“Say stop, whenever you want to stop. Understand?" I nodded. "Do you want to stop now?" My head moved back and forth to the pillow. "Thank God.”

“Do you want me to stop?" he whispered. "If you seriously want me to stop-""No," I whispered. "Do you want me to go slow?"I shook my head. Negative."I don't want to hurt you." I pulled his face to mine and kissed him deeply and passionately.”

“God does not want to control you, or stifle you, or manipulate you, or force you to do anything you don't want to do. Quite the opposite. God will let you do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it, with whomever you want to do it, and as often as you want to do it. When was the last time God stopped you from doing anything?”

“Coldness settles again in my stomach. I do not want a nice Hmong girl. I want a nice Egyptian boy who teaches me about colors and makes me appreciate poetry. I want the nice Egyptian boy who stops in the middle of the day to say "Thank you, God. For everything.”

“I can’t stop thinking about doing this to you,” he whispers, so quietly I can barely hear him. “Tell me to stop now if you don’t want this. If you don’t want me.”

“But this… Stop fighting, Kiera. Just say you want this. Tell me you want me…like I want you. I already know you do…”