I’m going to come,” he whispered, lips against her ear…

“How old are you, Billie?” “Thirty-three.” “With such innocent eyes for a cutthroat Illicit reporter.” She studied his expression, found it sincere. “Despite rumors…

— Shelby Reed

“A frown lowered his brow as he headed toward the shower, stripping as he went. She was untried. Virginal in mind and spirit. The…

— Shelby Reed

“In her own fumbling way, she’d reminded him he was just a man, fallible, needful, a member of the supremely imperfect human race…and shamefully…

— Shelby Reed

“When she lifted her head to meet his gaze, his eyes were closed, lashes like inky brushstrokes on his cheeks. His palms came up…

— Shelby Reed

“The lucid, rational part of Billie wanted to laugh. Here she was, out in the woods of middle-class suburbia, with a man’s fingers inside…

— Shelby Reed

“He’d performed like a well-oiled automaton last night, blocking out the reality of the woman taking her pleasure beneath him, banishing images of Billie…

— Shelby Reed

“Her breath snagged in her throat, her fingers faltering on her own aching flesh. She was shamefully wet. Shamefully needful. “Do you do this…

— Shelby Reed

“He looked nearly inconspicuous, a handsome man in faded Levi’s and tennis shoes. A Yankees baseball cap covered his dark hair, the bill shadowing…

— Shelby Reed

“It came to him then, permeated his disjointed thoughts. Billie was teaching him—him—how to make love. With a jolt of surprise at the crashing…

— Shelby Reed

“His voice grew more remote. She wondered if he was calling from his condominium, where he’d lost his best friend, or from Avalon, where…

— Shelby Reed

“When Billie climbed into the taxi, Adrian paid the cab driver, then braced his forearms on the back window. “Billie. Have you forgotten?” “No.”…

— Shelby Reed

“I just want, she said when he’d finally broken down her defenses. And so had he. He’d wanted her to desire him, but truthfully,…

— Shelby Reed

“She grabbed her briefcase and took a step toward him. “You don’t have a last name?” “Everyone has a last name.” His hand hovered…

— Shelby Reed

“He was a stranger, an alien creature, impossible to reach or understand. And still she wanted to try. “Tell me what you need.” “This,”…

— Shelby Reed

“He looked at her in bittersweet despair. “Sometimes, Kate, when I’m inside you and your arms are around me, I’m human again. There’s a…

— Shelby Reed