“Nicole put on a frowny face and leaned forward for maximum cleavage exposure. Nathaniel looked. Of course he looked. She practically was shaking her breasts in his face. If he wasn't careful, a wayward nipple was going to take out one of his eyes. Okay, so it would have been impossible for him not to notice. However, he didn't have to keep noticing. It was like his eyes had homing beacons on her boobs.”

“She reached out to him and stroked his cheek. His skin was like velvet as he leaned his face into her hand and closed his eyes. He breathed a sigh and her eyes drifted to his lips. Soft, luscious. Her lips ached to take the kiss there. She leaned in towards Jonas, but he opened his eyes and placed two fingers on her lips to stop her.”

“He looked back at her, and when she saw the look on his face, she saw his eyes at Renwick’s, when he had watched the Portal that separated him from his home shatter into a thousand irretrievable pieces. He held her gaze for a split second, then looked away from her, the muscles in his throat working. ”

“He squinted, as if he could shut out my damned, unreasonable request, then relaxed and opened his eyes again. "I'm an Aeolus, okay?""A what?" Kat asked."Like on a breast?" Scott looked at him in confusion. Kat buried her face in one of her hands."Like a windkeeper, you jackass.”

“You told me you’d never let me go,” shewhispered but it was an accusation.His eyes closed and the pain in them sweptover his entire face and settled there like it wouldnever, ever leave.Then he shocked her again. He dropped hisforehead to hers and kept his hands on her.Something out of her control made her continue.“You told me,” she said in a shaky voice,“you’d always take care of me.”He opened his eyes and stared into hers. Hewas so close that if she moved the lower half ofher face forward, less than an inch, she wouldhave been kissing him.“You didn’t take care of me,” she murmured,stating the obvious.”

“Ah, God, Lys" he breathed, and she opened her eyes to look up at him. She was the love of his heart, his true partner in both work and life, and the idea of losing her to the violence of the world they lived in scared the living shit out of him.But her smile lit her eyes, her face, and he pushed the darkness away and let himself grin back at her like the damn fool that he was. This moment-now-was perfect, and he wasn't going to let his fears interfere.”