“His lips graze my ear and it's like fireflies are buzzing around my heart.”

“For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.”

“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.”

“You dress to impress," I said approvingly."No, Angel." He leaned in, his teeth softly grazing my ear. "I undress to impress.”

“His chin grazed the top of my head and then his lips brushed across my forehead.“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I’ll be right here when you wake up, sweetheart. I promise.”

“Sounds buzz around me, and I'm sure the painted dragonflies have come loose from the frieze on our walls to flap their wings in my ears, making my skin prickle and crawl as tides of sickness wash me away.”