#sexlove&stiletto

[iheartgracie]

taylornick quotes from i knew you were trouble by lauren layne part 3

“Really?” she grumbled as he crowded her under the stream of warm water. “You won’t sleep with me, but you’ll shower with me?”

“I slept with you. All night.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Go out with me.”

She froze in the process of opening the yogurt. “Be more specific.”

He glugged milk into his bowl. “You. Me. Dinner.”

“Taylor was about to snap at him that she wasn’t digging the silent treatment, but before she could, he reached for her hand, twining her fingers with his.”

Taylor lifted herself on her elbows and gave him a smirk. “Nick Ballantine, are you an ass man?”

“When it comes to you, I’m an everything man.”

“He wanted to be more to her. And that right there was the problem.

The more time he spent with Taylor Carr, the more he wanted all of her. ”

“Nick, meet Twinkie.”

His head snapped up. “Oh, hell no. Twinkie? The pink collar is one thing. Let her have some dignity.”

“Wasn’t my idea,” she said, holding up her hands. “I had another name picked out, but then they told me she was five, and I couldn’t bring myself to change her identity on her.”

“What did you want to call her?” he said, obliging with a belly rub as Twinkie rolled to her back.

“Sprinkles.”

He laughed, his eyes still on the dog. “No. Seriously.”

She scowled at him. “Seriously.”

“I’m not seeing anyone else, Taylor. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. You consume me.”

“Yeah?” She stepped closer, ran a hand over his shirt.

“Yeah.” His mouth dropped to hers for a kiss. He tasted like coffee and promise.

“Taylor,” he said at last, his mouth drifting back and forth over hers softly.

“Mm?” She tried to deepen the kiss, but he pulled back slightly and waited for her to open her eyes.

“Let’s do this for real,” he said. “Girlfriend, boyfriend, whatever.”

“How can you not love Twinkie alrea . . .” And then her mouth fell open because the living room was covered in tufts of white fluff. “What the heck just happened?”

“Your dog just gutted her stuffed animal,” he said, retrieving their wineglasses and handing her one.

“Our dog,” she persisted stubbornly.

He glanced skeptically at the living room, but his eyes were warm, and there was a smile lurking on his lips. “Yeah. Okay, Carr. Our dog.”

“Tired of me already?” she teased.

His eyes drifted down to the lace of her nightgown. “Not even a little bit.”

“You smile more. Laugh louder. Check your phone a million times a day, and talk on it late into the night. Classic signs of being in love.”

“Taylor was opinionated and stubborn and sarcastic as hell, but that was only one side of her. And he liked that side nearly as well as the one that was warm, alluring, and surprisingly young at heart.”

“Being with Taylor made him feel more alive than he’d ever been.

Damn it. His mother was right. He did love Taylor Carr.”

“what’s Nick in your Taylor-is-the-sun scenario?”

“A prism,” Jess said without hesitation. “He takes your light and makes it even more awesome, for everyone to see.”

“Nick matched her in every way, made her better.

And that was real love.”

“Are you listening to me, you ridiculously stubborn jerk? I freaking love you, even though you’re being an ass.”

“I’d still be asking you to be my wife, Taylor Carr, because I want to marry you. Baby or no baby, you’re the love of my life. And you can say no, and I’ll be annoyed, but then you’ll be annoyed too, because I’m not going to stop asking. Not ever.”

“Please let me do this,” he whispered. “I’ve been dreaming about it for weeks.”

“You’re a sap,” she whispered.

But then she was a sap too, because when he slipped the ring onto her fourth finger, she started crying. Again.

He laughed and pulled her in for a hug. “Is this your new thing? Crying all the time?”

“Having second thoughts?” she said.

“Never,” he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. “I love every version of you, even the soggy one.”

“I love every version of you too,” she said. “Even the idiotic one.”

“I knew you were trouble from the very first second, Ms. Carr,” he said, reverently running a finger over her mouth.

“Worth it, though. Right?”

He smiled tenderly. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me. So hell yeah. It was all worth it.”

“As Nick pressed a kiss to the top of Taylor’s head and her hand squeezed his, there was no doubt anywhere in the room that no baby’s parents had ever loved each other more.”

#lauren layne #lauren layne series #laurenlayne #lauren layne books #slas #sexlove&stiletto #taylornick

[stilettoedits]

like or reblog if you save, or give credits to © aiexsinciair on twitter

#stilettoheader #stilettoheaders #sexloveandstilettoheader #sexloveandstilettoheaders #sexlove&stiletto #sexloveandstiletto headers #stiletto edits #sexloveandstiletto #stiletto headers #stiletto #header #headers #book headers #penelopepope #penelope pope #penelope pope header #penelope pope headers #colesharpe #cole sharpe #cole sharpe headers #cole sharpe header #penelope and cole #penelope and cole header #penelope and cole headers #penelopecole #penelope&cole #penelope pope cole sharpe #irresistibly yours #laurenlayneheaders #laurenlayne

[iheartgracie]

taylornick quotes from i knew you were trouble by lauren layne part 2

“She blew out a breath, then took a sip of her drink. “I hate you.”

He smiled, because they both knew she didn’t. ”

“Trust me on this, Carr. Some of the best things in life are the unplanned ones.”

“Like new roommates?” she asked sarcastically.

“Don’t sound so skeptical. Ask yourself this: Whose bar did you walk into tonight?” he said, straightening and giving her a wink. “Then ask yourself why.”

“We should get you an apron.”

“We should not get me an apron,” he said, handing her a glass.”

“You think I want you, and you’re damn right. I want you badly.”

“He dunked a spoon into the sauce and held it out for her to taste.

“I really do hate you,” she muttered, leaning forward to sip the delicious sauce directly from the spoon.

Nick only grinned.”

“she’d taken to entering his room without knocking, oftentimes plopping on his bed and fiddling on her phone until he finished whatever scene he was working on and turned to see what she wanted.”

“In response, she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Nick gave her a startled look, and then was even more surprised to see Taylor Carr blushing—not an everyday occurrence.”

“She liked him.

Somehow the guy who’d gone from being the one person she couldn’t stand had become the one she most looked forward to seeing each day”

“Before she could chicken out, Taylor crossed to his bed and, uninvited, slipped beneath the covers.

“Really?” he muttered as she cuddled closer, resting her cheek on his chest, her arm curling around his waist.

She braced herself for him to pull away, kick her out. She wouldn’t blame him if he did.

Instead, after a moment of stillness, he moved his hand to the back of her head, and his fingers began idly playing with a strand of her hair.”

“It freed me up to pursue the most interesting woman I’d ever met, but . . .”

“I was with Bradley,” she finished for him.

“Never said I was talking about you,” he teased.”

#lauren layne #lauren layne series #laurenlayne #lauren layne books #slas #sexlove&stiletto #taylornick

[iheartgracie]

taylornick quotes from i knew you were trouble by lauren layne part 1

“So you’re not at the office full-time?”

“Is that disappointment I hear, Ms. Carr?” he asked, rubbing his palm idly along the dark stubble on his jawline.

“Is that ego I hear, Mr. Ballantine?”

“You’ve known me for what, four months? Most of which we’ve spent fighting or avoiding each other? You don’t get to decide who’s the right guy for me.”

“Look me in the eye and tell me you seriously like him.”

“Answer something for me.”

She tried to jerk away, but he held her fast. “What?” she snapped, trying to tell herself that her increasing agitation stemmed from annoyance and not something more dangerous.

“If you weren’t dating him, would you have dinner with me?”

“I don’t like you,” she whispered.

He eased closer until his mouth was inches from her ear. “Liar.”

“You checking me out, Ballantine?” she asked, giving Nick the side-eye.

His smile was slow and wolfish. Sexy, if you liked that sort of thing. Which she didn’t. She wanted predictable. Nick Ballantine didn’t qualify.

“Always,” he said.”

“Before she could dodge, he reached out and gently touched her face as though it were the most natural thing in the world.”

“She shot him a warning look that clearly said, Don’t.

He shot an answering smile that clearly said, Watch me.”

“I’m just saying you could do better,” he answered quietly.

Then he clinked the neck of his beer bottle with hers. “Or at least you could if you weren’t such a bitch.”

Taylor laughed in spite of herself. “I really hate you.”

Nick grinned”

“I mean that I write books,” he said, gathering up the screws. “Futuristic thrillers, mostly.”

She was staring at him, lips parted. “When? How can you be a bartender, a journalist, and an author, and still find all that time to drive me crazy?”

