Chapter 42

- "You don't want to hear me trying, sweetheart."

- "Please? Just a little bit?"

- "Don't ask. You'll regret it. Take my word for it."

She wouldn't stop. She continued to plead with me, to harp, to badger, to cajole ... but I knew how to make her quit. I sang four verses of a well-known sailor's shanty.

What will you do with a drunken sailor? What will you do with a drunken sailor? What will you do with a drunken sailor, Earl-eye in the mornin'

Aressine took it like a warrior. Her eyes watered, a little, but she didn't run away.

- "I see." she said. "You were right."

There's a first time for everything.

***

Aressine and I were entwined, in the spoon position, with my erection buried inside her. We weren't thrashing about, though - it was our third lovemaking session of the day, after all. We were in no hurry.

- "HA!!" I heard, from halfway across the