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It Was Likely That No One Had Been Surprised, However, As It Was Clear That Aline And Mckenna Belonged Together. There Was Something Invisible And Yet Irrefutable That Made Them A Couple. Perhaps It Was The Way Both Of Them Stole Quick Glances At Each Other When One Though The Other Wasn't Looking... Glances Of Wonder And Hunger.

-Lisa Kleypas

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It Was Likely That

Lisa Kleypas

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It Was Likely That No One Had Been Surprised, However, As It Was Clear That Aline And Mckenna Belonged Together. There Was Something Invisible And Yet Irrefutable That Made Them A Couple. Perhaps It Was The Way Both Of Them Stole Quick Glances At Each Other When One Though The Other Wasn't Looking... Glances Of Wonder And Hunger.

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Sometimes A Simple Question Could Have A Complicated Answer.

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

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.

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

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.

His Kisses Tapped Into Deep Mines Of Memory, And The Years That Had Separated Us Fell Away As If They Were Nothing.

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 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

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.

Merripen, Despite His Fear Of Heights, Had Often Climbed A Ladder To Wash The Second Floor Window For Her. He Had Wanted Her View Of The Outside World To Be Clear. He Had Said The Sky Should Always Be Blue For Her.

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.

Fencing Isn't Really Fighting. It's More Like Chess With The Risk Of Puncture Wounds

Matthew Wanted Hours, Days, Weeks Alone With Her... He Wanted All Her Thoughts And Smiles And Secrets. The Freedom To Lay His Soul Bare Before Her.

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

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

Only You Could Love Such A Vile, Selfish Peacock, Evie.

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.

The Sight Of A Sullen Teenager Is Common No Matter Where You Go. Teenagers Want Things So Powerfully And Can Never Seen To Get Them, And To Add Insult To Injury, People Make Light Of Your Feelings Because You Are A Teenager. They Say Time Will Mend A Broken Heart And They're Often Right. But Not Where My Feelings For Hardy Were Concerned.

Before I Write The First Page Of A Novel, I Spend A Long Time Creating Detailed Backgrounds For My Characters. I Imagine The Experiences That Have Formed Them, What Makes Them Happy, Angry, Fearful, And What They Yearn For.

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.

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

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

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

...it Was Better To Answer, No Matter How Ineptly, Thank To Withhold A Reply. Because Sometimes Silence Could Wound Someone Nearly As Badly As A Bullet.

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

Separately They Had Different Strengths. Together They Were Complete.

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.

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.

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.

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

Most Lives Are Not Distinguished By Great Achievements. They Are Measured By An Infinite Number Of Small Ones. Each Time You Do A Kindness For Someone Or Bring A Smile To His Face, It Gives Your Life Meaning. Never Doubt Your Value, Little Friend. The World Would Be A Dismal Place Without You In It. (tweaked Version Of A Passage From Scandal In Spring)

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

I'd Do Almost Anything For You. I Think I'd Kill For You. But I'm Not Going To Comfort You While You Cry In My Arms Over Another Man. - Gage Travis

Because One Day Of Something Wonderful Is Better Than A Forever Of Nothing Special.

Some Things Are Better When It’s Raining. Like Reading. Or Sleeping. Or This.” “lying In Bed With Me?

I’ve Never Heard That The Sexual Act Requires Any Particular Intelligence. From What I’ve Observed, Many Stupid People Are Easily Able To Produce Children.

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.

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

Bitterly I Wondered If Hardy Was Going To Overshadow Every Relationship For The Rest Of My Life, Haunting Me Like A Ghost. I Didn't Know How To Let Him Go. I'd Never Even Had Him.

I Want You," He Muttered. "get Rid Of Him And Take Me. The Only Risk Is Losing Someone You Don't Have Anyway. He's Not What You Need, Ella. I Am" "unbelievable," I Said In Disgust. "what's Unbelievable?" "your Ego. It's Surrounded By Its Own Cloud Of Antimatter. You're A Black Hole Of...of Hubris!

