“Come back to me,” I begged, the tear slipping over my eye and gliding down my cheek.”

“Wars fought over a face like this,” he murmured like he was talking to himself, my heart stopped beating and his thumbs moved lightly across my cheeks. “A man would work himself into the ground for it, go down to his knees to beg to keep it, endure torture to protect it, take a bullet for it,” his eyes came to mine, “poison his brother to possess a face like this.”

“Coupla weeks ago, you gave me a fuckin’ sweet nightie and words I loved hearing.”I felt my entire body go still as I held his eyes.“Forgot to mention I feel the same,” he stated and my insides hollowed out.“What?” I breathed.“Put down the rice and come here, baby, I wanna tell you I love you when you’re in myarms.”I didn’t move. I stared at him, my internal organs gone but still, my body managed toproduce tears which gathered in my eyes and then promptly and silently slid down mycheeks.”

“(...)The ride is not over but if I can keep my Club together and find a sweet, feisty woman who's got my back and enough to her that she'll stay there, holding me up not dragging me down, I figure I'd find my way to beauty eventually. And I'd find absolution because I'd know, I earned the love of that woman, a woman who's got so much to her it'll take years to dig down and find the heart of her, that would be my reward."Ohmigod.Ohmigod!Ohmigod!Did he just say that?Did. He. Just. Say that?"And you told me," Tack continued, his face coming closer, "I had that when I first met you.”

“His eyes moved over my face again before they caught mine and he whispered back, “Gone for you.”

“I love you, Bud," he whispered to Billy and two more tears escaped."I love you too, Mitch," Billy whispered back, my breath hitched and both males' eyes came to me.I waved my wineglass at them and murmured, "Don't mind me. Have your moment."Mitch leaned back, letting Billy go and grinning at me. "Men don't have moments.""You do," I returned. "I'm witnessing one.""This isn't a moment, honey, it's a meeting of the minds," Mitch contradicted me.”

“You’re a fucking miracle,” he whispered against my skin and I closed my eyes. I loved that he thought that about me. “I’m a woman,” I whispered back. “You’re an angel.”