"Are you certain you couldn't think of a worse hypothetical?" Natsumi forced herself to take another drink. Her throat burned. "Involving, say, kittens or baby birds?" The juice was nearly gone; she finished the last two swallows and turned to set the empty glass in the sink. "No wonder they want you in Interrogation. You have a gift for finding the hardest truth and hitting people with it."

She turned around, folding her arms under her breasts, hugging herself so tightly that her fingernails dug into her ribs. He still hadn't moved from his spot near the closet door. Like a man trying to tame a wild animal, leaving it just enough space that it wouldn't kill itself trying to escape...

"Oh, for the gods' sakes!" she snapped. "I'm not going to scream and faint, or run, or--or throw my bucket at your head. Well, I might do that, but only if you keep watching me. We've both done things we shouldn't be proud of. You showed the worst judgment of your life when you were panting after that Nakamura girl, and I didn't turn my back on you then, did I? Believe me, I was tempted."