“I know the story by heart. The book is just a "do not disturb" sign, to make sure no one talks to me.”

“I press my lips to the curve of her neck, just to prove I am strong, just to prove I can do it. But I can't. I'm going to bite.”

“You think I can't pull it off, don't you? You think I'll look stupid next to someone like Luke. You think he's too good for me." This is my chance. I should say yes and make her hate me, kill her last bit of hope. Easy. Like staking a vamp. "I think you'll look beautiful." I turn away. "No one's too good for you. No one's good enough.”

“The clock is ticking. I should be leaving right now. But what I want to do is take Cicely in my arms and press her up against me hard enough to make her not care that I'm messing up her lipstick. I want to pick her up and carry her back through that doorway. We're only a few strides from the couch, only one rip away from ruining that expensive fabric, the dress she must have bought to wear for him.”

“My Mother always wants to know why I don't just take things down, but I like it the way it is - like layers of sediment in an archaeology dig, or overlapping scales of armor. My room is the safest place I know.”

“It's not about whether her heart beats, it's just about whether it loves.”

“I had to make you love me." His dark eyes meet mine. "What I didn't count on is falling in love with you.”