“If people-young and old-can get one thing from my book I hope it is this: that there dream do count, no matter how big or small.”

“The three of us blended with the clientele as well as a fifteen year-old ex-thief, a girl from the future masquerading as a young man, and a second-son of a Lord-turned-student could.”

“That's three times you've hurt my feelings in one conversation," he said a bit gruffly."Three times?" I really hadn't mean to be rude.He counted on his fingers. "You don't like my music. I'm a soccer dad. And I'm good-looking... 'for a rock star'. ”

“He smiled and smoothed my hair back from my forehead. He did not say a word, nor did he need to, because his affection for me spoke louder than words. I only hoped Eros understood I just extended a personal invitation to share his body with me.The primal look in his eyes expressed one single message—you’re mine now.”

“Fortunately, by the time I'd gotten to the stairs I had finished gasping and stepping on dead people, so I was pretty prepared for the next thing to startle me out of my skin.”

“Another person, more or less, thinking I'm crazy wasn't going to make me lose sleep. But the look I got from Mr. Shaw wasn't "she's a whack-job," it was more like "hmmm.""What else can you do?"Now it was my turn to stare. "Uh, well, I have a freakshow ability to fall through spirals into other times. Is that what you mean?""Must be a little disconcerting, that.""A little. The puking's fun though." Mr. Shaw laughed. I'd made the man laugh. Score one for the Clocker.”

“I want you back, Annabelle.” This time my laughter is full of nothing but genuine humor. It’s that ‘oh my god, I can’t believe that’ kind of humor. I lean forward and put my face in my palms, still laughing. “Holy crap,” I say in-between laughs, “that’s hilarious.” I peek up at him to see his disgruntled expression and then bust up laughing again.  “I’m serious,” he grunts out, looking cute in his exasperation, damn him. Not done, I hold up a hand. “Oh, oh, wait. Just let me go get my gun so you can shoot me again. Of course I want to get back together with you, Gabriel.” Putting on a serious face, I say earnestly, “He shoots me because he loves me.”