Josh Lanyon

“I think it was Mark Twain who said, “Get your facts straight, and then you can distort them as much as you like.”

“The battle rages eternal, though the race, religion, gender or sexual orientation of those discriminated against changes regularly. Maybe man’s need for a scapegoat is genetically programmed into him.”

“Like true philosophers I've come to believe that religion is an illusion of childhood, outgrown after proper education.”

“They met at one of the Bouchercon mystery conferences. Love among the midlist. “It’s raining cats and dogs!” Ted announced, which gives you an idea of the sort of thing they write.”

“Everything a gay man does makes a political statement. Everything matters: where you bank, where you shop, where you eat. When you hold your lover’s hand in public”

“I was hoping you weren't gay. Or that you were only half-gay. Like Paul.""Uh...sorry," I said. "It's pretty much full-time now. The pay's not great, but the perks...”

“She’s a doll, really.”“Mm. Bride of Chucky.”

“How did people get over this? They obviously did. Every day someone fell in love with the wrong person and had to pack up all their fragile, misguided hopes and unwanted affection, and move on to the next picnic table.”

“Hearts got broken every day. Nobody died from that. But it did kind of fade the sunlight and drain the color from the days.”

“Why did we all crave love so badly when half the time it left us annihilated?”

“You were the first in every way that counted.”

“This is how God made me. You are how God made you. All God's chillun are made how God made 'em. You think God made a mistake, take it up with Him.”

“I don't know if real courage lies in storming barricades or simply not denying the truth.”

“I’m never wrong? Who besides Republican presidents and evil masterminds can say that with a straight face?”

“I know you've all heard the advice, "Show, don't tell." The best writers don't tell you, and quite frankly they don't just show you -- they make you feel it, live it, taste it, touch it. Storytelling is about being in the moment with the characters.”

“I want people to react to my work, to think, to question, to challenge, to cry and laugh and feel.”

“When you live with a potentially life-threatening condition you get used to the thought of dying. You accept it, you push on. The thing that scared me was the picture of dying slowly and painfully, the loss of independence and identity to illness.”

“I'm not insane. This is very simple, very straightforward. Provided he doesn't kill me, it's foolproof.”

“When was the last time anyone in these parts had been attacked by a bear or a mountain lion? It was possible, but not probable, right? Maybe it was something harmless. A deer or a stray cow. Or a really big rabbit.”

“Kevin refilled my plastic cup with more box wine. I smiled thanks. Kevin smiled welcome. Jake kicked my ankle.”

“Cops before breakfast. Before coffee even. As if Mondays weren't bad enough.”

“I deliberately ignored the sight of lean brown body cutting through the aqua water, glistening powerful arms dipping slow and steady in perfect rhythm with the strong kick of his long tanned legs.I was going to have to work on my ignoring technique.- Tim trying to ignore Jack in the swimming pool.”

“Will stared at him with utter disbelief. “Am I really supposed to answer that? What do you think I want? I want you.” He added bitterly, “Who wouldn’t want you? Seeing you’re so sweet-tempered and understanding.”

“Wanda's sole interests are getting high and getting laid. I can't picture her wasting valuable stoner hours on murder.”

“He was right. I knew the score. He’d never pretended it was other than it was--whatever the hell that was. I’d never kidded myself there was any chance for us. Well, not often anyway.I guess my mistake had been in believing he was too smart and too honest not to eventually realize…Not his feelings for me--because I didn’t think what he felt for me was that significant--but his own true nature. How could he deny what he was? How could he choose to live such a profound and cancerous deception?”

“I thought they expected you to be controversial at UCLA?” “I believe the Board of Regents draws the line at sacrificial murder.”

“My mother made a sound that from a lesser woman would have been a snort.”

“Love you? Of course I love you. Baby, I fucking worship you.”

“I want that. I don’t think a week goes by I don’t dream about it. The way it feels to move inside you. The way your body grabs on like tight velvet. The sounds you make, like having me inside you is the best thing that ever happened to you.”

“I don’t recall you playing much tennis. As for the gymnastics…"His sexy growl of a laugh seemed to snag Elliot in the guts. "Yeah, you do have some beautiful moves as I recall. They didn’t require a lot of footwork.”

“He needed fresh air and sunshine. A walk in the woods and afterward a good book to read by the fire.Yeah, that was the life.”

“His knee was killing him, was not going to support him for much longer, but of far greater importance seemed the erection shoving against the constriction of his jeans. Biological imperative.”

“Last night they hadn’t even fucked. What the hell was the point of protective custody if you weren’t at least going to get to have sex with your protector?”

“Knowing and believing are two different things.”

“It was a good thing Ridge was mighty fond of Tug or he’d probably have killed him by now.As it was, it had been touch and go for a little while that morning. But killing your lover on Christmas morning was so…so…heterosexual.”

“Laroche was wrong about that, wrong about men not understanding love.Anyway, most of the romantic poems and songs and paintings in the world were by men, so what was she talking about?”

“He never lied to me. I just didn't ask the questions I didn't want to know the answers to.”

“We ate in the dining room alcove looking over the hillside and the silent dark rooftops of my neighbors. The lights of the valley glittered below.We were both tired but we smiled at each other, and I felt a kind of happiness growing inside me. It was good to look across the table and see someone, and I thought maybe it was time to start thinking about that again—about finding someone. Sharing my life maybe.Or maybe just getting more friends around. Except when I pictured the friends I wanted around, they all looked like Dan, and when I thought about trying to find someone to share my life with, he too looked a little too much like Dan for comfort.”