“I’ve never thanked you,” Taylor blurted out, before she could rethink it. “Did I?”

“For?” His eyes were calm. Patient. It made it easier.

“That night,” she whispered.

She didn’t have to explain which night. The night Taylor had found out that her only relative—the only person in her life who really cared for her—had died. The night Taylor had been alone in the Oxford office.

Except not entirely alone. Someone else had been working late that night. Someone had heard her crying.

That someone hadn’t asked a single question. He’d merely gathered Taylor’s shaking body against his much bigger one and held her while she cried. Sobbed. And then he’d listened while she told him all about Karen. About how her aunt had adopted her, and cared for her when nobody else would.

That wasn’t the embarrassing part, though. No, the humiliation that Taylor had barely been able to live with since that night was that somehow he’d discovered the most painful truth of her heart.

That she was terrified nobody loved her.

That she wasn’t worthy.

And Nick Ballantine had gently nudged her head away from his chest, cupped her face in his big hands, and told her—promised her—that someone would love her.”

“He wanted Taylor Carr—but when he finally put his hands on her, he didn’t want it to be about Bradley.

He wanted it to be about them.”

#lauren layne #lauren layne series #laurenlayne #lauren layne books #slas #sexlove&stiletto #taylornick

[iheartgracie]

sex love & stiletto series quotes part 3

“Julie changed the subject. “Hey, Cassidy, Mitchell has something to ask you,” she said in a loud voice, quieting all other conversation.

Mitchell glared at her. “Not here I don’t.”

“Yeah, of course here,” Julie chirped, tilting her head. “He can’t say no to you here.”

“Oh, I absolutely can,” Cassidy said, raising his glass in Mitchell’s direction. “But you might as well get it over with. Is it about the triathlon we talked about, because I’m totally in—”

“Shut it, Cassidy,” Riley said, stuffing a piece of baguette in his mouth. “Let Mitchell do the talking.”

“Because he’s so good at that,” Jake said, earning the middle finger from his friend.

Mitchell ran a hand over the back of his neck. “I, well, the thing is—”

“Oh, I’ll do it,” Julie interrupted. “So, Cassidy, you know we get married in a few weeks. . . .”

Cassidy slowly chewed the bread Riley had stuffed in his mouth before replying. “I am aware of this.”

“Well, Mitchell here has, like, zero friends, because he’s antisocial.”

“Introverted,” Mitchell ground out. “The word you’re looking for is introverted, and we introverts have small, selective circles of friends.”

“Hear, hear,” Emma said.”

“Lincoln pushed it back. “Dude, Jake and Cole are right. You need this.”

“Need what?”

“To get laid,” Lincoln said, emphasis on the last word.

Alex glanced around his office at the other men. “That’s what this is about? You think I’m curt—”

“Curmudgeonly,” Cole broke in.

“Because I’m horny?” Alex asked, ignoring Cole’s interruption.

“Definitely,” Jake said with a nod.”

“He really does have that skill,” Cole broke in. “It’s annoying. Every girl I sleep with wants to kill me after.”

“That’s because you slip out of bed in the a.m. and leave a “Thanks, babe” Post-it Note on the pillow,” Jake said.

“So does Mathis!”

“Riley had voted for a short, red “booby” dress, because “men couldn’t get too mean with a boner.”

Grace had suggested something pink and feminine to “remind him to be a gentleman.”

Good old Julie had asked if Emma still had her wedding dress, “just for impact.”

“Opening it, she found Grace and Riley doing a goofy slow dance to . . . that damn Carrie Underwood–Randy Travis song.

Emma dropped her purse on her desk, trying to look stern, but a smile slipped out as she put hands on her hips. “Really. Really?”

“Shh,” Grace said, resting her head on Riley’s shoulder. “We’re having a moment.”

“The good kind of moment,” Riley said, before starting to make some sort of Elvis pelvis move.

Emma stuck her arm between their bodies, pushing her friends apart. “Ha. Freaking. Ha. Let me guess: Julie called you and reported that I’d danced with Cassidy?”

“Of course she didn’t call,” Grace said, going to her laptop to stop the music blaring from its crappy speakers. “It was her wedding night.”

“Yeah, don’t be a dolt, Ems,” Riley said, pulling a box of doughnut holes—they still made those—from her purse and popping one in her mouth. “She texted.”

“Riley shrugged. “Fair enough. But a word of advice?”

“Oh, no,” Grace muttered.

“What?” Emma asked warily.

“When you tell him that you cut him out of your article while writing about eleven other guys you’ve slept with?”

“Yessssss?” Emma asked, when Riley didn’t continue.

Her friend reached down and quickly flicked one of the buttons on Emma’s shirt, revealing a bit more cleavage.

“There,” Riley said, stepping back to admire her handiwork. “That ought to help the matter.”

“I don’t even know where to start,” Cassidy said.

“Oh, I do!” Sam said. “I got this. Mr. Malone, son, why were you in Mr. Cassidy’s office?”

Jake stared at him. “Are you trying to do a principal impersonation?”

Sam gave him a patient look and Jake squirmed. “You’re good at it. Okay, um, I was in Cassidy’s office because I was looking for something.”

“Looking for . . .” Sam prodded.

“Condoms,” Jake said matter-of-factly.

Julie snorted, but Sam merely gave a sage nod. “You were seeking contraceptives.”

“Yes, to, um, fornicate with my wife.”

“Actually,” Emma said, peeking over the top of the couch as she watched the interaction. “One can’t fornicate with one’s wife. Fornication by definition is sexual intercourse with someone you’re not married to.”

All four men stared at her. “How does she know that?” Jake whispered to Cassidy.

“Don’t ask me. I didn’t marry her, remember?”

Emma shot him the finger.

“Emma’s quite right on the definition,” Mitchell said. “But let’s get to the heart of the story. Jake, did you find the condoms?”

“That is not the heart of the story,” Cassidy said. “My entire point was—”

“I did find condoms,”

“Holy crap. It’s almost one!”

“On a school night, too!” Sam said, making a scolding noise.

“Shut it,” Riley said around another yawn. “Not all of us are self-employed.”

“Maybe our boss will let us come in late tomorrow,” Julie said, fluttering her eyelashes at Cassidy.

“That’s not going to do it,” Riley said. “Emma, take your shirt off. Then you ask him.”

“I’m Julie Greene. That beast stuffing another donut in her face and not gaining a pound is Riley McKenna, the preppy one in the sweater set is Grace Malone, and of course you already know Emma. We’re the Relationships columnists for Stiletto.”

“Julie gave a little happy sigh. “Mitchell’s scowls do make me hot.”

Riley waggled her eyebrows. “You know what makes me hot?”

“Everything,” Emma Sinclair said, joining the group. “Everything makes you hot. And hungry.”

“Speaking of which, Mollie,” Riley continued, “I’ve decided to hire that magical caterer you used so that he can make me those little mini quiches at all hours.”

Emma lifted an eyebrow. “You do remember that you just got married three months ago? To the love of your life?”

Mollie smiled into her wine. She liked Emma—she was cool, maybe a little bit haughty, but with a biting sense of humor that fit in perfectly with the rest of the group.

“Yeah, but Sam can’t cook,” Riley said, referring to her new husband.

“But he makes whisky for a living,” Emma countered. “Surely that’s better.”

Riley pursed her lips. “I’ll think on that one. I want the whisky and the mini quiches.”

“Yes, well, I want the Prada purse and the Louis Vuitton, and I can afford neither, so I’ll splurge on Coach,” Julie said. “You see how that works?”

“Not really. I can’t eat purses, Jules.”

“mostly she was jealous of their confidence. These women knew what they wanted and got what they wanted”

“Well, if you want my opinion . . .,” Riley said loudly.

“No,” Emma said. “Did you hear anyone say, ‘Riley, what’s your opinion?’ ”

“I like you way better than your sister,” Riley announced.

“Riley!” Julie exclaimed. “You don’t just say that to a person. And you’ve never even met her sister.”

“True. But I watched every single episode of the Housewives seasons she was on.”

“Yeah, because that’s the same thing,” Emma said.

“I know everyone thinks that Madison and Jackson were, like, a couple for the ages or whatever, but there was something shifty about that woman.”

“Riley.” This time Julie’s voice was gentler, but with a warning undertone. “You’re talking about her sister.”

“How the heck did I let myself get into something this complicated?”

