“There was a boy down at the stables." She laughed suddenly with her back comfortably nestled against Grant's chest. "Oh,Lord,he was a bit like Will, all sharp,awkward edges.""You were crazy about him.""I'd spend hours mucking out stalls and grooming horses just to get a glimpse of him.I wrote pages and pages about him in my diary and one very mushy poem.""And kept it under your pillow.""Apparently you've had a nodding aquaintance with twelve-year-old girls."He thought of Shelby and grinned, resting his chin on the top of her head. Her hair smelled as though she'd washed it with rain-drenched wildflowers. "How long did it take you to get him to kiss you?"She laughed. "Ten days.I thought I'd discovered the answer to the mysteries of the universe.I was a woman.""No female's more sure of that than a twelve-year-old.”

“Why didn't you call?" Taylor asked."I did. No one answered." Roo bent to refill her handbag.Ah. "So how were going to get in the house?""I thought I'd just wait for you to come back." She started to tap her foot."Why didn't you go home and call a locksmith?" Taylor asked.Roo glared. "What is this? The Spanish Inquisition?" Then she grinned. "Oh, I've waited years to say that."Taylor bit back his laugh.”

“Did you ever climb into one of those suits of armor?""Caine did once-it took me over an hour to pry him out."Shelby gave a murmur of sympathy as she framed his face with her hands. "You were such a good boy." Her laugh was muffled against his lips in a sudden searing kiss.All heat,all fire, without a moment's warning."He climbed in," Alan continued as he tugged her hair back to deepen the kiss, "because I suggested it might be an interesting experience."Breathless,Shelby stared up at him. When would she be prepared for those sudden dangerous turns of his nature? "An instigator," she managed."An objective leader," he corrected before he released her. "And I did manage to get him out...after he'd scared the wits out of Rena."For a moment she leaned against the wall watching him, while the throbbing in her body slowly, very slowly, lessened. "I don't believe you were nearly as well-mannered as you once told me.You probably deserved that broken nose.""Caine deserved it more."Shelby laughed again as they moved down another corridor. "I like your family.""So do I.""And you enjoyed watching me go nose-to-nose with your father.""I've always been fond of drawing-room comedies.""Drawing room? It's more like a throne room.”

“You really miss him don't you?"The Ranger nodded. "More than I realized," he said. Alyss urged her horse close beside his and learned over to kiss him on the cheek.That's for Will when you see him." A ghost of a smile touched Halt's face.You'll understand if I don't pass it on in person?" he said. Alyss smiled and leaned over and kissed him again.And that's for you, you jaded, bad-tempered old Ranger."A little surprised by her own impulsivness, she urged her horse ahead of him. Halt touched his cheek and looked at the slim blonde figure.If I were twenty years younger...he began.The he sighed and had to be honest with himself. Make that thirty years, he thought.”

“She had his dark hair, his lashes, and from the glimpse he had, she bore his eyes, as well. But the shape of her face, a perfect oval, was her mother’s. She had Anais’s cheeks. Anais’s lovely mouth and proud chin. He kissed her chin, feeling the softest of fluttering against his cheek—baby’s breath. There was nothing sweeter than the feel of an innocent child’s breath against one’s cheek—nothing more wondrous than knowing that the baby was your own flesh and blood.Mina stretched against him, yawning widely and throwing her arms up wide alongside her head. He laughed through his tears and reached for her little fist and brought it to his mouth, kissing her with such love he thought he would die of it. “You will consume me, little Mina, just as your mother has.”-Linsay to his infant daughter.”

“Rehv swooped down with his long arms and gathered her up against him, tucking her with vital care to his chest. Ducking his head to hers, his voice was deep and grave."I never thought I would see you again."As he shuddered, she lifted her hands up to his torso. After holding herself back for a moment...she embraced him as fully as he did her."You smell the same," she said rought, putting her nose right into the collar of his fine silk shirt. "Oh...God, you smell the same.”