“He read me extracts from a medical journal describing the progress of a staphylococcus aureus infection. And then he pleasured me with a potato.”

“And so he learned to read. From then on his progress was rapid.”

“The last act was to infect me with nightmares and paranoid delusions that would take years of therapy and metabolism-wrecking medications to rout out.”

“I saw him do a No More Potatoes Dance, after he saw me stuff the last of the mashed potatoes in my pocket.
”

“The journal and Gansey were clearly long acquainted, and he wanted her to know. This is me. The real me.”

“Desire is oblivious to time and place, dear Mary. I want you, Mary. Please trust me, my sweet. Let me show you the ways of love.”She stared back at him, her body filled with the want he had described, but common sense held her surrender at bay.“Love? Don’t speak of love to me. You describe meaningless pleasure. It has nothing to do with love!”He gave her a roguish smile. “Pleasure is never meaningless, my sweet.”