Black Ice

They say that when you're about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. They never tell you that when you watch someone you once loved dying, hovering between this life and the next, it's twice as painful, because you're reliving two lives that traveled one road together.

When was the last time you were kissed?" he went on easily. "And I'm not talking about the dry, noncommittal, meaningless kiss you forget about as soon as it's over." I scrambled out of my stupor long enough to quip, "Like last night's kiss?" He cocked an eyebrow. "That so? I wonder, then, why you moaned my name after you drifted to sleep." "I did not!" "If only I'd had a video recorder. When was the last time you were really kissed?" he repeated. "You seriously think I'm going to tell you?" "Your ex?" he guessed. "And if he was?" "Was it your ex who taught you to be ashamed and uncomfortable with intimacy? He took from you what he wanted, but never seemed to be around when you wanted something back, isn't that right? What do you want, Britt?" he asked me point-blank. "Do you really want to pretend like last night never happened?" "Whatever happened between me and Calvin isn't your business,” I fired back. "For your information, he was a really great boyfriend. I-I wish I was with him right now!" I exclaimed untruthfully. My careless comment made him flinch, but he recovered quickly. "Does he love you?" "What?" I said, flustered. "If you know him so well, it shouldn't be a hard question. Is he in love with you? Was he ever in love with you?" I tossed my head back haughtily. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to cut him down because you're-you're jealous of him!" "You're damn right I'm jealous,” he growled. "When I kiss a girl, I like to know she's thinking about me, not the fool who gave her up.

What about you?" I kept my voice carefully indifferent. He flashed me a cold smile, sharp at the edges. "Worried about me?" Because I couldn't think of anything snide to say, I stuck my tongue out at him. Jude wagged his head. "More tongue exercises? Would have thought you'd had enough last night." "Go to hell." "Sorry, love, but we're already there.

If you have a weakness, you have to work hard to defend it. You can’t be lazy about it.

If I had known things would turn out this way, I would have trained harder. I would have learned to take care of myself. But I guess that's the point, isn't it? You never know what you're going to have to face, so you'd better be prepared.

Because those four days in the mountains, they changed us. I gave you a piece of me. And you must have given me a piece of yourself, too, because you wouldn't have come here otherwise. You would have let go. I can't let go of you, Britt. And I don't want you to let go of me.

I like having you around, Britt. That's the truth. I'm not leaving you. Even if you were a pain in the butt, I'd stay with you. It's the right thing to do. But it turns out I find you likable and interesting, and while I'm not glad you have to go through this, I'm glad we have each other.

They never tell you that when you watch someone you once loved dying, hovering between this life and the next, it’s twice as painful, because you’re reliving two lives that traveled one road together.

There was something about almost dying that made me desperate to feel alive - and Jude’s touch was the only thing that made me feel alive right now.

When you bluff, your left eyebrow twitches. It hasn’t twitched all night. Besides, I already told you I’m going to get you there safely. No need for games now." I pulled back indignantly. "My left eyebrow does not twitch." Jude studied me with an idle smile, as if calculating the wisdom of saying more. "When you’re amused, your mouth takes on a mischievous curl." he went on, as if proving his point. "When you’re angry, you press your lips together and three tiny lines jump out between your eyebrows." I rolled onto my knees and planted my hands squarely on my hips. "Anything else?" I asked hotly. He thumbed his nose, struggling not to grin. "When you kiss, you make a purring noise deep in your throat. It’s so faint, I have to be touching you to hear it." Now I turned bright red. "We should kiss again and see what other observations I make," he suggested.

How could I be hurting so badly when the connection between us was imaginary?

Every family has troubles, but the way my parents handled ours....

When Calvin had first started showing an interest in me, he showered me compliments, teased me affectionately, and made little excuses to see me, all of which were flattering, but the biggest clue that he liked me was his sudden interest in taking care of me.

She'd wanted to know that he cared about her enough to stop her doing something stupid

Ogni volta che lui faceva un passo, mi costringevo a farlo anch’io. La sua statura e le sue ampie spalle mi schermavano almeno in parte dalle folate più violente, ma il vento trovava altre vie per insinuarsi sotto il giaccone e lambirmi la pelle come una lingua ghiacciata. Ben presto il mio cervello si spense e impiegai tutte le energie per continuare a camminare.

I tapped my cup to his, grateful to have found Shaun, because for a minute there, I'd thought I was going to have to save myself. Instead, I'd wandered into the protective care of a sexy older man.