Dedication: For librarians and booksellers everywhere, who gather books and build shelters for tender souls.

I'm male. You rubbed your...femaleness all over me. I didn't think. I reacted.

She stared at him, horrified. And thrilled. And horrified at being thrilled.

Do you know," he said, "there are men who would like very much to see me dead. Powerful men. Obscenely wealthy me. Men who can afford to be patient and engage the services of large, ruthless brutes. I've managed to evade them all. But you...God's truth, I think you'll be the very death of me.

One more minute of this, and she’d be a certifiable simpleton.

Your breasts are alabaster orbs.' "What?" Rufus objected. "That's stupid. I'm not saying that." "Do you have some better suggestion?" "Why can't you just say she's got a fair set of titties?

Men never hesitated to declare their presence. They were permitted to live aloud, in reverberating thuds and clunks, while ladies were always schooled to abide in hushed whispers.