Put them on for me? It was not an especially innocent request, and he supposed it answered his ponderings about what she thought about him. He knew she had him wound around her littlest finger, but now he knew that she knew. When she started raising her leg, slow, sensually, challengingly; he closed his eyes and breathed out through his nose. Was there really another life? Had he just dreamt it, and was this really what he did live for: the tension, the waiting, the suspense of plying the trade they did? Tam opened his eyes, and realised that she had lowered her leg and was reaching out to grab the boots from him. Dully, he let her, his mind a tumble of relief and regret. But before he had really thought it through, he acted, at the same time screaming inside his head. He shouldn't, he usually didn't, but now it was happening and he could not stop himself. When she took the boots, he held on too, stepping up close, looking down at her, the footwear crushed between them. "We should focus on our task..." he said, looking down at her, just as intensely as before.