“
Through the blur, I wondered if I was alone or if other parents felt the same way I did - that everything involving our children was painful in some way. The emotions, whether they were joy, sorrow, love or pride, were so deep and sharp that in the end they left you raw, exposed and yes, in pain. The human heart was not designed to beat outside the human body and yet, each child represented just that - a parent's heart bared, beating forever outside its chest.
”
”
Debra Ginsberg
“
He kept his head down in what seemed to be a prayer. “He counts. You’ve smiled at him four hundred and forty-six times as of a few minutes ago. He announces the number every time I see him.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Hello, beautiful Livia," Blake answered.
"How did you know it was me?" Livia saw her wide smile in the rear view mirror.
"The phone looked sexier when it rang.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
You make the rest of the beautiful things in the world cry for even trying at all. You make it hard for me to breathe.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Don't tie your success to anything other than what's inside you
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Beckett's probably the hardest man there is to love," Blake said. "He does life wrong for all the right reasons.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
I feel like I've always loved him, and now I just got lucky enough to find him
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
He moved to her earlobe and breathed, “First, I will blow, then I will lick, last I will bite.” Blake took his time blowing an elaborate pattern on her stomach, and Livia was pretty sure he’d spelled the word torture.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
You want to be bad, angel? I can teach you every position it comes in
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Crushed Seraphim (Seraphim, #1))
“
That wasn’t blood. It was love. It pours out of you when you lose faith.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Crushed Seraphim (Seraphim, #1))
“
Livia held her spatula as Blake whispered in her ear. “I see us just like this a hundred years from now, old and deaf. I’ll be the luckiest man.”
Emotion caught her—this was all she wanted. Simple, beautiful frittata moments with this man.
“Someday, Livia, I’ll be man enough to buy the food,” he continued. “I’ll give you an oven. I’ll try so hard.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
New mothers enter the world of parenting feeling much like Alice in Wonderland.
- Being a mother is one of the most rewarding jobs on earth and also one of the most challenging.
- Motherhood is a process. Learn to love the process.
- There is a tremendous amount of learning that takes place in the first year of your baby’s life; the baby learns a lot, too.
- It is sometimes difficult to reconcile the fantasy of what you thuoght motherhood would be like, and what you thought you would be like as a mother, with reality.
- Take care of yourself. If Mommy isn’t happy, no one else in the family is happy either.
- New mother generally need to lower their expectations.
- A good mother learns to love her child as he is and adjusts her mothering to suit her child.
”
”
Debra Gilbert Rosenberg
“
Blake took her face in his hands. “You let me touch you. Kiss you. Your skin? It feels like piano keys. My hands know just where to go.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Blake Hartt, I choose you. I deserve you. I want you.” Livia proved it by kissing his cold lips until they were warm.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Please, baby, you had to know the Devil would be well endowed.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Crushed Seraphim (Seraphim, #1))
“
He gripped the edge of the desk. “I’ve done my best to make sure my brothers have no blood on their hands,” he said with menacing quiet. “I’m going to hell for all three of us.” Beckett said defiantly.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
You're so beautiful. I can't believe you're almost mine.
”
”
Debra White Smith (First Impressions (Austen Series, #1))
“
Don't put off happiness you can have today. Tomorrow is a hope, not a promise
”
”
Debra Anastasia
“
Girl, are you on medication?” Nurse Debra asked.
“No, of course not,” Madison answered impatiently.
“Maybe you should be,” Debra muttered.
”
”
Kerrelyn Sparks (Sexiest Vampire Alive (Love at Stake, #11))
“
It isn’t sexist to acknowledge sex differences. What’s sexist is assuming that women must be the same as men in order to be treated as equals.
”
”
Debra Soh (The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths about Sex and Identity in Our Society)
“
Holy fucking dogs! You scared the uterus out of me!