“Could be worse,” Riley said, pointing her finger at Emma. “This one hooked up with a dude she once left at the altar.”

Emma batted Riley’s hand away. “You know full well I didn’t leave him at the altar.”

“I know. But you should tell it that way. It’s better,” Riley insisted.”

“Um—” Daisy bit her lip.

“Oh, Jules, that’s super old news,” Mollie said, waving her hand.

“How do you know?” Grace asked.

“Jackson told me,” Mollie replied.

“Wait, what am I missing?” Julie asked.

“Lincoln and Daisy are hooking up,” Grace and Mollie said at the exact same time, with a hint of smugness.

Julie gasped. “What? No. Seriously? I’m out sick for two days and Lincoln Mathis is taken?”

“Whoa, hold up,” Daisy said, holding up a hand, and trying to get control of the conversation. “We’re not…”

“Boning?” Riley supplied. “You totally are. Rumor has it you had office sex.”

Daisy’s face flushed hot. “We did not.”

“You totally did,” Penelope said”

“It’s fine to not define it, or apply a label to it. We’ve all been there. And none of our relationships came without skeletons in the closet. I mean, for God’s sake, Jackson was married to my sister.”

Riley raised her hand. “Sam’s my brother’s best friend and made him some bullshit promise never to touch me so we wasted a decade playing cat and mouse.”

Julie snorted. “That’s nothing. I pursued Mitchell for the sake of a story, and he only said yes because of a bet.”

“Jake’s a commitment-phobe,” Grace said.

“My husband only asked me out way back when because my father told him to, and even then he thought he was going out with my more fun twin,” Emma said into her wine.”

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[iheartgracie]

sex love & stiletto series quotes part 2

“Don’t!” all three of her friends commanded at the same time.

“What?”

“You have hump eyes when you look at him.”

“Hump eyes? That is not a thing,”

“What look?” Sam asked.

“The one that I had on my face when I realized Julie wasn’t just going to be a shits-and-giggles fling, and the one Jake had on his face when Grace handed him his balls at a softball game.”

“Hey!” Jake said in protest. “It wasn’t like—”

“It was,” Sam interrupted. “I was actually there, although I didn’t really know you then.”

“Really? Then how is it that you’re at my apartment for his engagement party,” Mitchell asked with a gesture toward Jake.

“That’s not on me! You two are the ones out buying engagement rings and cohabiting—”

“Cohabiting? Grandma? Is that you?”

“First up? You’ve got to realize there’s nothing you can do until you know what she wants.”

“So, I, like, what … talk to her?”

The other men’s silence said it all.

“Shit,” Sam muttered again.

“Exactly,” Jake and Mitchell said at the same time.”

“I hope it’s another one of the Bruce-pushed-me-off-the-mechanical-bull letters,” Grace said, leaning forward and plucking up the letter.

Riley snatched it back. “This is Stiletto, not Rodeo Times.”

“Rodeo Times,” Emma mused. “Is that a real magazine? Because I’ve always thought I could go for a cowboy … there’s something about those boots and tight jeans.”

“I bet Alex Cassidy looks uh-mazing in tight jeans,” Julie said in a singsong voice. Emma threw a paper clip at Julie, which got caught in Julie’s mess of curls, so that Grace had to fish it out.”

“That’s not going to happen to us when we finally get to wedding planning, right?” Sam asked, pulling Riley against him.

“Get to wedding planning?”

“The major stuff, I mean,” he hurriedly corrected.

“Oh, the major stuff. So the venue I’ve reserved, and the save-the-date cards I’ve ordered … those were just, what? Trivial little details?”

“Abort. Abort,” Mitchell said through a cough.

Sam held up his hands in surrender. “If you want me to help, I will.”

“Say no, Ri,” Grace said, “You should have seen the cake Jake tried to sneak in here. It was shaped like a whale. Literally.”

“Hey, it was huge. And more cake never hurt anyone,” Jake said.

“Hear, hear,” Riley said, raising her glass with genuine enthusiasm.”

“Emma cleared her throat pointedly. “Ahem. Here’s to Jake and Grace. I can think of no two better people better suited to the sham—”

Alex pinched her upper arm.

“To the miracle,” Emma corrected, “that is marriage.”

“And to Grace,” Julie took over, “who is the best friend any of us can possibly imagine, even if she has better boobs than the rest of us …”

“And to Jake,” Riley added. “Who actually does have some brains lurking behind—above?—his overly white teeth.”

Sam slid an arm around Riley’s waist as he chimed in. “To you two: for showing me that I might not want to marry this one and her whale cake after all—”

Jake lifted his glass to interrupt. “And to all of you, for being the best wedding party, with the absolute worst toast.”

“It was hard not to stop and stare when the reigning queens of Stiletto entered the conference room. Or any room.

Instead of sucking all of the air out of the space, as the cliché went, it was almost like the four stunning women brought air into the room.”

“Excellent. We’re all in agreement then? We’ll hang out at Emma’s for the next three months,” Julie said, standing to fetch more champagne.

“Do you think Camille and Kenny did it on this couch?” Riley mused.

“Eew. Why are you so okay sitting there?” Grace asked.

Riley shrugged. “You guys have all sat on my couch, and Sam and I—”

Emma held up a hand. “No. Don’t finish that sentence.”

“Grace sat up straight. “Oooh, I think I just figured out what we could do with the rest of our day!”

Riley pointed to her glass. “I’m good with this. Day drinking’s legit when there’s fruit involved.”

Grace stood excitedly, gesturing for Riley to finish up. “Bottoms up, McKenna. We’re going shopping.”

Riley and Emma groaned as Julie squealed.”

“Julie, Riley, and Grace were here. And until they’d wiggled their way into her life with their happy enthusiasm and unfailing loyalty, Emma hadn’t realized just how horribly alone she was.”

“I love you guys,” Emma said, the words bursting forth. “You know that, right? I mean, I know I never say it, and I’m not all hugsy like Julie, and kind like Grace, or outspoken like Ri—”

“We know, honey,” Grace said, reaching out and squeezing Emma’s hand. “We totally know.”

Riley stepped forward and tapped Emma’s temple gently. “Guys, I think the floodwater went into her brain. She’s going soft on us.”

“I brought dessert,” Riley said, holding up a box of cupcakes.

“I told you I made dessert!” Julie said.

“Right you did. I totally forgot,” Riley said, exchanging a glance with Mitchell.

Julie caught it and spun around to glare at her fiancé. “What did you tell her?”

“I told her nothing,” Mitchell said. “No words were exchanged.”

Julie’s eyes narrowed as Mitchell took a sip of wine. “I may have sent her a picture of your, um, cake.”

“I baked,” Julie announced to everyone else with a happy nod.

“That’s great, honey!” Grace replied. Then she turned her head toward Riley and spoke out of the corner of her mouth. “Good call on the cupcakes.”

Julie pointed a finger. “Just for that, you have to try the first bite of my cake.”

“Emma felt an overwhelming surge of warmth and gratitude for this group of warm, bubbling friends”

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[iheartgracie]

emmacassidy quotes part 2

“And harder to forget that once being in this man’s arms had been the best part of her day.

The best part of her life.”

“She wanted this. She wanted so badly to have his lips on hers again. To remember how it had felt to be in his arms.

To remember how it felt to be loved and cherished.”

“He watches you, you know,” Riley said. “When he thinks you’re not looking.”

“She only knew that the only thing more painful than living without Cassidy would be living without him.”

“Alex Cassidy had always been like a magnet for her eyes”

“Are you kidding? That man is crazy for you. ”

“All she needed was one glance from him and she felt beautiful.”

“Emma let herself glance at Cassidy, just briefly, just wanting to share her happiness with someone . . . no, to share it with him.

And he was looking right back, a bittersweet smile on his face as he winked at her.

Emma winked back, and for just a second, just one second, they weren’t enemies, weren’t two people who’d ravaged each other’s hearts.

They were simply two people whose lives were inexplicably wrapped up in each other’s in about a dozen different ways.

And in that moment, Emma was happy.”

“But before Emma could pull away, Cassidy caught her hand, and she paused, watching his thumb as it brushed over her knuckles before lifting her eyes to his.

He smiled then, and before she could register that he’d moved, he leaned in, pulling her closer before planting a soft, sweet kiss on her cheek.”

“She let her hand drop back to her side when she realized, but at the same moment her hand fell, his came up. He was asking her to dance.”

“Emma looked at his extended hand then met his eyes. And in the end, it wasn’t the perfect bow tie or the sexy white shirt that made her set her fingers in his.

