“He was struck by the sensation she’d made it happen in some way, that his life was simply a story the old woman was making up in her head.”

“He looked at her, and the clarity of his dark eyes struck her heart with a sensation of a wound touched.”

“How could she have reacted like that? She didn’t understand what had come over her. She’d felt his passion and her own. It made her anxious. On edge. For something. Something that made her skin prickle whenever he was in the room with her. Indeed, she found it difficult to concentrate when he wasaround. He was big and strong and smelled incredible. She wanted to curl up against his chest and never leave. She’d never had such strong urges. But then again, she’d never met a man who made her feel so protected simply by his solid presence and his confident command of everything around him. His strength was strangely soothing. She couldn’t remember a time in her life when she’d felt so…content.”

“He knew one thing for sure, though. Whatever happened, Matt would have some handy excuse. He'd make up some story or change an old one, find some dumb quote to explain it all.”

“He was lying in bed with the woman he loved . . . a woman he couldn't make love to. He closed his eyes. More than any­thing in this world, he wanted this woman to be happy. He'd give her anything, do anything to make her happy. Even if it made his own life hell.”

“His mouth settled over hers with mind-numbing possession and it was way better than the on-screen kisses she’d envied. Way better than— Wow.Liam released a husky groan the second his tongue swept into her mouth to touch hers. Fire exploded in her veins, a hot rush of feeling and sensation that obliterated the chiding voice in her head, screaming at her to run.”