. I can explain," I said."Oh, I'm dying to hear that," Corrine said, "I'd sure like to hear whyyou're publishing for a measly hundred bucks a book." I...needed the money," I said, my eyes on the floor."Money?" she said, now genuinely confused, "What happened to theadvance?" Spent it," I shrugged."You spent..." her voice trailed off, then after a second she continued,"Still, why the hell didn't you come to me with the stories? Why sellthem so cheap?" I was afraid you'd be angry," I said, "That I. Let me know if you’re alright. I already lost Amya and I don’t want to lose you too. You don’t have to go through this alone. I am here for you. Please let me in. Let me help you. You were and are the sweetest most caring man I have met. It breaks my heart knowing your killing yourself. You are dishonoring Amya. She would have wanted you to go on and live your life. To be happy, right now your actions are dishonoring the memory that was your love.”I don’t know why but it dawned on me. OH MY GOD. They were walking back, hand in hand. His fingers were warm.“I tried to warn you,” he said.“You did,” she agreed. She felt like she’d just grown up and was finally an adult after all these years.“You can have that with a man you meet,” he said.“I didn’t have it with Harry,” she said firmly. “Not like that.” She stopped and he stopped too, after another step almost took their hands apart.“I hardly know you,” she said.“True.”“I can’t believe what I’m feeling right now ... and I hardly know. Earlier, when you exposed me and we, by the tree. I had no worries; I knew it would be okay. It was only afterwards that I knew why. It was because I was safe, under your protection. This allows me to let go like I never have before and I think you have found a weak spot. The silly thing is, if we repeated the poker game, I’m still not sure I could go further. It’s just a bit too intimate. Next time though, it could well be me dragging you to our room.”“Our room?”All that explanation and he.