It was the look in his eyes. Not quite pleading, not even passion . . . just a quiet sense of rightness.”

“Only then did she listen to the lyrics of the song, and she remembered. Back when she’d listened to this song on repeat, she and Cassidy had been together.

He’d known it was her favorite.

Her eyes flew open and she pulled back just enough to look up at his face.

“This song . . . it’s ‘I Told You So.’”

He didn’t smile. “I may have sold my soul to Julie and Mitchell in order to pick the last song. It’s not exactly wedding-night material, but I doubt they’re paying attention to the words.”

Emma’s lips parted, stunned by the admission. “You requested this?”

His smile was slight. “I have fond memories.”

“It’s perfect. Both their voices together. The best of both.”

He pulled her closer again, and she let him. His head dipped slightly so they were cheek to cheek. “Guess some things are better together.”

“Letting herself sink into Cassidy, his smell and his warmth, and, most alarming of all, his familiarity.”

“Their joined hands shifted again, so his thumb brushed against her palm, and she felt fireworks at the simple touch. Felt his reaction as well.

Emma knew she was in danger then. He wanted her.

And more dangerous still . . . she wanted him, too.”

“Just like she wasn’t surprised when he slipped his jacket over her shoulders.”

“Emma’s heart was now pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it, but what she wasn’t sure about was whether he wanted her the way she wanted him.”

“She set her clutch on the small console table, and took a deep breath. “I need to take off my shoes. My feet can’t take another second—”

Cassidy kissed her.

No preliminaries, no hesitation—he just stepped closer and dipped his head down to hers, stamping her mouth as though it were his to take.”

“Stay.”

“Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight? It’s all I could think about.”

“What did we just do?”

Emma turned her head to look at him. “I don’t know. It was probably a mistake.”

He turned his head. Met her eyes. “Probably.”

Emma’s heart sank, but then he smiled, boyishly.

“Want to make the same mistake again?”

She smiled back. “Absolutely.”

“And yet . . .

He wished she were here.”

“He dialed before he could change his mind.

Alex’s eyes closed in a silent prayer at the sleepy female voice on the other end as he asked the all-important question. . . .

“Do you still like pancakes?”

“The real problem came when she proceeded to spend the rest of the day with him.

As in, she spent all of Sunday with Alex Cassidy.

And, it was . . . wonderful.”

“I did want to get married. I wanted the husband and the babies and the happily ever after. But now—”

“You still want that, Emma,” he said, leaning forward and then turning his head to look at her. “I know you do.”

Emma glanced up at the overcast sky. “Maybe. Do you?”

He turned his head away, staring down at his coffee cup as he fiddled with the paper sleeve. “Depends.”

“On?”

He didn’t respond, and Emma waited. And waited.”

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[iheartgracie]

emmacassidy quotes part 1

“Emma was the newest member of the Love and Relationships group and had done a damn fine job of hiding the fact that she’d once been engaged to the very luscious, very sexy editor in chief of Stiletto’s brother magazine.”

“And then . . .

And then there was Emma.

Emma, whose every feature he knew by heart, even without glancing at her.”

“A girl who could take his breath away with little more than a smile.”

“The worst part wasn’t even that Cassidy’s fingers were casually linked with those of a pretty, shy-looking brunette.

No, the worst part was the brief pang of something Emma had long thought dead.

Jealousy.”

“His eyes narrowed on Emma and caught her placid smile, and maybe the slightest gleam in her brown eyes.

No. No. No fucking way. He knew that look. Trouble.”

“But then, perhaps she shouldn’t be surprised that she hadn’t recognized him.

Back then, she’d had eyes for only one guy.”

“You owe me a meeting,” she said finally.

“Do I?”

“Yes,” she said, sweeping past him and entering his apartment as though she owned the place.”

“A mandated story topic via email? Really?”

“Gosh, I can’t imagine why I wouldn’t have jumped at the chance to have this friendly chat in person,”

“But even as he longed to shake her—to tell her to get mad or frustrated or sad about anything—he couldn’t do so without being entirely hypocritical.

Because, strangely enough, he suspected that he and Emma understood each other better than anyone else”

“Emma had been his place of calm. The one who’d centered him.”

“And his eyes . . .

His eyes met hers over Sam’s shoulder. And held.

And something shifted.”

“Cassidy came up behind her.

She knew it was him by his smell. ”

“But she had never been able to forget the way Alex Cassidy smelled.”

“I smile. Don’t I?”

He hedged. “Eh, right now you’re not.”

“Well, of course not, it’s you,” she said with a huff picking up her glass.

And for some reason that made him smile.

He’d take grumpy Emma over fake-smiley Emma.”

“Well, see, that’s what I like about us, Emma. We ignore each other when we want to ignore each other. Which is most of the time. But when we are in each other’s orbit, there’s something almost soothing about hanging out with someone who’s already indifferent to you. Can’t really mess anything up, you know?”

“Then he seemed to change his mind, and glanced at her anyway. “Sometimes I think I’d prefer you hate me. At least then you’d notice me.”

Everything inside Emma seemed to freeze. I notice you—too much. Do you notice me?

“Emma.” His voice was cajoling.

She ignored him, and he turned around to face her, his smile teasing but not mean. “Emma, honey, is that a little bit of your old southern I see peeping out?”

Emma pursed her lips, and he laughed softly. “It is! Tell me, how many people know that beneath the Manhattan ice princess lies a southern debutante?”

“She could only shake her head. “Best Saturday night meal ever.”

He looked at her in surprise. “Even with the company?”

That this night was perfect because of the company.”

“He was almost starting to enjoy this game they played. A few months ago, the ignoring of each other had been complete and genuine. But watching her ignore him now, even though they’d shared a hamburger and wine last weekend, gave him a strange sense of intimacy. As though the two of them held a secret.”

“You’re so annoying,” she muttered, even though he hadn’t said a word.

He lifted his eyebrows and stepped inside her apartment. “Is that any way to talk to the guy who brought you wine?”

“I have plenty of my own wine.”

“Yes, but this is better,”

“I tagged along to protect you,” Cassidy said.

“Please,” Emma said, giving him a look. “You were there for the entertainment.”

“I remember everything.” His voice was low. Raspy. Intimate.

Emma closed her eyes, even though he wasn’t looking at her.

“I remember every damned thing,” he continued, gaze still straight ahead. “I remember how I thought you were so shy up until our first date when I realized you had a bawdy, brash sense of humor. I still remember the jolt I got when you first touched my hand. I remember our first kiss, our first fight.” He took a deep breath. “I remember our last kiss, our last fight.”

“Cassidy.” Her voice was a whisper.

He grinned then. She saw it out of the corner of her eye. “I love that you’ve only ever called me Cassidy.”

She shrugged. “It was all anyone called you back then.”

“Which made sense when everyone knew me best by what was written on my jersey. But you’ve kept it up even with my soccer days long behind me. And you’ve got everyone else doing it, too. Nobody ever calls me Alex.”

“Emma pressed her lips together, not wanting to admit that part of the reason she held on to the old name was because she was trying to hold on to the old memories, in some tiny, harmless way.”

“He turned to face her, his familiar features shadowed. “Ask me what else I remember.”

She started to turn away, but his hand touched her arm.

“Ask me,” he commanded.

Emma shook her head, feeling both terrified and the most alive she’d felt in years.

He waited patiently until her eyes met his. “I remember us, Emma.”

#emmacassidy #emmasinclair #emma sinclair #alexcassidy #alex cassidy #emmacassidy quotes #slas #slas series #lauren layne #laurenlayne #lauren layne books #lauren layne series #oxford series #sex love & stiletto #sexlove&stiletto

[stilettoedits]

like or reblog if you save, or give credits to © aiexsinciair on twitter

#book headers #header #headers #sexloveandstiletto #stilettoheaders #sexloveandstilettoheader #sexloveandstilettoheaders #sexlove&stiletto #sexloveandstiletto headers #stiletto edits #stiletto headers #grace brighton #jake malone #grace e jake #grace and jake #grace brighton headers #jake malone headers #grace brighton jake malone headers #jakegrace #laurenlayneheaders #laurenlayne #lauren layne #lauren layne headers #lauren layne header

[iheartgracie]

sex love & stiletto series quotes part 1

“What are we dealing with here? Herpes? Butt plugs? Necrophilia?”

Necrophilia? Julie stared at her best friend. “What is wrong with you? I said it was awful, not completely creepy.”

