“He saw clearly the truth other men didn’t. If you gave anyone the power to hurt you, soon enough, they were going to use it.”

“Her laugh was a travesty. Which made sense because in a way, so was his apology. But what was he supposed to say?I want you until I hurt. Until I sweat. I love you with a raw, bleeding need that I've never understood.And all I know for sure is that you can never be mine.”

“What are you going to have?” he asked. “A nervous breakdown,” she muttered and opened her menu. So we’ll tell the waitress to make that a double, he thought.”

“I’m on the benevolent side of antisocial. I don’t mind people, but I’d prefer not to have a lot of them around.”

“I shrug and smile amiably the way you do when you're in a foreign country and have no idea what anyone is saying, so you end up grinning and nodding your way into a three-way with a henna vendor and a camel.”

“What about our bet?” she teased. It was clear from the look in hiseyes that the bet was over, but she wanted to hear him say it. Brian let goof her arm and grabbed his wallet on the table. He counted out five onehundred dollar bills and slammed them on the table. Jeni laughed.“Fuck it,” he said, backing her against the wall. He placed hishands on either side of her shoulders, pinning her against the wall. Hischest and hips pressed against her body. “Enough is enough. Last nightwas enough torture to last me a while. I want to fuck you so damned badit hurts.” She saw the desire in his eyes as his breath fanned against hercheek. But he restrained from touching her, and it drove her crazy.”

“And you're everything I don't want." Julie pushed away, breaking his embrace, and shook her head. "If you loved me, you couldn't have done this. You couldn't have been so careless with me. You know pain, and loss, and hurt better than anyone." She hated each word as it came out of her mouth. "And that's what you gave me. I know that it's not the same. I know yours is worse. I'm so sorry for you, Matt. For your whole family. You've all been through hell. And you've been braver than anyone could. But I hurt now, too. And I can't love you.”