“I cast a glance in my new admirer's direction. "You may call me Your Highness," I said. "Or Empress Beauty."He chuckled. I wasn't kidding.”

“Brookfield High School. How may I direct your call? No, sir, this is not a waste- disposal unit, I'm afraid you have the wrong number.”

“One time I was standing on a corner in Chicago & a man stopped his car & asked for directions to a place I knew & I said that's too easy, ask me something harder & he yelled & said he wasn't playing games kid & then he drove off & I think about him sometimes & wonder if he ever got there.”

“You’re going to castrate them if they give me a sideways glance?”He looked at the ground. “I’m not bringing you to the safest place and you’re beautiful, so I needed to warn them.”“I’m beautiful?” I repeated trying not to smile.“Don’t let it go to your head, darling.” He said holding his hand out for me.“You’re not too bad yourself.” “I know. I saw the way you stared at me when I took my shirt off.” Hunter said.”

“You told me one time that . . . I was your compass. I gave you direction when you were lost,” Ty said, nearly choking on the words. He glanced up, eyes reflecting like liquid in the low light. “Well, you were my anchor. You were something solid for me to hold onto. I wanted you to remember that.”

“Can you stop calling me kid?" I snapped. "It may have escaped your attention, but I am not actually a child."The left corner of his mouth crept upward. "It hasn't escaped my attention.”