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I'm Coming To Believe That There Are Two Kinds Of People... Those Who Choose To Be Masters Of Their Own Fate And Those Who Wait In Chairs While Other Dance. I Would Rather Be One Of The Former Than The Latter.

-Lisa Kleypas

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I'm Coming To Believe

Lisa Kleypas

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I'm Coming To Believe That There Are Two Kinds Of People... Those Who Choose To Be Masters Of Their Own Fate And Those Who Wait In Chairs While Other Dance. I Would Rather Be One Of The Former Than The Latter.

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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?

Does He Behave In Rude Or Improper Ways?" "he's A Bowman. We Don't Know Any Better.

Without A Doubt... The Worst Part Of Being A Single Woman Was Having To Take Care Of Your Own Car.

You Sweet…beautiful…lunatic,” He Heard Himself Mutter.

He Wasn't Mine Anywhere Except In My Heart.

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

Those Blue Eyes Glinted With Uncivilized Suggestion. A Faint Smile Was Tucked In The Corner Of His Wide Mouth. Definitely Wouldn't Want To Be Alone In A Room With That Guy, I Thought. His Gaze Moved Downward In Lazy Inspection, Returned To My Face, And He Gave Me One Of Those Respectful Nods That Texan Men Had Raised To An Art Form.

You Think I'd Cheat On You?" I Demanded With All The Innocent Outrage I Could Muster. "with Another Guy, No. With A Cheeseburger . . . In A Heartbeat.

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.

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 Looked Like A Fallen Angel, Replete With All The Dangerous Male Beauty That Lucifer Could Devise.

I Rarely Dislike People For Things They Can't Change, They Usually Give Me Sufficient Cause To Dislike Them For Other Reasons.

I'd Sell My Soul To Have You. In My Whole Life, You'll Always Be What I Wanted Most." ~ Hardy Cates

Fear You?" She Said Without Thinking. "good God, I Would Never Do That." Easing Her Head Back, Westcliff Looked At Her While A Slow Smile Spread Across His Face. "no, You Wouldn't," He Agreed. "you'd Spit In The Devil's Eye If It Suited You.

It Was Finally Becoming Clear To Her That Love Wasn't About Finding Someone Perfect To Marry. Love Was About Seeing Through To The Truth Of A Person, And Accepting All Their Shades Of Light And Dark. Love Was An Ability.

A Lifetime With Such A Woman Was Not Nearly Enough.

It Would Only Lead To Disappointment, Even Heartbreak, And Her Heart Was Too Precious For Me To Let That Happen.

Over The Years I’ve Collected A Thousand Memories Of You, Every Glimpse, Every Word You’ve Ever Said To Me. All Those Visits To Your Family’s Home, Those Dinners And Holidays—i Could Hardly Wait To Walk Through The Front Door And See You.” The Corners Of His Mouth Quirked With Reminiscent Amusement. “you, In The Middle Of That Brash, Bull-headed Lot…i Love Watching You Deal With Your Family. You’ve Always Been Everything I Thought A Woman Should Be. And I Have Wanted You Every Second Of My Life Since We First Met.

It Didn't Help Matters That I Was Shy And Wore Glasses. I Was Never One To Stand Out In The Crowd. I Liked To Stay In Corners. And I Was Happiest When I Was Alone Reading. That And The Good Grades I Got In School Had Doomed Any Chance Of Being Popular With My Peers. So It Was A Foregone Conclusion That Boys Like Hardy Were Never Going To Take Notice Of Me.

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.

Girlfriend, If You're Waiting For A Fairy Godmother To Show Up With A Dress And A Ride, You're Not Going To Make It To The Party.

I Lacked Some Essential Skill For Attracting People, For Giving And Receiving Love Easily. It Meant Too Much To Me. I Seemed To Be Driving Away The People I Most Wanted. Finally I Had Realized That Getting Someone To Love You Was Like Trying To Coax A Bird To Perch On Your Finger . . . It Wouldn't Happen Unless You Stopped Trying So Hard.

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.

Darlin'...i Know What You Look Like When You've Been Kissed.

