“Oh, oh. My heart starts that quivering, fluttering thing it does whenever he hints at his desire for me. Lacing his fingers through mine, he moves to close the gap between us. I know hes only holdi...”

“I wont pressure you, Ari, but Im not opposed to subtle acts of persuasion.”

“Shunting closer, I snuggle into his chest, soaking up his fresh woodsy scent. His arms encircle me and pull me close. You always smell like home, I whisper under my breath. Smooth, soft fingers til...”

“Theres a part of me that recognizes him on a cellular level, a part that seeks his comfort and solace, that feels more than comfortable in his arms. And when he stares at me with that deep penetrat...”

“Heaviness coats my brain, and Im surprised at the turn in our conversation; were getting into the deep stuff. Right now, you and me? This feels like fate, if fate can be felt.”

“No offense, doll, but thats not something Im willing to share. Id prefer to live a long and happy life if its all the same to you.You cant just throw out vague allegations and then say nothing else...”

“You matter.”

“It's taken me all this time, all this loss, to realize what really matters is now.”

“They filled our world with weapons aimed at foreheads and smiled as they shot 16 candles right through our future. They killed those strong enough to fight back and locked up the freaks who failed ...”

“The game seemed to be speeding up, building on itself. Right around the deaths of Tess and Selena, Id met the Sun.Were we spinning to an end?”

“Youre easy to read, Ivy, but the whole book of you is complicated.”

“My mission is not to make him happy and bear his children and be his wife. My mission is to kill him.”

“Every great love starts with a great story...”

“I knew, in the silence that followed, that anything could happen here. It might be too late: again, I might have missed my chance. But I would at least know I tried, that I took my heart and extend...”

“You know what charm is: a way of getting the answer yes without having asked any clear question.”