“Stop her!" Matthias bellowed as he thundered downstairs.Blake's mouth twisted sideways, hand tightened on the knob. What little breath I'd regained, caught. Heart sputtered to a standstill. Then he swung the door open with a sweep of his arm."After you, milday."My legs didn't hesitate. I vaulted off the porch and hit the driveway running."What the bloody hell did you do that for?!""I'm her knight in shining armor. Seriously, dude, your chivalry needs some work. Ow!”

“What Hardy had found, however, was that he liked taking care of her. He liked being her knight in shining armor. He liked spending those few extra minutes with her. So he did.”

“Dude, you ran off with the crazy chick! You ran off with the psycho girl!" he's calling after Adam. "I thought they made that shit up. What the hell were you thinking? What are you going to do with the psycho chick? No wonder Warner wants you dead - OW, MAN, what the hell - ""She's not crazy. And she's not deaf, asshole.”

“Where will you go? What will you do?" he demanded."That need be no concern of yours--""The hell it isn't!" he shouted. "Everything about you is my concern."She opened her mouth to deny this but the look of him stopped her. For a long tense moment he studied her and when he spoke his voice was low and furious and yearning."I don't give a bloody damn if I never share your bed, your name, or your house -- you are still my concern. You can leave, take yourself from my ken, disappear for the rest of my life but you cannot untangle yourself from my -- my concern. That I have of you, Miss Bede, for that, at least, I do not need your permission."His words shocked her. She looked decades hence and she saw a specter of what might have been haunting her every moment, her every act, for the rest of her life."Your concern is misplaced.""It's mine to misplace," he said steadily.”

“Fine!" he relented, giving her a dirty look. "But only if you stay in front."She rolled her eyes. "My, what chivalry.""To hell with chivalry. Your idea, you die first.”

“I need you to trust me.""Gennie." He took her hand and linked fingers. "I do.That's what I've been trying to tell you.""You haven't been doing a good job of it.""No." He drew her closer. "Let me try again." He kissed her, telling himself to be gentle and easy with her. But his arms locked and tightened, his mouth hungered. The spray shimmered over both of them as they stood entangled.”