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

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

When You Are In Love' Hypocrisy Won Over Principle.

Hardy Was Every Loose-limbed Cowboy In Warn Denim, Every Pair Of Blue Eyes, Every Battered Pickup, Every Hot Cloudless Day." -liberty

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

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

There's Nothing Worse Than Breaking A Promise To Someone Who Cares About You.

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

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

Shaw...has A Woman Ever Asked You To Write A Poem For Her?" "good God, No," Gideon Replied With A Snicker. "shaws Don't Write Poetry. They Pay Others To Write It For Them And Then Take The Credit For It.

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

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

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

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

The Bargain…” She Mumbled. “you Said I Could Kiss You,” Came His Gentle, Wicked Whisper Near Her Ear. “but, My Love…you Didn’t Specify Where.

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

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

I-i’m Not Making Advances,” She Told Him As She Flattened Herself Against His Chest. “you’re Just An Available S-source Of Heat.” “so You Say,” St. Vincent Replied Lazily, Tucking The Quilt More Tightly Around Them Both. “however, During The Past Quarter Hour You’ve Been Fondling Parts Of My Anatomy That No One’s Ever Dared To Touch Before.” “i V-very Much Doubt That.” She Burrowed Even Further Into The Depths Of His Coat, And Added In A Muffled Voice, “you’ve Probably Been H-handled More Than A Hamper At Fortnum And Mason.

I No Longer Believed In The Idea Of Soul Mates, Or Love At First Sight. But I Was Beginning To Believe That A Very Few Times In Your Life, If You Were Lucky, You Might Meet Someone Who Was Exactly Right For You. Not Because He Was Perfect, Or Because You Were, But Because Your Combined Flaws Were Arranged In A Way That Allowed Two Separate Beings To Hinge Together.

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.

Evie," Lillian Interupted Impatiently, "men Expect To Be Deceived In These Matters. They're Happiest That Way. If One Were Straightforward With Them The Whole Prospect Of Marriage Would Be Too Alarming, And None Of Them Would Ever Do It.

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.

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

He Never Knew What Hit Him, And That Would Have Comforted Me, Except . . . Just For One Second, He Would Have Had To Know, Wouldn't He? There Must Have Been A Blur, A Sense Of The World Exploding, A Flashpoint Of Receiving More Damage Than A Human Body Could Endure.

There Are Some Experiences In Life They Haven't Invented The Right Words For.

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.

Sometimes I'm Not Nice For A Reason. It's A Way To Find Out What Someone's Made Of.

In The Fairy Tale You Mentioned Last Night, I Would Probably Be The Villain. But It's Possible The Villain Would Treat You Far Better Than The Prince Would Have.

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.

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.

You Seem To Think You Have A Choice," Cam Said. "but You Have It Backwards. Love Chooses You. The Shadow Moves As The Sun Commands.

A Lifetime With Such A Woman Was Not Nearly Enough.

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

...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.

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.

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.

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'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.

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

Significant Things

Significant Moments

Bad Divorce?" Hardy Asked, His Gaze Falling To My Hands. I Realized I Was Clutching My Purse In A Death Grip. “no, The Divorce Was Great,” I Said. “it Was The Marriage That Sucked.

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

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

I Think The Busiest People Are Often The Loneliest.

My Parents Never Said It. They Thought You Shouldn't Wear Out The Words

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

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

She Heard The Trace Of Fear In His Voice. The Fear That A Small Boy Must Have Felt When Every Woman He Loved Had Disappeared From His Life, Swept Away By A Merciless Fever. She Didn’t Know How To Reassure Him, Or How To Console His Long-ago Grief.