We’ll Continue Our Discussion Later. Right Now I Intend To Escort Miss Peyton To Her Room.” “that Is Not A Wise Idea, In My Opinion,” The Earl Said. “i’m Glad I Didn’t Ask For It, Then,” Simon Returned Pleasantly

And There’s One More Thing To Be Aware Of ” Cam Said With A Wintry Softness That Disguised All Hint Of Feeling. “if You Succeed In Marrying Her We’re Not Losing A Sister. You’re Gaining An Entire Family—who Will Protect Her At Any Cost.

But Harry . . . Even If We Had Met And Married Three Years Ago, You’d Still Say It Wasn’t Enough Time.” “you’re Right. I Can’t Think Of A Single Day Of My Life That Wouldn’t Have Been Improved With You In It.” “darling,” She Whispered, Her Fingertips Coming Up To Stroke His Jaw, “that’s Lovely. Even More Romantic Than Comparing Me To Watch Parts.” Harry Nipped At Her Finger. “are You Mocking Me?” “not At All,” Poppy Said, Smiling. “i Know How You Feel About Gears And Mechanisms.

There Is No Peace In Poverty

His Quiet Certainty Made The Ground Beneath My Feet Feel Solid. Like Someday Everything Might Actually Be Okay.

Oh, Daisy, It's Revolting The Way I Want To Fawn All Over Him. I'm Afraid I'm Going To Do Something Dreadfully Silly Today. Burst Into Song Or Something. For God's Sake, Don't Let Me.

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

Asking An Eight-year-old Girl If Something Is A Little Over-the-top Is Like Asking A Texan If There Are Too Many Jalapenos In The Salsa. The Answer Is Always No." -liberty Jones

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

It Was A Train Wreck Happening Right In Front Of Me And I Couldn't Do Anything About It, Except That Not Only Was I Watching, I Was Also The Train.

I Can't Get It Out," She Said. "just Pull At It." "it Hurts. It's Throbbing." "pull Harder." "i Can't! It's Truly Stuck. I Need Something To Make It Slippery. Do You Have Some Sort Of Lubricant Nearby?" "no." "not Anything?" "much As It May Surprise You, We've Never Needed Lubricant In The Library Before Now.

Separately They Had Different Strengths. Together They Were Complete.

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.

Good God. I Don’t Believe St. Vincent And The Word ‘celibacy’ Have Ever Been Mentioned In The Same Sentence Before.

It's The Perfect Solution. We Argue All The Time. We Can't Stand Each Other. It's Like We're Already Married.

I Had To Let Go Of Him. But I Knew That As Long As I Lived, I Would Feel The Phantompain Of His Absence.

It Was A Kiss To Level Mountains And Shake Stars From The Sky. It Was A Kiss To Make Angels Faint And Demons Weep...a Passionate, Demanding, Soul-searing Kiss That Nearly Knocked The Earth Off Its Axis.

My Prize, My Pleasure And Pain, My Endless Desire. I've Never Know Anyone Like You.

Justine," Zoe Said, "i Don't Want To Curse Anyone." "of Course You Don't, You're Much Too Nice. But I Don't Have That Problem.

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.

He Stared At Me With Bitter Understanding. We Both Knew There Was No Room In This For Friendship. Nothing Left But Childhood History.

It's Drugs, Isn't It"? Tara Was So Innocent. She Got Pulled Into That Glamorous Lifestyle With All Her Rich Friends...all That Cocaine Dust Floating Around, She Probably Inhaled Some By Accident, And Then -' 'there's No Such Thing As Secondhand Cocaine Snorting, Mom.

You Are Not A Perfect Woman.you Have An Evil Temper, You’re As Blind As A Mole, You’re A Deplorable Poet, And Frankly, Your French Accent Could Use Some Work.” Supporting Himself On His Elbows, Leo Took Her Face In His Hands. “but When I Put Those Things Together With The Rest Of You, It Makes You Into The Most Perfectly Imperfect Woman I’ve Ever Known.

If My Love Can Hold You, I'll Keep You With Me.

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

It Seemed As If Some Subtle Current Of Recognition Had Passed Between Them... Not As If They Had Met Before... But As If They Had Come Close Several Times Until Finally An Impatient Fate Had Forced Their Paths To Intersect.

