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As We Talked, I Had The Sense Of Uncovering Something Precious And Long-buried, Fully Formed. Our Conversation Was A Process Of Removing Layers, Some Of Them Easily Dusted Away. Other Layers, Requiring Chisels Or Axes, Were Left Alone For Now. We Revealed As Much As We Dared About What Had Happened During The Years That Separated Us. But It Wasn't What I Had Expected, Being With Hardy Again. There Was Something In Me That Remained Stubbornly Locked Away, As If I Were Afraid To Let Out The Emotion I Had Harbored For So Long.

-Lisa Kleypas

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As We Talked, I

Lisa Kleypas

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As We Talked, I Had The Sense Of Uncovering Something Precious And Long-buried, Fully Formed. Our Conversation Was A Process Of Removing Layers, Some Of Them Easily Dusted Away. Other Layers, Requiring Chisels Or Axes, Were Left Alone For Now. We Revealed As Much As We Dared About What Had Happened During The Years That Separated Us. But It Wasn't What I Had Expected, Being With Hardy Again. There Was Something In Me That Remained Stubbornly Locked Away, As If I Were Afraid To Let Out The Emotion I Had Harbored For So Long.

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I Didn't Expect It Was Going To Be Easy. But Hard Work Is A Lot Easier To Tolerate When It's Something You Want To Do Instead Of Something You Have No Choice About.

Having Regrets Is The Only Sign That You’ve Done Anything Interesting With Your Life.

No One Can Tell You What Your Path Is . . . But Someday You'll Discover It. . . And It Won't Be At All What You Expected.

Bending His Head Over Hers, Leo Murmured, "when I Give You Away At The Altar, Bea, I Want You To Remember Something. I'm Not Really Giving You Away. I'm Merely Allowing Him The Chance To Love You As Much As The Rest Of Us Do.

Remember Something

For Thousands Of Nights I Dreamed Of Making Love To You. No Man On Earth Has Ever Hated Sunrise As I Do.

Sometimes A Woman Needs A Man For Company, No Matter How Useless He Is.

One Could Pick Apart Love, Examine Every Filament Of Attraction, And Still It Would Never Be Fully Explained. It Simply Was.

Pretend You're Mine," He Urged, His Arms Closing Around Her. "just For A Minute. Pretend There's Never Been Anyone But Me, That I'm The One You're Promised To. Do It For Me....i'll Never Ask Again.

I Had Learned This Lesson So Many Times Before. It Was The Great Inner Truth That Didn't Require The Support Of Logic. Every Time I Loved, I Lost, And I Was Diminished. I Wondered How Much Of Me Would Be Left After Tomorrow.

I’ve Lost Someone, Too. And There Were No Rules For How To Deal With The Death Of Someone You Loved. You Had To Accept That The Loss Would Always Stay With You, Like A Reminder Note Pinned To The Inside Of Your Jacket. But There Were Still Opportunities For Happiness. Even Joy.

Love Me?” Madeline Asked With A Faint Smile. “it Used To Be Love.” He Brushed His Lips Over Her Closed Eyelids. “now There's No Word For It.” “you Once Told Me That You Thought Love Was A Weakness.” “i Was Wrong,” He Whispered, Kissing The Corners Of Her Mouth. “i've Discovered It's My Only Strength.

I Think At This Point, Safety Isn't A Feeling, It's A Process. Starting With Trust.

We May Run Into Kevin,” Lucy Said Gloomily. “she’s Hoping To Run Into Kevin,” Zoë Assured Her. Justine Smiled Grimly. “preferably With My Car.

Leo Knew Next To Nothing About Governesses, Save For The Drab Creatures In Novels, Who Tended To Fall In Love With The Lord Of The Manor, Always With Bad Results.

Falling In Love

Evie ” Came His Faint Whisper “i’m Going To Your Mother See…she’s Got ’em To Leave A Back Door Open…so I Can Steal Into ’eaven.

Was Parenting Ever Going To Get Easier? Did You Ever Reach A Point Where You Could Stop Worrying?

Sometimes A Simple Question Could Have A Complicated Answer.

She Wanted Him To Stop, But More Than That, She Wanted Him To Go On Forever.

To Be Honest," I Halfwhispered, "i Don't Feel As Safe With Him As I Do With You." "i Know." A Ghost Of A Smile Touched My Lips. "how Do You Know?" "think About What Safety Is, Ella." "trust?" "yes, Partly. But Also An Absence Of Risk." He Unstuck A Strand Of Hair From My Damp Cheek And Tucked It Back. "maybe You Need To Take A Risk. Maybe You Need To Be With Someone Who Rattles You A Little.

Alone-sex Didn't Count. It's Like The Difference Between Thinking To Yourself Or Having A Good Conversation With Someone--the Pleasure Is In The Exchange.

