"There was a time when this kind of attention from me was invariably a threat," he points out.

"Yeah, and for almost all of that time you were a normal human."

"Well. That's true."

...he smiles.

"If I ask you which parts of the book you liked best, are you going to turn charming colours again?"

"...Maybe," she says, going slightly pink.

He laughs. "Well?"

She describes some of the more exquisitely-detailed scenes, her blush deepening with every syllable.

Tarakova grinning at her probably doesn't help with the blushing thing, does it.

It really doesn't.

"I liked those too," he says. "My favourites were the first time he had her fucked by half the court, when she couldn't stop crying, and the one you liked where he caught her touching herself in his bed."

She does not quite trust her voice right now so she just nods.

Tarakova grins at her some more.

"Breaking things problem," she reminds herself desperately under her breath.

"Yes. I shouldn't - do anything more than discuss literature with you. But discussing literature with you is very fun."

"I still want to hug you but initiating physical contact right now would be a very bad idea."

He laughs. "Aw."

"I will hug you later when I am less--worked up."

Smile. "That sounds like a good idea."

"Yes. Yes it is," she nods.

And now he's just sort of - looking at her.

"We should probably change the subject or--something--before one of us does something--unwise."

"That - would also be a good idea," he says, still looking at her. "I'm tempted to do all kinds of unwise things right now."

"Breaking things problem," she says, because it is either that or tear my dress off, pin me to the ground and take me like a slave girl and only one of those remotely resembles a good idea.

"Yes," he says. "It's - a problem. I should not try to touch you right now."

He very obviously really really wants to touch her right now.

She makes a small noise in the back of her throat.

"I should--probably go," she says. "We are not successfully changing the subject."

He closes his eyes, effortfully. "Yes, you should."