“Cormac smiled at her, but it was Finn who spoke. "Can I ask you a question?""Sure."He leaned forward conspiratorially. "So, if I gave you some catnip would you act all weird and stoned?""I don't know. If I throw a stick, will you fetch?" She smiled sweetly at Cormac's cousin.Burke made a choking noise, covering a laugh with his hand. Finn screwed up his face, as if in disgust. "Dude. I am NOT a dog.""And I’m not a pampered house cat.”

“One more question." Finn had a smirk on his face. "Do you use…" "If you say litter box, I will empty that pitcher of water on your head." She thought for a second and added, "Before I slash the tires on your car." "My baby?" Kess grinned. "Kidding! I'd just key it." She turned to Burke who was smirking at the look on his brother's face. "Is he always like this?”

“You don't need to throw something away just because you're afraid of how it might turn out.”

“And since Rebecca already placed your order five minutes ago, I can only assume that this was an excuse to check out my rack. All done?”

“As she relaxed against his chest, he pulled her in closer. Turning her face into his shirt, she breathed in the calming scent that was him. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled into the fabric.One big hand stroked over her head, down her long ponytail to rub her back in soothing circles. “No, I’m sorry. You’ve told me before it made you uncomfortable and I pushed. That was an asshole move. You’re entitled to your feelings and I shouldn’t fight against them. I’m sorry.” He dropped a kiss on her temple.And with that little apology, she stepped off the cliff of denial and fell headfirst into love with Brett Wallace.”

“Her butler opened it for her. His name was Boredom. She said, 'Boredom, fetch me a plaything.' He said 'Very good ma'am,' and putting on his white gloves so that fingerprints would not show he tapped at my heart and I thought he said his name was Love. ”

“His jaw locked. "You don't know shit about me."She put her hands at either side of his face and smiled with too much emotion. "You want to know what I think?"For some reason, tension pulled at him. "Probably some idiotic romanticized nonsense." When her confidence didn't falter, he made a sound of disgust. "All right, go ahead and tell me.""I think you're the one who doesn't know shit about you”