“Look, if some guy dressed in his mother's clothes breaks in, fight him off until I get my pants back on.”

“Sometimes it’s all you can do,” he murmured. “Fight back; run wild, until you get it all out.”“Sometimes there is nothing to fight and nowhere to run.”

“And I'll tell you another thing, Patrick Michael Thomas Cunnane, if you think you can come and go at all hours as you damn please just because you're going off to college, you'd best get that thick head of yours examined in a hurry. I'll be happy to do it myself, with the skillet I have in my hand, just as soon as I'm done with it.""Yes,ma'am." At the table Patrick say with his shoulders hunched, wincing at this mother's back. "But since you're using it, maybe I could have some more French toast.Nobody makes it like you do.""You won't get around me that way.""Maybe I will."She shot a look over her shoulder that Brian recognized as one only a mother could conjure to wither a child."And maybe I won't," Patrick muttered, then brightened when he saw Brian at the door. "Ma,we've got company. Have a seat,Brian. Had breakfast? My mother makes world-famous French toast.""Witnessess won't save you," Adelia said mildly, but turned to smile at Brian.”

“As they started across the road, a boy biked by,shooting Grant a quick look before he ducked his chin on his chest and pedaled away."One of your admirers?" Gennie asked dryly."I chased him and three of his friends off the cliffs a few weeks back.""You're a real sport."Grant only grinned, remembering his first reaction had been fury at having his peace interrupted, then fear that the four careless boys would break their necks on the rocks. "Ayah," he said, recalling with pleasure the acid tongue-lashing he'd doled out."Do you really kick sick dogs?" she asked as she caught the gleam in his eye."Only on my own land.”

“He decided there was no point in telling her he'd looked in the fridge and seen none of these things. There'd just be some variation of his mother's standard crack about Male Refrigeration Blindness Syndrome.”

“Some romantic you are," Caine complained as he pushed the door open with his back."Whatever happened to women who liked to be swept off their feet?""They got dropped," Diana said flatly.”

“He handed her her cap and sunglasses, then put on his own while she frowned at them.“What is this?” “A disguise.” He grinned at her. “Dobie wants you to wear them. Let’s give him a break, or he might order fake mustaches and clown noses off the Internet.” She rolled her eyes, but put them on. “And what, this makes us look like twins? Where are your tits?” “You’re wearing them, and may I say they look spectacular on you.”'- Chasing Fire”