She touched a bruised spot on my side. The tips of her fingers were cool and her lips on my body even cooler. My eyes closed and there was nothing but the touching of lips. One by one, she touched the bruised places.

I tried to speak, but no words would come out, only a rough sound made tight and harsh by wanting.

"Do they hurt much now?" she asked.

She leaned over to kiss my forehead. I caught her to me.

It was a kind of love I had never known. I had it now and found myself reaching toward the very heart of it.