“Ready to put your claws where your mouth is, or are you going to cringe behind the big boys and yip all day?"His eyes flared yellow "Is that a challenge?""Yes it is.”

“After awhile you realize that putting your actions where your mouth is makes you less likely to have to put your money where your mouth is.”

“Open your mouth, tesoro.” He angled her face higher. “Open your mouth for me.”At his raw demand, her eyes flared wide. For a drunken moment, he drowned in glorious brown, rich, autumnal, sensual.”

“Fix that hair! Close that mind! Repeat after me! Page me the second the old man croaks it! Now, are you boys ready? A Seabrook boy is always ready. Ready to work. Ready to play. Ready to listen to his teachers, especially the greatest educator of them all, Jesus. as Jesus said to me once, Greg, what's your secret? And I said, Jesus--study your notes! Get to class! Shave that beard! You show up to your first day on the job dressed like a hippie, of course they're going to crucify you, I don't care whose son you are . . .”

“No, but it’s your reality now. Put on your big-boy pants and deal with it.”

“Lucky bit down on his tongue before, "You're so full of shit I'm surprised your eyes aren't brown," clawed its way out of his mouth.”