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
It was like he’d just discovered fire, and she was the main ingredient.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Simple shit makes this chick crap bubbles and rainbows" -Beckett
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
When you just breathe on me, I want you. Being in your arms will melt me. Being naked with you might kill me.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Crushed Seraphim (Seraphim, #1))
“
She kissed his lips and felt his smile form. Alone in this beautiful space, Blake and Livia made things right. Blake kissed her slowly and patiently, like he had all the time in the world.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
She is leaving him, not all at once, which would be painful enough, but in a wrenching succession of separations. One moment she is here, and then she is gone again, and each journey takes her a little farther from his reach. He cannot follow her, and he wonders where she goes when she leaves.
”
”
Debra Dean (The Madonnas of Leningrad)
“
Living a spiritual life may not be easy. It demands total authenticity. It brings you to dance to a unique song that only you can hear fully, and sometimes you dance alone because no others can hear the music.
”
”
Debra Moffitt
“
We’re going to find your hobo. We’re going to work hard—work nights. Liv, we’re going to put our balls into it.” She hugged her tightly.
“When did we get balls?” Livia loved her ridiculous sister.
“Just now.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
In his head Beckett put the two of them in a big snow globe with glitter that he could shake when he wanted them to fucking sparkle together. Perfect in their condo with a dog and a kid and glitter.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
There is something about me, doll face. It’s between my legs, and I do believe a few minutes ago you were praying to it.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Crushed Seraphim (Seraphim, #1))
“
If I told you once, I told you a million times: you’re a handsome motherfucker. I’m almost gay for you.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
The room was a small square of hopelessness.
A flash of red. And then:
Dimensions: 10 ft. by 9 ft.
I swallowed a horrific giggle. Perfect. And now I knew the exact measurements of hopelessness.
”
”
Debra Driza (MILA 2.0 (MILA 2.0, #1))
“
She picked up the phone and dialed Blake's number. His silky hello made her smile.
"You're smiling, right?" His voice was so intimate.
"Of course," she murmured. "Does it still count if you don't see it?"
"It counts when I feel it," he replied.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Beckett pulled Blake’s face back to look at him and held it in his hand.
“Never alone, bro. You’re never alone as long as I live.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
You're unusual. That's better than popular if you have some courage.
”
”
Debra Dean (The Madonnas of Leningrad)
“
One never really knew what went on inside the hearts of other people, even those hearts you thought you knew as well as your own.
”
”
Debra Ginsberg (The Neighbors Are Watching)
“
Looking outside of yourself for love and acceptance, leaves your happiness in the hands of others.
”
”
Debra Beck (My Feet Aren't Ugly: A Girl's Guide to Loving Herself from the Inside Out)
“
I’m making you my wife right now, even if you cry through the whole damn thing.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
But Blake infused hope in his music. Love was the only song he knew how to play.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
And I will never, ever lose count.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
What do you have there?”
Mouse perked up at her interest. “I’m making ski masks to have on hand for bank robberies. Last night I finished the fingerless mermaid gloves for Eve. She likes her fingers free for gunplay.”
Mouse’s needles clicked together in a peaceful rhythm.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
So you’re the music note, Beckett’s obviously the knife, who’s the cross?” She stroked Blake’s tattoo.
“You’re about to find out. We’re headed to church.” Blake leaned in to kiss her forehead.
“Of course we are. That makes perfect sense.” From hell to heaven.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Livia, you make the rest of the beautiful things in the world cry for even trying at all.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
If you're playing on fucking me to death, I'm so on board with that.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Don't ever die in my head again. Please, never again,
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Do you want me to open the window?’
‘No … I still have your scent on my skin.’
‘And I have your taste in my mouth.
”
”
Debra Strattford (Worthless)
“
Know this: I love you so fucking much. No other person has been to me what you are. No one else ever will be. - Beckett
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Stop. Stop that. Tell me what happened to you.” She gently ran her fingers down the length of his chest.
Blake shook his head. “My life outside of this train station won’t touch you.” His green eyes swam with pain and determination.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
There is something about the aroma of fresh books that's totally intoxicating. A new book has a certain clean, crisp smell full of promise that is difficult to define. Sort of like the scent and feeling of just-washed bed linens at the moment you slide your legs between them.
”
”
Debra Ginsberg (Blind Submission)
“
This place's a festering whore's crotch. Do I own it?
