Each move seemed to take a lifetime: more than anything, I needed him to know that this was all done with his consent; that at any moment he could say 'no' or move away and everything would still be okay. But he stayed, his eyes never leaving my face.

Finn gave a soft laugh. 'What's so funny?' 'I think you're the first person to actually apologise for inflicting pain. Usually it's someone's hobby.

You, my delightful Irish friend, terrify me," Gabriel said, and pulled the blanket over his head like a shawl. "You look like you've just stepped off the catwalk, you've got the stare of a serial killer, and you're clearly one of the hardest bastards I've ever met. Basically, I'm terribly keen to ensure that I'm never on your wrong side for the remained of my existence-will that do for now, you fucking sociopath?

A good Catholic boy like myself? You must be joking. Anyway, it kind of changes things when your equipment's used for business instead of pleasure