He laughed. A strained, ha, ha, ha, I may die of this laugh.

Is it truly so unfathomable, that an imperfect girl might be perfectly loved?

It’s all right,” she said. “You’re through.” “Jesus,” he finally managed, pushing water off his face. “Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. For that matter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.” Still not enough. He needed to reach back to the Old Testament for this. “Obadiah. Nebuchadnezzar. Methuselah and Job.” “Be calm,” she said, taking him by the shoulders. “Be calm. And there are women in the Bible, you know.” “Yes. As I recall it, they were trouble, every last one.

So there’s an . . . an etiquette to raking. Some seducer’s code of honor. Is this what you’re telling me?

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

A man might engage in flirtation with distinterest, even disdain. But he never teases without affection.

Oh no. Oh God. I couldn't possibly be so stupid." "Don't limit yourself. You can be anything you wish.