Riley shrugged. “You say potato, I say poh-tah-to.”

“Actually, nobody says poh-tah-to,” Grace muttered.”

“How am I supposed to add a personal touch to a story about something I’ve never experienced?”

“Interview women who have been through it,” Grace said practically, sounding exactly like Camille.

“Go undercover,” Riley said at the exact same time.”

“Mitchell is not my boyfriend,” Julie said.

“Um, how do you figure? You’re seeing him on weekend days and weeknights. How many times has that happened, Grace?”

“Hmm, let me count . . . Zero, and never.”

“Exactly,”

“Grace and Riley exchanged a meaningful glance, looking very much like they wanted to burst out laughing.

“What?” Julie snapped.

Grace tried unsuccessfully to wipe the smirk from her face. “Hon, what you described most definitely has a name.”

“Yup,” Riley said, taking a slurp of her macchiato. “It’s called . . . oh, what’s the word? . . . a relationship.”

“Cheers to Greg,” Riley said, lifting her cocktail to be clinked.

Julie choked on her martini. “You’re not suggesting we toast to the guy who cheated on Grace?”

“Ri … Emma and I are the only ones in the restaurant, aren’t we?”

“Well …”

“Come on now, Grace,” said a new voice. “You didn’t really think we’d miss out on Operation That’s What She Said?”

Grace’s eyes fluttered closed. Julie was here too. “Oh no.”

“The gang’s all here!” Riley said, sounding quite pleased with herself.”

“Riley cooed in delight. “You guys did the nasty in the restaurant bathroom, didn’t you? How was it?”

Julie stared at Riley in fascination. “Sometimes I think your rep as Stiletto’s sexpert is going to your head. Why would that be your first assumption?” Then she glanced at Grace. “Did you do it in the bathroom?”

“We pitched this as two love experts going toe-to-toe. They want to see the final showdown.”

“That sounds really lovely,” Grace said. “Why not just put us in a boxing ring?”

“Too dark,” Camille said. “The lighting would be awful.”

“Well, gosh, if the lighting’s awful, let’s call the whole thing off,” Emma said.”

“Riley had mistakenly thought that Julie Greene and Mitchell Forbes—Stiletto’s other power couple—were some sort of gross anomaly of in-loveness, but Grace and Jake were giving them a run for their money on the totally smitten scale.”

“Where’s Mitchell?” Riley asked, belatedly noticing that Julie’s fiancé wasn’t affixed to her side as usual.

“Talking to Alex,” Julie said with a wave. “I heard the word soccer and bailed.”

“Ah, well, if Alex is here, Emma must be—”

“Drinking heavily at the bar,” came the husky drawl from behind them.”

“within a year, they’d not only become the golden girls of the magazine, they’d become the It girls of the city.”

“Riley took a big gulp of wine. “I propositioned him.”

She waited for the gasps of surprise and the ohmygodyoudidn’ts, but none were forthcoming. Riley glanced at her friends. “Nobody looks surprised.”

“Oh, we’re surprised. Surprised that it took this long.”

“But it wasn’t always disappointing,” Julie said, fishing.

Emma hesitated before answering. “Not always. In fact, it used to be pretty great.”

Grace and Riley exchanged a mischievous glance. “Saaaay … when you were with Cassidy?”

Emma’s lips pressed together in a firm line. “No comment.”

“Really?” Emma drawled. “Because last inning, the ball literally sat still at your feet for a good forty-five seconds while you fanned Maria’s brother with your eyelashes.”

“I’m sorry, did you not just see me speed across home plate?” Riley asked, pointing at the field.

Julie pursed her lips. “I thought I saw a brunette trot across home plate. I didn’t see anything resembling speed.”

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[iheartgracie]

oxford group quotes

“All right, young Lincoln, you may ask us sex gods our opinion,” Jake said.

“Actually, I was looking for Penelope.”

Jake looked crestfallen. “I thought I was your go-to sex advice guy.”

“Uh, I’m his go-to sex advice guy,” Cole said. “Lincoln comes to me when he needs fodder for his stories. You’re an old married fuddy-duddy—”

“Who gets sex every night,” Jake shot back. “Can you say the same?”

Penelope couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Cole. Could he say the same?

Cole narrowed his eyes at Jake, who grinned. “Thought not.”

Penelope smiled, enjoying their easy banter.”

“Why do I get the feeling we just walked into one of their disastrous plans?”

Cassidy shook his head, but he too looked wary. “I don’t know. But they’ve already got most of us ringed or on the way to the altar.”

“Most of us,” Jake said. “But not all.”

The other four men turned their attention to Cole and Lincoln, who’d both been looking at their phones and missed the whole thing.

They looked up, then looked at each other in confusion.

“Uh, what’d we miss?” Cole asked.

Julie’s husband, Mitchell, clapped Cole on the shoulder. “Don’t even worry about it, man. Chances are you don’t want to know.”

“A strange wheeling noise sounded from the hallway, and Cole shifted to see Lincoln scoot his way into Cassidy’s office while still seated in his office chair.

“Seriously, dude?” Jake asked. “You wheeled in here? Nobody does that past the age of eight on Take Your Kid to Work Day.”

Lincoln shrugged as he shuffled his feet, scooting forward until his chair was on the other side of Cole’s. “What? Cassidy only has two chairs, so I brought my own.”

“For what?” Cole asked. “Group therapy? Why do I get the feeling this doesn’t have to do with my work on the actual magazine?”

“Because that would be boring,” Lincoln said.

Cole glanced to his right and gave Lincoln a once-over. “Dude, are you wearing a pink tie?”

Lincoln glanced down. “I rock it. You know I do.”

“Don’t you knock?” Cole asked.

“I don’t know, Jake, do we knock?” Lincoln said, raising his voice and looking to his left. “I’m pretty sure we don’t.”

“You don’t know what sport I played?”

If anyone noticed his subtle emphasis on the past tense, they didn’t show it.

Lincoln gave a sigh and leaned back in his chair once more. “So sue me. I don’t watch ESPN.”

“Or turn on the news, or watch the Super Bowl . . . ” Penelope muttered.

“Hey, I watched the Super Bowl,” Lincoln said. “Nearly cried at the Bud commercial with the horse.”

“Is this how you get so many women?” Cole asked, sounding appalled.”

“And I was thinking that since Lincoln here is—”

“A man whore?” Cole said.

Jackson smiled. “I was thinking that since Lincoln was single, he might be interested.”

“Sure,” Lincoln said with a shrug.

“Well, that was easy,” Jackson said, surprised by the man’s quick capitulation.

“It’s like I said. Man whore,” Cole muttered.”

“What?” he asked.

“You just said she has a ‘great smile,’ ” Cole said. “And you’re telling me you’re not into this woman?”

“Cole has a point,” Penelope said. “Guys only say a woman has a great smile when they’re super not attracted to her or they’re secretly in love with her.”

“Oh my God,” Jackson said, running his hands through his hair in irritation. “Then I guess it’s the first one. I’m not attracted to her. Also, are you guys always like this?”

“No, no, we’re usually much worse,” Jake said.”

“You really got this for me?”

“Thought it might be fun to join the competition to be your favorite. I’ve stayed out of the fray until now, because let’s face it, it’s not even a fair fight. But do me a favor—take a picture of Cole and Lincoln’s faces when they roll their asses in here and see that I’ve beaten them to the punch.”

“Whatever. I’ll get a salad at lunch. Unless, of course, Cassidy’s buying . . .”

“I’m not buying!” Cassidy said,”

“Ooh, he said corral,” Cole said, elbowing Jackson. “Another cowboy term for you!”

“You guys know that my house was in the ’burbs, right? Not a ranch? I haven’t even seen a horse since I was eight.”

“Well, this is highly disappointing,”

“If I’d known this is what your lunches were like, I’d have tagged along weeks ago.”

“They’re not usually,” Jake said as they sat around a round table. “Cassidy’s just trying to butter you up so you’re extra chatty when Cole and Penelope interview you.”

Cassidy only lifted a shoulder as he opened his menu. ���That’s basically true.”

Jackson glanced around the table. “So . . . everyone knows about that, huh?”

“Are you kidding?” Cole said. “They’ve been trying to hijack my story.”

“Calm down, princess. Nobody’s trying to hijack your story,” Lincoln said.

“Well, you’re not, because you hate football. But everyone else has given me so much uninvited input, I’m thinking of putting a suggestion box outside my door.”

