“That night I lay in bed, remembering the moment when her hand touched mine. I wondered what it would be like to have her touch me not by accident, to maybe have her let me touch her.”

“Better?" I went from holding her hand to hugging her. "Lindy, you loved me when I wasn't even human.You kissed me when I had no lips. You saw what was deep down inside me when I wasn't even sureabout it myself. Believe me, there's no way I could do better. I think you're perfect.”

“You are right. I have no idea, and it is none of my business, and I was taught to obey my parents. But sometimes it is just impossible to obey blindly.Sometimes a child must strike out on her own. A child cannot be a child forever, whether that means not touching a spindle or . . . or . . .”

“Trust me?" I held my breath for her answer. She had every reason not to trust me. I'd been her kidnapper, her captor, yet I'd rather have died than hurt a single hair on her head.”

“Through her jacket, I could feel her heartbeat. It made me happy to know she was alive, was real, was there.”

“What are you, in love with her?" Travis says. "You're staring like an idiot."The weird thing is, I think I am.”

“Meg makes a face and lays her hand on my arm. "And why, exactly, would John want to see Eurotrash?""Hello?" Ryan says. "Because he's a seventeen-year old guy with normal male urges, and she's got-" He holds both hands out from his chest."Really pretty eyes," I complete his sentence.”