“Brody, please tell me what this has all been about" I said."The lead-up to the Second World War" said Brody, still not lowering the handout, "or so I've been assured."Frustrated, I pushed the paper away from Brody. He averted his eyes from me."Don't be like that" he said quietly."Are you seeing Ashley Ventwood" I asked him."No" he said, still looking away."Would you tell me if you were?" He didn't move.”

“I was looking at the storm clouds above my head when Brody said, "Look Sophie-" He was clamping and unclamping his fists, and his eyes were green with frustration."What?"There was no answerIn half a step forward and less than a second, his right hand touched my hip, his left hand seized my jaw - and Brody Meine was kissing me.”

“Do you know what it was like kissing Holly and looking up to see you?""What?""You said to begin anywhere."But I hadn't expected that as a beginning, middle or end. I felt my cheeks getting warm. "I guess it was pretty embarrassing for both of us," I said, and walked ahead of him so he wouldn't see my face. "I know, I just kept staring at you.""What were you thinking?""I don't remember.""Don't you start using that line," he chided."Then don't ask me, Nick." Did he suspect how I felt.He caught me and turned me around to face him. I focused on his shirt. "Okay," he said quietly, "I'll tell you what I was thinking. I couldn't believe that I, who was never going to get hooked, had fallen in love with a girl who didn't want to date, and she was watching me kiss somebody else."I glanced up."Your turn, brave girl. What were you thinking?""That Holly looked beautiful in your arms and that you didn't pull away from her the way you had pulled away from me when I kissed you."He drew me to him. "I'm not pulling away again," he said holding me close.”

“What's wrong?" I asked in a tiny voice, grasping for a piece of bookself to hold me up.His breath was still heavy. "This is a bad idea."Overwhelmed, I let my body slide towards the floor, until I sat crumpled on the dusty carpet."Brody, treat me better than this-" I said.He didn't turn around; his shoulders rippled as he gripped the shelf."It's dangerous," he said "We'll make it safe"He half-looked over his shoulder."That's not what I'm talking about," he said.”

“You gonna make it? Fallon asked Brody, eyeing him. He looked two steps from the grave. Well, if I don't, you guys feel free to eat me. A little meat would do you good. These damn veggies ain't doing shit.”

“His eyes locked on mine and my voice went a few notes high when i said "How could Ashley guess you were with me?"Brody said, " Because I don't think she's blind."We stared at each other. We were both breathing heavily.With one step across the room, i seized his face and kissed him.”