Paul flushed slightly as the perfectly acceptable words that James spoke shaped themselves into less proper meanings, and his fingers flexed on James' hand, memory providing the shape of James in his palm as clearly as sight showed him the slender young man moving gracefully in his arms. "I am not a man given to impulsive decisions," he said softly, "and would not wish to prevent you from accepting visitors, if it is your wish to do so, but it would please me greatly if you would give me permission to speak to the yenta and ask that you might be mine."