“When you find somebody you love, all the way through, and she loves you—even with your weaknesses, your flaws, everything starts to click into place. And if you can talk to her, and she listens, if she makes you laugh, and makes you think, makes you want, makes you see who you really are, and who you are is better, just better with her, you’d be crazy not to want to spend the rest of your life with her. (Carter Maguire)”

“You need a place just a click over middle range. Don’t want to go all-out first time, but you don’t want to run on the cheap either. You want atmosphere, but not stuffy. A nice established place.”“Bob, you’re going to give me an ulcer.”“This is all ammunition, Cart. All ammo. You want to be able to order a nice bottle of wine. Oh, and after dinner, if she says how she doesn’t want dessert, you suggest she pick one and you’ll split it. Women love that. Sharing dessert’s sexy. Do not go on and on about your job over dinner. Certain death. Get her to talk about hers, and what she likes to do. Then—”“Should I be writing this down?”

“She's in love, and that makes her strong. She'll need to be." "What makes you strong, Mia?" "Purpose. Love never worked for me.”

“Do you know how many ways love can hit you? So it makes you happy, or miserable? It makes you sick in the belly or hurt in the heart. It makes everything brighter and sharper, or it blurs all the edges. It makes you feel like a king or a fool. Every way love can hit you, it's hit me when it comes to you”

“What do you know about life? " Bitterness ached in her throat. " You were born with everything. You never had to struggle for a single thing you wanted, never had to worry if you'd be accepted or loved or wanted back." He stared at her, grateful for the moment that she couldn't see that he'd spent nearly half of his life worrying that she, the single thing he wanted, would accept him, love him, and want him back.”

“It's a very odd feeling for a daughter to see her mother blush over a man.""You wouldn't?" Alan skimmed a thumb over her cheekbone. Shelby forgot her mother altogether."Wouldn't what?""Blush," he said softly, tracing her jawline. "Over a man.""Once-I was twelve and he was thirty-two." She had to talk-just keep talking to remember who she was. "He,uh, came to fix the water heater.""How'd he make you blush?""He grinned at me.He had a chipped tooth I thought was really sexy."On a quick ripple of laughter, Alan kissed her just as Myra opened the door."Well,well." She didn't bother to disguise a self-satisfied smile. "Good evening.I see you two have met.""What makes you think that?" Shelby countered breezily as she stepped inside.Myra glanced from one to the other. "Do I smell strawberries?" she asked sweetly."Your lamp." Shelby gave her a bland look and indicated the box Alan carried. "Where would you like it?”

“I can't remember when I've spent a more...enjoyable Saturday." She sighed, then teased his tongue with hers."Since I don't intend to move for at least twenty-four hours,we'll see how you like Sunday as well.""I think I'm going to love it." She slid a hand over his shoulder. "I don't like to be pushy, Senator, but when are you going to marry me?""I thought September in Hyannis Port.""The MacGregor fortess." He saw by her eyes the idea appealed to hre. "But September's two and a half months away.""We'll make it August," he said as he nibbled at her ear. "In the meantime, you and your roommates can move in here, or we can start looking for another place. Would you like to honeymoon in Scotland?"Shelby nestled into his throat. "Yes." She tilted her head back. "In the meantime," she said slowly as her hands wandered down to his waist. "I've been wanting to tell you that there's one of your domestic policies I'm fully in favor or,Senator.""Really?" His mouth lowered to hover just above hers."You have-" she nipped at his bottom lip "-my full support.I wonder if you could just...run through the prodecure for me one more time."Alan slid a hand down her side. "It's my civic duty to make myself avaiable to all my constituents."Shelby's fingers ran up his chest to stop his jaw just before he captured her lips. "As long as it's only me, Senator." She hooked her arm around his neck. "This is the one-man one-vote system.”