“As we flew down the highway I started to think seriously about what I was doing and what would happen. I felt Beau’s hand slide over mine, holding my hands tighter to his chest. It was then I realized that I didn’t care what was going to happen. I didn’t care that we had just left everything I knew or that we’d committed grand theft auto. It didn’t feel wrong to me. I felt like those moments were what life was all about; seizing the ones that make you feel alive and never letting go.”

“I didn’t know whether it was the wine or the night air that held its sway over me, but I felt alive. I looked up at Beau’s cloudy gray eyes and wondered what he was thinking. At the time, I imagined he was thinking what I was; that I was wrong about everything.If love exists, this is what it feels like.”

“We crashed and collided in ways I didn’t think were possible between two people. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to be in over my head before I realized what was happening.”

“I’m different. I don’t know what happened to me in Vegas. That wasn’t me. I was thinking about everything we could buy with that money, and that was all I was thinking about. I didn’t see how much it hurt you for me to want to take you back there, but deep down, I think I knew. I deserved for you to leave me. I deserved all the sleep I lost and the pain I’ve felt. I needed all that to realize how much I need you, and what I’m willing to do to keep you in my life.”

“I felt bad about dirtying their comforter with my nasty clothes, but who knew what might happen later. If something else bizarre went down and I had to run, I sure didn’t want to do it butt naked.”

“What?” I whined, and tried to push his hands away.He cursed and gripped me tighter. “Wake up!” he yelled. When I didn’t, he slapped my cheek.My eyes flew open and I sputtered in shock. “What? Just let me go back to sleep!”“I can’t! You’ve lost a lot of blood. If you go to sleep, you’ll die.”