Elizabeth Camden Quotes

You are a child of God, and that means that there is great, shining beauty within you.

Was there anything more inspiring than being able to look up and see oneself surrounded by thousands of books all the way to the ceiling three stories above?

It seems like everything sleeps in winter, but it's really a time of renewal and reflection.

Wasn't the willingness to believe despite uncertainty the very essence of faith?

The Lord's capacity to forgive a person who is truly repentant is without limit, without qualification

So long as she had access to enough light to read, Anna could entertain herself for years.

Anna's words from long ago came back to him. "We are all beautiful but broken people. Jesus forgives us, even when we don't deserve it. That's a pretty good reason to be forgiving.

You're still alive because God has plans for you, even if we don't understand what they are yet.

After all, everything in here is just pieces of paper with words and lines on them. They're not even very valuable. Pieces of paper with words and lines on them have the ability to change the world...They always have.

Chocolate always makes everything better, don’t you think?

Do you know how long I've wanted you? You're like sunlight and water and air to me. All you need to do is walk across my line of sight and my whole world lights up.

Kate, I can't live my life in the shadow of your fears.

She smelled of lemon and sunshine and a thousand Summer days filled with laughter.

I like rescuing damsels in distress.' 'I'm not a damsel in distress.' 'Could you pretend? I'm actually just searching for an excuse to see you again.

If you don’t ever make mistakes, it means you aren’t dreaming big enough,

God has created a huge, complex tapestry with our lives. It's got shadows and darkness shot through with highlights of gold. We can never go back and undo those threads and weave them into something else.

Nonsense, I grew up on a farm. Animals are food, not friends.

people make this kind of money. Lawyers are just good at figuring out how to siphon a piece of it their way.

Funny how older brothers could still be annoying even after everyone was all grown-up.

And why is that?” he asked softly. “Because you don’t scare me anymore.” She placed her other hand on his chest. “You used to intimidate me down to my toes, but since the fire, everything is different. I can be myself around you. Flaws and all.” “You don’t have any flaws.

Dreams are hard," he said. "You work toward them, struggle and sacrifice, but that doesn't always mean you will get there. I used to believe if I wanted something badly enough, I was destined to win it as long as I never gave up trying.

I need you to find me a recipe for poison," he snapped. "Something that can kill the varmints that riddle this town." "Animal varmints, or the human variety?" She was so prim when she said it, earning a reluctant twist of his lips as he tried not to smile.

She wasn't a woman of tremendous valor or daring heroism, but she'd always tried to lead her life in a way that would honor Jesus through small acts of goodness every day. Hour by hour, brick by brick, these small choices had slowly built a life of integrity.

Making mistakes means you’re learning, growing, pushing… that you yearn for something and aren’t afraid to chase after it. You’re being creative and contributing to this world, even if it doesn’t work out as you hoped. Go ahead and make mistakes. For once in your life, quit playing it safe and make some spectacular mistakes… Make glorious mistakes that will echo through the ages. Make mistakes that no one has ever thought of! Don’t limit yourself, no matter how outlandish. Reach out and strive for something beyond all dreams.

No matter how miserable his morning, all he had to do was walk within ten feet of Kate and listen to her sling an insult at him and he felt better.

Tick's eyes twinkled, and he drew a long sip of coffee. "Poor Kate... wanting to run the world and yet no one will let her.

She embodied laughter and optimism and steadfast determination. Being with her felt like wind in his sails.

It was the best they could do, and the rest would be in God's hands. It was the same with raising a family. There were no guarantees in life [...]

She was a better person for it. Wiser, sadder, but more confident of her true value in the world. Her heart was full to the breaking point, for echoes of that gilded age would live with her forever.

Even now, a pull of energy and a sense of purpose gathered momentum inside her. A life of great purpose and fulfillment lay before her, if she could just be bold enough to step through the door into the unknown.

What are you doing here? I thought I was to meet with Dr. Kendall." "I am Dr. Kendall. I changed my last name when I went to college." She was flabbergasted. "Why would you do such a thing?" "You changed *your* name." "I was married!

Why are you so angry at me?” she asked. The question ratcheted him even closer to the boiling point. “Because for some insane reason, I adore you. For three solid years I have thought you were the closest thing to perfection on this earth, and I can’t watch you risk your life crossing that bridge!” Had she understood correctly? After all these years of cold decorum, Zack’s eyes glittered in a face streaked with soot and sweat as he stepped closer, shouting over the roar of wind and fire. “I’ve been insane about you since the moment you waltzed into my office three years ago in that ridiculous suit and your hair as prim as a schoolmarm,” he shouted. “Don’t you dare get yourself killed on me now!

