“I love quick,” Gina said. “And come on, I’m getting jealous here. Was it zero sex last year for you,too?”“Yes,” he admitted. “I love you, you weren’t there—what was I going to do?”“Are you actually embarrassed, ” she asked, “because you weren’t some kind of man-ho and—”“No,” Max said. “I’m embarrassed that it took me an entire fucking year and a half and the worst scareof my life to figure out that I can’t live without you.”

“If you want, I can carry you—” “I’m fine,” she said shortly. “Let’s go.”He’d said that wrong. He should have said, “I want to carry you.”

“When you sit that way, you look kind of like a beach ball with a head,” he continued. “Your haircut is really, really bad, I’m probably going to lose my job for helping you this way, and I’m dying to fuck you.” He glanced at her. “That honest enough for you?”

“You love me,” he said. “That’s all I need to know.” “You always say the right thing,” Savannah told him, her eyes so filled with love that he almost wept. “Sometimes it takes you awhile to get to it, but you always get there, and what you say is always worth waiting for.”

“But she was quick to add, “I’m not saying I believe you’re related to Kid Gallagher—”“For the love,” I said, “of God . . . ”“Jamie,” A.J. interrupted her. “Not Kid. Jamie.”

“We are not, not now, not ever, talking about sex,” A.J. said flatly.I had to laugh. “We’re both grown men,” I pointed out. “I don’t see what the big deal—”“Do it,” he said, “and I will walk over to the church, wake up the priest, and demand that he perform an exorcism. On the spot.”“Well, now, that won’t work,” I scoffed. “I’m not a demon. Not even close.”“Yeah, well, I’m willing to try it,” he said. “So go on. Make my day.”

“Do you think,” she said, “instead of having sex, we could make love?”“I’d love that,” Ken whispered.”