Hands Off Quotes

“So far as Alice was concerned Russell might have worn a placard,'Engaged'. She looked upon him as diners entering a restaurant look upon tables marked 'Reserved": the glance, slightly discontented, passes on at once.”
― Booth Tarkington, Alice Adams

“Tanya was standing a little too close to Liam for comfort, and she had a hand on Daisy's man.
"Have you found a table yet?" Daisy put her arm around Liam's waist, pulling him into her side and forcing Tanya to drop her hand from his shoulder.
"It's not looking good." He put his arm around her shoulder. "I'll have to get you a motorcycle as a wedding present and we can ride out here together when it's not as busy."
Daisy bit back a smile. Liam knew what was going on and he'd just made it clear where his loyalty lay.
Tanya's gaze flicked from Liam to Daisy and back to Liam. "You two are engaged?"
"Best decision of my life," Liam said, pressing a kiss to Daisy's sweat-covered temple.
"What happened?" Tanya's smile faded. "I thought you didn't do relationships."
Another squeeze. "I just hadn't met the right person."
Daisy gave Tanya a smug but sympathetic smile.”
― Sara Desai, The Dating Plan

“If he didn't want to be mauled by a sex-starved woman who hadn't gotten any skin in months, he'd better keep his hands to himself.”
― Jody Wallace, The Whole Truth

“Take it easy, friend," siad Peter, regaining his balance, quickly understanding the condition Henry was in.
"Friend? You left us. In the caves." Henry's muscles tensed.
Peter stepped back cautiously. Henry didn't look like himself.
"Seems someone can't hold his drink," Peter said. He didn't go further, sensing then that Valerie might be thinking of her father.
"And now," Henry continued on his own track, stepping closer to meet him, the smell of alcohol on his breath, "my father, too is dead."
Valerie moved to Henry. "Please, don't do this," she said, stepping in. "It's not worth it."
Henry pushed past her, not realizing his own weight. The force knocked her back. Peter grabbed Henry's arm and twisted it. Overreacting, Henry reared back his fist and landed a punch in the hollow of Peter's eye. The crowd laughed as Peter fell hard to the ground.
Henry scrambled on top him, held him by the collar, forced Peter to face him as he'd never done. He looked into the eyes of the man he wanted to blame for his parents' deaths, because it was a shelter from the terrible thought that everything could be lost to a simple slip of fate. "You filth," he spat out.
This really got the villagers going. But Peter didn't laugh. He pulled a knife from his boot and leapt up, thrusting it viciously in Henry's face.
"Keep your hands off her or I'll cut them off!”
― Sarah Blakley-Cartwright, Red Riding Hood

“There’s that old saying about ‘stirring the pot.’ And I think that more times than not, we’d be wise just to make soup.”
― Craig D. Lounsbrough

“Touch me, Cassian, and I'll remove your favourite part. Small as it might be.”
― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury

“Oh. Liam." Madison cut her off, smirking when Liam walked out of the restroom behind her, still adjusting his tie. "Nice to see you again."
Totally nonplussed, Liam smiled. "Madison."
"Men's room closed?"
"Not at all." He put an arm around Daisy's shoulder and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Just needed a little alone time with may fiancée."
Madison's smile faded. "You're still engaged?"
"Yes, we are." He held up Daisy's hand to show off the diamond ring he'd bought her to replace the Sharks ring he'd given her at the bus stop. "When you meet the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with, you don't let her go."
Daisy slipped an arm through Liam's. "How's Orson?"
"Orson?" Madison frowned as if she had no idea who Daisy was talking about. "Oh. He's gone. Maybe New York?"
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"I was sorry to hear that Organicare was going under." Madison's smirk returned. "I was wondering if you were interested in coming back to work for me. I need a senior software engineer and---"
"Organicare isn't going under," Daisy said. "We've given the company a total overhaul and we've just secured our Series B funding. I've had interest from other investors and I'm here to meet some of them right now. So, if you'll excuse me..."
"She's the CEO," Liam said, beaming. "She saved the company and now she's running the whole show."
"Congratulations." Madison's voice was flat as she checked her watch. "You're right about the time. I've got a meeting in five minutes. I'd better go."
"You didn't have to do that," Daisy said to Liam. "It was a little bit petty."
"You enjoyed every second of it."
Her lips tipped in a smile. "Okay. I did. She was like every mean girl in high school who mocked me, and now the tables have turned and not only am I running a company, I got the coolest guy in school.”
― Sara Desai, The Dating Plan

“She's after you," Zara blurted out, putting to one side for later consideration the fact he knew her so well. "You probably don't even realize it because you don't speak bitch."
Jay's voice took on a deep, steady warmth that made Zara's knees weak. "There's only one woman I want."
"I hope it's me or someone's getting a four-inch stiletto through the throat," she muttered under her breath.”
― Sara Desai, The Singles Table

“As I walk over to them, I pick up part of their conversation.
"...you should totally come by."
"Thanks, but I'm busy. I've got plans with my girlfriend."
"Aww, come on! Just one drink. On me, if you know what I mean."
She wags a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. His smile turns to a wince as he looks away.
When I plant myself next to him, he twists around to look at me. I almost laugh at the relief in his expression.
"Hey," I say to the woman as I smile.
Her smile wavers the slightest bit. "Oh. Hi." She glances between us. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't realize..."
I climb onto Max's lap, straddling him with both legs wrapped around his waist. I snake my arms around his neck and then I gently bump my nose against his. Amusement flickers in his eyes as he gazes at me. And then I plant a kiss on his mouth.
When I'm done, I look back up at his admirer. "Sorry, were you saying something about a drink?"
Her jaw on the floor, she shakes her head. "Uh, no."
She mutters something unintelligible and then scurries away. Max squeezes my waist with his hands while the corner of his mouth quirks up. "That was pretty aggressive. I like it."
I chuckle. "I suppose that was a bit on the territorial side, but she sounded pretty adamant about getting you to go with her. She wasn't going down without a fight. I figured an obvious gesture was the best way to go."
I start to scoot off his lap, but he holds me in place. "I like it when you get a little territorial over me."
"Yet another thing you bring out in me.”
― Sarah Echavarre Smith, The Boy With the Bookstore