“I fell back into my favorite chair and tucked my hands between my knees to stop them from shaking. I sucked in a deep breath, held it, and marveled at my own transformation into a ridiculous ninny.”

“Cade grabbed my hand and pressed it against his chest. "You are right here forever, and no magic tricks or sorcery can pry you from my heart.”

“Thank you," he said in that deep tone that was always laced with sadness."For what?" I asked.This time he reached up and pushed a strand of hair from my face. "For seeing me. Most people I meet look right through me. But when you look at me, I feel real, I feel like flesh, bone and blood.”

“He puts up with a lot from me, and he never gets irritated.""Yeah, cause you can be so darn irritating..." He lowered his face and kissed my eyebrow tenderly, "with those irritating cinnamon-brown eyes..." His kisses moved down to my nose. "And that irritating, tiny nose..." He paused, his mouth a mere breath away from mine, and he kissed me softly. "And those irritating, luscious lips..." The green of his eyes darkened as he gazed down at my mouth. "God, those lips..." he sighed, and his warm breath drifted lightly across my mouth as his arms tightened around me more. He kissed me long and hard.”

“You were meant for me, Poppy. I can feel it in my fingertips when I touch you.”

“My mind argued with itself about whether to adhere to proper etiquette or whether to fling aside all modesty and throw my arms around him. My feet chose the latter before my mind had a chance to settle it. I flew off the stool and landed in his embrace. Freezing rain drenched his coat and shirt. His arms wrapped around me tighter, and there was nothing so right as being pressed against Nathaniel Strider.”

“He would be gone soon, and with all that had happened in Blackpool Cove, I could not afford to send a piece of my heart with him.”