Sleep, My Love," He Whispered, Smoothing Her Long Hair, Lifting The Damp Locks Away From The Back Of Her Neck. "i'll Be Here To Watch Over You." "you Sleep Too," She Said Groggily, Her Hand Creeping To The Center Of His Chest. "no." Mckenna Smiled And Pressed A Soft Kiss Against Her Temple. His Voice Was Husky With Wonder. "not When Staying Awake Is Better Than Anything I Could Find In A Dream.

There Is No Peace In Poverty

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

Rohan's Fingertips Drifted With Stunning Delicacy Over Her Throat, Behind Her Ear, Pushing Into The Satiny Warmth Of Her Hair. "you Are An Interesting Woman Amelia." Gooseflesh Rose Wherever His Breath Touched. "i Can't F-fathom Why You Would Think So." His Playful Mouth Traced The Wing Of Her Brow. "i Find You Thoroughly, Deeply Interesting. I Want To Open You Like A Book And Read Every Page." A Smile Curved The Corners Of His Lips As He Added Huskily, "footnotes Included.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

How Old Are You? Twelve?" "fourteen & Three Quarters." His Eyes Sparkled. "you're Kind Of Little For Fourteen And Three Quarters." "am Not," I Replied Indignantly. "i'm A Sophomore This Year. How Old Are You?" "seventeen And Two Fifths." Hardy Cateses & Liberty Jones.

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 Guess I Thought The Strength Of My Wanting Would Be Enough To Make Him Appear.

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.

Annabelle Gave Him A Chiding Smile. “if You’re Implying That I’m Spoiled, I Assure You That I Am Not.” “you Should Be.” His Warm Gaze Slid Over Her Pink-tinted Face And Slender Upper Body, Then Sought Hers Again. There Was A Note In His Voice That Gently Robbed Her Of Breath. “you Could Do With A Bit Of Spoiling.

Daisy Has A Unique Spirit. A Warm And Romantic Nature. If She Is Forced Into A Loveless Marriage, She Will Be Devastated. She Deserves A Husband Who Will Cherish Her For Everything She Is, And Who Will Protect Her From The Harsher Realities Of The World. A Husband Who Will Allow Her To Dream." -westcliff

A Lack Of Desire Is Something I've Never Experienced. I'd Have To Be On My Deathbed Before I Stopped Wanting-- No, Never Mind, I Was On My Deathbed In The Not-too-distant Past, And Even Then I Had The Devil's Own Itch For My Wife." -sebastian, Lord St. Vincent

But When You Started Dating Someone, You Could Never Be Sure What You Were Getting Into. You Had To Give Someone A Chance To Show You Who He Really Was . . . And Believe Him When He Did.

The Baby Woke Up Before You Did. I Took Him To The Other Room To Let You Get A Little More Sleep. We've Been Watching A Game." "did He Cry?" "only When He Realized The Astros Were Having Another First-round Play-off Flame Out. But I Told Him There's No Shame In Crying Over The Astros. It's How We Houston Guys Bond.

Oh, I Have A Very Pure Soul. It's Only My Private Parts That Have Gotten Me Into Trouble".

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.

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.

You're So Full Of It, Darlin'.

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’ve Told You Before, I Love Like A Madman,” He Said. “immoderate, Jealous, Possessive...i’m Absolutely Intolerable.

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

I Carry Thoughts Of You Like My Own Personal Constellation. How Far Away You Are, My Dearest Friend, But No Farther Than Those Fixed Stars In My Soul.

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

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.

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

I Didn't Want To Give You The One Last Part Of Myself That I Couldn't Take Back. And Then You Were Gone... And I Realized It Was Already Yours. It Had Been Since The Beginning. Except That I Hadn't Told You. It Drove Me Mad, The Thought That You Would Never Know.

I Scowled Defensively. "my Conversations Don't Usually Include The Subject Of Erections." "too Bad," He Said. "all The Best Conversations Do.

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.

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

You Can Never Be Truly Happy In A Life Unless You Have Known A Sorrow. All Terrible Things We Have Gone Through In Life Have Created Spaces Inside Us Where Happiness Can Live Not To Mention Love.