He's A Fascinating Gentleman. Old-school. I Tried To Talk Him Into Attending One Of My Services, But He Said He Wasn't Finished Sinning Yet, And He'd Let Me Know When He Was.

I Didn't Know That, You Take Your Coffee Seriously, Dont You?' 'every Morning, I Run To The Coffeemaker Like A Soldier Returning To A Lost Love After The War.

Opening Up To The Wrong Person Is Like Putting Ammo In Their Hands.

To Put To Rest Any Doubts You Might Have… I’m Jealous Of Every Man Who Comes Within Ten Feet Of You. I’m Jealous Of The Clothes On Your Skin And The Air You Breathe. I’m Jealous Of Every Moment You Spend Out Of My Sight

Love Is Always A Leap Into The Unknown. You Can Try To Control As Many Variables, And Understand A Situation As You Can, But Youre Still Jumping Off A Cliff And Hoping That Someone Catches You.

But Sometimes Normal Just Isn't Happening. Sometimes Crazy Feels Too Good To Resist.

Most Men Don't Seem To Get That Telling A Pissed-off Woman To Calm Down Is Like Throwing Gunpowder On A Fire.” ~ Liberty Jones

As Marcus Considered Various Ways To Open The Subject Of Daisy, Swift Surprised Him With A Blunt Statement. “my Lord, There Is Something I Would Like To Discuss With You.” Marcus Adopted A Pleasantly Encouraging Expression. “very Well.” “it Turns Out That Miss Bowman And I Have Reached An…understanding. After Considering The Logical Advantages On Both Sides, I Have Made A Sensible And Pragmatic Decision That We Should—” “how Long Have You Been In Love With Her?” Marcus Interrupted, Inwardly Amused. Swift Let Out A Tense Sigh. “years,” He Admitted.

You're Surrounded By It Wherever You Go, You Walk Through It, Breathe It...it's In Your Lungs And Under Your Tongue And Between Your Fingers And Toes.

I Never Lie For The Sake Of Kindness,” He Murmured, Smiling. “one Of My Many Flaws.

The Firefly Is An Unassuming Insect In The Daytime. If You Didn't Know What It Was, You'd Think It Was Nothing Special. But At Night, The Firefly Glows With Its Own Light Source. The Darkness Brings Out Its Most Beautiful Gift. That's An Extraordinary Talent For An Ordinary-looking Creature, Isn't It?

Women. You'll Interpret Anything As Love. You See A Man Wearing An Idiotic Expression, And You Assume He's Been Struck By Cupid's Arrow When In Reality, He's Digesting A Bad Turnip.

A Well-read Woman Is A Dangerous Creature.

But No One Can Predict Of A Certainty What Will Happen. And None Of It Will Change How I Intend To Spend The Rest Of My Life. I Will Live It On My Terms. And You... You Can Have All Of Me Or Nothing. I Won't Be An Invalid Any Longer. Not Even If It Means Losing You.

I'm Scared Of Making The Biggest Mistake Of My Life. I'm Just Trying To Figure Out What The Mistake Is.

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You Have To Rely On Whatever Sparks You Have Inside.

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She Was Everything He'd Ever Wanted, Beauty And Fire Arching Against His Despoiling Hands.

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I Was Going To Have To Leave You Anyway. Because I Loved You Too Much To Drag You Down With Me." My Hand Crept Up To Caress The Rigid Line Of His Jaw. "why'd You Change Your Mind?" I Whispered. "after I Calmed Down A Little And Had A Chance To Think, I Figured . . . I Love You Enough To Try And Deserve You. I Would Do Anything, Be Anything, For You.

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No Miles Of Level Desert, No Jagged Mountain Heights, No Sea Of Endless Blue Neither Words Nor Tears, Nor Silent Fears Will Keep Me From Coming Back To You.

And I Wonder How Gage Knew This Is What My Soul Has Craved. He Turns Me To Face Him, His Eyes Searching. It Occurs To Me That No One In My Life Has Ever Concerned Himself So Thoroughly With My Happiness.

The Trick Was Forgetting About What She Had Lost ...and Learning To Go On With What She Had Left.

Evie Picked Up The Smallest Of The Rings And Tried It On The Fourth Finger Of Her Left Hand. It Fit Perfectly. Raising It Closer To Her Face, She Examined The Design. It Was The Simplest Of All The Rings, A Polished Gold Band Engraved With The Words Tha Gad Agam Ort. “what Does This Mean?” She Asked Macphee. “it Says, ‘my Love Is Upon Ye.

I Want You Any Way I Can Get You. Not Because You’re Beautiful Or Clever Or Kind Or Adorable, Although Devil Knows You’re All Those Things. I Want You Because There’s No One Else Like You, And I Don’t Ever Want To Start A Day Without Seeing You.

