“- Teach me something new, she said, and he bent her back onto the bed and she shivered as his body slid against hers.- Okay, Phin said. But pay attention, Julie Ann, there'll be a quiz.”

“Dead woman are not romantic,' Sophie said flatly.'Okay, she's not dead,' Phin said. 'The bear ate her, and she came her brains out.”

“He caught up with her outside her doorway, when she almost gave up. He said nothing, simply pulled her into his arms, against his strong, hard body, and his hand slid beneath her hair, tilting her face up to his. “No more running away?” His voice was rough.His eyes glittered down into hers, and if she wanted tenderness it wasn’t there. Simply a dark, naked heat sparking between them.“No more running away,” she said.”

“Then he pulled back and looked at her shirt again. “Is this really true?”She nodded. “Every word of it.”“Okay, then. I say you won’t.”“Won’t do what?”He bent his head to whisper into her hair, his breath hot against her ear.“Before lunch, you won’t go to bed with me.”Elle reached around behind her and turned off the burner on the stove.”

“He kissed her, lay next to her on his bed, pulled her to him. Their foreheads pressed flat against one another, the admiration in their eyes intricately adjoined as one enchanted gaze, he said, "Stay.""Yes," she said. She knew what he meant. Stay with me tonight, sleep in my bed with me tomorrow, but she meant it the other way. Forever.”

“This has been a perfect day," Anne said quietly. "Almost," Daniel whispered, and then she was in his arms again. He kissed her, but it was different this time. Less urgent. Less fiery. The touch of their lips was achingly soft, and maybe it didn't make her feel crazed, like she wanted to press herself against him and take him within her. Maybe instead he made her feel weightless, as if she could take his hand and float away, just as long as he never stopped kissing her. Her entire body tingled, and she stood on her tiptoes, almost waiting for the moment she left the ground. And then he broke the kiss, pulling back just far enough to rest his forehead against hers. "There," he said, cradling her face in his hands. "Now it's a perfect day.”