“Love shouldn't be comfortable.”

“He loved but he did not know how to be loved.”

“No one ever fell in love gracefully.”

“How can you love me?” she asked, forcing herself to say the words that would kill the tenderness in his eyes. “You don’t even know me. You know ‘Lady Agatha,’ a composite, a character, a role I played.”He shook his head, his negation gentle but certain. “I didn’t fall in love with a character, a title, or an occupation. I didn’t fall in love with you because of your past or despite it.“I love you because of your intensity and passion, because you make me want to be better than I am, because seeing my reflection in your eyes makes me better than I am. I love you because you laugh easily and honestly. I love you because you carried an ugly mutt into a drawing room as though it were a prince and because you gave an old soldier a strawberry trifle. I love you, Letty.”

“Avery?" she whispered.He gathered her closer, his eyes still closed."Avery?""Shh." His voice was low and infinitely sad. "Hush. Tomorrow's waiting outside this door. It's crouching there in an ocean of words and uncertainties. But it's not here yet and we are. Lily. Lillian. Love. I'm begging you. Let me love you again. Let me love you all night long." She answered with a kiss.”

“Has he ever even said he loved you?""He's been telling me for years," she said softly, "I just wasn't listening”

“She felt abused, used, cherished, and pleasured.She despised him. She loved him. She mistrusted him. She had complete faith in him. “Ah!”