Ah, There’s The Governess Voice. All Stern And Disapproving. It Makes Me Feel Like A Naughty Schoolboy.

She Had Discovered That The Best Remedy For Heartache Was Trying To Make Herself Useful To Others.

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.

You Are Your Own Worst Enemy. If You Can Learn To Stop Expecting Impossible Perfection, In Yourself And Others, You May Find The Happiness That Has Always Eluded You.

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. You Feel Hollow Inside, Just Waiting And Wishing And Dreaming. You Feel Like Every Moment Is Leading To Something So Amazing That There's No Name For It, And If You Could Just Get There With Him, It Would Be Such A...relief. It Would Be All You'd Ever Need.

It’s All Right,” The Boy Murmured As He Felt Her Trembling. “my Grandmother Always Told Me ‘never Try To Turn Back On A New Road—you Don’t Know What Adventures Await You.

In This Life And The Next, You're My Only Hope At Happiness.

I Didn't Mean To Send Love Letters, But That Is What They Became. On Their Way To You, My Words Turned Into Heartbeats On The Page.

Rohan, One Of Us Is An Unmarried Man With Superior Mathematical Abilities And No Prospects For The Evening. The Other Is A Confirmed Lecher In An Amorous Mood, With A Willing And Nubile Young Wife Waiting At Home. Who Do You Think Should Do The Damned Account Books?" And, With A Nonchalant Wave, St. Vincent Had Left The Office.

It Was Often In Small Moments That Significant Things Were Revealed.

Significant Things

Significant Moments

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.

The Boy Heaved A Sigh. "i Would Ask To Go With You," He Said, " But I Have To Finish My Lessons. I So Look Forward To The Day When I Know Everything. Then I Won't Have To Read Any More Books Or Do Any More Counting." Beatrix Smiled. "i Don't Wish To Be Discouraging, Rye, But It's Not Possible To Know Everything." "mama Does." Rye Paused Reflectively. "at Least, Papa Says We Mus T Pretend She Does, Because It Makes Her Happy." "your Father," Beatrix Informed Him With A Laugh, " Is One Of The Wisest Men I've Ever Known.

... No Matter Where You Go Or What You Do, I'll Love Every Day For The Rest Of My Life.

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 Unbelievably Hard. Everywhere. He Was In Control, Infinitely Stronger, And He Wanted Me To Know It. -ella

So You Actually Need Spectacles,” Leo Finally Said. “of Course I Do,” Marks Said Crossly. “why Would I Wear Spectacles If I Didn’t Need Them?” “i Thought They Might Be Part Of Your Disguise.” “my Disguise?” “yes, Marks, Disguise. A Noun Describing A Means Of Concealing Someone’s Identity. Often Used By Clowns And Spies. And Now Apparently Governesses. Good God, Can Anything Be Ordinary For My Family?

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.

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've Always Started Every Day By Going To The Window For A Glimpse Of The Sky. But Now I Won't Have To." "why Not?" She Asked Softly. "because I'll See The Blue Of Your Eyes Instead." "how Romantic You Are," She Murmured With A Grin, Kissing Him Gently. "but Don't Worry. I Won't Tell Anyone.

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

I Can't Imagine A Sweeter Agony, Having Him So Close.

Anyone Who Had Ever Read A Novel Knew That Governesses Were Supposed To Be Meek And Downtrodden.

You’re Far Too Prickly Tempered To Be A Mistress. You’re Far Better Suited As A Wife.

The Truth Is, You Can Never Really Know A Man Until You've Loaned Him Money. And You Can Never Know A Woman Until You've Slept In Her Bed.

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.

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

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.

But I Think If It's The Right Person, You Wouldn't Have To Work So Hard At Intimacy. I Think—hope—it Would Just Happen Naturally. Otherwise, Opening Up To The Wrong Person..." I Made A Face. "like Putting Ammo In Their Hands.

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'd Rather Be Insane With You Than Sane Without You. - Jake To Lydia

It Might Do Wonders For Your Marriage,” Amelia Continued. “it’s Lovely To Talk To Your Husband After You’ve Been To Bed Together. They Just Lie There Feeling Grateful And Say Yes To Everything.” - Amelia To Poppy

Perhaps Only Those Who Had Loved And Lost Could Appreciate This Magic.

