“I don’t know, man.” He reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.“Ew!” I recoiled. “You smoke?”“Only when I drink,” he said, reaching for a lighter, “or when I’m seriously depressed.”I snatched the pack away. “These will kill you, and you don’t want that.”“Yeah?” he said sarcastically. “How should I get myself killed then?”“You could hang out with me some more,” I suggested. “I attract homicidal maniacs like mosquitoes, baby.”

“I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. It's always like that. You think you've blown something off and then you say it out loud and suddenly you're all choked up and pathetic.”

“I don’t want to kill you, but I must. For the good of the country.”

“Sloane,” he said pulling away when I started to fall out of his arms. “It’s killing me to fight this. I can’t. I don’t want to. Not anymore.”I swayed and his arms steadied me.“Are you okay?” he asked. His lips quirked. “I might have to refrain from kissing you if you’re going to faint.”

“I only lie to people I care about. So try to feel honored.”

“Listen up, ’cause I’m only gonna say this once,” Ty muttered as they walked to their gate. “I don’t talk when I fly. I sleep. And I don’t listen when I eat, understand? I don’t wanna be buddies. I don’t wanna chat,” he said with a sarcastic lilt to the word. “I don’t wanna know about your childhood or how your momma whipped you with a rubber glove or how much therapy you had to go through ’cause you flunked out of preschool. I don’t wanna hear about how you want to be Director someday or how many collars you got chasin’ those Internet freaks or how proud you are of your bowel movements. I don’t wanna go shopping at Barney’s with you, and I’m not gonna help you pick out your ties to match your socks and, I swear to God, if you get me shot, I’ll kill you.”

“Do you want me to stop?" he whispered. "If you seriously want me to stop-""No," I whispered. "Do you want me to go slow?"I shook my head. Negative."I don't want to hurt you." I pulled his face to mine and kissed him deeply and passionately.”