“Don’t even question it, man. You’re one of us now. No more secrets.”

“Mollie walked up and stood between Jake Malone and Alex Cassidy, both barely glancing at her as they muttered distracted hellos. She jerked her chin to where her boyfriend sat perfectly still holding both hands out in front of him, his fingers shaped like L’s and touching at the thumbs, as Lincoln sat across the table from him with a triangular piece of folded paper.”

“So,” she said casually, “what’s happening here?”

“Paper football,” Jake said without looking away from the table.

“Uh-huh,” she said. “And everyone is riveted by this third-grade phenomenon because . . .?”

“Because whoever wins gets to be my best man,” Cassidy responded without glancing at her.”

“Jake came over and shook his head. “Sucks, man. I’ve known you longest.”

Cassidy gave him a look. “I know you lost in the first round on purpose.”

Jake smiled guiltily. “I don’t want to wear a tux.”

“Fine, but no boutonniere.”

Cassidy leaned down toward Mollie. “Make sure to mention to Emma that I want boutonnieres for all the men, would you? Pink, something lavish.”

Jake ignored this and turned his attention toward the table. “Lincoln, what in the hell are you doing? Just flick the damn thing already.”

“Seriously,” Jackson muttered. “My hands are getting tired.”

“Sucks for you, Molls. The man has cramping hands,” Jake said.

“Not too cramped to do this,” Jackson said, lifting his middle finger at Jake with a grin before resuming the field goal position. “Mathis, for God’s sake, end this.”

“If Lincoln makes this, he wins,” Cassidy explained. “Although I’m thinking I should have set a time limit.”

“Lincoln came barreling at Cassidy, wrapping his arms around the other man’s shoulders in a comical, one-sided man hug.

“From here on out, just call me BM,” Lincoln said, resting his head on Cassidy’s shoulder and batting his eyelashes.

“Bowel movement?” Cole said in sham confusion.

“Best man,” Lincoln corrected haughtily.

“All right,” Cassidy muttered, trying to fend off Lincoln’s man hug. “That’s enough.”

“Emma stared at him with wide, slightly accusatory brown eyes. “The what?”

“The stamen. The pollen-producing part of a flower, Sinclair. Don’t you watch the Discovery Channel? Animal Planet? I just saw a fascinating documentary on bees. See, when the bees land on a flower, their little feet pick up pollen from the stamen—”

“Mathis. Are you talking to my fiancée about semen?” Alex Cassidy asked, coming up beside Emma and setting a possessive hand on her waist.

“Stamen,” Lincoln clarified. “Not semen. Honestly, is sex all you people think about?”

“Yes.” This came from Riley Compton, a brunette bombshell whose status as New York’s foremost “sexpert” meant she had zero qualms about discussing sex at her best friend’s rehearsal dinner. “And you know, actually, the stamen is rather sexual. I saw that bee documentary too, because these are the sort of things you do when you’re nursing a never-satisfied baby, by the way, and the stamen is a flower’s male reproductive organ. Sexy, right?”

Emma inserted the arm not holding her champagne flute between the two of them. “Guys, it’s my wedding weekend. Can we not talk about flower boners?”

“Fair enough, bride,” Lincoln said. “What[…]”

“Gosh, however will I keep my hands to myself?” Lincoln muttered.

“Lincoln, I swear to God—”

“He’s messing with you, Em,”

“The second she got in reach, Lincoln scooped her up. “Ki loves to Skype, don’t you, baby?”

“Cole!” Penelope shouted. “Come look at our godbaby!”

“That’s not a baby,” Cole said, coming into view and nudging Penelope out of the way, taking a huge bite of folded pizza. “It’s a rat with a bow. Lincoln, why is that rat wearing a bow?”

“Nick’s a part-time bartender,” Penelope told Lincoln. “Sometimes he can be talked into making cocktails in the break room in the afternoon.”

“All right, so, it’s bad but not desperate. I didn’t have her crying on the floor,” he said with a look at Mitchell.

“Nor did I fly to Texas.” This Lincoln said with a glance at Jackson.

“Nor did I ditch her on her wedding day,” he said to Cassidy, who calmly gave him the middle finger.”

“Make me another of these and I’ll give you something to work with,” Hunter said.

Nick glared. “Great. And then we can paint each other’s nails after?”

Lincoln raised his hand. “I’m in.”

Jackson punched Lincoln’s hand down with more force than necessary. “No.”

“ot worth dwelling on is a good shag.”

Lincoln, Jackson, and Nick all stared at him.

“Shag?” Nick said.

Hunter shrugged. “I have English relatives.”

“Explains the Prince Harry ginger hair,” Jackson muttered.”

“Daisy reached out and shoved Taylor’s menu to the table. “You and Nick. Details. Now.”

Taylor sighed and took a sip of her water. “Is this the only reason you girls took me to lunch today?”

“No,” Daisy said, at the exact same time Brit said, “Yes.”

“Hold up,” Nick interrupted. “Maybe that’s her point. She’s just. Not really a word any of us want applied to us, right?”

Hunter gave him an annoyed look. “Just because you’re a writer doesn’t mean you always have to go all deep and shit.”

Nick was not only a part-time writer for Oxford, filling in wherever there was a need, but he wrote fiction as well.

“Can’t help it,” Nick said with a grin, tapping his temple with one finger. “Big brain.”

“Big ego too,” Lincoln added from behind them.”

“Hunter is Brit’s love coach,” Penelope announced.

“Like Hitch?” Jake asked, leaning against the doorjamb. “That movie?”

“Yes!” Penelope said, snapping her fingers. “I didn’t even see the similarities until now, but you’re totally right!”

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[iheartgracie]

slas/oxford group quotes

“the entire group was crowded around the kitchen, passing paper plates so that Cassidy and Emma didn’t have any dishes to take care of before their early-morning flight the next day. More wine was consumed, the group growing ever louder as they talked over one another”

“she placed a piece of sandwich on a paper plate and held it out to him. “Eat this sandwich, you’re acting hangry, sweetie.”

Lincoln resisted the urge to bat the plate out of her hand like a child, and instead glared.

Riley shrugged and picked up the rejected sandwich. “Is now a good time to tell you that Sam can’t make it?” she asked, taking a huge bite.

“Jesus, Ri, are you pregnant again?” Emma asked. “You’re eating a lot, even for you.”

Riley licked mayo off her thumb. “Sadly, no. Lady time is roaring loud and clear.”

“No,” Jackson said, as he dropped his own sandwich back on his plate in disgust. “Just no. There are rules for these sorts of things, Riley. No talking about your lady time while people are eating.”

“Or,” Jake said, raising his soda, “how about not talking about it ever?”

Cole clinked his Coke can against Jake’s. “Here here.”

“What do you mean, Sam’s not coming?” Lincoln asked, ignoring the banter that was normally right up his alley.

Riley sighed. “He’s in a whiskey tasting. He didn’t know.”

“Fine,” Lincoln grumbled. “But I need…”

“Bourbon?” Cassidy said, coming back into the conference room armed with a bottle of Blanton’s and a stack of plastic cups.

“God, yes,” everyone said, almost in unison.”

“Cole wooed me back in rather impressive fashion,” Penelope said, staring adoringly at Cole.

“Only because I helped,” Cassidy muttered as he poured himself some of the bourbon.

“None of you have anything on me,” Jake said. “I got my woman back at a baseball game in front of an entire stadium.”

“Yeah, I’m taking credit for that one,” Cole said. “I was ready to put my tongue in Grace’s mouth so she wouldn’t be humiliated by your idiot cowardice.”

“For what it’s worth,” Mitchell Forbes said from the doorway of the conference room, impeccably dressed as ever in his pinstripes and wire-frame glasses, “I got Julie back all on my own.”

“Um, only after you had me on my knees on the ground, crying,” Julie said, even as she gave him a loving, indulgent look.

Mitchell lifted a shoulder. “Made the whole finale more dramatic.”

“Yes,” Lincoln said, going to Mitchell and clamping the other man on the shoulder. “This is what I’m talking about. I need drama, people. Fireworks.”

“What about literal fireworks?” Jackson asked. “That could be catchy.”

Everyone stared at him, then Mollie. “Good God, Molls, however did he land you?” Riley asked in awe.”

“I paid Cassidy to keep them at bay. I love this weird Stiletto/Oxford family of ours to death, but I’m not entirely convinced that they won’t steal our children.”

“But, damn, he was going to miss it. And them.

