“Somehow, by dealing with the dead, I had never felt so alive.”

“For once, I can feel everything. Every emotion, every feeling, every sense. I’ve never felt so alive. How ironic.”

“Dex,” I whispered.“Mmmm?” he grunted.“I hope you never stop feeling alive.”I could have sworn his heart skipped a few beats. He tensed. Then relaxed.“As long as you’re around,” he said softly, “I’ll be alive.”

“For once, I felt everything. And the biggest thing I felt was the way I felt about you. That was like a hammer to the heart.”

“And you and Dex?”“What about us?” …“What’s the deal with you?”“There is no deal. We’re just partners.”“Are you sure? Because we all have bets on whether you guys are banging each other or not.”

“I love you Perry,” he whispered, mouth moving in my hair. “I love you so fucking much. And I’m losing myself. I’m losing myself to you and I don’t care anymore because there’s never been a better feeling in the whole fucking world. I love you. So much. Too much. Always.”

“I hadn’t heard her voice in so fucking long. I almost collapsed right there and then, her presence rolling through me, wanting to bring me to my knees like she had before.”