“Another snowball, this time it impacted on my shoulder. I dusted the snow off my coat with my free hand and gave him the biggest stinkeye I could muster.“How old are you again? Twelve?”He grinned, teeth white as the snow he gathered. “Old enough to make you come, young enough to make you hate me for it.”“Oh jeez,” I muttered, shaking my head, and turned around.Bam.Snowball to the back of my head.”

“That is what I thought of you, Ellie. Heartless, reckless, selfish, and cruel."He was back to shooting me when my armor was down. I turned my face away from him, not wanting to let him see the hurt in my eyes. He reached up and put his fingers under my chin, bringing my face forward again, forcing me to look at him."Beautiful, sad, wounded, and lost," he continued. "A freak, a work of art, a liar, and a lover."His gaze was starting to eat away at my insides. Razor-blade butterflies whirled in my heart."I hate you, Ellie Watt," he whispered, lips coming closer to mine, "because I still love you after all these years.”

“I was hoping you’d come out and get me." I put my hands on my hips and cocked my head, pondering that revelation. "Well," I said, feeling truthful. "I’m always going to come and get you.”

“Who the hell is Old Roddy?” I said angrily. I was sick of feeling like I wasn’t being told the whole story. Dex was silent. I shined my light in his face, causing him to squint harshly.“If you don’t know then I don’t have time to explain,” he sneered in the brightness. He eyed my hand on his bicep. I didn’t let go. “Make time,” I said.”

“Sage shifted beneath me. I put one of my hands back into his thick hair and left it there, pretending I needed to hold him. It took all my willpower not to start playing with it.“I guess you don’t do this very often,” I told him, my voice cracking slightly.I couldn’t see his face but I could feel him smile. “No. Usually my head’s turned the other way around.”

“I'd give everything to back to that moment and make things right.""Would you really? Would you go back in time and change that, if you could?""No. No, maybe not. Because then I wouldn't have this. I wouldn't have you. I have to live with my mistakes, but I don't have to regret them. I regret my actions but I can't regret the consequences.”

“The things I want to do to you…” he whispered roughly. I took my hand behind his head and brought his ear down to my mouth. “Do them,” I breathed back, and licked the rim of his ear.He let out a small moan and suddenly his lips were on mine. The sweet business was out of the way.”