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Beckett started the Hummer and texted Eve:
Tak4e Ur Cloth3s OFF Im on my qway
Her reply came back quick as lightning:
Take ur clothes off and f*ck yourself.
“One way or another, this chick is gonna kill me,” Beckett growled as the Hummer roared away.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Eve held his eyes and confidently licked the length of the razor-sharp blade with the tip of her tongue. Red blood beaded up on her tongue, and she licked her lips, giving them a fresh coat of color. Eve used the knife to blow a kiss in Beckett’s direction and disappeared into the crowd. Beckett forgot to keep dancing. He stood stock still with Kyle still twirling around him.
Eve had just f*cked his mind so hard, he wanted to smoke a cigarette and cuddle like some soap-watching woman.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
As Blake leaned down to accept her hug she whispered, “Remember when you and Livia tried to hog the spotlight at my wedding? Just when you and Livia get to the good part, Cole and I are going to have porno sex right there.”
She pointed discreetly at the spot to Blake’s right, and he couldn’t help but laugh.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
If you think I give a rat’s ass about that cooler, you don’t know me at all. Nothing I own is worth your pain.”
Then, quietly, he took down one of his walls for her. “I know you.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Listening to him play was like discovering an eagle in the wild. It was tumblingly bewitching. She could feel and hear genius she knew it.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
"that moment... that moment out there?" Blake pointed at the bed of army jacket, grass, and mint. "I've pictured it in my head for months. Months! I knew it would never really happen, but it kept me going. The beautiful, smiling girl would look at me like a man-a man worthy of her body, worthy of her kisses. Do you realize what a fool I am for hoping?"
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
We better get over to Beckett’s if you want to see how my day goes—before his crowd gets too raunchy.” Blake stood up and held out his hand.
“It’s eight thirty in the morning. How raunchy could they be?”
Livia wondered what, exactly, Beckett did for a living. Her question was soon answered. Everything bad.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
After soft kisses, they pressed their hands together palm to palm. The tingling scattered all over Livia's body, warming her.
"Do you feel that?" she whispered with a smile.
His lips moved in his silent count. Blake wrapped his fingers around her hand. She copied the movement. Their hands together now resembled a heart-not a cartoon rendering of the shape, but a real human heart.
He touched her lips with his and murmured, "I've been feeling it since you first smiled at me.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Blake laughed as Beckett set him back on the seat and pointed a thick finger at the organ. “You ass-f**k this bitch. Ass-f**k it.” Beckett peeked over the balcony at Cole below. “Sorry, baby. I have too much dirty in me.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Aren’t you supposed to be Jesus’ bitch?
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
This is supposed to be a touch-feely conversation where we tell you, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll always have a family here with us.’ And then we may or may not have sappy music piped in.”
Ted rolled his eyes. “That was tactful, Eve. Wonderful.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
It's better to have loved and lost, than to live with a psycho for the rest of your life
”
”
Debra Wilson
“
I can finally fucking breathe seeing you goddamn bastards.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
People who use snark attacks confuse cleverness with cruelty.
”
”
Debra Crown
“
Love is like air, babe. It's there all the time, and you don't even think about it,or you take it for granted. Then all of a sudden, you need it, or you can't breathe. You inhale, and for the first time you're aware it's keeping you alive. You feel it brush your skin all the time. Sometimes it's warm and other times it's cool, but it's there surrounding you, feeding you, holding you. When you finally realize it's love, you become vulnerable. With that new fear of not having air, you subconsciously allow someone special to breathe life for you.
”
”
Debra Kayn (Breathing His Air (Bantorus MC, #1))
“
Number 134 was one of the best. Livia had dropped her cell phone and cursed quietly, but creatively: “Hairy-ass bitch.” She’d felt Blake’s watchful eyes on her and given him an embarrassed smile. Number 134 made Blake realize she was a real, live girl.
On that day he’d had hope. Maybe a girl flawed enough to curse would someday say hello out loud. To him.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
EVE, I LOVE YOU. I LOVE THE HELL OUT OF YOU. YOU’RE ONE CRAZY BITCH!
