“Help me, I can’t breathe, your ego is pushing all the air out of the room.”

“How much are you lifting?""Seven hundred."Alrighty then. I will just stand over here, out of your way, and hope you don't remember to kick my ass.He grinned. "Wanna spot me?""No thanks. How about I just scream verbal encouragements at you?" I took a deep breath and barked, "No pain, no gain! That pain is just weakness leaving your body! Come on! Push! Push! Make that weight your bitch!”

“Hold your horses. I'm coming."..."From where I'm standing you're just breathing laboriously."The snow swam out of focus. "Breathing hard. Are you coming or just breathing hard. You've got to get your one-liners straight.”

“I said, I know why you’re afraid to fight with me.”"And why is that?” If he flexed again, I’d have to implement emergency measures. Maybe I could kick some sand at him or something. Hard to look hot brushing sand out of your eyes."You want me.”Oh boy."You can’t resist my subtle charm, so you’re afraid you’re going to make a spectacle out of yourself.”"You know what? Don’t talk to me.”

“He hit her with his best smile. Her eyes widened. She took a deep breath. 'Oh no, not that seductive face. I'm overcome with the need to take off these awful clothes. What is happening? I do not understand. Oooh. Ahhh.' She touched her wrist to her forehead. 'Somebody help me. I'm being drenched with my own fluids.'Evil woman. 'See now, you shouldn't have done that,' Kaldar said. She gave him an innocent look. 'You've made yourself into a challenge. Now I'll have to seduce you out of principle.''You can try. Not that you'll get anywhere. If you were in love, that would be one thing, but we both know this is pride talking.' Audrey patted his forearm. 'It's all right. I won't tell anybody about your shameful failure. I'll keep it completely confidential.' She pretended to lock her lips and throw away the key.'I'll remind you of this when you're collapsing on my sheets, all happy and out of breath.' He leaned closer. "I'm picturing it in my head. Mmm, you look lovely.''Whatever fantasies help you get through the day.' Audrey said.'So kind of you.''I'm all about being charitable when it doesn't cost me anything.'Charity? For me? Before this was all over, either they would be lovers or they'd kill each other. Right now, he had no idea which it would be.”

“I think of you a lot. Do you think of me, Andrea? Don’t lie to me.”“Yes!” I snarled, my face burning. “Yes, I do! All the time. I can’t get you out of myhead. I wish I could!”He hugged me so hard, my bones nearly crunched. “You’ve made yourself into anew person and so have I. We deserve a fucking chance. I want you and you wantme. Why aren’t we together? I’ll deal with your hang-ups if you’ll deal with mine, butif you’re still too scared to even try, then you’re not worth waiting for. I have somegoddamn pride left and I won’t wait forever.”

“Any messages for me?" Usually I got one or two, but mostly people who wanted my help preferred to talk in person."Yes. Hold on." She pulled out a handful of pink tickets and recited from memory, without checking the paper. "Seven forty-two a.m., Mr. Gasparian: I curse you. I curse your arms so they wither and die and fall off your body. I curse your eyeballs to explode. I curse your feet to swell until blue. I curse your spine to crack. I curse you. I curse you. I curse you.”