MARIKO<br/><br/>I gently laid my arm around her shoulders. I sat quietly as she spoke, though I could feel my heartbeat. Was she really saying...? Things were moving faster than expected; not that I really minded that.<strong>"Mmm... thank you."</strong>I took a deep breath.<strong>"Well, if you want..."</strong>I laid my free hand on her thigh.<strong>"We do have time..."</strong><br/><br/>I looked at her, then lifted my hand to gently tilt her head back. Maybe I was moving fast, but so was she. Even as the thought was running through my head, I was leaning forward.<br/><br/>My lips touched hers.