You know very well.” Daisy ignored the way her breath hitched when he got too near. “You get riled up and off you go, throwing that Highland accent about as if to intimidate.” She dropped her voice in an imitation of his. “Ye will do as I say or I will take ye overr me knee an’ stroop yer backside!

There she is,” he announced in an almost sing-song manner, “my little devil lass, looking like a vision from Hell.

It’s all dancing in front of me, as solid as smoke.

I’m having inappropriate thoughts of running off with it.” I tell her solemnly. “And selling it.” “There’s the little thief I know.” “I’d give most of the money to charity.” She doesn’t look convincing. “Now, now, don’t try to Robin Hood it,” I tease. “It messes with my mental image of your mercenary ways.

But I can only lie against him, draped over his solid body like a sweaty girl blanket, and just drift.

I’m thinking we get you a couple of chunky rings, maybe a do-rag and a cutlass, and we can play capture-the-pirate later.

Life, she insisted, is how you live it and who you live it with, not what you do to make a living.

Don’t knock love to you try it, kid. Rejecting something out of fear only paints you a fool.

Time has a way of fading the sharp edges of a person’s image.

God, she’s gonna feed me. I’d like this girl just for that. But I’ve got to hold myself together.