“I'm putting up a great front, then because I feel like I'm breaking apart inside.”

“The minute I'm in a little pain ... your rough, tough, scary bad boy image totally falls apart.”

“I can't help it, Kate. And I'm laughing at me. I feel like one of those sappy men who run around with a big grin on his face all the time. I feel like grinning all the time around you, and it's so idiotic.”

“I'm going to crash if you keep that up. You're sort of distracting.'He laughed again at her matter-of-fact observation. 'I'm sort of distracting? I obviously need to try harder.”

“And of course I'm a chauvinist, but it isn't my fault.""It isn't?""No, Jack was born first and I share his genes. I can't help it if he infected me inside the womb."Briony burst out laughing. "I should have known that would be your excuse.”

“I need you right now, Shea. My body is going up in flames, and I hurt like hell. We have to be alone soon or I might die.”Her laughter muffled against his chest. “No one has ever died because they wanted to make love.” But she wasn’t sure. Her own body was burning and begging for the connection to his.Gregori suddenly materialized, made a soft, sighing noise, and sent them a clear frown. Like guilty children they broke apart.”

“I had to work so hard to find myself again, Alexandr." There was pain in her voice. "I was so lost without you. You left me raw and wounded and trapped in a dark place with no windows or doors. I didn't know how to live without you. I didn't know how to smile or feel or be. It took almost two years before I really accepted that it was over and I had to find a way to go on. I made myself strong. I'm alive again. I can wake up some mornings and be happy. I can look at the ocean and find peace again. Now you're asking me to risk everything all over again and I'm not certain I could survive if it all came crashing down.”