“I used to.”
“Yes.”
“How often?”
“You told me you did not want unnecessary comparisons.”
“I’m asking now.”
I took a breath.
“Most days.”
His eyebrows rose.
“That seems excessive.”
“You had considerable enthusiasm.”
“I barely have enough enthusiasm to shower.”
“Which is one of many reasons comparison is useless.”
His mouth tightened.
“What if this part never comes back?”
“Then it doesn’t.”
Frustration sharpened his expression.
“You say that like it would cost nothing.”
“It would cost something.”
He looked at me quickly.
I continued before honesty could become pressure in his mind.
“I would miss sex. I would miss how completely we knew each other physically. I would miss touching you without having to consider whether every movement might frighten you. There would be days when I felt frustrated.”
His face tightened.
“But none of that would make you responsible for giving me access to your body.”
His gaze dropped.
“I don’t want you pretending it wouldn’t matter.”
“I’m not pretending.”
“You would still stay.”
“Yes.”
“If we only kissed.”
“Yes.”