Don’t you have any pride?” she snapped. He blanched, but she was too angry to stop. “You’re like a stray dog I can’t get rid of. I want nothing to do with you. Not with your business, not with you. Just go away. Please, just go and stay away.

I'm going to need help, and I need someone who is fearless. Someone who isn't afraid to stand up to dragons and battle them day after day. Our results may not show promise for years. Our patients will die. There will be days when you feel so beaten down you'll want to crawl home and give up. But I'll need you to get up, dust yourself off, and be ready to wage battle the next day." He locked eyes with her. "I need someone who wants to win as badly as I do. That is why I want you for this job.

He squeezed his eyes shut, his heart beginning to split. Reaching out to hold her was stupid and he was bound to pay for it, but sometimes he needed her so badly. He simply needed. Needed to know he wasn’t alone. Needed the solid warmth of another person who cared.

I've been alone most of my life because I'm the only person in the world I can rely on. For a few days I deluded myself into thinking you were someone I could believe in. That I could trust you and lean on you, that you would never lie to me. What a mistake I made.

I can’t go through you walking out on me again,” he said. “I’ve got skin tougher than a rhinoceros hide, but I’ve always been a big weakling when it comes to you. If you want back into my life, it has to be for good this time.” “For better or for worse, for richer or poorer . . . is that what you mean?” “Till death do us part. Yeah, that’s what I’m getting at.” Her face was beautiful and shining and confident. “That’s what I want too.

Why did the two of you fight so much?” “We fought plenty, but I always respected him.” “But why all the arguing? The nitpicking? It always seemed strange to me.” It would. He smiled and turned his face to the sky. For all her practical, level-headed business sense, Mollie didn’t understand much about men. “Sometimes men just like to argue,” he said simply. “We like the competition. We sniff out the opposition, measure it up, challenge it. Frank never backed down. Even though he was blind, Frank was still a man, and when I came on the scene, I think he immediately sensed my interest in you. Long before you ever did.

God had never promised them a life free of sorrow, only the tools to hold and keep them through stormy days.

Sometimes, no matter how desperately hard a person worked, there were no happy endings [...].

There was no shame in losing a battle; but running away from one was a regret he'd carry forever.

The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were.

Kate was the best thing he’d done in his professional career, and he could handle anything so long as she didn’t leave him.

And for once, I want you to snap out of that hidebound practicality that sucks all the joy out of life. Were you an Indian, your spirit name would be Dream Killer.

Grief freshens our perspective on life; it helps us appreciate the blessings we’ve been showered with. ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

I really hate it when you're right," she said with a reluctant smile. He touched the side of her face. "You were a match for me. I was always right about that.

Metaphors are something grown-ups use when they can't set troublesome boys on fire.

You don't believe in writing in books?" "Of course not. Nor do I dog-ear the pages, crack book spines, underline passages, or otherwise mistreat government property.

He stayed true to his convictions, despite the overwhelming pressure to capitulate.

Whenever she was with him, it was as if she could dream bigger, see farther.

Paradise on earth didn't exist, but God still blessed them with the the tools they needed to be happy, even in a sometimes imperfect, fallen world.

laughingly

The only thing that might attract vermin is the rancid expression on your face," she said. "I was having a brilliant morning until you came in to sour the air." "Ah, well. We are born to suffer.

Even their contemporaries felt that the relationship of Elizabeth and Robert transcended the details on practicality. There had to be some explanation for their lifelong fidelity, and those contemporaries put it down to 'synaptia', a hidden conspiracy of the stars, whose power to rule human lives no-one doubted: 'a sympathy of spirits between them, occasioned perhaps by some secret constellation', in the words of the historian William Camden, writing at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Theirs was a relationship already rooted in history and mythology. And that moment when Elizabeth heard she had come to the throne encapsulated much about their story. If our well-loved picture of Elizabeth's accession is something of a fantasy - if the reality is on the whole more interesting - you might say the same about our traditional picture of her relationship with Robert Dudley.

Mollie, tell me what happened. I haven’t slept in two days.” “Guilty conscience?” “Yes!” he bellowed. “I never should have let you stay in that church so long! I wish I’d thrown you over my shoulder and dragged you to my house that first night.” He tried to wrap his arms around her, but a stiff arm kept him at bay. The expression in her eyes was even worse. “For pity’s sake, talk to me. Scream at me, hit me . . . just quit glaring like that.