If I'm To Change My Life For You, I've Got To Have Some Hope." "i Don't Want You To Change Your Life For Me. You'll Have To Make The Same Decision Every Day, Over And Over - It Must Be For Yourself Alone.

Changing Your Life

Beatrix Puts A Distance Between Herself And The Rest Of The World. She’s Very Engaging, But Also Quite Private In Nature. I See The Same Qualities In Captain Phelan.” “yes,” Amelia Said. “you’re Absolutely Right, Catherine. Put That Way, The Match Does Seem More Appropriate.” “i Still Have Reservations,” Leo Said. “you Always Do,” Amelia Replied. “if You’ll Recall, You Objected To Cam In The Beginning, But Now You’ve Accepted Him.” “that’s Because The More Brothers-in-law I Acquire,” Leo Said, “the Better Cam Looks By Comparison.

He Wasn't Mine Anywhere Except In My Heart.

I Love You Enough For The Both Of Us. And There Must Be Something About Me Worth Loving. If You Would Just Try.

He Was So Far From The Gallant Knights In Her Romantic Fantasies...he Was Tarnished, Scarred, Imperfect.

It's Fairly Easy To Break Hearts, Miss Duvall. The More Interesting Challenge Is How To Keep Someone's Love, Not To Lose It.

Captain Phelan,” Cam Asked, Choosing His Words With Care. “have You Come To Ask For Our Consent To Marry Beatrix?” Christopher Shook His Head. “if I Decide To Marry Beatrix, I’ll Do It With Or Without Your Consent.” Leo Looked At Cam. “good God,” He Said In Disgust. “this One’s Worse Than Harry.

There Isn’t Going To Be A ‘next Lover,’” Grant Said Automatically, Outraged By The Idea. “i’m The Only Man She’s Going To Have.

Tell Me About Our Legal Issues. And Use Small Words. I Don't Like To Think At This Hour Of The Morning. It Hurts." ~leo To Merripen

You Won't Kiss Me For Diamonds," He Said, His Voice Slightly Raspy, "but You Will For Chocolates?" Poppy Nodded.

Ghost?” St. Vincent Shot Him An Incredulous Glance. “christ. You’re Not Serious, Are You?” "i’m A Gypsy,” Cam Replied Matter-of-factly. “of Course I Believe In Ghosts.” “only Half Gypsy. Which Led Me To Assume That The Rest Of You Was At Least Marginally Sane And Rational.” “the Other Half Is Irish,” Cam Said A Touch Apologetically. “christ,” St. Vincent Said Again, Shaking His Head As He Strode Away.

He Was So Far From The Gallant Knights In Her Romantic Fantasies ... He Was Tarnished, Scarred, Imperfect. Deliberately He Had Destroyed Any Illusions She Might Have Had About Him, Exposing His Mysterious Past For The Ugly Horror That It Was. His Purpose Had Been To Drive Her Away. But Instead She Felt Closer To Him, As If The Truth Had Bonded Them In A New Intimacy.

You Shouldn’t Rule Out Second Chances. Sometimes They Come With Interesting Bonus Features.

Babies Were Dangerous . . . They Made You Fall In Love Before You Knew What Was Happening.

Falling In Love

A Weak But Steady Throb Lay Beneath Kev's Searching Fingertips. Win's Heartbeat...the Pulse That Sustained His Universe.

Many Times In Life I've Regretted The Things I've Said Without Thinking. But I've Never Regretted The Things I Said Nearly As Much As The Words I Left Unspoken.

I Know When Something Is Too Important To Be Decided By Logic.

I Closed My Eyes, Thinking, Let Me Love You, Hardy, Just Let Me.

I Think The Busiest People Are Often The Loneliest.

If You Won’t Marry Me For The Sake Of Your Own Honor, Then Do It For The Sake Of Everyone Who Would Have To Tolerate Me Otherwise. Marry Me Because I Need Someone Who Will Help Me To Laugh At Myself. Because Someone Has To Teach Me How To Whistle. Marry Me, Lillian… Because I Have The Most Irresistible Fascination For Your Ears.

She Was Yours, If You'd Truly Wanted Her," Harry Continued, A Pitiless Smile Touching His Lips. "but I Wanted Her More.

Don't Ever Trust Men With Good Intentions. They'll Always Disappoint You." Leo

Good Intentions

... I Think I Know The Secret To A Long And Happy Marriage - Just Choose Someone You Can't Live Without.

It’s A Risk I’m Willing To Take. This Happens Once In A Lifetime. You Meet Someone And Have This Crazy Reaction … You Touch Her Skin And It’s The Best Skin You’ve Ever Felt, And No Perfume On Earth Could Be Better Than Her Smell, And You Know You Could Never Be Bored With Her Because She’s Interesting Even When She’s Doing Nothing. Even Without Knowing Everything About Her, You Get Her. You Know Who She Is, And It Works For You On Every Level.

