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Ugh.Definitelyworking with an Old Testament God here. Pestilence probably expects two cows and four goats from my father too.

“So because I’m the first woman who ever spread her legs for you, you want to put a ring on my finger?” I say, just to make sure I’m understanding the situation correctly.

“Don’t talk about it like that.”

“You mean ‘spreading my legs’?” I’m still eyeing the church with no little distaste. “Why not?”

“It’s lewd, and what we did last night was not lewd.”

“The term you’re looking for ismaking love,” I say.

“Making love,” he echoes, sounding pleased.

“And Pestilence,” I continue, “sorry to burst your bubble, but what we did last night wasn’t lovemaking. That was fucking if I ever felt it.”

Liar, liar, pants on fire. That was about as intimate as I ever get when it comes to sex, but he doesn’t need to know that.

When I look over my shoulder at the horseman, his expression has darkened with discontent.

He tilts his head as a thought comes to him. “Have you done it before?” he asks, scrutinizing me.

“Done what?” I respond, knowing damn well what he’s talking about.

“Lovemaking. Have you ever done it with another?”

“Errr … notlovemaking.”Per say.

“Fucking,” Pestilence amends, curling his lip a little as he says the word. “Have you?”

Why do I feel like I’m playing catch with a live grenade? Oh, I know, because we’re having the Exes Talk hours after I took Pestilence’s virginity.

Fuck my life.

Or not. Fucking is clearly getting me into a lot of trouble.

And I need to stop thinking about that word.Fucking. Gah.

“Yesss …” I say reluctantly.

His dark mood only worsens. “Of course you have. Why I expected any better of you is a testament to my cursed idealism.”

“Keep talking like that, Pestilence, and I will push you off this horse.”

He laughs. “You couldn’t dismount me if you tried, human.”

So we’re back to human.

“You’re being an asshole.”

“Is nothing sacred?” he bellows. “I wasinsideyou. Insideyou. I felt you move around me. I gave you my essence. And you’re treating it, all of it, as though we merely danced together.”

This is really not how I imagined this whole conversation playing out. I feel myself flushing.

He clears his throat. “You will not be with another,” he states.

“Are you fuckingkiddingme?” I all but shout.

Dear God, stop with the wordfucking, Sara.