How curious that sometimes objects became more beautiful as they weathered the storms and traumas of the world. What caused some wood to rot and decay into nothing, while other pieces of wood became burnished, splendid, and tougher under the relentless assault of the pounding ocean current?

Listen, Mollie, I need to get home and let my parents know I’m alive. Then I am coming back for you. If my home is still standing, I’ll provide a place for you and Frank as long as you need.” “Why would you do that?” She looked a little taken aback, which surprised him. Because he loved her. Because they had just experienced the worst two days imaginable, and the bond that had been forged between them was not something to be tossed away. If Louis Hartman didn’t like it, he would quit. The fire had just taught Zack what was most important in this world, and she was looking straight at him.

Let’s go for a walk, Mollie.” Frank Spencer stiffened, but Mollie’s annoying lawyer spoke in a calm voice. “They say that when a wolf wants to lead a sheep to slaughter, he’ll try to cut her off from the herd where he can do his worst in private.” There was snickering around the firelight as the entire herd moved in to protect the object of his affections. With the grinning faces of several men gloating at him, it would be impossible to sneak Mollie away. Zack turned to her with a pleasant smile on his face. “You know how in mythology the blind man is always the source of great wisdom and insight? Why couldn’t you find one of those blind guys to be friends with?” Frank appeared flattered by the statement. He grinned as he warmed his hands before the brazier.

Amd I am not blind to the fact that I have been given gifts you never had. Living a godly life was expected on me, and it was an easy path for me to follow. No one ever had such expectations of you. For you to embrace the Lord at this point in your life would be nothing short of heroic, Alex. It would take an act of such strength and courage that it would be humbling for all who have ever know you. You can begin building a life of valor today.

The minister’s eyes widened, then dimmed in sorrow. “I’m sorry you have been led to believe that,” he said. “I can’t pretend to say I understand the grief that led your mother to reject the gift of life, but Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that includes the sin of suicide. And nothing, not even your mother’s own destructive actions, can separate her from God’s eternal love. Do not let thoughts of this cause you to turn away from the gift of the Lord’s light.

Mollie?” He placed his hand on her shoulder, willing her to look at him. “Mollie, let’s go someplace where we can talk,” he said gently. Her entire body stiffened. “I’ve got work to do,” she mumbled. Was it his imagination or did she inch a little closer to the blond man beside her? Zack grasped her elbow and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Mollie, get your backside off that stool and come outside with me. I’ll buy you a pretzel, and you can tan my hide for being late.

Do you know how long I’ve wanted you? You’re like sunlight and water and air to me. All you need do is walk across my line of sight and my whole world lights up.” “You love your crusade more than you love me,” Kate said, her lips trembling. “You’ll kill yourself! You’ll die because you’re too arrogant to think another doctor could work with those patients as well as you.” She stepped forward, bumping against him and grabbing the lapels of his coat. “Please . . . we could be so good together.” He pulled away. “Don’t touch me, Kate. Don’t come near me. I love you, but you don’t know the meaning of the word. You only love when it’s easy, when there are no storm clouds on the horizon.” “Trevor, I’m afraid.” “Of course you’re afraid!” he shouted. “Do you imagine for one second that I’m not? But I won’t give in to it. I would lay down my life for you. I would lay down my life for any one of the thirty-two people lying in those beds upstairs, and I won’t turn my back on them. If I run away from what I’ve been fighting for all my life, then I begin dying. Then my purpose will be over.” She flinched and began straightening her shirt. “I’ve got to get out of here.” “Don’t go.” She twisted away to fumble with the doorknob. He tried to turn her to face him. “Kate, don’t go, please. Stay and fight this out.” She shook him off and fled from the closet as though it were on fire. He braced his hands on the doorframe, watching her dart around the people in the hallway. He wanted to run after her, drag her back into the closet, and plead with her to stay.