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Oh my God! I'm engaged! I'm marrying Cole!"
"What?!" Livia squeezed her sister hard. "Let me see. When did this happen? Did you tell Dad? When is it going to be? How did he propose?"
The men stopped their congratulatory handshake to stare at the speed-talking ladies.
"Last night, not yet, four weeks from today, naked!" Kyle blurted in response
The girls became a moving, jumping circle of hug.
"Cole, you popped the question in your birthday suit?" Blake teased.
Cole put his face in his hands. "Did not think she would share that bit of information.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
No one has really seen me in years.” Blake looked at the sky. “Sometimes I wonder how they know I don’t have a home. I try to dress decently.” He waved a hand at his jeans and army jacket. “I think it just seeps out of me. I’m not the same as everyone else.” He shook his head, pulling himself out of his despair, and looked at Livia again. “But when you saw me for the first time, you actually saw me. You saw me, and then you smiled like I was just the same as everyone else on that platform.
”
”
Debra Anastasia
“
No matter what. I wouldn't let anyone change me. I wouldn't let them strip away whatever tiny parts of me were human. Assuming I had any humanity to lose.
”
”
Debra Driza (MILA 2.0 (MILA 2.0, #1))
“
Captain Romance back there wants to inject himself into you like a vaccine.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
I want to screw him on the table and make him eat in my bed.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
What is heartbreaking is that there is still beauty in the world.
”
”
Debra Dean
“
So I'm sitting in that damn chair, ready to die, and I say to her, 'You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I'm so damn glad you're going to kill me instead of some brainless, toothless druggie." Beckett smiled again at the memory of his almost-murder. "Then she traded the knife for her lips, and now she works for me." Beckett put his hands behind his head and flexed his giant biceps. "She won't tell me who hired her to come here. She's the deadliest person I've ever encountered. I still think she might kill me, but I can't stop looking at her.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
A very bouncy Kyle woke Livia at some ridiculous o’clock on Friday morning.
“Wakey-wakey, you sloppy, old whore. It’s time to do you up. You’re going out tonight, so you don’t get to dress in nursing home casual.” Kyle ripped off Livia’s covers.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
The nature of life is mess, chaotic, exquisitely beautiful, excruciatingly painful, immensely joy-filled, and unpredictable.
”
”
Debra Moffitt (Garden of Bliss: Cultivating the Inner Landscape for Self-Discovery)
“
I can't leave." Green Eyes took a huge breath. "This is the only place where I get to see you.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
I see it, sweetheart. You were right - you're beautiful when you're glass.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
I’m not leaving you. Right here, right now is the happiest I’ve ever been. I love you. That means I don’t leave. Sorry.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Bittersweet Seraphim (Seraphim, #2))
“
Every time I think I couldn’t love you a bit more, you stretch my heart again.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
She is focused on living her own full life, following her own agenda and cultivating her actual self, rather than reinventing herself or pining away to be someone she's not.
”
”
Debra Ollivier (Entre Nous: A Woman's Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl)
“
He looked at her, but he was only a shadow now. Livia gave him a warning look. He shook his head sadly and in total defeat. Standing in the house of a man who’d brought him food, with his daughter holding his hand, seemed to break some sort of honor code for Blake.
Livia felt her heart beating in her ears. “Don’t give up on me. Please,” she said softly.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Hot baskets of butt!
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
How can it be wrong? Love picks the right path, not the one of least resistance.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Bittersweet Seraphim (Seraphim, #2))
“
Our hearts have already been broken. Maybe I can help to heal hers, even if it means ripping mine to shreds when she leaves and I have to say good-bye.
”
”
Debra Doxer (Breaking Skin)
“
Feed your mind. Cultivate impressions and opinions. Know what you think.
