“Hey there, Lissa Daniels," he said. He raised his Coke. "Would you like to say hello to your distant cousin, Jack?”

“You amaze me Lissa Daniels. Most girls would cave as soon as I gave them the puppy-dog look with these amazing eyes.""Sorry. I like boys. Not dogs. You should've dated a different girl if you wanted someone to bend to your will.”

“Joe!' he called. 'Hey, honey, can you get the pretty girl a Coke?''Only if you stop calling me *honey*,' the bartender, a bearded man in his thirties, replied. 'We've had this discussion before, Harrison.''Aw, Joe. It's so cute that you think I listen.”

“I wasn't trying to drive you crazy, just to get your attention," he said. "Lissa, I never tried to use you. Everything that happened between us-I meant it. Including that kiss in the library. I tried to tell you the other day at my house. That this"-he held up our entwined hands-"is more than just a game to me. But...”

“This whole strike has turned into a way to fuck with people, Lissa," he snapped. "It was one thing when you were just boycotting sex, but now...Look at you. You're using sex to get what you want-playing with my feelings for your own benefit. That's why you came over, right? I'm not stupid. You're the one who's cruel, Lissa. Not me.”

“Thanks,” Toby said. “And if Wesley breaks your heart, I promise to . . . well, I would say I’d kick his ass, but we bothknow that’s physically impossible.” He frowned down at his skinny arms. “So I’ll write him a strongly worded letter.”

“Spanish, huh?" he said, glancing down at the scattered papers as he grabbed them. "Can you say anything interesting?""El tono de tu voz hace que queria estrangularme." I stood up and waited for him to hand over my papers."That sounds sexy," he said, getting to his feet and handing me the stack of Spanish work he'd swept together. "What's it mean?""The sound of your voice makes me want to strangle myself.""Kinky.”