“A beau needs to love you for who you are, not who you’re tryin’ to be.”

“Some people I know should walk around with written warnings on, like the ones you find on cigarette packages.”

“He didn’t like personal questions. But, to be fair, he never really asked them either.”

“Looking at him felt like a torment. Her heart was beating faster with every second, trying to jump out of her chest. Fear and desire, before unknown, were coming over her like strong, powerful waves, breaking somewhere below her waist.”

“Her entire previous life had left her absolutely unprepared for this day. Or rather for this morning.”

“His hands worked magic but his heart was cold as ice.”

“Arina had no idea what she wanted except that she wanted to be with him.”

“He was sure: no one had ever caused her to feel that before. It felt like playing with fire.”

“You ran away from me and I’m not used to people running away from me.”

“He wanted Arina This thought filled her body with happiness. She was crazy!”

“From a distance, every relationship is similar—an old story with a new face. But if you know how to really look at things—you’ll see that every man is the first man—and every place is Eden.”

“When you were dealing with a person separated from everybody by an invisible thick glass wall – like a bubble where he didn’t let anybody in – every little thing mattered.”

“First coming aboard, a new arrival makes a cautious survey of the crew, trying to winnow the affable and good-natured from the surly and truculent. Some of the crewmen will seem easygoing, happy-go-lucky, good-fellows-all; others may appear to be reserved or even aloof. Yet I found that at the end of a voyage these aloof ones were often the persons whom I grew to like and respect the most, while those who seemed so agreeable turned out to be rascals.”

“Arina still remembered his hands holding her tight, not letting her escape.”

“I’ve often noticed that there is a moment when a man develops enough confidence and ease in a relationship to bore you to death. Sometimes one hardly even notices it’s happened, that moment, until some careless remark arouses one’s suspicions. I have found that what usually brings this lethargy on is if the woman displays some special kindness. Like making dinner.”