Surprisingly, Ellie was the one who snapped first.

Although we'd never discussed it aloud, she knew not to touch me anymore. She knew I didn't want her to, so she hadn't done so in more than two weeks. Even if I could tell that it was incredibly hard for her, she was keeping her hands and mouth off me.

Every time she beckoned to me, I still came over to her apartment. But it was usually for a quickie where I made her come once (sometimes, twice) before I rushed back to the safety of my own home. I'd begun to see myself as someone akin to a home-service massage...