Knowing Everything

It's Me, Love," He Said Softly. "everything's All Right." Daisy Managed To Whisper Through Dry Lips. "if You're A Ghost...i Hope You Haunt Me Forever." Matthew Sat On The Floor And Reached For Her Cold Hands. "would A Ghost Use The Door?" He Asked Gently, Bringing Her Fingers To His Scratched, Battered Face.

Because You Need Me," He Said, Drawing In His Breath As She Squirmed Against Him. "just As I Need You." He Crushed His Mouth To Hers. "i've Needed You For Years." Another Kiss, This One Deep And Drugging, His Tongue Searching Her Intimately

When You Are In Love' Hypocrisy Won Over Principle.

I Told Him I Had Always Kept My Inner Martha Stewart Chained In The Basement, But For His Sake I Would Set Her Loose.” ~ Haven Travis

For God's Sake, Marks, Do You Think Anyone Really Wants A Glance At Those Dried-up Matchsticks You Call Legs?

A Book Had Always Been A Door To Another World... A World Much More Interesting And Fantastical Than Reality. But She Had Finally Discovered That Life Could Be Even More Wonderful Than Fantasy. And That Love Could Fill The Real World With Magic.

What Does Your Gut Tell You?" "my Gut And I Aren't Currently Speaking To Each Other

I'm Not Good Enough For You. But No One Is. And Most Men, Good Or Bad, Have Limits To What They Would Do, Even For Someone They Love. I Have None. No God, No Moral Code, No Faith In Anything. Except You. You're My Religion. I Would Do Anything You Asked. I Would Fight, Steal, Kill For You." -kev To Win

There Is Something About You That Makes Me Feel Terribly Wicked. You Make Me Want To Do Shocking Things. Maybe It's Because You're So Proper. Your Necktie Is Never Crooked, And Your Shoes Are Always Shiny. And Your Shirts Are So Starchy. Sometimes When I Look At You, I Want To Tear Off All Your Buttons. Or Set Your Trousers On Fire. I've So Often Wondered-are You Ticklish, My Lord?

Fate Is The Malevolent Little Jester Sitting Up In The Heavens And Pondering Over How Ridiculous We Humans Are And He Does His Best To Make Fools Out Of All Of Us. And Sooner Or Later He Succeeds.

I Am Running After You, And Life, In Desperate Pursuit. My Dream Is That Someday You Will Both Turn And Let Me Catch You. That Dream Carries Me Through Every Night... I Have Enclosed A Hundred Kisses In This Letter. You Must Count Them Out Carefully And Not Lose Any.

It's Difficult For Most Of Us To Be Completely Honest With Ourselves - We Hate To Admit How Vulnerable Or Needful We Are.

I Wondered How Much Of Me Would Be Left After Tomorrow.

Her Chances Of A Decent Marriage Were About To Be Dashed-and All Because Of A Ferret.

After A Universal Silence, Leo Was The First To Speak. “did Anyone Else Notice—” “yes,” Catherine Said. “what Do You Make Of It?” “i Haven’t Decided Yet.” Leo Frowned And Took A Sip Of Port. “he’s Not Someone I Would Pair Bea With.” “whom Would You Pair Her With?” “hanged If I Know,” Leo Said. “someone With Similar Interests. The Local Veterinarian, Perhaps?” “he’s Eighty-three Years Old And Deaf,” Catherine Said. “they Would Never Argue,” Leo Pointed Out.

No One Needs To Have Their Way All The Time, First Of All, But Second Of All, If You Find The Right Partner, As A Couple, You're Going To Create Something Together That Is Going To Be Better Than What You Could Do Or Have Individually.

I Loved Him So Much, Loved His Fearlessness, His Strength, Even The Ambition That Would Someday Take Him Away From Me.

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Nature Had Squandered An Unreasonable Quantity Of Male Beauty On This Undeserving Creature.

What Are You Listening To?" "i Picked Up A Dvd For Luke While I Was Out. Something With Mozart And Sock Puppets." A Grin Rose To My Lips. "at This Stage I Don't Think Luke Can See More Than Ten Inches Beyond His Face." "that Explains His Lack Of Interest. I Thought Maybe He Preferred Beethoven.

I Stand By My Opinions When I Know I'm Right, Captain Phelan. Whereas You Stand By Yours Merely Because You're Stubborn.

If You Pretend Everything's Fine Long Enough, Everything Eventually Becomes Fine.

A Lifetime With Such A Woman Was Not Nearly Enough.