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.

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.

Dad," I Said Hesitantly, "i Wish You Could Be There For Me Even When I'm Doing The Wrong Thing. I Wish You Could Love Me Even When I'm Screwing Up.

Dating Is Like Trying To Make A Meal Out Of Leftovers. Some Leftovers Actually Get Better When They've Had A Little Time To Mature. But Others Should Be Thrown Out Right Away, No Matter How You Try To Warm Them Up, They're Never As Good As When They Were New.

You Wouldn't Have Taken Rose To Such A Place, Would You?" "of Course Not, But She Is A Little Girl, And I'm-" "my Life", He Interrupted Quietly. "you're My Entire Life. If Anything Ever Happens To You, Holly, There Is Nothing Left For Me.

There's Only One Thing A Bully Respected: Bigger Bully.

The Feeling Of Relinquishing Responsibility To Someone Else, Letting Him Take Control, Was A Relief Beyond Words.

It Was A Good Hald Minute Before I Looked Over At Todd. His Eyes Were Slightly Foggy, Like He Was Waking Up- Reluctantly- From A Lascivious Dream. "i Didn't Know They Still Made Them Like That," He Said.... "cool, Tough, Retro-manly. The Kind Who Only Cries If Someone Just Ran Over Their Dog. The Big Chested Guy We Can Indulge Our Pathetic Daddy Complexes With.

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

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

I Reflected That For All The People You Lost Touch With Or Couldn't Hold On To, Life Occasionally Made Up For It By Giving You The Right Person At The Right Time.

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.

Love Was The Secret Behind Everything...love Was What Made Vineyards Grow And Filled The Spaces Between The Stars, And Fixed The Ground Beneath His Feet. It Didn't Matter If You Acknowledged It Or Not. You Couldn't Stop The Motion Of The Earth Or Hold Back The Ocean Tides, Or Break The Pull Of The Moon. You Couldn't Stop The Rain Or Pull A Shade Over The Sun.

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.

I Love You, He Thought, Looking At Win. I Love Every Part Of You, Every Thought And Word...the Entire Complex, Fascinating Bundle Of All The Things You Are. I Want You With Ten Different Kinds Of Need At Once. I Love All The Seasons Of You, The Way You Are Now, The Thought Of How Much More Beautiful You'll Be In The Decades To Come. I Love You For Being The Answer To Every Question My Heart Could Ask.

You Told Me You Believed Marriage Was For Other People." "you're The Only Man Who Could Make Me Believe That It's For Me, Too. Although When You Get Down To It, Love Is What's Real. I Still Say Marriage Is Just A Piece Of Paper." Jack Smiled. "let's Find Out," He Said, And He Pulled Me Down To The Bed With Him. Jack & Ella

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

Before You Marry, You Have To Get Shot By An Arrow And Fall In Love,” The Boy Explained. He Paused Thoughtfully. “but I Don’t Think The Rest Of It Hurts As Much As The Beginning.

Falling In Love

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.

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.

But The Absence Of Tears Wasn't The Same As An Absence Of Feeling.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Dysfunctional Family

Bride And Groom

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.

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

Do You Think I Should Stay Away From Him?" I Asked In A Scratchy Voice. Todd Took A Long Time To Answer. "my Advice Is, If You're Inclined In That Direction, Go With Your Eyes Open. It's Okay To Let Someone Play You, Haven, As Long As You Know What's Going On.

Have You Ever Wanted Something So Much That You Would Do Anything To Have It - Even Knowing That It Was Bad For You?" "of Course," Adam Replied. "all Truly Enjoyable Things In Life Are Invariably Bad For You - And They Are Even Better When Done To Excess.

He'll Survive," He Answered Her. "just As He's Survived Everything Else In His Life. But He'll Never Be The Same.

