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rub my face against the green sweater he was wearing, try its texture. He brushed the hair back out of my eyes, his fingers touching my face for the first time; they were cool and rough against my hot cheek.
    I heard the streetcar coming, but didn't turn my head. If I ignored it maybe it would go away.
    He took a deep breath. "Here it is," he said. "I'll call you tonight." The car pulled up and people were getting out, a crowd gathering by the door waiting to get on. Anders bent down to kiss me. My fingertips brushed his face. Slight bristles on the cheekbone. Slight touch of lips against mine. But a thrill of electricity, an elemental exchange. Suddenly our mouths were open and inside each other, and I felt a groan, from which of us I couldn't tell; I was lifted half off the ground, our bodies molded tight, and the kiss was a deep well we'd fallen into, with no will to climb out.
    He finally drew back and panted in my ear, "It's not safe for you, I said we'd take it slow," and we laughed shakily. "You should get on."
    "Oh, please," I breathed, and he held me hard. He'd straightened up and was holding me against his chest. Our eyes met for a long moment; some exchange happened way beyond words. He turned me around, ran me to the streetcar and got on with me at the last moment. In a seat at the back he put an arm across my shoulders, took a few deep breaths, pulled me to him and then laid down the law fiercely sotto voce in my ear.
    "First of all, no bondage. It is too soon. We can't help our fantasies, but I'm not acting on them. We've known each other all of – " he looked at his watch," – four hours. I'm not tying anyone up after that short a time." I nodded, ecstatic that we were doing anything at all. "Second," and he pulled 23

    As She’s Told – Anneke Jacob
    out his phone and gave it to me, "you are calling a friend and telling them you're bringing me home with you. My last name is Thygesen."
    I stared at him, too flushed with hormones and lust to think straight.
    "What do you mean? A safe call?" I giggled. "You weren't anonymous in that restaurant, you know. Leda knows you. If I turn up dead you're a marked man."
    "Call anyway."
    Fortunately I had Nikki's number handy. I left a message on her machine, dutifully telling her the time, what madness I was up to, my address and his name. Anders even showed me his driver's license so I'd know it really was his name. I looked at it for a minute, my mind working slowly.
    "Didn't you drive to the restaurant?"
    "No. Streetcar. I don't drive if I don't have to."
    "Good thing." Under the light words I was trembling again, with fear and impatience. On a Saturday afternoon the Dundas streetcar moves like it's in an artery ripe for a quadruple bypass. Every crosswalk, every red light, every crowd of fresh passengers with their shopping was another unspeakable delay. It took us four lights to get through the intersection at Spadina. I thought we were going to put down roots. His hand was on my thigh, the fingers slightly caressing the inside…people were too close.
    Finally, approaching the right neighbourhood, we had to work our way through the crowd to the back doors. Then it was two and a half blocks to the house, then running up the stairs holding hands, breathless.
    The moment we were through the door he had me up against it, lifted up so he could kiss me, devouring my mouth, my face, my neck. Then he put me down and took a step back. I licked my trembling lips. The taste of him was intoxicating, instantly addictive; I wanted more.
    "I think we've just been through several hours of foreplay," he panted, his eyes bright. "My only excuse."
    Fingers deft despite their urgency, he began to undress me. I put my hands on his. "Wait," I said.
    He paused, my hem in his hands, and looked at me inquiringly. One finger stroked my thigh.
    "I have to tell you first," I whispered. "I – I did something last year. I don't know now if…"
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    As She’s Told – Anneke