Sometimes You Meet A Really Nice Guy, But No Matter How You Try, You Can’t Seem To Make Yourself Want Him. But That’s Not Nearly As Bad As When You Meet The Wrong Guy, And You Can’t Make Yourself Not Want Him.

Dear Lord,” She Said In A Strangled Whisper. “i Can Bear It For A While...but Please Don't Let It Hurt Forever.

If I Were An Opera Singer, I"d Have Sung You An Aria. If I Were An Artist, I Would Have Painted Your Portrait. But Cooking Is What I'm Best At.

Can't You Just Tell Me Now?" "no, I Need Someone To Eat With." A Slight Smile Rose To My Lips. "am I Supposed To Believe That I'm Your Only Option?" "no. But You're My Favorite Option.

...just A Little Touches Her And There. He Puts His Hands On Your Arms Or Back, He Stands Close To You, Getting You Used To Him... It's A Mating Ritual. Like March Of The Penguins.

He Was My Confidant, The Person Who Was Always On My Side Even When He Wasn't Taking My Side.

No Marriage Stays In The Same Pattern Forever. It Is Both The Best Feature Of Marriage And The Worst, That It Inevitably Changes.

Of All The Hathaway Sisters,” Cam Said Equably, “beatrix Is The One Most Suited To Choose Her Own Husband. I Trust Her Judgment.” Beatrix Gave Him A Brilliant Smile. “thank You, Cam.” “what Are You Thinking?” Leo Demanded Of His Brother-in-law. “you Can’t Trust Beatrix’s Judgment.” “why Not?” “she’s Too Young,” Leo Said. “i’m Twenty-three,” Beatrix Protested. “in Dog Years I’d Be Dead.

Do You Know What A Balance Wheel Is?” She Shook Her Head Slightly. “there’s One In Every Clock Or Watch. It Rotates Back And Forth Without Stopping. It’s What Makes The Ticking Sound...what Makes The Hands Move Forward To Mark The Minutes. Without It, The Watch Wouldn’t Work. You’re My Balance Wheel, Poppy.” -harry Rutledge

What Happened To Your Stammer?" "i Suppose I Must Feel Comfortable With You. I Tend To Stammer Less With Certain People." "no One's Ever Told Me That I'm A Comfortable Sort. I'm Sure I Don't Like It. I'll Have To Do Something Diabolical Soon To Correct Your Impression.

The Rom Believe You Should Take The Road That Calls To You, And Never Turn Back. Because You Never Know What Adventures Await." ... "so We're Going To Take This Road," He Murmured, "and See Where It Leads.

Somehow I Knew That No Matter What I Chose To Tell Or To Keep Secret, He Would Understand.

I Didn't Think There Was Any Way To Convince Jack That He Wanted More Than I Had To Give, That To People Who'd Been Damaged The Way I Had Been, Fear And The Will To Survive Would Always Be More Powerful Than Attachment. I Could Only Love In A Limited Way

Will To Survive

I Like Pessimists. They’re Always The Ones Who Bring Life Jackets For The Boat.

That Is Kind Of You, My Lord. But I Will Never Dance With You.' Which, Of Course, Made It The Goal Of Leo's Life.

I Had To Wait For Someone Special. Someone Who Would Make My Heart Feel As If It's Been Trampled By Elephants, Thrown Into The Amazon, And Eaten By Piranhas.

Recently Mr. Mawdsley’s Donkey Escaped From His Stall, Raced Down The Road, And Somehow Found His Way Into An Enclosed Pasture. Mr. Caird’s Prized Mare Was Innocently Grazing When The Ill-bred Seducer Had His Way With Her. Now It Appears The Mare Has Conceived, And A Feud Is Raging Between Caird, Who Demands Financial Compensation, And Mawdsley, Who Insists That Had The Pasture Fencing Been In Better Repair, The Clandestine Meeting Would Never Have Occurred. Worse Still, It Has Been Suggested That The Mare Is A Shameless Lightskirt And Did Not Try Nearly Hard Enough To Preserve Her Virtue.

To Jack, There Was Nothing More Powerful Than A Promise Made Over A Handshake. He Would Have Died ー Literally Chosen Death ー Before Breaking His Word.

No More Dane,” He Eventually Said With Unnerving Finality. I Tried To Be Funny. “i Can't Decide If That Means You Don't Want Me To See Him Again Or If You're Planning To Kill Him.” “it Means If The First Thing Happens, The Second Thing Is Likely To Follow.

I Want Morning And Noon And Nightfall With You. I Want Your Tears, Your Smiles, Your Kisses...the Smell Of Your Hair, The Taste Of Your Skin, The Touch Of Your Breath On My Face. I Want To See You In The Final Hour Of My Life...to Lie In Your Arms As I Take My Last Breath.