I Need You For A Lot Of Things, Hardy. A Lifetime's Worth Of Things.

It’s Impossible,” He Snapped. “why?” “because I’m Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent. I Can’t Be Celibate. Everyone Knows That.

A Well-read Woman Is A Dangerous Creature.

- No, No... She Shook Her Head For Emphasis. No. His Lips Twitched. - One 'no' Is Enough, Darling.

I Don't Think Harry Cares About Being Forgiven," Poppy Said Glumly. "of Course He Does. Men Love To Be Forgiven. It Makes Us Feel Better About Our Inability To Learn From Our Mistakes.

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.

I Had Never Felt The Allure Of Another Human Being This Strongly, Warmth And Curiosity Mixing To Form An Unspoken Question In The Air.

A Couple Of Times In Your Life, It Happens Like That. You Meet A Stranger, And All You Know Is That You Need To Know Everything About Him.

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

Only Someone Who Had Experienced Such Bitter Despair Would Be Able To Recognize It In Another.

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

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.

And It Occurred To Me That Friendship Was A Lot More Dependable, Not To Mention Long-lasting, Than Love.

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.

Sometimes A Simple Question Could Have A Complicated Answer.

When Christopher Finished, There Was A Moment Of Silence. Leo Looked At Cam Expectantly. “well?” “well What?” “now Is The Time When You Dredge Up One Of Your Blasted Romany Sayings. Something About Roosters Laying Eggs, Or Pigs Dancing In The Orchard. It’s What You Always Do. Let’s Have It.” Cam Gave Him A Sardonic Glance. “i Can’t Think Of One Right Now.” “by God, I’ve Had To Listen To Hundreds Of Them. And Phelan Doesn’t Have To Hear Even One?

I Think You'll Have To Marry Me, Miss Fielding." "to Save Your Reputation?" Derek Grinned, Bending To Kiss The Flash Of Pale Throat Revealed By The Robe. "someone Has To Make A Respectable Man Of Me.

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.

How Do I Look?" Amanda Asked. Jack Shook His Head Ruefully As He Glanced At Her. No One Could Mistake The Remaining Flush On Her Cheeks, Or The Soft Sparkle Of Her Eyes, Or Her Lusciously Swollen Mouth, For Anything Other Than The Results Of Physical Passion. "like You've Been Ravished," He Said Flatly. She Astonished Him By Smiling. "hurry, Please. I Want To Go Inside My House And Consult A Looking Glass. I've Always Wanted To Know What A Ravished Woman Looks Like.

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

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

Daisy Had Known The Novel Was Silly Even As She Had Read It, But That Had Not Detracted One Bit From Her Enjoyment.

Safe Men Are For Marrying. Dangerous Men Are For Pleasure.

I Love You Dammit.""she Brushed Her Lips Teasingly Against His."how Much?" He Made A Slight Sound, As If The Soft Kiss Had Affected Him Intensely."without Limit.beyond Forever.

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

The Span Of Three Or Four Minutes Is Pretty Insignificant In The Scheme Of Things. People Lose Hundreds Of Minutes Everyday, Squandering Them On Trivial Things. But Sometimes In Those Fragments Of Time, Something Can Happen You'll Remember The Rest Of Your Life.

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.

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

I Can't Imagine A Sweeter Agony, Having Him So Close.

Cam Held Her Closer. "marry Me, Amelia. You're What I Want. You're My Fate." One Hand Slid To The Back Of Her Head, Gripping The Braids And Ribbons To Keep Her Mouth Upturned. "say Yes." He Nibbled At Her Lips, Licked At Them, Opened Them. He Kissed Her Until She Writhed In His Arms, Her Pulse Racing. "say It, Amelia, And Save Me From Ever Having To Spend A Night With Another Woman. I'll Sleep Indoors. I'll Get A Haircut. God Help Me, I Think I'd Even Carry A Pocket Watch If It Pleased You.

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.

Why Is Life So Difficult For Some People And Not For Others? Why Do Some People Have To Struggle So Much?

