“He didn't care whose league Jordan was in. All that mattered was that she was his.”

“Jordan couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Yeah, I like this guy. He rescued me from a crazed man with a gun, he makes me laugh, and he calls his mother Ma. I’d say he’s a keeper.”

“Boyfriend huh? I didn't realize we had taken things to that level.""Oh, I'm sorry--this is my first undercover operation," Jordan said. "I'm a little unclear about the rules. Are we seeing other people in this fake relationship?”

“Nick watched as Jordan sipped her wine and made The Face-the seductive, the hell-with-wine-you-should-see-what-I-look-like-having-sex face. At least that was how he interpreted it.Watching her with a predatory gaze, the douchebag grinned.Apparently, he had a similar interpretation of The Face.Something inside Nick snapped.That was his fake girlfriend in there. Sitting at the table where they had just shared cheese fries the night before. And if she thought she could throw scorching hot sex-looks to any pansy-ass scarf-boy who wandered into her shop, she had another think coming.He had a look of his own to show the douchebag.It was time to break out the don't-fuck-with-me-face.”

“I will never, ever regret stopping you from walking out of my life a second time, Kyle," she said in an emotional voice. "And I can prove it."She reached for the buttons on her trench coat and undid them, one at a time. Then she opened the coat and let it drop to the floor.And even if she didn't say a single word more, Kyle knew he would never again doubt the way Rylann felt about him.She was wearing his flannel shirt."You kept it," he said softly. "All this time."She nodded. "For nine years, I've held on to this darn shirt, literally dragging it across the country and back."Kyle touched her cheek, gently brushing away a tear with his thumb. "Why?"She paused hesitantly, and then with a tender smile, finally put it all on the line, too. "I guess I always hoped you'd come back for it someday.”

“For a moment, Jason could only stand there in the hallway with his nose pressed up against the cold wood of her door. After a few seconds, he knocked politely. Taylor whipped open the door, unamused. Jason grinned at her. “I just gotta ask: Where did you get the whole ‘all the cute girls run around naked’ thing?”“I defend sexual harassment cases, Mr. Andrews,” she replied coolly. "I’ve seen and heard things even you haven’t thought of.”“Care to test out that theory?”She slammed the door in his face again.”

“I told you not to take off work for this."“And miss your big finale? No way.I’m all atwitter to see how things turn out.”“That’s cute, Jordo.” Then he frowned as Nick McCall was suddenly there, in their lives, andKyle was therefore being a little…cautious beforewelcoming him into the family.“Be nice, Kyle,” Jordan warned.“What?” he asked innocently. “When have I evernot been nice to Tall, Dark, and You Can’t BeSerious About This Guy?”“I like him. Get used to it.”