time； between a breath expelled and another drawn； the miraculous was easy； because neither flesh nor reason had laid their edicts there。 She felt his mouth open wide enough to enpass her toes and then； impossible as it was； slide her foot into his throat。
He's going to swallow me； she thought； and the notion conjured once again the book she'd found in Estabrook's study； with its sequence of lovers enclosed in a circle of consumption： a devouring so prodigious it had ended with mutual eclipse。 She felt no unease at the prospect。 This wasn't the business of the visible world； where fear got fat because