“It's a simple question," she cut me off again. "Do you Love me?"

Sensing a trap, I nevertheless replied, “Yesss..."

“Do you love me as much as you love Belle?"

I pursed my Lips and shook my head.

“Belle's different. She's--"

“Like your little sister, uh-huh, I got the memo already," Sam cut me off again. "Do you Love me as much as you love Neevie?"

I frowned. "You're trying to make me pick favorites again."

“Do you?"

“Sam, I--"

“Do you Love her more because she let you fuck her ass?"

“I'm not--"

"You know yesterday, on the mountain, I said, 'I love you' like ten seconds after you came in my mouth. You know what you immediately said back to me?"

“Love you, too'?"

“Exactly. And yet right now when I ask, your answer is completely different."

“No it isn't. You asked if I Loved you and I said ‘yes'."

“Your TONE was completely different."

“Well the circumstances are completely different.”

“I know. I didn't have your dick in my mouth ten seconds ago. And you know what that tells me?"

I winced. "What?"

Sam raised both eyebrows. "That your love for me IS dependent on the stuff I can do for you."

“Sam-—"

"No, don't apologize for it. It's okay. That's just how the world works. When I get straight A's, my parents Love me more. If I don't get into med school, they won't love me as much. I don't ask them to apologize for it. That's just reality.”

“Sam, please. I'm sorry if you feel that--"

Throwing the blanket off our laps, my Aphrodite sprang off the couch and took two steps away from me. "I told you, don't apologize. If there's one thing I really do hate about you, it's that you're always saying sorry for things you don't need to say sorry for."

I bit my lip before saying I was sorry, but she seemed to sense that impulse in me and raised her eyebrows expectantly. Instead, I gave her a serious look and said, "I DO Love you. You will ALWAYS be special to me."