“You look even better than you did before," he added in a quiet voice. "I'm the one returning to the party with his rhubarb at full rise.”

“Looking closely at de Vries, he added, 'You are a very ugly man, Piter. Even with my disease, I'm still prettier than you.”

“Firmly, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger,Nick turned her face up to his, forcing her to look into his teasing gray eyes. "If I'm so beautiful, why won't you look at me?""That was a silly thing for me to tell you," Lauren apologized with quiet dignity, "and...""It was definitely a gross exaggeration-" he smiled, taking his hand away from her chin "-but I liked it.And, in case you're interested," he added, his voice turning husky, "no one has ever told me that before.”

“What's Shlova?"He started behind me. "When did I say that?""This morning, when we started off. Before you got mad at Dodge. You said,'we better get going, Shlova'.""Oh. Well, it means love." His voice was quiet.”

“Did somebody whisper something? I look left then right. Uh oh. I think I'm hearing voices now. Not, I AM hearing voices I THINK I'm hearing voices. Okay not voices, just a voice. Is thinking you heard it better or worse than knowning you heard it? Does the distinction matter?”

“I like that, he said quietly, his voice back to silk. What? I whispered. You sayin' my name, he told me. I'll like it better when you moan it, tonight, when I'm inside you.”