Holly

“You’re not my penance, Chloe.” He cupped my face in his hands, thumbs stroking over my cheeks. “Don’t you understand? Taking care of you is not a punishment. It’s my reward.”
― Elizabeth Bright, Call Me Yours

“I have worked really hard to be a better man than I was two years ago. I didn’t do that for you. I did that for me, to be someone I could respect. If I have to live with myself another sixty years, then I’d rather not hate myself every goddamn minute of the day. But you… Even before I fell in love with you, I wanted to be near you. For two years, you wouldn’t give me the time of day. Kicked me out of your presence like a princess exiling riffraff. But things changed after that night we rescued Stevie. You let me stay. You let me help you, when you don’t accept help from anyone. I never expected it, but I craved it. You’re my reward, and I’ll never stop trying to earn your love.”
― Elizabeth Bright, Call Me Yours

“It’s a pretty big ocean, Baby.”
― C.L. Stone, Push and Shove