“Max's scarred brow crinkled. He reached for the coffee mug on his desk. “Motive is tricky. See, what might be a good reason for me to kill someone might not be a good enough reason for you to kill someone."Swift stared at his hands loosely clasped around his ankle. “I wouldn't. Deliberately hurt anyone.""And my impulse is to hurt anyone who hurts you.” When Swift's gaze lifted to his, Max said, “See how that works?"He did, and while it wasn't intended as a compliment, it did warm his heart in a funny way. He managed to joke, “Why, I think that's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me.”

“The night was fading. It was too early to be called dawn yet, but Taylor could just make out the outline of Will's weary, unshaven face. His deep blue eyes were the only color in the gray world of rain and shadows.Will leaned in, and his mouth covered Taylor's, rough but sweet, his tongue seeking Taylor's. Taylor opened willingly to that kiss, forgetting for a second his scratched, scraped hands and the rain running down the back of his neck. They kissed a lot these days, especially for men who had never been much for kissing. Taylor had become expert in all Will's kisses, from the hungry, lustful kisses that always made his own cock rise so fast it hurt, to the tender, almost cherishing kisses that Will generally saved for when he thought Taylor was sleeping. That dawn kiss beneath the pine trees rippled through him like an electric shock, a reminder that, tired, wet, and lost as they might be, so long as they were together, they were all right.”

“I dug out the powder blue cashmere cardigan my mother Lisa gave me the Christmas before last, pulled on my oldest, softest Levi’s. Comfort clothes; the next best thing to a hug from a warm, living body. Lately there had been a shortage of hugs in my life. Lately there had been a shortage of warm, living bodies.”

“The phone rang, picked up, and the same male voice announced, “Chris Powers.""Hey there, Chris. Are you aware it's a felony to make threats over the phone?"To give Powers his fair due, he got over his shock within a split second. “Try it, asshole. I dare you. My lawyers will have you for lunch.” He clicked off again.I did what any red-blooded American male would do. I called my big, ex-cop ex-boyfriend.”

“I turned back to the television. After a while what I was staring at registered. “Hey, this is The Long Goodbye."Jake opened his eyes. “What?""This movie. It's Robert Altman's take on Chandler's The Long Goodbye. ‘Nothing says good-bye like a bullet.’”"I don't know,” said Jake. “Sometimes the words are enough.”

“It means I know you, Adrien with an e, and I know you get reckless when you're impatient. You're paying for this investigation, and I'll keep you apprised every step of the way, but if you even think about going rogue on this one, I'm turning in my fedora and you can hire some other dick."I don't want any other dick. I closed my mouth on that one—metaphorically speaking—and said, “I don't know why the hell everyone seems to think I'm so reckless—”

“Peter is ... adjusting. He's back in school, and he's doing quite well. I wish you could find it in your heart to forgive him." "I've got this funny resentful streak about people who try to kill me.”

“Guy was saying, “What the hell is it about you that attracts murder and mayhem?""Something in my body language?"He groaned. “That was bad—even for you.”

“So you're like a ... an amateur sleuth?""God no. I'm more like the hapless guys in those film-noir flicks we used to watch. I keep getting tangled up in bizarro events.""Oh yes?” His eyes lit with enthusiasm. I was speaking his language now. “Guy Pearce in L.A. Confidential or William Hurt in Body Heat?""I was thinking more like Woody Allen in Play It Again, Sam.”

“So, tomorrow night. My house or yours?""Mine. I...want to show you something.""Oh yes?” Will said hopefully, suggestively.There was a smile in Taylor's voice, but he sounded absent. “Will?""Right here."There was a pause. “When I was shot—"Will's heart quickened; he wasn't even sure why. “Yeah?""It wasn't because of you...turning me down. It wasn't because my mind wasn't on the job.""No?""No. I know—at least, I think I do—that you thought you were somehow to blame for me getting nailed. It wasn't anything to do with you.” He heard Taylor sigh. “It was when I saw how young they were. Kids. And I hesitated. I hesitated a couple of seconds too long. That's all."Something inside Will relaxed, like the clutch of a child's hand on a balloon. The balloon went sailing free and happy.(...)He couldn't even explain why he felt so happy. “You think I'm with you out of guilt?""No, you ass. Of course not. I just mean—""You're a nut, MacAllister. I'm with you because I love you."There it was, out. Three little words. Three of the most common words in the world, but string them together and they were more powerful than any warrant, any extradition papers, or even treaty. Stronger than any magical spell. Had he really never said them aloud to Taylor? Something in the ringing silence that followed made him think he maybe hadn't.It was a relief when Taylor said, at last, in that irritable voice that always signified nerves or great emotion, “That's fine. I just thought you should know.""I love you,” Will repeated firmly, having got the hang of it. “I'll see you tomorrow night, you lunatic.""Love you,” Taylor said tersely and hung up.Taylor stared at the receiver in its cradle and then got ready for bed.”

“I can’t figure out where you put all that,” Tucker observed. “You eat like a horse.” “It goes straight to my cock”

“Only in academia did people talk such bullshit and expect to be taken seriously”