“We know,” Grace Malone said, coming up beside him and resting her head against his shoulder. “We’ll miss you too.”

He glanced down with a smile at the pretty brunette. “Did I say it out loud?”

“No,” Jake Malone said, taking a sip of his beer. “But how could you not miss us.”

“Super true,” Penelope chimed in. “We’re the best.”

“To the Stiletto and Oxford people in attendance tonight: For once in your lives, if you’d actually do as I say, please get your asses onto the dance floor to join Daisy and Lincoln in their first dance….”

“And they’d had this crew. They’d had the ladies of Stiletto, the men of Oxford (plus Penelope), who’d stayed with them every step of the way. The distance hadn’t mattered. It would never matter.

They’d all be there. For one another. Always.”

“The gang’s all here!” Riley said, sounding quite pleased with herself.”

Jake lifted his glass to interrupt. “And to all of you, for being the best wedding party, with the absolute worst toast.”

“Emma felt an overwhelming surge of warmth and gratitude for this group of warm, bubbling friends”

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[iheartgracie]

lincoln mathis soft quotes part 3

“Well, I have only known you for all of forty-eight hours,” she said with a smile.

“Sure, but in that forty-eight hours we had a wedding-speech duel, drank a river of Jack Daniel’s, and there was that striptease…”

“What’s your plan for real though?”

He shrugged. “Ask all the Scarlett O’Haras around here what qualifies as Prince Charming. I’m pretty sure they’ll just point at me.”

“and a pitcher of my homemade lemonade. Pink lemonade, because you’re you.”

“You’re good to me,”

“Second bedroom’s the other way, should you and Kiwi get in a fight and need a break from cuddling.”

“I bet you can guess which one of us sleeps on the proverbial couch when that happens,”

“We did good, Daiz.”

Daisy took a sip of her margarita and rolled her eyes. “Oh did we?”

“Hey, I cut a lime. Lincoln, baby, did you see me cut that lime?”

“I sure did. None of this would have been possible without you.”

“Wallflower. I’ve got this.”

She lifted her eyebrows in challenge. “Do you, city boy? Because I’ve seen your apartment. The stove had a sort of ‘never been used’ look about it, the microwave had a very used look about it, and your cell phone has three different food delivery apps on it.”

“Just because I don’t cook doesn’t mean I can’t.”

Daisy fixed him with a look.

“All right,” he admitted. “So I can’t cook. At all. But grilling is different.”

“That’s why you made me wear the jeans and the T-shirt. It’s a damn uniform.”

“You’re going to have to really sell this.”

“Sell what? Fake car problems?”

“Sometimes I think…I don’t know. I think you’re the reason I’m still standing.”

“You don’t like the classics?”

“Sure. Godfather. Rocky. Mighty Ducks.”

She laughed. “The Mighty Ducks is not a classic.”

“Is too”

“I don’t know I’ve ever seen him jealous before. I mean, the guy didn’t even notice my chocolate chip muffin. The Lincoln I know…”

She broke off as Daisy cleared her throat loudly, just as Lincoln came marching back into the office.

Neither woman said anything as he stopped beside Grace.

He plucked Grace’s muffin out of her hand, and walked out of the office once more, taking a bite as he did so.”

“I paid Cassidy to keep them at bay. I love this weird Stiletto/Oxford family of ours to death, but I’m not entirely convinced that they won’t steal our children.”

“Penelope went on her toes and pecked his cheek. “You’re my favorite. And I’m so happy for you.”

“And even as his daughter opened her tiny mouth and let loose with a barrage of not-too-tiny screams, Lincoln knew it was true.

At long last, his heart had found its happiness.”

“Shut it, Cassidy. I don’t seem to remember you having all your shit figured out with Emma.”

“I wasn’t this bad,” Cassidy muttered.

“Really? It only took you, what, eight years to lock that down?” Lincoln asked.

“Can’t help it,” Nick said with a grin, tapping his temple with one finger. “Big brain.”

“Big ego too,” Lincoln added from behind them.”

“You do remember there’s a deadline at five o’clock tonight?”

“I turned mine in early,” Lincoln said. “You must have missed it.”

“I don’t miss shit, and you don’t do early,” Cassidy pointed out.

“Worth a shot,” Lincoln muttered as he too disappeared.”

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[iheartgracie]

lincoln mathis soft quotes part 2

“Lincoln, man, what is with that drink?”

Lincoln glanced down. “It’s called a Jasmine. Gin, lemon, some Campari—”

“It’s pink,” Cassidy observed.

“Right? You want one?”

“Lincoln had enough to worry about. The ring, reconfirming transportation to the church tomorrow, the speech that he was going to slay tomorrow”

“Daisy thought Emma had been joking when she’d said pink was the best man’s idea. Now she wasn’t so sure.”

“Mission accepted.”

“Wait, what? I don’t want—”

“To fall in love with this city? Sure you do.”

“So where are we headed?” she asked as they began walking down the sidewalk. “Empire State Building? Statue of Liberty? Brooklyn Bridge?”

“Not tonight, love, I don’t have my fanny pack or selfie stick.”

“Then where to?”

“Dive bar.”

“Um, you’re in a tux and this dress is silk.”

“So we’ll skip the beer pong. Live a little.”

“Daisy looked up and laughed. “When you said ‘dive bar,’ I thought you meant a dive bar, not that that was its actual name.”

“What can I say, I like things literal.”

She snorted. “You do not.”

“Says the woman who’s known me for twenty-four hours.”

“If it makes you feel better, I turned my back while you stripteased your way out of it.”

Daisy let out a horrified laugh. “I did not.”

“I can’t say for sure, what with my back turned and all, but there was quite a bit of humming of what seemed to be Britney Spears.”

“Do I have time to change really quick, or are you digging the pink dress?”

He smiled. “Go change. Maybe something blue so we can match like we did last night and be adorable.”

“You can turn on music if you want.”

“Do you want music?”

He glanced over with a quick smile. “Depends. Do you sing Britney Spears when sober as well as tipsy?”

“I already told her that yes, we left together, but I didn’t violate you.”

“You say that because you didn’t see the Britney striptease.”

“Did you just trick me into shopping with you?”

“Impressive, right?”

He let out an incredulous laugh. “I don’t know whether to hug you in admiration or strangle you in irritation.”

“She’d made him go shopping, for God’s sake. Then somehow talked him into carrying her bags.

Which…

Lincoln hated shopping.

Hated. Shopping.”

“Mathis. Care to explain your behavior last night?”

“Not without a drink,”

“nothing happened. Scout’s honor.”

Her eyes, so like Daisy’s, narrowed. “You were a Boy Scout?”

“Yes. Although only because I thought it would be like the Girl Scouts and that there’d be cookies.”

“I was, but so was he,” Daisy said with a mock glare at Lincoln.

“Now, now, Wallflower. You were a little bit funny too.”

“I was not,” she grumbled. “I was too busy trying to get them to cry.”

“Yeah no, you weren’t that funny,” he admitted. “Don’t stress, not everyone has my raw talent.”

“Took your advice about keeping The Ladies away. You’re right, nobody likes a guy with a rash, no matter how I swore it wasn’t itchy.”

“Is it hard then? Being so handsome you literally can’t keep them away?”

“So hard, Wallflower. Last night I cried about it.”

“Lincoln, you know they make crap bags in colors other than pink and purple.”

“Sure. But they wouldn’t go with my outfit,”

“Seriously, are we here to eat Chinese and play poker, or should I turn on Adele and pour us some rosé?”

“You say that like it’s not a regular thing for you,” Jake said.

Cole began singing the opening notes of “Rolling in the Deep,” with the usually reserved Mitchell joining in harmony.

Lincoln laughed. “Jesus. I need another beer.”

“Seriously, are we here to eat Chinese and play poker, or should I turn on Adele and pour us some rosé?”

“You say that like it’s not a regular thing for you,” Jake said.

“We need to talk.”

“You sure you’re not breaking up with me?”

“Do your worst, would you?”

Lincoln grinned and headed to the front door. “You want to really defile the place, you need a German shepherd, but Ki will do what she can with her pebble-size craps.”

“There are eight bedrooms. You and Kiwi could each have your own.”

“No can do. Ki’s a cuddler.”

“Ah. Big spoon?” Daisy asked.

“Obviously”

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[iheartgracie]

lincoln mathis soft quotes part 1

“Hey, Sharpe. Do you know where they keep a fire extinguisher in here?” Lincoln asked, looking around the luxury suite of Yankee Stadium.

