Again that sense of standing on a narrow ledge, and not being sure whether Carissa is trying to stabilize him or push him off it.
"I - you're right that there's a part of me that wants that - and I keep wanting to say that it's like being offered a, an apple for free, without paying for it, who wouldn't want it, except that I can tell it's more sexual than that," and deeper and darker and maybe dangerous, "but - but how is it okay? How is it all right with you? I keep wanting to check that you're not expecting more equity or the rights to the zippers in my shirt or - but you sound like you've done this with other sex partners - it seems so, so valuable, to give that to somebody, if you didn't charge for it at all even in non-financial ways then there should be many many more people wanting it then people who'll supply it and I don't understand and yes I know it shouldn't be something I need to figure out to have the sex itself, but it doesn't feel safe to grab something so precious and scarce, whose scarcity has to be rationed somehow, without knowing why I get it, when not everyone gets it, because that, whatever it is, is the price*."
(*) Lit. "factor_that_varies-to_equilibrate-supply-demand" in Baseline, but unfortunately this more technical and general term has just translated right back into 'price' in Taldane.