“You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince”

“I hug him tightly. I cant imagine my life without you, Christian. I love you so much it frightens me. Me, too, he breathes. My life would be empty without you. I love you so much.”

“I want my world to start and end with you.”

“I've never wanted more, until I met you.”

“Sometimes I wonder if there's something wrong with me. Perhaps I've spent too long in the company of my literary romantic heroes, and consequently my ideals and expectations are far too high.”

“You wanted hearts and flowers, he murmurs.I blink at him, not quite believing what Im seeing.You have my heart. And he waves toward the room.And here are the flowers, I whisper, completing his sent...”

“No. No! he says.I . . . He looks wildly around the room. For inspiration? For divine intervention? I dont know.You cant go. Ana, I love you!I love you, too, Christian, its justNo . . . no! he says ...”

“You are one brave woman," he whispers, "I am in awe of you.”

“No. No!” he says.“I . . .” He looks wildly around the room. For inspiration? For divine intervention? I don’t know.“You can’t go. Ana, I love you!”“I love you, too, Christian, it’s just—”“No . . . ...”

“I'll pretend, I tell myself. Pretending is safer than believing.”

“My sisters and I sit together on a pair of suitcases. If we've forgotten anything, it's already too late -- our rooms have all been sealed and photographed. Anyway, Tatiana would say it's bad luck ...”

“It's different now, like pushing the stop lever on my camera until nothing except the war can squeeze through the lens.”

“So you've just slept with him, given him your virginity, a man who doesn't love you. In fact, he has odd ideas about you, wants to make you some sort of kinky sex slave.”

“Do you trust me Ana?"Ana! "Yes,I do."I respond spontaneously, not thinking...because it's true-I do trust him."Well,then"he looks relieved. "The rest of this stuff is just details""important details”

“You wanted hearts and flowers. You have my heart - & here are the flowers.”