Sam

“I look at him looking at me, and overflow with something I cannot put a name to. “Because when I’m with you, Mallory, everything is different. When I’m with you, I want to play more than I want to win.”
― Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate

“Nolan stares like I’m the center of gravity of the room, like nothing else ever existed but me in all of space and time.”
― Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate

“He leans toward me over the table, dark eyes earnest, stars traveling on his skin. “Do you know how incredible you are?” I cannot breathe. Temporarily. So I force myself to laugh. “Really? You’re wasting your question on this?” “I am serious. Do you realize how exceptional you are, Mallory?”
― Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate

“Chess is a bad idea.
Why?
Look where it got me.
It got you here. To me.”
― Ali Hazelwood, Check & Mate