“I harden my glare and my heart.”

“But I do, and the barbed wire tightens once more, until my heart is strangled and broken.”

“I hate you," I say, the sentiment muffled against his heart, hoping to make it true."And I love you," he answers without hesitation, voice resolved and raw as he holds me tighter so I can't break away and react. "A crossroads, my beautiful princess, that was unavoidable—given our situations.”

“I was afraid of...""Go on..." I press."Of unloading my baggage on someone as sweet as you."I can't keep the smile off my lips. "Oh, wow.""What?""I guess we're both oblivious. That's the same reason I kept running from my feelings for you.""Because I'm sweet?" That dimpled, boyish grin flashed over his face.”

“Jeb releases my fingers and cups my face in his hands, barely touching me, like I'm breakable. "It's me I'm losing control of. Hundreds of sketches, and I still can't get enough of your face." He traces the dimple in my chin with his thumb. "Your neck." His palm moves along my throat. "Your..." Both hands find my waist and drag me off the table so we're standing toe to toe. " I'm not wasting another second drawing you," he whispers against my lips, "when I can touch you instead." He presses his mouth to mine.”

“I ache to cry... ache so much, it takes my breath away.”

“These are my masterpieces... my morbid mosaics.”