This Is How We Court Girls In America. We Grab Them And Kiss Them. And If They Don't Like It, We Do It Again, Harder And Longer, Until They Surrender. It Saves Us Hours Of Witty Repartee.

I Spent Most Of My Youth Hauling Sides Of Beef And Pork To My Father's Shop. Carrying You Is Far More Enjoyable." "how Sweet," Annabelle Mumbled Sickly, Her Eyes Closed. "every Woman Dreams Of Being Told That She's Preferable To A Dead Cow.

The Guy Who Broke Up With Me... He Was Exactly Like You, In The Beginning. Charming, And Nice. They're All Like You In The Beginning. But I Always End Up Like This. And I Can't Do It Anymore.

Hell Was Waking Up Alone, The Sheets Wet With Your Tears And Your Seed, Knowing The Woman You Had Dreamed Of Would Never Come Back To You.

One Of The Servants Had Reported That Daisy Had Been Sneaking Around The House At Night, Deliberately Tripping All The Traps To Keep The Mice From Being Killed. “is This True, Daughter?” Thomas Bowman Had Rumbled, His Gaze Filled With Ire As He Stared At Daisy. “it Could Be,” She Had Allowed. “but There Is Another Explanation.” “and What Is That?” Bowman Had Asked Sourly. Her Tone Turned Congratulatory. “i Think We Are Hosting The Most Intelligent Mice In New York!

A Man's Vanity Is More Fragile That You Might Think. It's Easy For Us To Mistake Shyness For Coldness, And Silence For Indifference.

I've Never Been Convinced That Everything In A Relationship Needs To Be Talked About. Some Things Can't Be Fixed By A Conversation

I Grasp Reality, But Sometimes I Like To Choke It Into Submission.

And Poppy, Remember That Someday You Will Meet A Frog Who Will Turn Into A Handsome Prince." "good," Beatrix Said. "because All She's Met So Far Are Princes Who Turn Into Frogs." "mr. Bayning Is Not A Frog," Poppy Protested. "you're Right," Beatrix Said. "that Was Very Unfair To Frogs, Who Are Lovely Creatures.

Sometimes Silence Was Easiest, When The Only Word Left Was Good-bye.

Rather Than Argue, Amanda Smiled At Him. “and Then What Will You Do While Your Son Or Daughter Is In Charge Of Your Store And Your Companies?” “i’ll Spend My Days And Nights Pleasing You,” He Said. “it’s A Challenging Occupation, After All.” He Laughed And Dodged As She Went To Swat His Attractive Backside.

Getting To A Higher Spiritual Level Is Like Increasing Your Credit Score. You Get A Lot More Points For Sinning And Repenting Than If You Have No Credit History At All.

Haven't You Ever Wished That You Could Steal Back Just A Few Hours Of Your Past?" She Asked Softly. "that's All I Want... Just A Little Taste Of What Might Have Been.

She Felt Him Tremble With The Force Of His Need. He Spoke Just Beneath Her Ear, His Voice Thick With Tormented Pleasure. "you Have To Leave, Sara ... Because I Want To Hold You Like This Until Your Skin Melts Into Mine. I Want You In My Bed, The Smell Of You On My Sheets, Your Hair Spread Across My Pillow. I Want To Take Your Innocence. God! I Want To Ruin You For Anyone Else.

For Thousands Of Nights I Dreamed Of Making Love To You. No Man On Earth Has Ever Hated Sunrise As I Do.

The Next Time You Face A Room Full Of Strangers . . . You Might Tell Yourself That Some Of Them Are Just Friends Waiting To Be Found.

No Matter How Strong Our Resolve, We Eventually Find Ourselves Enslaved By The Compulsive Preference For One Particular Woman. You’ve Been Caught, My Friend. You May As Well Reconcile Yourself To It.” Nick Did Not Bother Trying To Deny It. “i Was Going To Be So Much Smarter Than You,” He Muttered. Sir Ross Grinned. “i Prefer To Think That Intelligence Has Nothing To Do With It. For If A Man’s Intellect Is Measured By His Ability To Remain Untouched By Love, I Would Be The Greatest Idiot Alive.

I Want You To Admit Just Once What You Feel For Me. I Want To Know If You'll Miss Me Even A Little. If You'll Remember Me. If You're Sorry For Anything.

Cam Had Once Told Her That The Rom Believed The Entire World Was Their Home. As Long As You Were With Your Family You Were Home.

Christopher Heard A Pair Of Women Gossiping Nearby, Whispering In Disapproving Undertones. "... Ramsey Was Found Flirting In A Corner With A Woman. They Had To Drag Him Away From Her." "who Was It?" "his Own Wife." "oh, Dear.