If Colonel Lowe doesn’t treat you like a goddess, he’ll have me to answer to,” he said gruffly. She mustered a little laugh. “Please, no basket of fish on his desk.” “Trust me, I’ll be far more creative if he hurts you.” The diamond powder weighed in his hands. “You will want this,” he said as he extended the sack to her. “Zack, I don’t want any gifts.” He picked up her hand and pressed it into her palm. “It’s diamond powder. I heard you were in short supply, and Caleb Magruder has a mill that can produce it.” Her eyes widened in surprise, and she peeked inside. It looked as if she was about to cry as she pulled the drawstrings closed. “Zack, I can’t accept this. It wouldn’t be right.” “Take it. What would I do with diamond powder?” He tried to sound light-hearted, as if this glorious woman had not just trampled on the dreams he had been building for three years. She still looked hesitant, which was insane because he knew she craved that diamond powder like a drowning man craved a life raft. He sighed impatiently. “If you don’t take it, I’ll throw it in the lake. You know I will.” She must have believed him, because she relented and accepted the gift. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “Thank you for everything, Zack.” “You deserve it,” he said bluntly. “I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as you.” “Don’t be nice to me,” she said. “I’ll start bawling like a watering pot if you do.” His hand looked big and clumsy against her delicate cheek. He was such a sap where this woman was concerned. Had been from the first time he ever clapped eyes on her. “Don’t shed any tears over me. I’m not worth it.” He had to get out of there before he made a complete fool of himself. Before he fell to his knees and begged her not to fling herself at a man who would never feel a fraction of the soaring love he had for her. Stepping aside and letting Richard Lowe court his woman made his gut tie itself into knots, but it had to be done.

This has nothing to do with Marten. You and I would be unequally yoked.” He blinked, his confusion apparent. “My faith is what makes me who I am,” she said in a shaky voice. “Religion is important to me, and I couldn’t be married to a man who did not share that fundamental belief. You would grow to resent my devotion—” “I said you could teach Pieter the Bible,” he said tightly. “It’s not enough. You would eventually resent the way I lean on my faith. Even now, I can see you getting annoyed, as though if you glower enough it will shake me from this position. And I don’t want to be the only spiritual leader in a family. I would want my husband to help, to back me, and I will resent it if you can’t do that.

There is something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” she said as she handed Zack a bratwurst. It was a little awkward, but if Zack was the man she was going to marry, she needed to know what she was getting into. “Yes?” “That story about the fish. Is it true?” Zack’s grin was roguish. “I don’t know. What have you heard?” “Something about a hundred pounds of fish dumped on a merchant’s fancy desk. Is it true?” Zack took a large bite of his sausage and watched her through laughing eyes as he chewed. How could she consort with a man with such a shocking reputation? She was a safety-and-security girl, and Zack was an untamed force of nature. He finished chewing and sent her a wicked grin. “It was trout,” he said proudly. “And we’ve never had substandard fish palmed off on us since.

Sophie isn’t leaving,” Quentin asserted, his voice pure steel. “That woman sheds grace and light in every room she enters. Any man with a functional brain would try to catch a fragment of that grace and cherish it, rather than push her aside. I’m not sending her away. Were it in my power, I would cut the moon out of the sky and give it to her on a silver platter.” Her notebook dropped from her nerveless fingers, splatting open on the tile floor. Quentin whirled around to see her standing in the doorway. If he was embarrassed to have been overheard, he gave no sign of it. On the contrary, his eyes that had been sparking with anger gentled the instant he saw her. She glanced away, rocked by the protective expression on Quentin’s face. It shot straight to a vulnerable part deep inside and enveloped her with a sense of well-being. No man had ever spoken so passionately on her behalf, and a rush of wild, electrifying emotions stirred inside.

He couldn’t believe his ears. She was rambling on about nonsense, and he needed to put a stop to it. “I don’t want to change you—” She cut him off. “From the day you came to the workshop, you told me I should sell the company and go to the south of France to celebrate. That I should wear my hair down and quit being a howling mass of anxiety. Zack, I don’t want to go to the south of France. I want to turn the clock back and reconstruct my life exactly as it was before the fire. I want my workshop back. I want to make watches and know what is on the schedule for the next day, next month, next year. I need order and stability.” His fist clenched around the leather sack. She was trying to cut him out of her life, and he wouldn’t let her. “And what about Colonel Lowe?” he demanded. “Is Colonel Lowe among the things you want?” She stiffened and couldn’t meet his eyes. “Richard means a lot to me,” she said softly. Richard. So he wasn’t even Colonel Lowe to her. A wave of heat crashed through his body, and he wanted to break something. He stood and stalked a few feet closer to the lake. He couldn’t bear to sit beside Mollie while she talked about another man, but she hadn’t stopped speaking. “Richard and I are very much alike,” she said. “I feel . . . safe with him. I don’t need to change to suit him.” “I don’t want to change you,” he said through clenched teeth. Where did she get these insane ideas? He could feel her slipping away from him, like water dribbling out of his cupped hands, and there was nothing he could do to stop it from draining away. “Please let me go,” she said. “I need to move on with the rest of my life, and I can’t do that with you in it. The notes need to stop. And the visits. I will be forever grateful for what you did for me on the night of the fire, but, Zack . . . that’s all there is. It was gratitude and the temporary rush of insanity because I was glad to be alive. You and I will never work.

