“I scowled and stabbed begrudginly at the stack before scooping up a bite with my fork, but it toppled over and plopped into my lap. I groaned and banged my head on the counter.Mom frowned, 'You have to be smarter than the pancakes, Ellie.”

“Ell?" Kate asked. "You okay?""Yeah, I thought I saw a spider." I shook my fist at Will and scowled. "A big, really ugly one. Sorry.”

“R u ration yet?""What language is that?""R U AWAKE""Much to my extreme dismay. The sun is no friend to my fragile complexion.""Poor baby. Come to my room asap.""It's too early to proposition me, Ellie.""GET OVER HERE?""So frisky. Give me a minute to get some clothes on. Or should I not...?”

“Kiss me,” I whispered slowly, a desperate plea, and I stroked my thumb across his bottom lip. My heart pounded, and I wanted him so badly it felt like I’d jump out of my skin.His mouth parted, and his eyes fell to my lips before flickering back up. His hands slid around my hips, and he pulled me against him. “No,” he said, but his body betrayed his pledge.“I order you to kiss me,” I said into his lips. My fingers dipped into his waistband and began to unbuckle his belt and jeans. He took a deep breath and his hands tightened on my hips, but he didn’t stop me.He turned his face into my neck and let out a long, frustrated groan, burning my skin with his breath and sending shivers through me. He nuzzled my hair, drinking in my scent as my fingernails ran softly down the back of his neck. “You can’t do that to me,” he said huskily, his lips brushing my skin.I slipped my hands under his shirt, and I smoothed them over his solid abdomen. “Then kiss me because you want to.”

“I frowned at him. "You didn't let anyone write on you? How does that happen?He gave me a disapproving look. "Seriously, Ellie?""Ah," I said. "You must have glared at them just like that. I'm the only one who's not afraid of you. Maybe I could draw over your tattoos so they glow and write BADASS on your forehead. All I've got is pink, though. Hope you don't mind.”

“Ellie, you need to understand," he said softly. "I exist only to serve you and fight by your side. Whether that fighting is to preserve your life or to make sure you smile, that is what I am built to do. You're all I have, and I will watch over you forever.”

“A conversation between Ellie and her mom:[Ellie] "I guess it's true that love makes you blind.""No," my mom said. "It doesn't make you blind. You're very, very aware of everything about the one you truly love, whether you know it from what your eyes tell you or your heart. So no, love doesn't make you blind. It paralyzes until you can't breathe or run away from it.”