“Good night, Seth.""So you're running again, then?" One of his boots thudded on the floor."I'm not running."The other boot hit the floor. "Really?""Really. It's just—" She stopped; she didn't have anything that would finish that sentence and be honest. "Maybe you should slow down, so I can catch you." He paused, waiting.”

“you're @ home?"She could hear him moving around..."I'll let you go then.""What if I dont want you to?"he said.She heard the music as he walked toward his room, some sort of jazz.her heart sped up, thinking of him stretched out on his bed too, "Good night, Seth.""So ur running again, then? One of his boots thudded on the floor."I'm not running.".."Really?""Really.Its just--"She stopped."Maybe you should slow down, so i can catch you."He paused, waiting.He seemed to do that more & more lately, make statements that invited her to admit something dangerous to their friendship.When she didnt answer he added, "Sweet dreams, Ash.”

“His ascent was slow - the blow to the head must have disoriented him worse than he let on - so I went behind, ready to catch him should he lose his balance. Well, I could soften his landing when he hit the floor. Maybe.”

“[...] I think about the problem with running from your trouble . The problem is in the stopping. The whole time you think you're getting away from everything, the trouble is running like mad, too, trying to catch up with you. And it doesn't slow down when you do--it keeps on sprinting. So when trouble finally reaches you, it hits you hard(p107)”

“Wow." Sin said, her high-heeled boots clacking on the floor as she approached. " I didn't expect a party or anything, but I figured you might be able to handle a hi.""I'm serious" , he gritted. "Get out.""Well, you know what ?" She tied her hair up in a knot. "I would, except that you fucking bonded me to you or something, and I need to borrow your dick for a minute.”

“Are you setting me up?""Dear God in heaven, no! She's sworn off relationships with men, so you're safe. Besides, I don't think anything permanent would work with you." She paused. "I was thinking more along the lines of a fling.""Jesus Christ," Jake muttered, running a hand down his face. "You're pimping me out.”