“Mara, if you're tired, I can hear it. If you're hurt, I can feel it. And if you lie, I will know it.”

“You can't hurt me the way you think you can. But even if you could? I would rather die with the taste of you on my tongue than live and never touch you again. I'm in love with you, Mara. I love you. No matter what you do.”

“How did you get my number?" I blurted, before I could stop myself."It's called research." I could hear him smirking over the phone."Or stalking."Noah chuckled. "You're adorable when you're bitchy.""You're not," I said, but smiled despite myself.”

“I hate that I never managed to persuade you to watch Buffy. It's a flaw in you, Mara.”

“Mara, I have never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. And when you're ready for me to show you," he said, brushing my hair to the side, "I'm going to kiss you." His thumb grazed my ear and his hand curved around my neck. He leaned me backward and my eyes fluttered closed. I breathed in the scent of him as he leaned in and kissed the hollow under my ear. My pulse raced under his lips."And I won't settle for anything less.”

“I was warned about you, you know."And with that half-smile that wrecked me, Noah said, "But you're here anyway.”

“I’ll walk forever with stories inside me that the people I love the most can never hear.”