“I was so worried that you wouldn’t want to know me once you found out.” I signed, relief flooding through me.“Are you kidding me?” Xavier reached out and curled a lock of my hair around his finger. “Surely I’ve got to be the luckiest guy in the world.”“How do you figure that?”“Isn’t it obvious? I’ve got my own little piece of Heaven right here.”

“You want to marry me? I was thinking we’d start slow and see where things went, but hey, what the hell!""I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m crazy about you."“So you hadn’t noticed? That’s not a good thing—I’m going to have to be moredemonstrative in future.”“Beth . . . for so many guys sex is the only thing that keeps their relationships from falling apart, but we’re not like that. We have so much more. I’ve never discussed it with you because I’ve never felt that we needed to. I’m sure it would be amazing, but I love you for you, not for what you can offer me.”“Beth, I love you and nothing makes me happier than being close to you. You’re intoxicating.”“Because when I look at you, I see my whole world. I’m not about to walk away; I wouldn’t have anything left.”"The world could fall apart around me, and it wouldn’t matter if I had you.”“A man in love can do extraordinary things. I don’t care if you’re an angel, you’re my angel, and I won’t let you go.”

“We'll find out soon enough," Xavier growled. "You don't see too many V Star 250s around here""How do you know the bike model?" I asked."I'm a boy. We like engines”

“If you're worried about safety, you might like to follow my example and put on that seat belt.""The what?"Xavier shook his head in disbelief."You worry me," he muttered.”

“What about this?" I held up a battered copy of Beauty and the Beast. "It sounds romantic." Xavier wrinkled his nose."Disney... I don't think so.""Why not?""Because if anyone found out, I'd never live it down.""I won't tell if you don't," I pleaded, and Xavier shook his head in defeat."The things I do for you," He said with an exaggerated sigh.”

“The water was lapping around my waist by the time Ivy and Gabriel found me. I was shivering, but I hardly noticed. I didn't move or speak, not even when Gabriel lifted me out of the water and carried me back to our house. Ivy helped me into the shower, and came to help me out half an hour later when I'd forgotten where I was and just stood under the pounding water. Gabriel bought me some dinner, but I couldn't eat it. I sat on my bed, staring into space and doing nothing but thinking of Xavier and trying not to think of him at the same time. The separation made me realize just how safe I felt with him. I craved his touch, his smell, even the awareness that he was nearby. But now he felt miles away, and I couldn't reach him, and that knowledge made me feel ready to crumble, to cease to exist.”

“If you want me . . . you’ve got me.”