“Maybe Leland would appear there by chance in the morning his chin freshly shaved against his stiff new collar and upon seeing his love in such duress would spring into action. Maybe he would even carry her out like a princess in a bedtime story.”

“Maybe he loves her. Maybe he wishes to have her forever, maybe he wishes that she could be his bride. Even then he might lose much to be with her-his properties, his position. But next to his love for her, what meaning do they have? He would be a fool to treasure dead gold more then a live heart.”

“Physical pleasure was a fucking beautiful thing, but it was fleeting. The thrill of having her curl trustingly against his chest as he lifted her from the bed would linger. Maybe even forever.”

“Jimmy's eyes would turn as red and sticky as candy, and his head would fall back against the seat in a dream. If he were lucky tonight, maybe he would see something that he hadn't seen before. And then it would be my turn.”

“I tucked the Camel coupon from his cigarette pack into my pocket. A souvenir of the moment where he said maybe. I would hold on to his maybe for as long as it would take, even forever.”

“If he turned his hand into her and began stroking her there, she would wake up smiling and drowsy and ready for him again.They would kiss. Erotically. Her mouth would be so damn enticing, he’d dip into it again and again to gather the taste that was now familiar to him. He would touch his tongue to her nipples, and she’d rub her thumb around the tip of his cock and feel that he was about to burst, and then he’d be inside her, moving.Or maybe not. Maybe he would do something he’d never done with a woman. Maybe he would just… be. [...]No, maybe this time, he would just savor being joined to another person as tightly as two people could be. He would savor being joined with Honor.”