I Swear On St. Francis, The Patron Saint Of All Animals.” Seeing Poppy’s Hesitation, Beatrix Added Enthusiastically, “if A Band Of Pirates Kidnapped Me And Took Me To Their Ship And Threatened To Make Me Walk The Plank Over A Shiver Of Starving Sharks Unless I Told Them Your Secret, I Still Wouldn’t Tell It. If I Were Tied By A Villain And Thrown Before A Herd Of Stampeding Horses All Shod In Iron, And The Only Way To Keep From Being Trampled Was To Tell The Villain Your Secret, I—

Believe Me, When My ‘personal Endowments’ Are Being Discussed, I Always Pay Attention.” ~ Cam Rohan

Thunderstorms And Rainbows Wrapped Together In A Convenient Pocket-sized Parcel.

I Feel Like I've Been Shut In A Closet, And He's On The Other Side, And He Doesn't Have The Key To Unlock The Door.

Beatrix, Do You Know What Happens To Girls Who Ask Such Naughty Questions?” “they’re Ravished In Haylofts?” She Inquired Hopefully.

The Way I Was Brought Up ‘he Needed Killing’ Is An Airtight Alibi.

Want To Try It?" Dad Offered, Patting The Arm Of The Chair. "fifteen Different Kinds Of Massage. It Analyzes Your Back Muscles And Makes Recommendations. It Also Grabs And Stretches The Thigh And Calf Muscles." "no, Thanks. I Prefer My Furniture To Keep Its Hands To Itself.

Tell Me Everything, I Would Say. All About The Blues, And The Time Your Heart Was Broken, And What Scares You The Most, And The Thing You've Always Wanted To Do But Haven 't Yet.

Well, I Find A Strange Comfort In The Fact That He Wouldn't Feel This Degree Of Animosity Now, Had He Not Loved Me So Much Before.

I Still Don’t Get Why I Have To Eat Breakfast If You Don’t,” Josie Muttered. “because You Have To Be A Certain Age To Earn The Right To Ruin Your Own Life.

Sometimes When We're Not Paying Attention, Relation-ships Happen. There Is No Rule That Requires Two People In Love To Be Exactly Alike.

Sometimes People Don't Have To Make You Love Them...you Just Do, And There's No Help For It.

Aristotle Taught That Stars Are Made Of A Different Matter Than The Four Earthly Elements— A Quintessence— That Also Happens To Be What The Human Psyche Is Made Of. Which Is Why Man’s Spirit Corresponds To The Stars. Perhaps That’s Not A Very Scientific View, But I Do Like The Idea That There’s A Little Starlight In Each Of Us.

I Was A New Person In The Same World, Which Was A Lot More Difficult Than Being The Same Person In A New World.

My Peer Would Have To Be Dark-haired And Handsome, A Wonderful Dancer... And He Would Never Ask Permission Before He Kissed Me." -lillian Bowman

Some People There's No Getting Over.

His Expression Was Infused With Lust And Adoration As He Lowered His Head To Kiss Her Throat, His Tongue Venturing Into The Little Spaces Between The Diamonds And Round Opals. “why Can’t You See Yourself As I See You?” -jack To Amanda

I Love You, Marks. My Heart Is Completely And Utterly Yours. And Unfortunately For You, The Rest Of Me Comes With It.

Haven, Don't Ask Me To Define The Boundaries Of Normal. You Know How I Was Raised. My Father Once Struck Strands Of His Own Pubic Hair Onto A Painting And Sold It For A Million Dollars.

Everyone Striving To Be Witty And Sought-after, Everyone Talking And No One Listening.

I Wanted More Of Those Sweltering Kisses. I Felt Terrible About That. But The Warm Sunny Fragrance Of Him...he Smelled Better Than Any Human Being I'd Ever Met. "okay" I Said Unsteadily, "forget What I Said About Not Exchanging Names. Who Are You?" "for You, Honey...i'm Trouble." -haven & Hardy

Hardy Cates," I Said, Coming Into The Room, "you Behave, Or I'll Step On Your Tube." The Nurse Seemed Taken Aback By My Unsympathetic Bedside Manner. But Hardy's Gaze Met Mine In A Moment Of Bright, Hot Voltage, And He Relaxed, Reassured In A Way That Cooing Sympathy Could Never Have Done. "that Only Works If It's A Breathing Tube," He Told Me.

The Situation Was Extraordinary. How Someone Like Evangeline Jenner Could Have Wrought Such A Change In St. Vincent, The Most Worldly Of Men, Was Difficult To Understand. However, Westcliff Had Learned That The Mysteries Of Attraction Could Not Always Be Explained Through Logic. Sometimes The Fractures In Two Separate Souls Became The Very Hinges That Held Them Together.

She Was Aware Of The Movement Of His Lips As He Pressed Soundless Words In Her Palm. He Released Her, And The Look He Gave Her Seemed To Reveal The Depths Of His Lustful, Longing, Bitter Soul. "good-bye, Miss Fielding," He Said Hoarsely.

