“When you walk a dog on a short leash, she's close enough to bite you.”

“Is there anything else you need to tell me?”Every time I look at you, I have to put a leash on myself. “No.”

“When walking into the lair of the dragon after robbing his hoard, the least you could do is hold you head high [...]”

“He put the book down. “As you wish.” He rose and walked past me. I lowered my sword, expecting him to pass, but suddenly he stepped in dangerously close. “Welcome home. I’m glad you made it. There is coffee in the kitchen for you.”My mouth gaped open.He inhaled my scent, bent close, about to kiss me…I just stood there like an idiot.Curran smirked and whispered in my ear instead. “Psych.”And just like that, he was out the door and gone.Oh boy.”

“The problem with being an alpha is that you can never make the first move.Makes you feel like you’re taking advantage of your position. You have to wait untilthe other person decides they want in.”Jim set the basket on the coffee table and crouched by me.“And sometimes it seems like that person likes you, and you try to test the waters,so you try to tell her how you feel, that she matters and that you want to be with herand you’re concerned about her safety. And every time you do that, she waves herarms around and accuses you of being a controlling alpha asshole. So you back offand hope you didn’t completely fuck it up.”He was close, too close. I just stared at him. What was happening . . . “Why areyou telling me this?”His voice was low and smooth. “That time when I told you it didn’t matter whatyour mother thought about your looks . . .”“Aha . . .”“I meant it,” he said. “Because I think you’re beautiful.”

“Life was too short and ended too suddenly. If you didn't take advantage of what you had today, tomorrow it might be ripped from you.”

“Hard to protect your food, with your ass anchored." He saluted me with the doughnut. "When you're ready to talk, call me. You know the number."He walked out.”