“Rosie, it's okay, it's me."She knew that voice. She pulled the hand off her mouth."Pip?"He let her go and she spun around.He smiled, blue eyes glinting. "Surprise."For a second she was too stunned to move, then she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight, almost knocking him off balance.”

“Essie came up behind Rosie and put an arm around her neck, then took the glass from her hand. "God, I hope that's vodka." She drained it in one swallow and grimaced. "Definitely not.”

“Pip was trembling with fatigue. "I gotta sit down."He made it to a chair before he collapsed and Cassie was immediately there with a medikit, pulling up his shirt, examining gel patches. He'd felt them stop working some time ago and they were now dried and covered in dirt. "Stop trying to get my clothes off, woman!" He made a weak attempt to fend her off, but she smacked his hands away.”

“No, she doesn't look like she's from anywhere near Central, does she? You a dirt-muncher too, newbie, fresh off the farm? Or are you more of a river rat?""Why?" Rosie said. "You looking for lost relatives?"Gillian snorted and San's face became an angry shade of puce.”

“She flew into his arms. Held on tight as he swung her off her feet and hugged her so hard it hurt. She didn't care. She didn't want him to ever let go.”

“He wrapped his palm around the back of her neck, possessive but tender as he gazed into his mate’s brown eyes. “She knows she’s got me, anyway she wants me. Forever, if I have anything to say about it.”

“He smiled down into her eyes and she looked right at him and she knew him. When hadn’t she known him? With a little sigh of acceptance, she moved into his arms, meeting his eager kiss with a mouth that was just as greedy as him”