i love like someone who has been sent out on a mission,
even though espionage now exists through a computer screen
and the wars of our country have long since turned hot.

i love like i have a hidden wire for a heart,
with another's voice rattling through my bones:
a casual touch here, a kiss there, maybe even a smile.
be careful though, someone is always watching.

i love like you have a roll of film in your pocket
that i need to obtain, whatever it takes.
so i'll laugh at your jokes and run my hand down
your coat lining until i taste the secrets you keep there.

i love like someone will review the tapes later
and share in the inside joke of rustling chiffon
against skin, and the punchlines you missed
while you were staring into my eyes.

i love like a character i've invented specifically for you,
a girl that exists only inside of your mind.

i kiss like all the girls you remember and sound like
all of the moments you cannot forget.

and when we're done, you will feel like you're the one
who has cracked this foreign code wide open
and left her smile on the floor for the world to see.
but i'll sit in silence, looking at my empty hands and realizing
there was never an operative in loving you.