Be Careful Dear That You Don’t End Up As The Queen Of A Lonely Kingdom

I Know I'm A Bad Bargain. But I'm Begging You To Have Me Anyway. Because I Want A Chance To Make You As Happy As You Make Me. I Want To Build A Life With You." He Fought To Steady His Voice. "please Come To Me, Cat, Because There's No Surviving You. You Don't Have To Love Me Back. You Don't Have To Be Mine. Just Let Me Be Yours.

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.

One Should Make The Best Choice Possible Given The Circumstances, And Then Avoid Second-guessing For The Sake Of One's Own Sanity.

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.

I Was Ripe Ten Years Ago. Now I’m Merely Preserved, And Before Long I’ll Be Buried Back In The Orchard With The Other Pits.” -amanda To Jack

Todd? Are You Still There?" "yeah. I'm Just Trying To Think Of A Good Reason To Continue Our Friendship." I Grinned. "jealousy Is So Unattractive Todd." "it Would Help If You Could Tell Me One Thing That's Wrong. One Flaw. Bad Breath? Warts? Some Condition That Requires Anti Fungal Spray?" "would Chest Hair Be A Flaw?" "oh, Yeah." Todd Sounded Relieved." I Can't Stand A Chest Rug. You Can't See The Chest Cut.

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.

But I Hadn't Known What Love Was. And I Wondered How You Could Ever Be Sure, When You Thought You Loved Someone, If You Really Did.

From What I Was Able To Hear," Dane Said, "tara Dumped Off A Surprise Baby With Your Mother, Who's Planning To Sell It On Ebay." "social Services," I Said. "she Hasn't Thought Of Ebay Yet.

...even Though You Said Yes To The Wrong Man, I Hope That Won't Cause You To Say No To The Right One.

What Are Their Names? Psycho And Killer?" He Shook His Head. "cupcake And Twinkie." My Mouth Dropped Open. "you're Kidding." A Grin Flitted Across His Lips. "afraid Not." If Naming Them After Dessert Snacks Had Been Miss Marva's Attempt To Make Them Seem Cute, It Wasn't Working.

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.

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

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

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.

I Want To Fill Every Part Of You, Breathe The Air From Your Lungs And Leave My Handprints On Your Soul. I Want To Give You More Pleasure Than You Can Bear.

It Was Unfair That People Who Longed For Love The Most, Searched The Hardest For It, Found It So Elusive.

Kev Wasn't Certain If He Was Surrendering To Win Or To His Own Passion For Her. Only That There Was No More Holding Back. He Would Take Her. And He Would Give Her Everything He Had, Every Part Of His Soul, Even The Broken Pieces.

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.

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.

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.

Friends Are The Support Bras Of Life.

Was This Some New Level Of Depravity? Had He Developed A Spinster Fetish?

She Smiled At Him, Though Her Hazel-green Eyes Were Wary Beneath The Brim Of A Sodden Hat. Right At That Moment, Staring At Her Across The Hall, Gideon Shaw, Cynic, Hedonist, Drunkard, Libertine, Fell Hopelessly In Love.

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.

I'm Coming To Believe That There Are Two Kinds Of People... Those Who Choose To Be Masters Of Their Own Fate And Those Who Wait In Chairs While Other Dance. I Would Rather Be One Of The Former Than The Latter.

Well . . ." St. Vincent Walked Slowly With Her To The Crowd Of Dancers. "i'm A Wicked Man Who Can, On Occasion, Be Just A Bit Nice. And I've Been Searching For A Nice Girl Who Can, On Occasion, Be Just A Bit Wicked.

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.

I've Got About Ten Things To Say To You Right Now. But At Least Nine Of Them Would Make Me Sound Like A Psycho.” In Spite Of The Seriousness Of The Situation, I Nearly Smiled. “what’s The Tenth Thing?” I Asked His Shirtfront. He Paused, Considering It. “never Mind,” He Grumbled. “that One Would Make Me Sound Like A Psycho, Too.

She Was A Beautiful Woman, If Not A Happy One, And Attracting A Man Was Never A Problem. Keeping One, However, Was A Different Matter.

