“That cowboy had heartbreak written all over him and she'd be damned if she knew why every time he blew into town she ended up naked before he ended up gone. Reed always ended up gone.”

“What happened?" Wyatt asked Crystal, and stood back so the two of them could come inside out of the oppressive heat."Why are you asking her?" Reed thumped past him. "I'm the one on crutches.""She'll tell me the truth," Wyatt said. "You'll just give me some bullshit story that will end with 'You should see the other guy'.""You wound me, bro" [Reed]"He tore his ACL the day before yesterday trying to do a stunt on a skateboard." [Crystal]"Mendoza dared him." [Luke Colter]"No one held a gun to the fool's head" [Mendoza]”

“Because they're probably long gone. Are you hurt?" Gabe asked with enough urgency that she realized he must have felt shiver in delayed reaction to the hole in the door."No. No, I'm okay. What a about you? Are you hurt?""Only if you count the fact that you damned near ripped off my plumbing groping around for my phone."She made a sound of exasperation. "Now? You pick now to become a comedian?""It's all about timing," he whispered back.”

“Hey, Tink," Reed called to his wife. He'd given up on the poker game and was cradling the little pink handle that was Mariah Savage in his arms. "Look how cute she is. I think I want one. S'pose we can stop by Walmart and pick up one just like her.?" Chrystal glanced up from her cards and gave her husband a look. "Three o'clock feedings. Smelly diapers. Responsability." "Oh. Right. I'd have to grow up.”

“He understood that she needed some time to get used to "them." He didn't. He knew exactly what was happening, and he didn't need another week, another month, another year, to get things in perspective.He loved her. It was that plain. That simple.”

“She dug around in her bag, found what she was looking for, and brought the little stuffed dog back to bed with her. Childish, yeah. She didn't care. He was soft and cuddly-unlike Jones-and she had a need for soft and cuddly right now. She'd like to meet a woman who could breeze through a shotgun blast and not need something to hold on to. Even if it was just an old stuffed pup.(...)She swallowed hard,then caught her breath when he opened his eyes, turned his head on the pillow toward her. He searched her face in the dark."Come here," he whispered.When she hesitated, he reached for her. "The dog can come, too.”

“Which is your bad shoulder?"His brows knit together. "The left," he said carefully.She slugged him in the right.He staggered. Steadied himself. Grinned. "Is that like some weird Wyoming mating ritual thing I should know about?""Damn you," she cried, flying into his arms. Finally. "Damn you, damn you, damn you!"He wrapped his arms around her, held her tight. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was such a coward.”