”
”
Debra Ollivier (Entre Nous: A Woman's Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl)
“
Okay, God. I forgive You for
trusting me. I promise to trust You in return.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Crushed Seraphim (Seraphim, #1))
“
I’m Emma. I’m here to make you see the meaning of your life.” Her exalted words were totally conquered by her dragging tone and lack of eye contact.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Crushed Seraphim (Seraphim, #1))
“
Dear Livia McHugh
I'll be your husband. I'll be nothing but yours for the rest of forever. A single, simple day with you is something I'll refuse to take for granted. You have been the reason my heart beats since the moment I saw you, long before your hands actually had to do the job for me. Sleep in my arms. Wake up by my side. My beautiful love, be my wife and make me the happiest man. And I will never, ever lose count. Love always, Blake Hartt
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Don’t pray to me. Don’t pray to me!” Kyle said, alarmed. “We’re in this together. I’ve done things wrong too. We’re human, Cole. We’ll still make mistakes, but now we’ll always have each other to hold when it hurts.” Kyle’s eyes filled with tears.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Kyle’s shrill voice interrupted their moment. “Figured you two would turn this into a scout meeting. Will you get your asses up here? People are waiting. I mean Beckett here has maybe a few
hours before he’s bent over a metal toilet getting it up the ass from a
guy named Bubba. Do you want him to have fun now or not?”
The streetlight illuminated Beckett as he appeared next to Kyle. “Why would I be the bitch? I don’t think that’s a fair f*cking assumption.”
Kyle refused to look at him and crossed her arms. “Of course you’d be the bitch. You have dimples. Bitches have dimples. And I bet your ass is soft like two pillows. Bubba’s going to love bouncing off of you.”
Beckett stormed away, dragging Kyle with him. “I’ll be the f*cker,” he told her. “Not the f*ckee. The f*cker.”
“Fine, a$$hole, you’re the f*cker,” Kyle’s voice faded away as they returned to the party.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
If there’s a zeppelin, it’s alternate history. If there’s a rocketship, it’s science fiction. If there are swords and/or horses, it’s fantasy. A book with swords and horses in it can be turned into science fiction by adding a rocketship to the mix. If a book has a rocketship in it, the only thing that can turn it back into fantasy is the Holy Grail.
”
”
Debra Doyle
“
I know it doesn’t make noise,” he explained. “Going through the motions is comforting to me. I wish I had a real piano.” The wistfulness in his tone was aching to hear.
“Did it used to have keys on it?” Livia asked.
“I did draw them once, but it was in pencil. No matter. My heart knows right where they are.” He watched her as he tickled the pretend keys again.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
Is that shooting star just a happy accident or has the universe had it planned for a thousand years?”
He tilted his face to the sky, his eyes tracking an imaginary star as it screamed to earth. He looked back to her. “Either way, you can’t stop it. You can beg it to slow down or you can just enjoy the show.”
“Am I the star in this story or you?”
Blake wrinkled his nose and chuckled. “Was that a bad analogy? I meant we’re the star, Livia. Us. This.” He shrugged his shoulders like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Us being in the same atmosphere is either a great cosmic catastrophe or the most serendipitous rendezvous.
”
”
Debra Anastasia
“
Men’s behavior is, to some extent, the result of female sexual preferences. If women didn’t want to mate with masculine men, these traits would have been removed from the gene pool long ago. “Toxic masculinity” is the result of women’s sexual preferences over thousands of generations. Contemporary feminists are punishing an entire generation of men for the mating preferences of their female ancestors.
”
”
Debra Soh (The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths about Sex and Identity in Our Society)
“
Beckett wrapped a huge arm around Kyle's waist and slammed her body into his. "Sometimes when girls advertise, they get what they're asking for." Kyle twisted so her back was to his chest. "Are you threatening or promising, big daddy?" Beckett spun her around and held her face to his so their lips almost touched. The crowd went wild with perceived sexual tension. "If I was threatening you, you'd already be beggin' for your real daddy," Beckett whispered
”
”
Debra Anastasia
“
He stepped close to her; she could feel his breath on her neck. “Eve, you make me not want to die.”
She turned to see his face. “I didn’t want to be this, and now it’s all I am.”
He put his hands on her cheeks. The look on his face did her in. He was kind, caring, and mourning her losses. Tears wet his cheeks. Eve felt a very deep sob choke her. If he was mourning, so could she.
