“Nathaniel Strider could never love. He's obviously discovered early on that girls' hearts were vulnerable and all a lad needed was a penetrating gaze and a disarming smile and the world was at his feet.”

“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.”

“His gaze held mine so long it felt as if he would never release it. And something deep inside me did not want him to.”

“Strider hovered over the scope and slammed his eye on it before jumping back with a hand over the squinting eye. "That bloody thing is dangerous.”

“Your thigh? Your shoulder? Is there any part of you that hasn't been hurt yet?"He seemed to be contemplating my question for a moment and then he nodded. He tapped his chest. "Yeah, my heart." He looked over at me. "But its feeling mighty vulnerable these days, so who knows.”

“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.”

“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.”