“I think I'd better plead the fifth.""Isn't that an admission of guilt, Detective?""Legally, it's a neutral position.""Oh, but it's morally damning, isn't it?""Morally?" His deep brown eyes sparkled and the weight in Tessa's belly melted all over her insides. "Oh, yeah," he said softly. "Morally, it's a big problem.”

“She reached to give him an awkward hug, and when he hugged her back, his hand accidentallytouched her belly. It was surprisingly hard and something shifted beneath the surface.“Oh, shit!” he yelped, jerking back.“What’s wrong?”“It, uh, moved.”“Feels like an alien, doesn’t it? I swear to God, I have nightmares that it’s going to burst out of my stomach like a monster. But I think it’s prettyharmless.”

“You take control, Emma," he whispered. The words tickled her ear, he spoke them so close. Shivers raced down her neck, down her chest and her belly. "Take control of me. Come to me." Her neck arched, wanting his mouth to bite her. "If you do Emma, I may give you what you want. Or I may offer more than you can handle. Risk. That's what you like, isn't it? So play with fire. Play with me.”

“He pushed up a little, raising his head to look into her eyes. After a moment, weariness settled into his features. "It's too late regardless. I'm yours now."I'm yours. The beautiful opposite of what Peter White had said to her. You're mine now, he'd crowed, as if she were a purchased treat. The difference, it seemed, between a boy and a man. Just as Jude had promised.”

“Aw, hell, Tessa. I was in ninth grade. By the time I got to the part where I imagined a girl without panties on, it was all over.”

“Can we go inside, Eve?"She inhaled quietly at the way his voice wrapped around her name. One deep syllable that had always made her wish she was called something longer and more complicated. Genevieve or Isabella. Something that would take him full seconds to say so she could feel it rumble over her skin.”

“It wasn't funny.""Oh, mon coeur. It was the funniest thing I've ever heard.""Jude!" she cried, stomping her foot before she realized she'd done it."I'd kiss you now if I wasn't sure that you'd bit me."She would. She'd nip that obnoxious smile right off his face."Now I know why you're so good at it. Kissing. You've had loads of practice.”