“You're gorgeous," she said. Her hands slid around to flatten themselves against his chest. "You know that right?" "And I just don't care," she says"Isabelle, I don't think-Wait, What?”

“She raises her hands and places them on either side of my face. My skin burns beneath her touch. 'I think you're beautiful.'I smile, thinking she's done. But she releases my face and places her palms on my chest, directly over my heart.'You're beautiful right here,' she says.I close my eyes, and the breath rushes from my lungs.'I see the good in you, Dante,' Charlie continues, her words rolling together off her tongue. 'Even if you don't, I do. You have a good heart. You know how I know?'I open my eyes. She's looking at me like nothing else in the world exists. Like the entire planet and all of mankind just vanished. She slowly wraps my hands inside her own as best she can and places them on her chest. 'Because I feel it here.' She taps our hands against her chest. 'I know you're good, Dante. Because I feel it inside of me.”

“And let her think I don't care she's with you? No can do. She needs to know what I want”

“He leaned her back against the tub, setting her head on the edge, then washed her shoulders. "I know I left you once."She opened her mouth, wanting to say it didn't matter, it was forgotten. But it wasn't. "I know I hurt you."Again, she wanted to argue. But she couldn't. "I know I said I won't leave you again, but I also know that's not enough, and that the only way you're going to trust that I won't leave is if I don't". He slid the cloth over her arms. "If this ends, Hope, it won't be me that ends it. I think you know that.”

“What does that word mean?" Cassidy asked. Her voice was soft, sexy. Mind-blowing. "Querida, or whatever you said? I don't speak Spanish.""It's a term of endearment. An Anglo might say darling or honey.""What was the other one you used? Me ha?"Mi ja. Short for mi hija. It's what you say to someone you care about."She smiled. "When you say that you sound ---I don't know---affectionate.""Maybe I like cats," Diego said.Cassidy rested her hand on his chest, and her smile widened. "Meow.”

“Listen," he said. "If you was a fish, Mother Nature'd take care of you, wouldn't she? Right? You don't think them fish just die when it gets to be winter, do ya?"No, but--"You're goddam right they don't”