1
2
3
5
8
12
20
33
52
83
133
213
340
543
867
1384
2208
3346
3522
5443
5619
6757
6783
6784
6785
6786
6787
7581
8098
8422
8625
8752
8832
8882
8913
8932
8945
8953
8957
8960
8962
8963
8964
8965
▲
▼
| Link | Quote | Stars | Tags | Author |
| 723ac4b | Banishing all caution, she allowed him to lead her out of the ballroom. He walked quickly, even as he wove through the pulsing crowd, and she found herself laughing as she tripped along after him. "Why is it," he said, halting for a moment when they reached the hall outside the ballroom, "that you always seem to be laughing at me?" She laughed again; she couldn't help it. "I'm happy," she said with a helpless shrug. "I'm just so happy to .. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 1ce35f1 | Very bad," she muttered. Benedict looked up. "Did you say something?" She crossed her arms mutinously. "Just that you're a very bad man." He chuckled. She'd known he would chuckle, and it still irritated her. He pulled the curtain away from the window and looked out. "We're nearly there," he said. He'd said that he was taking her directly to his mother's residence. Sophie remembered the grand house in Grosvenor Square as if she'd been .. | Julia Quinn | ||
| dc045f9 | Benedict flipped back the curtains one last time, then let them fall into place. "Ah. Here we are." Sophie waited while he disembarked, then moved to the doorway. She briefly considered ignoring his outstretched hand and jumping down herself, but the carriage was quite high off the ground, and she really didn't wish to make a fool of herself by tripping and landing in the gutter. It would be nice to insult him, but not at the cost of a sp.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| b5be69f | You're very quiet," Benedict said softly. "I was just thinking." "About?" "About what I'd miss-- and what I wouldn't miss-- should my life drastically change." His eyes grew intense. "And do you expect it to drastically change?" She shook her head and tried to keep the sadness out of her voice when she answered, "No." His voice grew so quiet it was almost a whisper. "Do you want it to change?" "Yes," she sighed, before she could stop.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| d29ec1e | Your upbringing must have been the complete opposite of lonely," she said, "with so many brothers and sisters about." "You know who I am," he stated. She nodded. "I didn't at first." He walked over to the balustrade and leaned one hip against it, crossing his arms. "What gave me away?" "It was your brother, actually. You looked so alike--" "Even with our masks?" "Even with your masks," she said with an indulgent smile. "Lady Whistledo.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| c7ff274 | Do you here?" Sophie asked dryly. "No," he said, plopping down into the chair next to her, "although my mother is constantly telling me to make myself right at home." She could think of no witty rejoinder, so she merely "hmmphed" and stuck her nose back in her book. He plunked his feet on the small table in front. "And what are we reading today?" "That question," she said, snapping the book shut but leaving her finger in to mark her p.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 446137e | What are you up to?" she asked. "Why would you think I'm up to anything?" Her lips pursed before she said, "You wouldn't be you if you weren't up to something." He smiled at that. "I do believe that was a compliment." "It wasn't necessarily intended as such." "But nonetheless," he said mildly, "that's how I choose to take it." -Sophie & Benedict" | Julia Quinn | ||
| 8b14b1e | She was here, with him, and she felt like heaven. The soft scent of her hair, the slight taste of salt on her skin-- she was, he thought, born to rest in the shelter of his arms. And he was born to hold her. -Benedict's thoughts about Sophie | benedicts-thoughts-about-sophie swoon sophie | Julia Quinn | |
| ae9977e | You stopped," she whispered, looking surprised. "This isn't the place," he replied. For a moment her face showed no change of expression. Then, almost as if someone were pulling a shade over her face, horror dawned. It started in her eyes, which grew impossibly round and somehow even more green than usual, then it reached her mouth, her lips parting as a gasp of air rushed in. "I didn't think," she whispered, more to herself than to him... | humor-me benedict-and-sophie swoon smile | Julia Quinn | |
| 275ae06 | Ah, Valentine's Day. This Author personally detests the holiday. A girl must take the measure of her worth by the number of cards and bouquets she receives, and a young man is forced to spew poetry as if anyone actually spoke in rhyme. It's a wonder the holiday hasn't been | Julia Quinn | ||
| 247bfe7 | Where," Eloise asked, one afternoon about a week after what Sophie was now referring to as , "do you suppose Benedict is?" "Ow!" Four Bridgerton faces turned to Sophie. "Are you all right?" Lady Bridgerton asked, her teacup suspended halfway between her saucer and her mouth. Sophie grimaced. "I pricked my finger." Lady Bridgerton's lips curved into a small, secret smile. "Mother has told you," fourteen-year-old Hyacinth said, "at lea.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 2e8767f | He knew well the singularly strange sensation of loving one's family to distraction, and yet not feeling quite able to share one's deepest and most intractable fears. It brought on an uncanny sense of isolation, of being remarkably alone in a loud and loving crowd. -Anthony's thoughts | Julia Quinn | ||
