--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Gathering her courage, she swallowed past…" description: "\"“Gathering her courage, she swallowed past the lump in her throat and held his gaze. It wasn’t how she’d envisioned telling him, but she couldn’t let h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/kaylea-cross-34141_courage_gathering-her-courage-she-swallowed-past_2030918.jpg" --- # Gathering her courage, she swallowed past the lump in her… ![“Gathering her courage, she swallowed past the lump in her throat and held his gaze. It wasn’t how she’d envisioned telling him, but she couldn’t let him go without saying the words. “I’m falling in love with you.” The smile died, his amused expression dissolving into shock. “What?” “Yeah. So you…” quote by Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/kaylea-cross-34141_courage_gathering-her-courage-she-swallowed-past_2030918.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/kaylea-cross-34141_courage_gathering-her-courage-she-swallowed-past_2030918.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/812/kaylea-cross-34141_courage_gathering-her-courage-she-swallowed-past_2030918.jpg) > ““Gathering her courage, she swallowed past the lump in her throat and held his gaze. It wasn’t how she’d envisioned telling him, but she couldn’t let him go without saying the words. “I’m falling in love with you.” The smile died, his amused expression dissolving into shock. “What?” “Yeah. So you have to come back so I can finish the job.” A jumble of emotions swirled in the blue depths of his eyes as he stared at her. Then he broke into a wide smile and brought a hand up to cradle her cheek. “I’m coming back, sweetheart. I wouldn’t miss that chance for the world.”” [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She gathers bravery to confess love, confronting fear of rejection, and he reciprocates, promising a second chance. **In simple terms:** She tells him she loves him, and he agrees to return. Key Takeaway Speak truthfully despite fear of loss. Themes love courage confession relationships Mood hopeful tense Type romantic dramatic When to use this quote - romantic confession - reconciliation - second chances Key Concepts emotional vulnerability reciprocity redemption Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back from expressing love? - How might you handle unexpected reactions? A Different Perspective Risk of misinterpretation can cause hurt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Falling in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-in-love/) [Wide Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wide-smile/) ## Related quotes > [“For a time, I had hoped I might find the end of your wire. Then it became more of a chore,” Constantine said jadedly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-zoelle/for-a-time-i-had-hoped-i-might-find-the-end-of-your-wire-then-it/) [Anne Zoelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-zoelle/) > [“I relaxed my throat and held my breath before moving closer. His dick slid over my taste buds and then deeper. I wiggled my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cox/i-relaxed-my-throat-and-held-my-breath-before-moving-closer-his-dick/) [James Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cox/) > [He caught me to him, his arms banded tight around me. His face pressed into my throat. 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Scanning the papers she finally located there, she found no phone numbers or addresses listed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-jones-gunn/christy-dug-her-hand-deeper-into-her-shoulder-bag-scanning-the-papers/) [Robin Jones Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-jones-gunn/) > [Holocausts do not amaze me. Rapes and child slavery do not amaze me. And Franklin, I know you feel otherwise, but Kevin does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/holocausts-do-not-amaze-me-rapes-and-child-slavery-do-not-amaze-me/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [“Will you marry me?” I was in shock for a full ten seconds before I realized what was happening. I threw my arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-alexander/will-you-marry-me-i-was-in-shock-for-a-full-ten-seconds-before-i/) [Monica Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-alexander/) ## More by Kaylea Cross > [“Tightening his arms, he dropped his head and pressed his face against the side of her neck to inhale her delicate scent. The instant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylea-cross/tightening-his-arms-he-dropped-his-head-and-pressed-his-face-against/) [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) > [“He’d done it like he did everything else—with passion and total disregard for how much it might embarrass her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylea-cross/he-d-done-it-like-he-did-everything-else-with-passion-and-total/) [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) > [“Want to feel you come,” she murmured. “Want you to mark me.” The answering growl he made sent a primal shiver through her. 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"You even survived a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylea-cross/ben-didn-t-disappoint-see-you-lost-it-and-lived-to-tell-about-it-his/) [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) > [“(Devon) “Cam—you’re killing me,” she quavered, pressing her head back into the pillow and praying for patience. Her heart was pounding. “I’m loving you,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylea-cross/devon-cam-you-re-killing-me-she-quavered-pressing-her-head-back-into/) [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) > [“The muscles in his arms and back trembled as he pushed in as deep as he could go, until all of him was buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylea-cross/the-muscles-in-his-arms-and-back-trembled-as-he-pushed-in-as-deep-as/) [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) > [“Sam…” “What?” she whispered. “Tell me what to do to fix it.” She shook her head and closed her eyes as though she couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylea-cross/sam-what-she-whispered-tell-me-what-to-do-to-fix-it-she-shook-her/) [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) > [“(Devon) “Cam, what’s wrong?” He cursed and held her tighter. “Help me,” he rasped. Her senses dizzy from the scent and feel of him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylea-cross/devon-cam-what-s-wrong-he-cursed-and-held-her-tighter-help-me-he/) [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) > [“She (Candace) straightened her spine and shot him (Ryan) a warning glare. “You know what? You just reminded me why I don’t like you.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylea-cross/she-candace-straightened-her-spine-and-shot-him-ryan-a-warning-glare/) [Kaylea Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) [Explore all 14 Kaylea Cross quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylea-cross/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. 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Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) Kristen Armstrong > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Gathering her courage, she swallowed past the lump in her throat and held his gaze. It wasn’t how she’d envisioned telling him, but she couldn’t let him go without saying the words. “I’m falling in love with you.” The smile died, his amused expression dissolving into shock. “What?” “Yeah. So you have to come back so I can finish the job.” A jumble of emotions swirled in the blue depths of his eyes as he stared at her. Then he broke into a wide smile and brought a hand up to cradle her cheek. “I’m coming back, sweetheart. 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