“Without hesitation but with a sense of entitlement, he lifted my hand to his lips. He was gentlemen-like in every way… I don’t know why I wondered if it was an act or for real.”

“Uhm, Kevin…””Be quiet, or I swear to God I’ll take you right here.”Yes, this was definitely Forced Sex.Thank goodness.”

“I had liked him for all the wrong reasons.”

“I worked in a grocery store my whole life, Honey-girl. I know what lonely housewives think of this.”“I meant the baby, Jerk.”“Attached to me.”“You think you’re cute, don’t you?”“Are you honestly asking me this? I know you’re not debating it.”

“I’d lick you numb, Mariah. You have no idea the things I’m capable of.”

“My head is in a world of hurt. My apartment is trashed. At the end of today, I could either be dating the girl who saves my family’s future or is going to be the ending of it. When did life get so damn complicated?”

“I think you better hurry along with that French toast making, Stud. You know—before my fetus eats your face.”“It would be equally as delicious.”

“Petey Samson gave the ladies an over-the-shoulder glance. He realized no doggie treat was forthcoming, even from Isabel who was usually the soft mark to hit up. He scratched his front claws to re-attack the sand.”

“Stanley forced a smile to his lips at the memory of the onesided romance; it was silly, after all, a stupid childhood crush. Who’d fall in love with a fictional character? That was the kind of thing you laughed about as an adult. Or at least Harriet had thought so. He couldn’t quite do it, though. Couldn’t quite see it as a joke. It had felt too real, too raw and wild and fierce, for him todismiss it even now. It was love, of a sort, stunted and unformed as it was. For a time, it had kept him sane.”

“The busy snoops like us can leave no stone unturned,” Alma said.”

“Megan stepping back let her glance switch from Alma to Isabel and return to Alma. No doubt about it, thought Megan. Created as much alike as any sisters ever had been, their resemblance started with their matching red-and-white polka dot blouses. Since she was a young girl, she had matched their eye colors to their different personalities.”

“Fine! He is being passive aggressive with me, and it’s gonna backfire; I’m gonna be active friendly.”

“You’re a nosy sleuth like me because you can’t help it,” Alma said.”

“She knew exactly how she ought to feel, for she was well read in our greater and lesser English poets, but the unfortunate fact was that she did not really like being kissed at all.”