He pulled her into his arms. “Cry. It’s okay. Cry.”
Eve felt her knees give. He caught her and carried her to his couch. He petted her hair and let her empty her pain and guilt onto his chest. He kissed the top of her head. For the first time, his actions toward her seemed to have no sexual intent whatsoever.
Eve let go of a rope she’d clung to for too long. And she fell. She fell right into him. Wrong or right, she gave up judging. Her lips found his, and he kissed her gently, not demanding any more than she was willing to offer.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))
“
He shook his head in exasperation. “Are you sure you’re not a Succubus? You seem really obsessed with the sin of lust.”
“It’s a good sin. I like gluttony an awful lot, too. Sloth has its moments, but I just don’t understand acedia at all. I mean, what the f**k is that anyway? Oh, and greed is good, to quote Gordon Gekko. Anger, envy and pride,” I ticked them off on my fingers. “I don’t often have much use for them. It’s a shortcoming that I’m hoping to correct in the next millennium or two. I’m not very old; I can’t be expected to have mastered them all yet.”
“I think you’ve worked too hard on some of those,” he said dryly. “Maybe you should switch over to virtues instead. Give yourself a much needed break.”
Virtues? Yeah, right.
“Virtues are too difficult,” I told him, shaking my head. “Look how old you are and you’ve hardly made a dent in them. I’ll admit, you seem to have zeal nailed, as well as faith and temperance. Self control? I’ve got my doubts based on your recent actions. I’m not seeing the kindness, love or generosity, either. That humility thing seems to be pretty far beyond your reach, too. Really, really far. I’m sorry to tell you this, but from what I can see, the sin of pride is a major component of your character. Dude, you’re f**king old. You should have these things pretty well ticked off your shopping list by now. I’m seriously disappointed. Seriously.
”
”
Debra Dunbar (A Demon Bound (Imp, #1))
“
For one of the first pressures that bear down on American girls is the pressure not only to be liked but to be like everyone else. This initial feat of self-transformation often involves loosening one's grip on that quiet sense of inner self and hitching one's wagon to a single standard of beauty. The stress of leaping through that hoop insinuates itself into the young heart and soul with a vengeance, and insecurities go from being hard little buds of confusion to overripe, snarled and tyrannical fruits that hang on the vine as we age.
”
”
Debra Ollivier (What French Women Know About Love, Sex and Other Matters of the Heart and Mind)
“
They do the twenty-one-gun salute for the good guys, right? So I brought this.” Beckett pointed the gun in the sky. “For Mouse.”
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen shots exploded from Beckett’s gun.
“Who am I fucking kidding? What the hell does a gun shot by me mean? Nothing special, that’s for damn sure. Fuck it.”
“For Mouse, who watched over my sister and saved Blake and me from more than we could’ve handled in the woods that night.” Livia nodded at Beckett, and he squeezed the trigger. When the sound had cleared, she counted out loud. “Seventeen.”
Kyle stepped forward and replaced Livia at Beckett’s arm. “For Mouse. I didn’t know you well, but I wish I had.” The air snapped with the shot. “Eighteen.”
Cole rubbed Kyle’s shoulder as he approached. He took the gun from Beckett’s hand. “For Mouse, who protected Beckett from himself for years.” The gun popped again. “Nineteen.”
Blake thought for a moment with the gun pointed at the ground, then aimed it at the sky. “For Mouse, who saved Livia’s life when I couldn’t. Thank you is not enough.” The gun took his gratitude to the heavens. “Twenty.”
Eve took the gun from Blake, the hand that had been shaking steadied. “Mouse, I wish you were still here. This place was better when you were part of it.” The last shot was the most jarring, juxtaposed with the perfect silence of its wake.
As if the bullet was a key in a lock, the gray skies opened and a quiet, lovely snow shower filtered down. The flakes decorated the hair of the six mourners like glistening knit caps.
Eve turned her face to be bathed in the fresh flakes. “Twenty-one,” she said softly, replacing her earpiece.
”
”
Debra Anastasia (Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie Brotherhood, #1))