“Because they're probably long gone. Are you hurt?" Gabe asked with enough urgency that she realized he must have felt shiver in delayed reaction to the hole in the door."No. No, I'm okay. What a about you? Are you hurt?""Only if you count the fact that you damned near ripped off my plumbing groping around for my phone."She made a sound of exasperation. "Now? You pick now to become a comedian?""It's all about timing," he whispered back.”

“Which is your bad shoulder?"His brows knit together. "The left," he said carefully.She slugged him in the right.He staggered. Steadied himself. Grinned. "Is that like some weird Wyoming mating ritual thing I should know about?""Damn you," she cried, flying into his arms. Finally. "Damn you, damn you, damn you!"He wrapped his arms around her, held her tight. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was such a coward.”

“Okay,” he said, his breath hitching, his hands shaking like hell as he pried her arms from around his neck and set her away.Deep breath. Another. "Okay. Just...um. Okay. Christ. Christ, Darcy, I want you so bad I'm afraid I'm going to hurt you.”

“That cowboy had heartbreak written all over him and she'd be damned if she knew why every time he blew into town she ended up naked before he ended up gone. Reed always ended up gone.”

“Now let's try that again. Ask my wife nice, and maybe I'll let you sleep in the same bed as your teeth tonight.”

“She flew into his arms. Held on tight as he swung her off her feet and hugged her so hard it hurt. She didn't care. She didn't want him to ever let go.”

“I don't think sleeping with you is going to solve anything," she said, stopping at the guest bedroom door."I don't really care what you think.”