She Had Always Maintained A Cynical Facade, Using It As A Defence Against Embarrassment, Fear, Loneliness… But At The Moment She Felt Unusually Vulnerable.

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

Beautiful Hannah. If You Were Mine, I'd Lay You On Silk Sheets And Wrap You Up In Ropes Of Pearls, And Feed You Honey From A Silver Spoon. Of Course, You Wouldn't Be Able To Make All Your High-minded Judgments If You Were A Fallen Woman...but You Wouldn't Care. Because I Would Pleasure You, Hannah, Every Night, All Night, Until You Forgot Your Own Name. Until You Were Willing To Do Things That Would Shock You In The Light Of Day. I Would Debauch You From Your Head Down To Your Innocent Little Toes-" "oh, I Despise You.

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.

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.

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.

I Don't Share My Body Heat Indiscriminately.

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.

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

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.

Some Folks Are Happier Not Being Saved.

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

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

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!

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

Some Questions Change Everything.

Why Was Love So Easy For Some People And So Hard For Others?

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

You Say The Gentleman I Knew Has Been Replaced. How I Wish I Could Offer Better Comfort Than To Say That No Matter How You Have Changed, You Wil Be Welcomed When You Return. Do What You Must. If It Helps You To Endure, Put The Feelings Away For Now, And Lock The Door. Perhaps Someday We'll Air Them Out Together.

... I Discovered Life Sometimes Has A Way Of Giving You What You Need, But Not In The Form You Expect.

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 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.

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

Falling In Love

I Understood Finally That The Thing I Should Have Feared Most Was Not Loss, But Never Loving. The Price For Safety Was The Regret I Felt At This Moment. And Yet I Would Have To Live With It For The Rest Of My Life

He Had Found My Worst Weakness: I Was One Of Those People Who Was Desperate To Be Needed, To Matter To Someone.

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

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

“simon,” She Whispered, Vaguely Surprised That She Had Just Used His First Name, For She Had Never Used It Even In The Privacy Of Her Thoughts. Moistening Her Dry Lips, She Tried Once More, And To Her Astonishment, She Did It Again. “simon…” “yes?” A New Tension Had Entered His Long, Hard Body, And At The Same Time, His Hand Moved Over The Shape Of Her Skull In The Softest Caress Possible. “please… Take Me To My Room.” Hunt Tilted Her Head Back Gently And Regarded Her With A Sudden Faint Smile Playing On His Lips. “sweetheart, I Would Take You To Timbuktu If You Asked.“

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

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

Set The World Afire. Just Let Me Hand You The Matches.

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.

You Can Keep A Bunch Of Crabs In A Shallow Container, And None Of Them Will Escape. Because As Soon As One Of 'em Tries To Climb Out, The Others Pull Him Back In." -hardy

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.

A Long Time Ago I Learned Not To Explain Things To People. It Misleads Them Into Thinking They're Entitled To Know Everything I Do. -sara

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

I Have So Much Love For You, I Could Fill Rooms With It. Buildings. 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...” His Mouth Moved Passionately Over Hers, Urging Her Lips Apart. 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. Or At Least That Was How Poppy Felt About It.

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.

One Glance And I Knew Exactly Who And What He Was. The Classic Alpha Male, The Kind Who Had Spurred Evolution Forward About Five Million Years Ago By Nailing Every Female In Sight. They Charmed, Seduced, And Behaved Like Bastards, And Yet Women Were Biologically Incapable Of Resisting Their Magic Dna.

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.

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.

Slowly His Resistance Ebbed. She Felt The Change In His Body, The Relaxing Of Tension, His Shoulders Curving Around Her As If He Could Draw Her Into Himself. Murmuring Her Name, He Brought Her Hand To His Face And Nuzzled Ardently Into Her Palm, His Lips Brushing The Warm Circlet Of Her Gold Wedding Band. “my Love Is Upon You,” He Whispered…and She Knew Then That She Had Won.

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.

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

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