Can I treat you to a shake or a sundae or something?" Uhm, you really don't need to do that. It's no big deal." I know I don't have to; I want to." Ok...y. How about a root beer float?"Shannon went to the counter and ordered two root beer floats and brought them back to the table."So when you start school next semester, will you be staying on campus, or living at home since you are so close?" I already have a room lined up on campus. I don't live that far mile-wise, but with traffic, the commute. Men over eighteen summers were encouraged to quickly choose a mate if they did not already have a betrothed. This was done by not allowing them to have sex after their seventeenth summer with unmated women. If they were slow to choose a mate there only sexual outlet was the female warriors or mated friends that might allow them to join them on special occasions.Few female warriors had sex with anyone but the male warriors. Warriors were not allowed to take a permanent mate and have a family.. The storm had been a reprieve, almost stopping time itself, to allow me precious hours alone with my Bethie, to adore her and take pleasure in her. That is why the memory lingers, of waking during a rainy sunset with her body in my arms. I have no photograph of that moment, but it is my favorite image of the two of us, a perfect portrait of our own secret love, and all of it's meaning, and a fitting end to our loving day together. She would not leave my arms until sunrise.. . . . .2. That. "Alan you really have to stop thinking like that! You are truly a rare find of a mage, you are accomplishing things that haven't been seen in thousands of years." Again Alan was a little shocked, he didn't think that his thoughts were that strong. Was Hopix actually a mind reader or was she more sensitive than most? Hopix had to bite her lip damn it! Her and her big mouth! She wasn't used to being this excited. As a matter of fact she wasn't this used to being as confident in her abilities.