“Logical Tom begs emotional stupid dickhead Tom not to ask the question.'Are you alone?' he asks quietly.He hears her breathing so close to his ear.'Yes.''Good,' he says, his voice croaky. 'I'll sleep like a baby.”

“Rather than raising his voice like everyone else, he leaned close to my ear and asked, "Dance with me?" I felt his warm breath and inhale the scent of his aftershave -something basic and male.”

“Is it...dead?" asked Tom, his voice all quivery with fright."A town just ran over him," said Hester. "I shouldn't think he's very well...”

“Tom leaned in and spoke in a low, confidential voice, "Sir. You have a little something..." He lifted his forefinger surreptitiously to his own upper lip. Harrison brought his hand to his mustache to brush something off it, his eyes questioning. "What is it?""Carpet remnant?" Tom suggested.”

“He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Okay, would you like pizza?""I don't think you deserve my company but I feel sorry for you so I'll say yes.""God help me," he said, half under his breath.”

“First,” he said, coming behind me and placing his hands on the counter, just outside of mine, “choose your tomato.” He dipped his head so his mouth was at my ear. His breath was warm, tickling my skin. “Good. Now pick up the knife.”“Does the chef always stand this close?” I asked, not sure if I liked or feared the flutter his closeness caused inside me.“When he’s revealing culinary secrets, yes.”