Holly

“He wished he knew how to describe to her what he felt.
I started counting time for you.
I want to change who I am for you.
You are my Grace.
He was too full, and there weren't enough words.
He said, "I did not know I needed grace until I met you."
Then as she held him tightly, he knew that what he said had been enough.”
― Thea Harrison, Oracle's Moon

“His intense blue gaze held hers, willing her to believe. She pulled in a shaky breath. Each second, he’d said. This second, then another, then another, until she believed all the time. She closed her eyes. She wanted to trust in him, in them. Why did it have to be so darn hard?

Using his hold on her wrist, he drew her closer, leaned down to rest his cheek against hers. “I’m yours,” he murmured near her ear. “You have me. Believe that, baby.”

She nodded and slipped her arms about his neck, holding on hard. “I’m trying.”

“I know.” He rested a hand against her spine, dropped a kiss on the curve of her shoulder. “One second at a time, Angel. We have all the time you need.”
― Linda Winfree

“I used to eat people, you know.”

If he meant to shock her out of crying, he succeeded. A snort burst out of her. “That’s awful,” she said. Her nose was clogged. “I mean it, that’s awful. It’s not funny. I’m not laughing.”

He sighed. “It was a long time ago. Thousands of years. Once I really was the beast the Elves call me.”

She closed her eyes, took a deep, shuddering breath and rubbed her fingers along the seam of his T-shirt. “What made you stop?”

“I had a conversation with somebody. It was an epiphany.” His voice was rueful.He rocked her. “From that point on I swore I would never eat something that could talk.”

“Hey, that’s kind of your version of turning vegetarian, isn’t it?”
― Thea Harrison, Dragon Bound

“She paused and met his gaze straight on. “You should be seeing someone your own age, Troy Lee.”

“Please don’t start that bullshit again. It’s not the issue and you know it.”

“Really. What, pray tell, is the issue?”

“We’ve been out one time and already you’re looking for me to cut and run." He shook his head. “You’re doing it again. Speeding ahead, looking for where you think you’re going, instead of seeing what’s along the way. You gotta learn to slow down and enjoy the ride, Angel.”
― Linda Winfree, Fall Into Me