Cole tore his gaze away from the woman and her damn notebook. “What for?”

“If you stare at that girl any harder, she’s going to burst into flames”

“I wasn’t staring.”

“Don’t insult our bromance,” Lincoln said cheerfully.

“Keep running your mouth and we won’t have a bromance.” Cole forced himself not to look at the woman again.”

“Lincoln Mathis looked like the type who’d like his coffee black. But he had a dirty little secret: a serious sweet tooth.”

“just a woman who wouldn’t mind grabbing drinks with a good-looking guy.”

“I refuse to vouch for the good-looking part,”

“A strange wheeling noise sounded from the hallway, and Cole shifted to see Lincoln scoot his way into Cassidy’s office while still seated in his office chair.

Why do I get the feeling this doesn’t have to do with my work on the actual magazine?”

“Because that would be boring,”

Cole glanced to his right and gave Lincoln a once-over. “Dude, are you wearing a pink tie?”

Lincoln glanced down. “I rock it. You know I do.”

“Lincoln, shut the door,” Cassidy said.

Lincoln rolled backward, still refusing to get off the chair.”

“Don’t do that weird sporty-hero-worship thing now. You’ll send him scurrying back to his cave.”

“I mean . . . I know Lincoln—”

“Bow down, peons,” Lincoln said. “I’m a king among men.”

“Hey, I watched the Super Bowl,” Lincoln said. “Nearly cried at the Bud commercial with the horse.”

“Hey, Mathis.”

“Aww, look at us all being friends,” Lincoln said, punching his shoulder.”

“You know, I’ve gotta say, I think this is the first time I’ve picked up a date from another man’s house. You going to be there? See us off, maybe remind us of her curfew and then list all the ways you’ll dismember me if I don’t get her home in time?”

“Got a minute?” Alex Cassidy said as Jackson and Lincoln stopped in front of him.

“Jackson is in trouble, Jackson is in trouble,” Lincoln chanted in a singsong voice.”

“Dude,” Jackson said. “What are you drinking?”

Lincoln held out a plastic cup filled with pale pink froth. “Strawberry Frappuccino, extra whip. Want some? Or is your manhood threatened?”

“Okay, fine, you caught me. Got laid by the hot bartender in the apartment below me. But then I went back upstairs and cuddled with Kiwi.”

“Who the hell is Kiwi?”

“My dog,” Lincoln said, as though this were obvious.

Jackson shook his head. “You drink pink beverages, you’re wearing a tie clip, and you have a dog named Kiwi. Please tell me Kiwi is a big-ass German shepherd.”

“Nope. Maltese. Five pounds of white fluff that would fit in your hand.”

“That’s sweet,” Jackson said, taking a sip of his coffee. “Do you put bows in her hair?”

“No,” Lincoln said. “She never lets me.”

“Ooh, he said corral,” Cole said, elbowing Jackson. “Another cowboy term for you!”

“You guys know that my house was in the ’burbs, right? Not a ranch? I haven’t even seen a horse since I was eight.”

“Well, this is highly disappointing,”

They’ve been trying to hijack my story.”

“Calm down, princess. Nobody’s trying to hijack your story,” Lincoln said.

“Lincoln lifted his hands. “This is why I have no love life. Too messy.”

“Correction. That is why you have lots of love lives,” Jake said.

“Guilty.”

“Lincoln erupted from the table, hands held victoriously in the air as though he’d just won the Super Bowl.

Jackson cursed softly, but Mollie saw he was grinning as Lincoln burst into Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”

“I don’t hit on women.”

Emma gave him a look.

He held up his free hand in surrender. “I don’t. They come to me. I’m like the stamen.”

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[iheartgracie]

brithunter quotes part 2

“He reached out and pinched her toe. She squeaked but didn’t emerge from beneath the pillow.

Hunter kicked back the covers on the couch and climbed onto the foot of the bed, crawling up until he was lying alongside her.

He pulled at the pillow. She held fast.

“All right, then,” he said in a reasonable tone.

He reached down and tickled the side of her waist, where he knew for a fact she was brutally ticklish.

She gave a laughing shriek, and he was ready, tugging the pillow away the second her grip loosened.

Brit instantly grabbed the pillow back, but instead of re-covering her face, she thwacked him with it. “Out of line. Way out of line.”

“Desperate times,” he said, pulling one of her extra pillows under his head and lying down to face her.”

“he smiled when he heard her laugh in delight.”

“Keeping one arm wrapped fully around her, he tugged the glove of his free hand off with his teeth and tucked it under his arm.

This time, when he touched her face, it wasn’t with a gloved finger, and it wasn’t her nose.

Instead, Hunter brushed a finger along her lower lip and she froze, seeming to hold her breath.

“You’re flushed,” he said quietly. “You look beautiful.”

“Even more alarming, it had been…nice. She’d liked Hunter touching her. She’d liked the way he looked at her.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not packing my boxes anytime soon,” he said with a small smile, his attention back on the TV. “So don’t throw the celebratory he’s gone party just yet.”

“Shoot,” she said, tossing her phone onto the bed. “I’ve already gotten the he’s finally gone posters printed and everything.”

“Do I have to?”

“Unless you want to fail my class. Then I’d have to tell your parents that you’re flunking out of seduction school. It’ll be uncomfortable for all of us.”

She laughed at the appalling thought of her best friend telling her conservative parents that she’d failed a seduction class. Then she obeyed and closed her eyes. “Okay. Ready.”

He chuckled. “Really? Because you look braced for something painful. Relax.”

“Well, I can’t!” she said with another laugh. “You try closing your eyes not knowing what’s going to happen; tell me if you relax.”

“Brit.”

She took a breath, exhaled, trying to calm herself. “Fine. Go.”

“Go, she says. So romantic,” he muttered.”

“For a moment, neither of them moved, and Brit felt the hesitation in him, even as she felt the longing that matched her own.

This. This was yearning. This was wanting….”

“I care about you too damn much to lose my best friend. But damn it, Brit, I want you. I’ve been wanting you. And I think you want me too.”

“She paused in the process of wiping her face with her towel. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Because I adore you. I adore this.”

“Hunter took a bite of egg roll, not taking his eyes off the screen. “Why are you staring at me?”

“You watch me sleep,” she retorted, not bothering to deny it. “I think we’re even.”

“Brit wanted Hunter in the all-consuming, falling-for-him kind of way. She wanted to come home to him every day, to hold his hand, to kiss him whenever she wanted. To sleep with him, yes, but also to wake up beside him.”

“What question?” Damn, this cocktail was growing on him. He might need another.

Taylor touched his elbow, gentler that he would have expected. “Do you love her?”

Hunter looked at her in exasperated irritation. “Of course I love her.”

“His hands caught her face, cupping it as he tilted it up to him. “I can’t do long distance because I can’t bear to go hours without seeing you, much less days. Weeks. Months. I can’t do it, Brit. I need you too damn much. As my friend. As my lover. As my everything. Which is why I need to ask, and like I said, I have no right…”

He closed his eyes and then opened them, and she saw they were damp. “Come with me. Please come with me.”

“He looked back. “This is a plane ticket.”

She smiled. “It is.”

“Your name. Tomorrow. Kansas City.”

“Your exact same flight,” she said quietly. “Nick did some spying.”

Hunter took a step back, giving his head a shake, and then he looked around her apartment at the suitcases. “You’re serious.”

“You need me,” she said simply. “You may not know it, but you need your best friend right now, and despite what I said the other night, that’s me. It’ll always be me, Hunter.”

“Boyfriend?” she asked, not daring to hope.

“I’d like that a hell of a lot more than just friends,” he said, his gaze locking on hers.

“Me too,” she whispered.”

“For a moment they just smiled at each other, their smiles getting wider and wider until they turned into big goofy grins.”

“Then Hunter’s entire face softened with tenderness. “God, I love you.”

“I know. I love you too,” she said, wiping away happy tears.

“No,” he said, coming toward her and grabbing her hands. “No, I mean I’m in love with you, Brit. Hopelessly, until the end of time.”

“What do you think?” Hunter asked as he snagged another glass of champagne off a passing tray. “Our wedding’s going to be this great, right?”

Brit gave him an exasperated look. “You can’t propose at someone else’s wedding. It’s bad form.”

He glanced down and smiled before brushing a kiss over her lips. “Have I not proposed yet?”

“Nope. And I want fancy. Public. A spectacle.”

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