[ with equal disregard for anyone who might be watching, tseng leans down into the kiss, a little more passionate than perhaps is strictly appropriate for a public environment. blame that on the alcohol—or on tseng's own attraction to clorinde, who is, as ever, the most beautiful woman tseng has ever seen.

he smiles slightly when they part, his arm having dropped to her waist to draw her close to him. her body is a line of heat against his own. ]

You certainly may walk me back to my suite, [ tseng says, and then a little softer, ] and I was hoping you might stay the night, if you aren't otherwise occupied.

[ it's a little silly to be shy about asking her to spend the night when she's already spent so many nights with him, isn't it? and yet tseng still feels it, the newness of having someone he wants to be with this way. besides, it's his birthday. if ever there was a day that he's allowed to be selfish in asking for what he wants, wouldn't it be today? ]