Christian had the feeling that this was not exactly a carrot and a stick, but rather two sticks of uncertain length. Still, he needed the money.

My God, I do envy the spareness and deftness of your prose, even when (especially when) you're talking about pictures of Lex Luthor's dick.

I knew I should have spent more time on Hemingway and less time on Austen as an undergrad.

Thanks very much. This was lovely. So many, many ways this scenario could go . . .