“She wasn't a cowardIf she were she would have retreated back into her shell years before and pulled back entirely from life. She was a fighter. Life knocked her down, and she coped by getting up and moving on.”

“Faith would get her through when she had to face tomorrow, but her grief needed the tears to fall. There was healing in those tears.”

“Quinn hesitated, then said what his heart demanded."Lizzy, even if you don't believe, I will still be your friend. Nothing is going to change that. I'm loyal to my friends for a lifetime. There are no qualifications."She just looked at him for a long time, and then the smile that could make his heart roll over appeared. She got to her feet and lightly tapped his arm with the sombrero. "You're forgiven for asking me out fourth."She would have passed him but he snagged her hand. "Lizzy."She stopped."I saved the best for last.”

“Are you falling asleep before midnight?" Cassie leaned over the edge of the couch to look at Jack. He was stretched out on the floor, his head resting against a pillow near the center of the couch, his eyes closed. She was now wide awake and headache free. He wasn't in so good a shape. "The new year is eighteen minutes away.""Come kiss me awake in seventeen minutes."She blinked at that lazy suggestion, gave a quick grin, and dropped Benji on his chest. He opened one eye to look up at her as he settled his hand lightly on the kitten. "That's a no?"She smiled. She was looking forward to dating him, but she was smart enough to know he'd value more what he had to work at.He sighed. "That was a no. How much longer am I going to be on the fence with you?""Is that a rhetorical question or do you want an answer?" If this was the right relationship God had for her future, time taken now would improve it, not hurt it. She was ready to admit she was tired of being alone.He scratched Benji under the chin and the kitten curled up on his chest and batted a paw at his hand. "Rhetorical. I'd hate to get my hopes up."She leaned her chin against her hand, looking down at him. "I like you, Jack.""You just figured that out?""I'll like you more when you catch my mouse.""The only way we are going to catch T.J. is to turn this place into a cheese factory and help her get so fat and slow that she can no longer run and hide."Or you could move your left hand about three inches to the right right and catch her." Jack opened one eye and glanced toward his left. The white mouse was sitting motionless beside the plate he had set down earlier. "Let her have the cheeseburger. You put mustard on it.""You're horrible."He smiled. "I'm serious.""So am I."Jack leaned over, caught Cassie's foot, and tumbled her to the floor. "Oops.""That wasn't fair. You scared my mouse."Jack set the kitten on the floor. "Benji, go get her mouse."The kitten took off after it."You're teaching her to be a mouser.""Working on it. Come here. You owe me a kiss for the new year.""Do I?" She reached over to the bowl of chocolates on the table and unwrapped a kiss. She popped the chocolate kiss into his mouth. "I called your bluff."He smiled and rubbed his hand across her forearm braced against his chest. "That will last me until next year."She glanced at the muted television. "That's two minutes away.""Two minutes to put this year behind us." He slid one arm behind his head, adjusting the pillow.She patted his chest with her hand. "That shouldn't take long." She felt him laugh. "It ended up being a very good year," she offered. "Next year will be even better.""Really? Promise?""Absolutely." He reached behind her ear and a gold coin reappeared. "What do you think? Heads you say yes when I ask you out, tails you say no?"She grinned at the idea. "Are you cheating again?" She took the coin. "This one isn't edible," she realized, disappointed. And then she turned it over. "A real two-headed coin?""A rare find." He smiled. "Like you.""That sounds like a bit of honey.""I'm good at being mushy.""Oh, really?"He glanced over her shoulder. "Turn up the TV. There's the countdown."She grabbed for the remote and hit the wrong button. The TV came on full volume just as the fireworks went off. Benji went racing past them spooked by the noise to dive under the collar of the jacket Jack had tossed on the floor. The white mouse scurried to run into the jacket sleeve."Tell me I didn't see what I think I just did.""I won't tell you," Jack agreed, amused. He watched the jacket move and raised an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to rescue the kitten or the mouse?”

“I can’t change any of this. ‘No. But you’re giving up. I can see it happening.’ I’m temporarily retreating, Dave. Don’t worry. I’ll find my sea legs again.”

“When he finally broke off the kiss and moved his lips to her neck, then her breast again, sucking her nipples back to hard peaks, Catherine broke from her trance.“No. I really must go. We haven’t time to do this again.” She pushed against hisrestraining hands and wiggled beneath his body. “Let me up now.”He pulled away from her neck and looked up, his eyes as poignant as a spoken plea.Her heart wrenched and she wished she could spend the rest of the day with him, making love in their secret nest in the loft.She sighed. “Don’t give me puppy dog eyes. I’ve got to go.”

“She groaned as he bottomed out. He stood there without moving at first and there was so much unsaid about his acceptance. Jason waited, not moving, not speaking more. His entire body pressed against hers, and in that moment, she knew protection. She knew acceptance. And dear God, she knew love.”