“I have to ask you something—promise me you’ll be open-minded?” She looked tentative.He nodded.“I’ve got some mad skills. Some mad sex skills. I want to do stuff to you, without you worrying about me.” She looked at him with one eye closed.“I can never promise to stop worrying about you,” Cole said, smiling. “You’re all I think about. But I’m sure my body is up to this task. Do as you must. I won’t fight you off,” he said with a resolute sigh.”

“Cole returned and took her hand. “Kyle, will you promise me something? It’s all I’ll ever ask of you, please?”“Yes. I’ll promise you anything.” Kyle looked into his eyes.“Don’t let that girl inside you win. Ever again. Be the real Kyle. Promise me you’ll be you.” Cole looked desperate.Kyle shook her head, eyes pleading, but she responded in the affirmative. “I promise. Cole, what’s next?”Cole looked around the room sadly. One man was clearly dead and the other moaned softly.“My sweet, beautiful Kyle, I have to atone for what I’ve done here. I want you far, far away when they put the cuffs on me.”

“And they had no idea what lives inside me, what I can do.”“I know what you do to me,” Kyle said, finding his eyes. “It’s everything right, honest, and good.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips.“Kyle, I’m intense and devoted, and I need a lot of direction just to get through my day.”“Cole, I’m impulsive and devoted and hopeless. I have a filthy mouth, and I don’t see it cleaning up anytime soon.”“I would like to make love to you. Here. Right now,” Cole said, continuing his confession. “But I’m afraid I’ll lose you, that you’ll leave your body and go somewhere else. Will you stay with me?”“I’m your shadow now, Cole. I’ll be where you are.” Kyle set her jaw, determined.“Okay,” he said. “This is how it’ll go. I’m going to give you pleasure. And you’re going to take it. No reciprocating.” He instantly saw doubt in her face. “Please, this time—which will be the first of so many—let me make you happy. Let my touch cleanse you. When I’m done, I want your body to belong just to us.” He could feel himself smiling, just thinking about it.”

“Kyle nodded and bit her lip. She looked nervous as a virgin. “This feels like jumping off a cliff,” she finally said.“I’ll only do this if you want me to. Do you want me to?” Cole took a step back.Kyle reached around and unzipped her sundress. She held her arms out like a sacrificial lamb.“Say it, so I know for sure.” Cole’s eyes glowed with lust and reverence.“I want you to.” Kyle watched him.”

“We’re here together. We’ll get him back. I promise you,” Eve said. “Merkin has no idea I’m with you. I’ve practiced killing for years, and tonight I’m going to use everything I’ve learned to save Cole. Do you believe me?”

“But then Cole ran for her, sliding on his knees to close the final distance between his hands and her skin. Kyle wrapped his head in her arms, cradling him.“My sweet Cole. That’s better. That’s better.” Kyle braced her hands on his shoulders and slowly lowered herself to her knees. She put her hands on his cheeks and waited until he looked at her. “You forgot something last night.”Cole looked puzzled.“You made me promise you something. Now you owe me a promise.”Cole nodded somberly.“Be the real Cole. Promise me you will be you.” Kyle’s voice was strong and sure.Cole felt his heart soar with her embrace, settling the feelings inside him. “Kyle, I’ve done so much wrong. I think I’m done being the real Cole. How much hurt can I cause?” He could hardly speak through his fear.She smiled again. “I’ve done my own share of wrong, but look. Look around. We’re in the perfect place.”The church looked like paradise. A frame of broken rainbows arched above the lovers on their knees.Cole held her face to his, whispering, “Help me.”Kyle gave him the absolution he needed with her lips.”

“When Cole’s kisses lingered on her belly button, she crossed her legs.“Are you okay?” He appeared instantly at her eye level, worried.“I’m fine. I just, I never let a guy…um, well, they never wanted to. It’s not what I do.” Kyle’s eyes looked everywhere but his.“Is it because you don’t think you’d like it, or you don’t think you deserve it?”She bit her lip and looked away again. He saw her answer.“You do deserve it,” he said fiercely. “Can I give it to you?”