“Gage appears beneath me. 'Jump, and I'll catch you.' 'No.' I strengthen my death grip on the trunk of the tree. 'I'm very afraid of heights. I'll need hours of therapy to repair the damage done here today.' ”

“Great. Not only will I be a hairy bush, but I'll look as if I'm about to catch fire, I'll be the burning bush.”

“I'm going to fight for you. I'll bring down the Counts, and Chloe, and every Sector in the universe that gets in my way without think twice. I'm not interested in what the future has planned. I want to share everything with you, Skyla. I'm in love with you.”

“I'm loving you. That's what I do in the past, present, and future, Skyla. That's all I'll ever do.”

“He touches his thumb to my cheek and his wonderful vibrations tune through me like the strumming of a harp. “I love you, Skyla. In time you will feel the same.” I catch my breath and hold it, not sure how to respond. A part of me knows this is real. A part of me already has a very special place in my heart for Marshall. And although I’m terribly afraid to admit it, the thought of making love to him has been playing out in the recesses of my darkest fantasies for some time now. “Really?” His brows arch in amusement. Shit.”

“Rockaway? That's my special place with Gage - was anyway. Now it'll 'forever' be marked with gluttony and vomit - sounds about right.”

“We could call him Gynecological Gage or Assman - AssHOLE - take your pick.”