Lisa Kleypas

Virtue in a woman is like pepper in the soup. A little makes for a nice seasoning. Butoverdo it, and no one wants very much of you.

If he was looking for fancy embellishment, or obvious signs of wealth, he was to be disappointed. Amanda couldn't bear pretension or impracticality, and so she had chosen furniture for function rather than for style. If she bought a chair, it must be large and comfortable. If she bought a side table, it must be sturdy enough to hold a stack of books or a big lamp. She did not like gilding and porcelain disks, nor all the carving and hieroglyphics that were certainly fashionable.

You must have traveled all night,_ she heard herself say. __ had to come back early._ She felt his lips brush her tumbled hair. __ left some things unfinished. But I had a feeling you might need me. Tell me what__ happened, sweetheart._ Amelia opened her mouth to answer, but to her mortification, the only sound she could make was a sort of miserable croak. Her self-control shattered. She shook her head and choked on more sobs, and the more she tried to stop them, the worse they became. Cam gripped her firmly, deeply, into his embrace. The appalling storm of tears didn__ seem to bother him at all. He took one of Amelia__ hands and flattened it against his heart, until she could feel the strong, steady beat. In a world that was disintegrating around her, he was solid and real. __t__ all right,_ she heard him murmur. ____ here._ Alarmed by her own lack of self-discipline, Amelia made a wobbly attempt to stand on her own, but he only hugged her more closely. __o, don__ pull away. I__e got you._ He cuddled her shaking form against his chest. Noticing Poppy__ awkward retreat, Cam sent her a reassuring smile. __on__ worry, little sister._ __melia hardly ever cries,_ Poppy said. __he__ fine._ Cam ran his hand along Amelia__ spine in soothing strokes. __he just needs_ As he paused, Poppy said, __ shoulder to lean on._ __es._ He drew Amelia to the stairs, and gestured for Poppy to sit beside them. Cradling Amelia on his lap, Cam found a handkerchief in his pocket and wiped her eyes and nose. When it became apparent that no sense could be made from her jumbled words, he hushed her gently and held her against his large, warm body while she sobbed and hid her face. Overwhelmed with relief, she let him rock her as if she were a child. As Amelia hiccupped and quieted in his arms, Cam asked a few questions of Poppy, who told him about Merripen__ condition and Leo__ disappearance, and even about the missing silverware. Finally getting control of herself, Amelia cleared her aching throat. She lifted her head from Cam__ shoulder and blinked. __etter?_ he asked, holding the handkerchief up to her nose. Amelia nodded and blew obediently. ____ sorry,_ she said in a muffled voice. __ shouldn__ have turned into a watering pot. I__ finished now._ Cam seemed to look right inside her. His voice was very soft. __ou don__ have to be sorry. You don__ have to be finished, either._ She realized that no matter what she did or said, no matter how long she wanted to cry, he would accept it. And he would comfort her.

You are your own worst enemy. If you can learn to stop expecting impossible perfection, in yourself and others, you may find the happiness that has always eluded you.

Thunderstorms and rainbows wrapped together in a convenient pocket-sized parcel.

The look of experience suited him, especially because somewhere deep in those eyes, there still lurked a dangerous invitation to play. He had a quality of masculine confidence that was a thousand times more potent than mere handsomeness. Perfect goodlooks could leave you cold, but this kind of sexy charisma went straight to your knees. -Haven Travis

I had to admit the man looked amazing in jeans. The ancient denim clung lightly to his hips and followed the long lines of some remarkable thigh muscles. And although I made a point of not checking out his rear view, my peripheral vision was having a very good day._ ~ Haven Travis on Hardy Cates

He was unbelievably hard. Everywhere. He was in control, infinitely stronger, and he wanted me to know it. -Ella

It's a fine thing to be clever, but too much cleverness usually produces the same result as ignorance.-Lady Berwick

Nothing for young woman who yearned for something as extraordinary , and yet entirely normal , as love

I hate you for all the years I 'll have to live without you. How can a heart hurt this much and still go on beating? How can I feel this bad without dying from it?I 've bruised my knees with praying to have you back. None of my prayers have been answered. I tried to send them up to heaven but they 're trapped here on earth, like bobwhites beneath the snow. I try to sleep and it's like I 'm suffocating.Where have you gone?Once you said that if I wasn't with you, it wouldn't be heaven.I can't let go of you. Come back and haunt me. Come back.

How kind of you to pay us a call, Uncle,_ came the biting lash of Sebastian__ voice. __ome to offer us felicitations, have you?_ ____e come to collect my niece,_ Peregrine snarled. __he is promised to my son. Your illicit marriage will not stan

I know when something is too important to be decided by logic.

Despite his flaws, one has to admit that he is a whale-sized catch._____l be thrilled when someone harpoons him,_ Lillian muttered, making the other two laugh.

Sam was waiting for her,his gaze sweeping over her. "Looks great." "I look like a geek," Lucy said. "I smell like a brewery. And I need a bra.""My dream date.

My heart only beats as an echo of yours.

Everything you do or say interests me.""Really," she said skeptically. "What about Lord Westcliff's claim that I'm shallow and self-absorbed?"As she faced him, Simon braced one hand on the wall near her head and leaned over her protectively. His voice was very soft. "He doesn't know you.""And you do?""Yes, I know you." He reached out to finger a tendril of damp hair that clung to her neck. "You guard yourself carefully. You don't like to depend on anyone. You're determined and strong-willed, and you're decided in your opinions. Not to mention stubborn. But never self-absorbed. And anyone with your intelligence could never be called shallow.

There isn__ going to be a __ext lover,__ Grant said automatically, outraged by the idea. ____ the only man she__ going to have.