As It Turned Out, Welcome Was Where I Lost Everything, And Gained Everything. Welcome Was The Place Where My Life Was Guided From One Track To Another, Ending Me To Places I'd Never Thought Of Going.

Lost Everything

When I Fell In Love With You... It Was Nothing Like I'd Ever Known Before. It Was Nearly Instant. I Think I Started Falling For You, The Moment You Shook My Hand... It Was So Powerful. I Knew It Was Wrong, But It Was Addicting." - Jack Travis

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.

Some Are Nice And Some Aren't. Some Are Smart, And Others Are About As Bright As A Wet Match In A Dark Cave. In Other Words, Pretty Normal.

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

You've Always Asked Me To Wait, As If We Had Time In Abundance. But Time Is Too Precious, Perry. We've Wasted Years, When We Could Have Been With Each Other. Don't You Understand How Much Even One Day Of Loving Each Other Is Worth? Some People Are Separated By Distances They Can Never Cross. All They Can Do Is Dream About Each Other For A Lifetime, Never Having What They Want Most. How Foolish, How Wasteful To Have Love Within Your Reach And Not Take It!" She Clamped Her Teeth On Her Trembling Bottom Lip To Steady Herself

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.

But It Was Too Late Now. A Lifetime Too Late. A Million Wishes Too Late.

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.

You Deserve Someone Better Than Me. Someone Young And Idealistic…someone Who Can Experience Things For The First Time Along With You. I'm Not Always Kind, And I Have More Faults Than I'd Care To Name. All I Can Promise Is That I'll Want You Until My Last Breath.

Pity Goes Hand In Hand With Contempt. Don't Ever Forget That, Liberty. You Can't Take Handouts Or Help From Anyone, Because That Gives People The Right To Look Down On You.

The Way Glass Can Be Molded Or Blown Or Cut Into Any Kind Of Shape Made Me Think About How We As People - Our Characters Or Souls - Can Be Shaped Or Changed By Outside Influences.

I’ve Won His Heart, But It’s Like Owning A House In Which Most Of The Doors Are Permanently Locked. He Wants To Shield Me From All Unpleasantness. And It’s Not Really Marriage—not Like The Marriage You Have With Cam—until He’s Willing To Share The Worst Of Himself As Well As The Best Of Himself.

Women Beg Me For It, And Not The Other Way Around." "then You Should Go To One Of Them." "oh, I Will. When We Return To London, I'm Going To Embark On A Spree Of Orgiastic Debauchery That Won't End Until Someone Is Arrested For It. But In The Meanwhile...do You Truly Expect That The Two Of Us Are Going To Share A Bed Tonight-and Tomorrow Night-as Chastely As A Pair Of Nuns On Holiday?

Great Men Don't Nessarily Make Good Husbands.

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 Had Learned That There Were Substitutes For A Mother Who Couldn't Be A Mother. You Could Find Love With Other People. You Could Find It In Places You Weren't Even Looking. But The Original Wound Would Never Heal. I Would Carry It With Me Forever, And So Would Tara. That Was The Trick . . . Accepting It, Going On With Your Life, Knowing It Was Part Of You.

I Thought I Would Spend The Rest Of My Life Searching For Little Reminders Of You.

Our Gazes Met. It Seemed An Entire Conversation Took Place In That One Glance. Each Of Us Saw What We Needed To Know.

I Realized That My Kisses With Dane Had Become A Form Of Punctuation, The Quotations Or The Hasty Dash At The End Of A Conversation

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.

I Have Come To Realize You Can Never Be Truly Happy Unless You've Known Some Sorrow.

Whereas I Will Be With A Wicked, Handsome Rom Who Will Keep Me Warm All Night.

Leo Smiled And Stroked Her Hair. 'we'll Both Be Fine, Marks. We've Just Begun Our Journey...and There's So Much We Have Yet To Do.' He Spoke More Softly As He Heard Her Breathing Turn Even And Steady. 'rest Against My Heart. Let Me Watch Over Your Dreams. And Know That Tomorrow Morning, And Every Morning After That, You'll Awaken Next To Someone Who Loves You.' 'dodger?' She Mumbled Against His Chest, And He Grinned. 'no, Your Confounded Ferret Will Have To Stay In His Basket. I Was Referring To Myself.' 'yes, I Know.' Catherine Slid Her Hand Up To His Cheek. 'only You,' She Said. 'always You.

