Cups and Thoughts

“What is that?” I ask.

“It’s my dog.”

“No. No, I have dogs. Dogs are descended from wolves. That’s descended from a rat.” I look again. “An ugly rat.”
― Emma Chase, Royally Screwed

“Oh no,” she murmured, her smile thawing, falling, carried away with the undeniable, inevitable, impossible truth of it. She was falling in love with him.”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless

“Her mother sneered. “Then you are a fool.”

“Good. I’ve become rather fond of fools.”
― Marissa Meyer, Heartless

“Our eyes finally meet—he’s still staring at me, lips parted. And I can’t get a read on his expression. As the moments stretch on, a bud of nervousness blooms in my stomach, its vine wrapping around my vocal chords.

“I…I wasn’t sure what you had planned for tonight. You didn’t tell me.”

Those long lashes blink, but he doesn’t say anything. I raise my hand toward the kitchen.

“I can go change if this isn’t—”

“No.” Nicholas steps forward, his hand up. “No, don’t change a thing. You’re…absolutely perfect.”

And he’s looking at me like he never wants to stop.

“I didn’t expect…I mean, you’re lovely…b-but…”

“Wasn’t there a movie about a king who stuttered?” I tease him. “Was he a relative of yours?”

He chuckles. And call me crazy, but I swear Nicholas’s cheeks go slightly pink.

“No, stuttering doesn’t run in my family.” He shakes his head. “You just knocked me on my arse.”

And now I’m beaming.

“Thank you. You look pretty great too, Prince Charming.”

“I actually know a Prince Charming. He’s first-class prick.”

“Well. Now that you’ve tarnished a precious piece of my childhood, this better be some date,” I tease.

“It will be.”

He holds out his hand to me.

“Shall we?”
― Emma Chase, Royally Screwed