His Lips Pressed Against Her Forehead And She Felt Him Smile Against Her Skin. "believe Me...the Only Place In The World I Want To Be Is Wherever You Are." -grant Morgan

The Look Of Experience Suited Him, Especially Because Somewhere Deep In Those Eyes, There Still Lurked A Dangerous Invitation To Play. He Had A Quality Of Masculine Confidence That Was A Thousand Times More Potent Than Mere Handsomeness. Perfect Goodlooks Could Leave You Cold, But This Kind Of Sexy Charisma Went Straight To Your Knees. -haven Travis

I've Always Considered Myself A Feminist, Which Is Such A Tough Word For People. Some People Immediately Assume That You're Angry Or You Hate Men, Which Is Obviously Not True.

I Wish You Were A Mind-reader. I Want You To Know Everything But I Don't Want To Have To Tell You. Because There Are Some Things I Don't Want To Say Out Loud.

Neither Of Us Seemed Able To Be Close To Anyone. Not Even Each Other. Closeness Meant The One You Loved The Most Would Cause You The Most Damage. How Did You Unlearn That? It Was Woven Deep Between Every Fiber And Vessel. You Couldn't Cut It Out.

When You're Walking Through The Darkness, You Can't Depend On Anything Or Anyone Else To Light Your Way. You Have To Rely On Whatever Sparks You've Got Inside You. Or You're Going To Get Lost.

And You're Not The Kind Of Girl I Want." Surely He Couldn't Mean The Fact That I Was Mexican. From What I Knew Of Hardy, There Wasn't A Bit Of Prejudice In Him. He Never Used Racist Words, Never Looked Down On Someone For Things They Couldn't Help. "what Kind Do You Want?" I Asked With Difficulty. "someone I Can Leave Without Looking Back.

Here's Your Hat, And By The Way, I'm A Virgin

Because Handsomeness Is Always Accompanied By Vanity.and I Suppose Ugliness Is Accompanied By A Wealth Of Virtues?

Scorpions Are Quite Ruthless, You Know. That Is Why Artemis Bid One Of Them To Kill Her Foe Orion. And As A Reward She Set The Scorpion On Up In The Sky. I'm Not Ruthless. I Merely Do Whatever It Takes To Achive My Goals That's Not Ruthless?

I Realized I Wasn't Going To Find A Man Until I Was Willing To Expose Myself To Possible Harm, To Assume The Risks Of Rejection And Betrayal And Heartbreak That Came Along With Caring About Someone. Someday, I Promised Myself, I Would Be Ready For That Kind Of Risk.

The Smarter You Are, The More Reasons You Have To Be Miserable.

Weddings Are Never About The Bride And Groom, Weddings Are Public Platforms For Dysfunctional Families.

Dysfunctional Family

Bride And Groom

Heath," She Whispered, "you're All I Want. No One Else ... No One . . .

You Know," I Told Him On Our Wedding Night, "i'm Just As Much Me When I'm With You, As I Am Without You." And Because Hardy Understood What I Meant, He Pulled Me Into His Arms, Against His Heart.

If I Never Have Anything From Him Except This One Moment I Am Going To Take It. Take It Now, Or Drown In Regret Later.

"i Won't Apologize For My Past. A Man Is Supposed To Have Experience." "from All Indications, You've Acquired Enough For Ten Men".

When The Pace Of Our Feet Matched Perfectly, I Felt A Deep Inner Pang Of Satisfaction. I Could Have Gone On Walking Like That Forever, Side By Side With Him. There Had Been Few Times In My Life I Had Ever Inhabited A Moment So Fully, With No Loneliness Lurking At The Edges.

What Kind Of Wedding Would You Like?" He Asked, And Stole Another Kiss Before She Could Reply. "the Kind That Turns You Into My Husband." She Touched The Firm Line Of His Mouth With Her Fingers. "what Kind Would You Like?" He Smiled Ruefully. "a Fast One.

Hunt Looked Like A Man Who Had Visited Many Woman's Beds And Knew Exactly What To Do In Them.

I Think In A Moment Of Weakness, You Might Surprise Yourself.

Come On, Ella. Sleep Green.' Ignoring Him, I Got Into Bed Wearing A T-shirt And Boxer Shorts Printed With Penguins. I Reached Over To The Nightstand And Flipped Off The Lamp. A Moment Of Silence, And Then I Heard A Lecherous Murmur. 'i Like Your Penguins.

I'm Not Running Away From My Fears," I Told Dane. "i'm Running Away From My Relatives.

A Good Conversation Always Involves A Certain Amount Of Complaining. I Like To Bond Over Mutual Hatreds And Petty Grievances.

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