"James Patrick Kelly - Chemistry" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kelly James Patrick)

"What was it?"
"You were going to tell me what it's like to be in
love."
"It stinks, actually." She didn't hesitate. "You lose
everything, your friends, your freedom. Your bathroom.
He kicks you awake at three in the morning but if he's
not there you can't sleep. He never wants the vid you
want and he doesn't eat fish and he can't wait to tell
you when you're wrong. And when you're fighting, it
feels like you're getting an appendectomy without
anesthesia."
"You call that a sales pitch?" There was a hint of a
smile on his lips. "If it's so horrible, why come here?"

"I don't know why I came here." Another silence that she
didn't want loomed. "I'm sorry, Steve."
"Hey, you said my name! That's the first time you said
my name."
"I figured it was time, since you've said mine a hundred
times already." She gave a dry chuckle. "What is that,
anyway, another sales trick?"
"You know studies show only twenty percent of
communication is verbal." He slid slowly across the
bench toward her. "The other eighty percent depends on
non-verbal cues." He kept coming. "Facial expressions,
posture, tone of voice." When he stopped, they were six
inches apart. "I'm in your personal space now. We're not
touching but you can feel me, can't you?"
"Yes." She liked the feeling. It was like coming out of
an ice storm and standing next to a crackling fire.
"Sales tricks are based on the way people are, Lily.
They connect with real feelings. Sure, some people use
them to sell bad products or unnecessary ones, but I
don't. I just try to give the prospect what she wants."
Lily watched his mouth as he spoke. For some reason, the
way his lips moved fascinated her. She could see his
teeth and the tip of his tongue.
"But you don't know what you want, do you?"
"I want to be happy."
"But you don't want to fall in love?" He leaned and
brushed his shoulder against her. "Lose your freedom?
Everything?"
"Maybe it's too late." She was surprised to hear herself
say it aloud, although she had known it for some time.
"I wonder what would happen if I sniffed my own
corsage?" She touched it absently. "Probably spend the
night crouching by the stream, admiring myself."
"I'd like to spend the night admiring you, Lily.
Obviously."
She laughed and then she kissed him. When she closed her