“He had never bothered to count time before, but he started to now, and it began with counting each breath she took.”

“Close your eyes. Take a breath. Count to three. Let it out. Count to four.” “Shove it up your ass,” he said, hunching into himself and starting to shake. “The last time you told me to close my eyes and count from ten, look what happened to me.”

“She had just enough time to take in a breath, to blink, to part her lips before he took them with his own.”

“He grabbed the count's hand to check his pulse, and I held my breath. The count wouldn't have a pulse. Or a heartbeat. Or a breath.”

“He knew he should have counted. It was the rule to count to ten in his head before he opened his mouth. It was the rule to count to ten if he wanted to smash a man in the face for saying something he didn't like. It was the rule to count to ten if instinct wasn't needed, but common sense was.”

“He paused until she locked eyes with him. “Count, Livia. Count out loud when you come for me.”“Two, oh, three, God, oh, God.”“Screw the biting. Just please, just more,” she begged.“Biting is next,” he said.By the time he was nibbling circles, she was counting again. “Four—your hands, use your hands.”“Five…six…seven. I’m never going to stop…” She was almost panicked in her frenzy.”