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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?

-Lisa Kleypas

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When Christopher Finished, There

Lisa Kleypas

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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?

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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.

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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.

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

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I Don’t Have Any Mottoes. If I Did I Would Forever Be Contradicting Them.

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No. But I Understand Her. Life Makes People What They Are.

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.

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

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.

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I’ve Never Heard Of A Man Being So Eager To Confess To The Parent Of A Girl He’s Just Ruined

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

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.

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

Of All The Things He Wants," Liberty Said, "money's The Easiest To Get.

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

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.

It's A Mistake, You Know. You Have No Idea What You'll Be Exposed To...the Obscenities And Lewd Comments, The Lecherous Gazes, The Groping And Pinching...and That's Just My House. Imagine What It Would Be Like Here.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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'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.

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

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

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

The Travises Who Had Survived Were The Most Purely Stubborn People On Earth, The Kind Who Relied On Their Backbones When Their Wishbones Were Broken.

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.

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.

Hardy's Either Done The Wrong Thing For The Wrong Reason . . . " Another Big Swallow. "or The Wrong Thing For The Right Reason.

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.

You Have To Rely On Whatever Sparks You Have Inside.

...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.

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.

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'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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

If You Married Me,it Would Be Scandalous And Innapropriate, And Doors Would Be Closed To You." "good God, Woman, I Let Two Of My Sisters Marry Gypsies. Those Doors Have Already Been Closed, Bolted, And Nailed Shut.

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

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.

When You Love A Child, You Forgive Her Before She Can Even Ask. Basically You've Already Forgiven Her For Things She Hasn't Even Done Yet.

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

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.

I've Missed You, Sebastian." "have You, Love?" He Unfastened The Buttons Of Her Robe, The Light Eyes Glittering With Heat As Her Skin Was Revealed. "what Part Did You Miss The Most?" "your Mind," She Said, And Smiled At His Expression. "i Was Hoping For A Far More Depraved Answer Than That." "your Mind Is Depraved," She Told Him Solemnly. He Gave A Husky Laugh. "true.

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

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

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.

It Was A Confirmation Of A Connection That Already Existed. And It Was A Bond That Extended Far Beyond The Borders Of A Shared Living Space. We Would Have Stayed Together Even Without A Marriage Certificate . . . But I Believed In The Permanence It Represented. It Was A Piece Of Paper You Could Build A Life On.

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

It's Like Your Whole Life You 've Been Falling Toward The Earth, Until The Moment Someone Catches You. And You Realise That Somehow You 've Caught Her At The Same Time. And Together, Instead Of Falling, You Might Be Able To Fly.

Sam Was Waiting For Her,his Gaze Sweeping Over Her. "looks Great." "i Look Like A Geek," Lucy Said. "i Smell Like A Brewery. And I Need A Bra." "my Dream Date.

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

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.

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

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

I've Always Thought It Was About Finding The Right Person. But It's About Choosing The Right Person, Isn't It?

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

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!

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

But We Have To Find Ways Of Compromising When We Disagree On Something. You Know What Compromise Is, Right?" "uh-huh. It's When You Don't Get To Have Everything Your Way And I Don't Get To Have Everything My Way, And No One's Happy.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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