J.M. Richards

Um, you don__ have to join me, but if you__e looking for a table, there are a couple good seats over there._ He nodded toward the far end.

No one wants to go through life alone, fighting battles single-handedly their whole life. Not even the hardiest of heroes. That__ just a miserable existence. Everyone needs someone in their corner, right?...Even if you could,_ I wrinkled my brow, __ould you really want to? By all accounts, it gets lonely being your own hero.

Telling me I__ pretty is nice and all, but if you really want to make my day, tell me I inspired you to read a book. Say you picked up a novel I__e raved about and that you fell in love with it, too. Or tell me the time we spent reading aloud together was one of your favorite moments. Ask me to read to you, and beg for another chapter. This will fill me with indescribable joy and purpose.And if you really want to make me speechless with wonder, tell me it was MY words and MY story you enjoyed. Tell me you shed tears over the things my characters went through, and that you__e just a little bit in love with them, too. I might never recover. I will carry those words around in my heart for the rest of my life, like a talisman against all past and future criticisms.That__ how important stories are to me.

As we were about to cross the road, Davin suddenly grabbed my wrist and held me back a moment; a car peeled out of the driveway and roared past us. __eez,_ I gasped, and then, glancing at him curiously, I added, __hanks._ He didn__ say anything, but slowly released my wrist. Before he completely withdrew, I took his hand and interlaced my fingers through his. He looked at me, his lips parted in surprise, but then he smiled shyly and gave my hand a squeeze as we kept walking. It gave me a feeling of nervous flutters in the best way. As we walked up to the doors, Jill and Laurel came bursting out the exit.

I suddenly felt the way Cinderella might have felt if she hadn__ had that convenient midnight curfew: my feet were hurting, my hair was slipping free from its pins, and my makeup was getting all smudged from sweat. I was unbelievably tired, undeniably depressed, and I just wanted charming.

Jill!_ I called to her through our connecting bathroom as I pulled on some jeans. __ou realize I__e been more than twenty-four hours without a shower, right?_ __h, who cares,_ she grumbled. __ou look fine. Just put on some deodorant and a bra. I mean, aren__ we just going to be getting sweaty lugging your stuff down from storage anyway?

No____e got it,_ Jill announced, interrupting my musing. __e__ a vampire._ I laughed again, feeling there was no end to the outrageous, ridiculous excuses we were coming up with. __eriously, it makes sense. He__ always tired and pale, and keeps himself away from people so he won__ bite them....Maybe that__ what he__ doing when he disappears. Getting his fix of blood.

He__ a vampire._ I laughed again, feeling there was no end to the outrageous, ridiculous excuses we were coming up with. __eriously, it makes sense. He__ always tired and pale, and keeps himself away from people so he won__ bite them....Maybe that__ what he__ doing when he disappears. Getting his fix of blood.

Suddenly finding it hard to breathe. It wasn__ because his grip was too tight, mind you. It was just the sudden proximity. And he smelled so good, the scent of fresh coffee and rain clinging to his skin as he leaned in.

...you definitely are deep water Dr. Fisher. Fathoms deep.

He smiled at me shyly and took a step closer. I froze, heart pounding, as he put one hand on my cheek and leaned toward me. I swallowed, gazing up at him with what I hoped was an expectant (and not alarmed) expression. He bent his head toward mine and...

Amazing? My heart fluttered. __ut I don__ want Flash or Harry,_ I murmured. __ou want Spider-Man,_ he finished for me, looking a little wistful. I shrugged. __nd Peter Parker._ He looked at me, very seriously. __hen don__ settle,_ he said.

It__ so peaceful. I could go to sleep in here._ His eyes flickered to me once more, and for a dizzying second I wasn__ thinking about sleep or storms but about pressing my lips to his. I gave my head a slight shake and tried to slow my pulse

Oh, it was 1775._ __hat?_ _1775. The Battle of Bunker Hill._ __h._ I laughed. __e learned about it the day we met,_ he added. __nother red-letter day in history.

Nice slippers,_ Davin grinned. They were green and furry. __hanks._ I shrugged and looked him over, half expecting to see a new injury. __o what__ up?_ He had one hand behind his back.

He pinned me in place with a direct look, his dark brown eyes smoldering. __ou__e Mary Jane,_ he said finally. __nd you have all these Flash Thompsons and Harry Osborns hovering around you, trying to make a move. Because...you__e basically amazing.

What I__e come to realize I that I don__ like action for action__ sake. Mindless explosions, super close ups of combat and gore, and unnecessary effects make me zone out incredibly fast.What I do love is a fight that is well choreographed and in which I actually care about the outcome. And hopefully not riddled with cliches.Even more so, I have had a long, deep-seated appreciation for watching chicks kick ass. Watching some lone-wolf-type hero beat the crap out of the bad guys is okay, but watching a BAMF femme do it is 10000% times better.

I wouldn__ joke if you weren__ always patching me up,_ Davin retorted. He looked at Chad again. __ou must have noticed, right? It__ kind of cute, actually._ Though my heart fluttered, I tried to shoot him a warning glare. He ignored me. __ like to call her Doctor Fisher.