“This is me, Ana. All of me...and I'm all yours. What do I have to do to make you realize that? To make you see that I want you any way I can get you. That I love you.”

“We’re going to rectify the situation right now.”“What do you mean? What situation?”“Your situation. Ana, I’m going to make love to you, now.”“Oh.” The floor has fallen away. I’m a situation. I’m holding my breath.“That’s if you want to, I mean, I don’t want to push my luck.”“I thought you didn’t make love. I thought you fucked hard.” I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry.He gives me a wicked grin, the effects of which travel all the way down there.“I can make an exception, or maybe combine the two, we’ll see. I really want to make love to you. Please, come to bed with me. I want our arrangement to work, but you re­ally need to have some idea what you’re getting yourself into. We can start your training tonight – with the basics. This doesn’t mean I’ve come over all hearts and flowers, it’s a means to an end, but one that I want, and hopefully you do too.” His gray gaze is intense”

“I'm only saying I want you to be happy. I hate your being unhappy. I don't mind anything you do that makes you happy."You just want an excuse. If I sleep with anybody else, you feel you can do the same - any time."That's neither here nor there. I want you to be happy, that's all."You'd make my bed for me?"Perhaps.”

“There is an attraction for you which does not exist for me, since I do not feel any pleasure. You see, we are making a bargain. You give me a dream, I give you joy. But all this is not love.”

“I'm writing this down, because it is going to be hard for me to say it. Because this is probably our last time just us. See, I can write that down, but I don't think I can say it. I'm not doing this to say goodbye, though I know that has to be part of it. I'm doing it to thank you for all we have had and done and been for one another, to say I love you for making this life of mine what it is. Leaving you is the hardest thing I have to do. But the thing is, the best parts of me are in you, all three of you. You are who I am, and what I cherish in myself stays on in you.”

“What are you doing all the time? And why do you say nothing? You are evil, you know, and sometimes when you smiled at me I hated you. I wanted to strike you. I wanted to make you bleed. You smiled at me the way you smiled at everyone, you told me what you told everyone— and you tell nothing but lies. What are you always hiding? And do you think I did not know when you made love to me, you were making love to no one? No one! Or everyone—but not me, certainly. I am nothing to you, nothing, and you bring me fever but no delight.”