“I'm not going to marry you.""I'm not asking you to.""Good."He eyed me. "And you can wipe that horrified look off your face because it's obviously not true.”

“I stared blankly at Rhys for what felt like about three days.“Me?” I finally sputtered.He nodded.“You’re kidding, right?”“Not kidding.”I laughed then, and it sounded slightly hysterical. “I’m notgoing to marry you.”“I’m not asking you to.”“Good.”He eyed me. “And you can wipe that horrified look off yourface because it’s obviously not true.”“Do I look horrified?”“Yes, you do.”I grimaced. “Nothing personal, Rhys, but—”He held up a hand. “Say nothing else. I shouldn’t have evenmentioned it to you. I’ll find another dragon to help me.”“Second opinions are really important,” I said.He just glowered at that.We rode the rest of the way back to Erin Heights in silence.Now I had even more information crowding my already full brain.Maybe that Irena chick should go see a shrink, herself. She wasone crazy dragon lady.”

“I know how you like to be asked and not told. But I'm not asking you to marry me...I'm telling you to marry me, Lake.. because I can't live without you.”

“Are you seeing anyone romantically?" he inquired."No, I'm not," she replied."Good. Please keep it that way. Because I intend to ask you to marry me.”

“If you ask me if I'm okay again, I'm going to smack myself in the face just to punish you.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.""I'm on the Senate," he reminded me. "It's Lord Obvious.”