Sometimes unhappy people were like that. It was easier to remain locked in their fortress of discontent rather than risk the pain associated with emerging into the light of day.

I can build things to make life better for the people around me. And when I do that, I feel God smiling on me.

To date you have displayed the manners of a common wood tick, but I live in hope. Sincerely,

A Russian novelist must dip his pen in his own blood to write his story. You may avert your American eyes if you choose, but there is glory and valor in suffering that transcends our paltry physical lives. I practice it daily.

It was impossible for mere mortals to understand the tapestry of blessings and tragedies God wove into their lives, but there had to be meaning in it somewhere, and it was her duty to help Elaine find it. "God led us here," Annabelle whispered. "He planted a hope in your heart that was strong enough to send us a thousand miles across the country. There is a reason and we'll keep going until we find it. We can't falter now.

I know you are loyal to the Smithsonian," Gray finally said. "I know you consider them peaceable, harmless scientists. They aren't. They have an agenda." "Yes!" She said passionately. "Their agenda is to unlock the mysteries of the world around us. There's no profit motive involved, just the insatiable, unquenchable need to know.

oh, darling, don't you understand that there is something deep inside every woman that longs for a courageous, steady man she can't intimidat? Nathaniel has my back. He is my foundation. We seem like complete opposites, but we fly together in tandem.

Her laughter rippled out over the gloomy landscape like a ray of gilded sunshine.

Patrick, a word of friendly advice: don’t let your pride blind you to the blessings God has dropped in your path.

The two of you are very different, but people of good character can disagree and still be admirable.

It’s not a sin to be angry. It’s how you respond to it that matters.

You’ve got a right to be mad, but I want you to know that God was with you through it all, even when you couldn’t see him.

A marriage should start with a strong foundation and a gift to symbolize his commitment.

There are worse things than having a loving family and community coming out to support you.

A solid home involved family and community, but it was mostly the responsibility of the two people at the helm to nurture, provide, and inspire.

Justice is intended to restore order. When a crime has occurred, it must be stopped and then made good in some way. We can’t restore things to the perfect order they were before the sin, but justice provides us with a system of laws and procedures for the restoration of order. Justice is administered by society, but revenge is something totally different, Clara. Revenge is not administered by society, but carried out by an individual. And the intention is purely to punish, not restore order.

If justice cannot be administered by man, we must wait and allow the Lord to balance the scales. He always will, but we may not be there to see it. We must surrender our will to the Lord, and know that He will do what is right.

He leaned down and kissed her, and nothing had ever felt so right.

The politicians at the helm would change every four years, but the heartbeat of America would stay strong.

This isn’t bad at all. But how do we convince Connie Johnson that we’re a big London gang?’ Ron motions to himself, offended. ‘I just show up, don’t I? Whack on a suit. Tell ’em I’m Billy Baxter or Jimmy Jackson, down from Camden. Flash the tattoos, flash the diamonds.’ ‘Hmmm,’ says Elizabeth. ‘I’m not sure that gangsters have Chairman Mao tattoos,’ says Joyce.

I found a Bible in his bedroom.” Her shoulders sagged. So . . . that was why he’d summoned her. He’d discovered she’d failed to slam the door on Pieter’s curiosity about faith and was going to interfere. “He asked if there was a Bible in the house, and I showed him where it was,” she admitted. Oddly, Quentin didn’t seem angry. He tugged on his collar and seemed merely a little embarrassed. “I’m willing to admit I’ve been wrong about that,” he said. “I studied Christianity at college and understand the basic doctrines. The principles aren’t bad, and if they bring Pieter comfort, I don’t mind him exploring until he is an adult and ready to make his own decisions.

Isn’t doubt forbidden for a Christian?” he asked. She glanced over at him, an impish twinkle in her eye. “I don’t think God dwells on when we fall down. I’d like to think he is more interested in helping us get back up again.

