“Life is like a boner: long and hard.”

“Boner," Peanut said."Oh no," Jade said to the parrot. "No, no, no...you can't say-"Boner""Oh G-d" Jade panicked. "Peanut-""Pretty bird," Dell broke in, smiling at the parrot and speaking low and soft. "Such a pretty girl, Peanut."Peanut preened under his admiring tone. "Pretty Peanut.”

“Maddie swallowed hard and tried to channel… which actress? Damn, she couldn’t think of anactress to save her life! She was on her own.”

“Hey, heads up. The hottest doctor in town just came by and coerced me into telling him where you were. I folded like a cheap suitcase. Sorry, but he's hard to say no to. Don't be mad. I owe you a cupcake.”

“He didn't see anything."She rolled to her feet. "I was in your bed! We could have scarred him for life!""Grace, we weren't doing anything. Well, I wasn't. You were snoring.""I don't--" She smoothed her dress down and searched out her sandals, shoving her feet into them. She glanced at herself in the mirror over his dresser and groaned. Hair, wild. Lips, swollen. Face, flushed. Nipples, hard."Dammit!" She clapped her hands over them. "It's like they're broken!”

“I'm not here to solve your problems. I'm here to support you in your own decisions. I'm not going to walk away, Amy. Not now, not when the going gets tough, not ever. I'm right here at your back.""For how long?""For as long as you'll have me. I love you, Amy."Staggered, she stared at him. "But you don't do love.""I never said that. I said love hasn't worked out for me. But all it takes is the right one. You're the right one."No one had ever said such a thing to her before, and it made her heart swell hard against her ribcage. "I love you, Matt. So much."He smiled like she'd just given him the best gift he'd ever had. She settled against his good side, and they stared up at the star-laden sky. "I knew I'd find something on this journey," she said. "I wasn't sure what, but I knew it'd be something special.”

“Mark.” She fisted her hands in his hair and pulled his mouth to hers, her entire world anchored on his finger. When it slid inside her, she thunked her head back against the door and panted. Then his thumb brushed her in a slow circle.She cried out against his lips, arching into him, yanking his hair. She couldn’t help it. She was going up in flames. He merely pressed her hard to the door, locking her in place. Continuing the torture, he added another finger. She came hard and fast, the power of it sweeping over her like a tidal wave.”