“Hope was such a gift and a curse all rolled into one.”

“He did and said all the right things. Things that went straight to her heart, and worse, they inspired the one thing that she'd given up along time ago. Hope.”

“It doesn’t matter. I love you. That’s it. That’s all. I hope to hell it’s enough.”

“When a woman submits to a man, it's the most precious gift she can give. Herself. Unreservedly. The man has to respect and honor that gift above all else. Even if he respects nothing else in the world, he must respect the woman in his care. It's his sworn duty to protect, honor and cherish his submissive. To take care of her and provide a safe haven. Someone who would put his own needs above his woman's is no man.”

“Love made her patient. It made her hopeful.”

“I hope you find what you’re looking for,” Micah said.“I’ve already stopped looking,” Damon said quietly. “It’s kind of hard to look for something you’ve stopped believing in.”

“She laid her head against his collarbone, and he kissed her temple. To her shock, she felt a shudder roll through his body about the same time she registered wetness against her skin. Tears. His tears.She started to turn around, but he tightened his grip.“Stay,” he said in a choked voice. “Just let me hold you, baby. Just let me hold you.”