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 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.

Justine Reached For A Fresh Tissue And Clamped It To Lucy’s Nose As If She Was A Child. “friends Are The Support Bras Of Life. We Don’t Let Each Other Down. Right?

To Cam Surprise, She Was Smiling Up At Him Steadily, Her Eyes Midnight. His Expression Turned Quizzical. "what's So Amusing?" Amelia Toyed With A Button On His Coat. "i Was Just Thinking . . . Tonight Those Two Old Hens Will Probably Go To Their Beds, Cold And Alone." An Impish Grin Curved Her Lips. "whereas I Will Be With A Wicked, Handsome Rom Who Will Keep Me Warm All Night.

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

You Know What It Is You Smell On Him, Haven? Testosterone. It's Leaking Out Of His Pores.

You're Always Looking For Some New Way To Tell The Same Story, But It's How They Get To The Happy End That Is The Challenge And The Fun For A Writer.

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.

I Had To Admit The Man Looked Amazing In Jeans. The Ancient Denim Clung Lightly To His Hips And Followed The Long Lines Of Some Remarkable Thigh Muscles. And Although I Made A Point Of Not Checking Out His Rear View, My Peripheral Vision Was Having A Very Good Day.” ~ Haven Travis On Hardy Cates

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.

I Have Always Hated Flying. The Idea Of It Is An Affront To Nature. People Are Meant To Stay On The Ground.

I Always Counsel Aspiring Novelists That Passion Is The Most Important Quality For A Writer To Possess - Technique Can Be Taught, But That Relentless Desire To Write Has To Come From Within.

The Freedom Of Saying Anything To Him, Telling All, Relieved A Burden I Hadn't Even Realized I'd Been Carrying. In My Relentless Push To Keep Moving Forward, There Had Been So Many Emotions I Hadn't Let Myself Inhabit Fully, So Many Things I Hadn't Talked About. Now I Couldn't Quite Catch Up To Myself.

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.

You Aristocratic Ladies And Your Gold-plated Twats. You Always Think It's Such A Honor For Me To Touch You." He Surveyed Her With Mocking Green Eyes. "you Think You're The First High-kick Wench I've Ever Had? I Used To Have Blue-blooded Bitches Like You Pay Me To Do This. You've Gotten It For Free.

These Impossible Women! How They Do Get Around Us!

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

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

I Grew Up Being Very Shy, Very Much A Bookworm, And I Remember Desperately Wondering How To Be Accepted By The Popular Kids.

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.

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

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

The London Season Is Like One Of Those Drury Lane Melodramas In Which Marriage Is Always The Ending. And No One Ever Seems To Give Any Thought As To What Happens After. But Marriage Isn’t The End Of The Story It’s The Beginning. And It Demands The Efforts Of Both Partners To Make A Success Of It.

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

We Assured Phelan That We Were More Than Happy To Let Him Have You And Your Menagerie,” Leo Retorted. “after That, He Said He Needed To Think.” “about What?” Beatrix Demanded. “what Is There To Think About? Why Is It Taking Him So Long To Make A Decision?” “he’s A Man, Dear,” Amelia Explained Kindly. “sustained Thinking Is Very Difficult For Them.

What Flaw Could You Possibly Find In His Appearance?" "his Posture," Hannah Muttered. "what About It?" "he Slouches." "he's An American. They All Slouch. The Weight Of Their Wallets Drags Them Over.

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

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.

I've Needed Someone Like You For A Long Time. Now That I Have You, No One Is Going To Take You From Me. Logan To Madeline

Someone You Like

My Theory About Meeting People,' He Said,'is That It's Better Not To Make A Really Good First Impression. Because It's All Downhill From There. You're Always Having To Live Up To That First Impression, Which Was Just An Illusion.

First Impression

A Slow Smile Had Curved St. Vincent's Lips. 'wives Are A Different Case Altogether. They Require A Great Deal Of Effort But The Rewards Are Substantial. I Highly Recommend Wives. Especially One's Own.

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