Why did you jilt Sophie?” He fired the question with no warning, hoping to catch the younger man off guard, and he did. “Young men do stupid things. Letting go of Sophie has always been my biggest mistake.” “What a pity that some mistakes are fatal and can never be forgiven.” A confident gleam lit Marten’s eyes. “Have you talked to Sophie about that? Because Sophie is the most loving, forgiving woman I’ve ever met. She and I are friends again. She knows I regret what happened and forgave me long ago.

She smiled softly. “What made you change your mind?” “You.

And he’d laughed a lot as he’d helped improve her proposal. It felt good to work with someone who respected her opinion. She could see now that her earlier drafts were juvenile, full of wishful thinking, but Quentin forced her to dig deeper and work harder. Every paragraph of this document was dense with solid reasoning, including the numbers to back her assertions.

Sophie, you must be careful,” he said. “Quentin is in the rush of exhilaration that sometimes overtakes people new to God, and you mustn’t rush into a commitment until you know he is a man to whom you can be loyal in good times and bad, for better and for worse. You will be joining your life with his for all time. You will walk alongside him into whatever valleys or sorrows come his way, agreeing to help shoulder the burdens. His money and power cannot release you from these obligations. That is the nature of the marriage covenant.

A present,” he said, then winced. The presents he’d bought for Portia usually included ropes of pearls or gemstones the size of robin’s eggs. A man of his wealth ought to provide something much nicer than a sack of strange-looking pods. Sophie peeked inside the bag, her face screwing up in confusion. “What are they?” she asked, lifting the odd vegetable from the bag. It was a ruddy orange shade, larger than her hand, and looked like an oblong pumpkin. There were four of them in the bag. “You once said the cocoa powder in this village was bad, and you wanted to make your own. These are cocoa pods, shipped directly from Brazil. If you split it open, you will find fresh cocoa beans inside. Then you can begin your culinary adventure of making chocolate from scratch.” “You remembered!” she exclaimed. Her eyes widened in delight as she held the pod to her nose for a sniff and then ran her fingers along its waxy skin. “It’s fabulous. Thank you!

I love you,” he said again. “I don’t expect you to profess any grand feelings for me yet. So long as you give me time, I know I can learn to be worthy of you.

Well, yes,” she said, looking equal parts amused and bewildered. “But it’s the truth! I love my work, and that counts for something, doesn’t it?” Those government bureaucrats would trample Sophie to pieces if she couldn’t stand up for herself. He walked around the counter until he was standing directly opposite her. “Come on, Sophie! Stand up straight and look me in the eye. Tell me that you are the master and commander of that climate observatory. That there is no one in the state of New York who can operate that office with more efficiency than you. Make me believe it!” “Shhh . . . your grandfather is taking a nap,” she said, but she was giggling and at least seemed to be considering his point. It was going to be a challenge to prop her up enough so she could land a position at one of these newfangled observatories, but a fun one. “Let’s hear it. Dazzle me with your rhetorical brilliance.

Preparing and serving food had always been a joy, for it made her appreciate the abundance of the world.

The signs of the Lord’s love may not always be obvious,” the minister said, “but throughout your life, the Lord will seed your path with many blessings. If you can learn to spot them, perhaps it will not be so difficult to sit beside your fiancée in good faith when you come

He drew his chair closer and reached for her hand. “Kate, look at me,” he said. Her chin was still pointing down, but her eyes came up to meet his. Her expression nearly drove the breath from him. How could she wear her feelings so openly and still function? “So now you know. I’ve never let myself get close to a woman because I’m not a good long-term bet. But I care for you. I’ve always cared for you.” Without asking permission, he reached up behind her neck to stroke the heavy coil of her hair. He leaned forward, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she chose. She didn’t. He kissed her softly on the mouth. Nothing had ever felt more right or natural than kissing Kate, and she didn’t pull away from him. She leaned toward him and kissed him back.

There was a pause, and she looked over at him, surprised that he stopped barking out orders long enough to draw a breath. “Don’t go,” he whispered. “Please don’t go, Kate.” The plea was so soft she barely heard it, but it sliced her to shreds. If Nurse Ackerman hadn’t been standing a few feet away, Kate would have wept. Instead, she swallowed hard so that the tears wouldn’t leak into her voice. “Hold it together, McDonough,” she said softly. Never had she seen a man keep a volcanic flood of emotion so tightly locked inside, yet any attempt to comfort him would merely prolong their agony. Trevor knew exactly what he needed to do to keep her with him. And it broke her heart to know he never would.