| 20464ce | Wyndham was a bore, in his humble opinion, but everything he did, every last decision and action - they were for others. It was all for Wyndham - the heritage, not the person. It was impossible not to respect such a man. But this was different. The duke wasn't standing up for his people, he was standing up for one person. It was a far more difficult thing to do. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 6ad978e | I love you, Kate," he whispered, his lips brushing the words against her mouth. "I love you so much." She nodded, unable to make a sound. "And right now I wish . . . I wish . . ." And then the strangest thing happened. Laughter bubbled up inside of him. He was overtaken by the pure joy of the moment, and it was all he could do not to pick her up and twirl her grandly through the air. "Anthony?" she asked, sounding equal parts confused an.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 403917c | When I thought you'd died--" "Don't say it," she choked out. "You don't have to relive that." "No," he said. "I do. I have to tell you. It was the first time-- even after all these years of expecting my own death-- that I truly knew what it meant to die. Because with you gone . . . there was nothing left for me to live for. I don't know how my mother did it." "She had her children," Kate said. "She couldn't leave you." "I know," he whis.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 25ce2e4 | Your father's death was an accident," Kate said. "An accident. A terrible, horrible twist of fate that no one could have predicted." Anthony shrugged fatalistically. "I'll probably go the same way." "Oh, for the love of--" Kate managed to bite her tongue a split second before she blasphemed. "Anthony, I could die tomorrow as well. I could have died today when that carriage rolled on top of me." He paled. "Don't ever remind me of that." .. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 24ba78e | Then, just when he thought he'd made it through without delay, he heard an aged, female, and very imperious voice call out his name. "Bridgerton! I say, Bridgerton! Stop at once. I'm speaking to you!" He groaned as he turned about. Lady Danbury, the dragon of the . There was simply no way he could ignore her. He had no idea how old she was. Sixty? Seventy? Whatever her age, she was a force of nature, and ignored her. "Lady Danbury," he.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| de441fe | It was simple. His world was Kate. If he denied that, he might as well stop breathing right now. "I have to go," he blurted out, standing up so suddenly that his thighs hit the edge of the table, sending walnut shell shards skittering across the tabletop. "I thought you might," Colin murmured. Benedict just smiled and said, "Go." His brothers, Anthony realized, were a bit smarter than they let on. "We'll speak to you in a week or so?" C.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| b270cc4 | Will you be all right?" he asked softly. "It's still raining." Kate stopped and listened to the rain, which had softened to a gentle patter against the windows. "I think the storm is over." He nodded and peered out into the hall. "It's empty," he said. "I should go." He stepped aside to let her pass. She moved forward, but when she reached the doorway she stopped and turned around. "Lord Bridgerton?" "Anthony," he said. "You should cal.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 5c638a1 | I think that's as close to love as eleven-year-olds can get. | Markus Zusak | ||
| 0d41869 | Do we have any plans for this evening?" he whispered in her ear. She nodded; the motion caused her hair to tickle his cheek. "A ball," she said. "At Lady Mottram's." Anthony couldn't resist the soft silkiness of her hair, and he threaded two fingers through it, letting it slide across his hand and wrap around his wrist. "Do you know what I think?" he murmured. He heard her smile as she asked, "What?" "I think I've never cared that much .. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 5f7f95e | She's rather desperate to marry the lot of you off, isn't she?" "All I know," Anthony said with a shrug, "is that my mother invited so many eligible women last time that she had to go down to the vicar's and beg his sixteen-year-old son to come up for supper." Kate winced. "I think I met him." "Yes, he's painfully shy, poor fellow. The vicar told me he had hives for a week after ending up seated next to Cressida Cowper at supper." "Well.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 49af3d3 | I am filthy," she said, looking down at herself. "The lake's right there," he said. "It's so cold." "A bath, then?" She smiled seductively. "You'll join me?" "But of course." He held out his arm and together they began to stroll back toward the house. "Should we have told them we forfeit?" Kate asked. "No." "Colin's going to try to steal the black mallet, you know." He looked at her with interest. "You think he'll attempt to remove.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 0e30cef | Kate's mind was obviously not lodged as firmly in the gutter as his, since she chose to sit in the chair opposite him, even though there was plenty of room in his chair, provided they didn't mind squeezing next to each other. Even the chair kitty-corner to his would have been better; at least then he could have yanked her up and hauled her onto his lap. If he tried that maneuver where she was seated across the table, he'd have to drag her t.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| aaa48bd | Listen to me," he said, his voice even and intense, "and listen well, because I'm only going to say this once. I desire you. I burn for you. I can't sleep at night for wanting you. Even when I didn't you, I lusted for you. It's the most maddening, beguiling, damnable thing, but there it is. And if I hear one more word of nonsense from your lips, I'm going to have to tie you to the bloody bed and have my way with you a hundred different wa.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 553afac | Sometimes . . ." Anthony said in a halting voice, "sometimes there are reasons for our fears that we can't quite explain. Sometimes it's just something we feel in our bones, something we know to be true, but would sound foolish to anyone else." -Anthony to Kate" | Julia Quinn | ||
| da6a1d4 | He smiled wryly. "I'm not such a terrible person, you know." She sighed. "I know." Something about her resigned expression made him grin. "But maybe a little terrible?" he teased. She brightened, their return to levity obviously making her much more comfortable with the conversation. "Oh, for certain." "Good. I'd hate to be boring." -Anthony & Kate" | Julia Quinn | ||
| f8c18cd | His eyes growing serious, he added, "This is where it might hurt a little, Kate. But I promise you, the pain will never be repeated." She nodded, but he could feel her body tense up, which he knew would only make it worse. "Shhh," he crooned. "Relax." She nodded, her eyes shut. "I am relaxed." He was glad she couldn't see him smile. "You are most definitely relaxed." Her eyes flew open. "Yes, I am." "I can't believe this," Anthony s.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 8f3b78f | May I tell you a secret?" she asked. He nudged farther. "Of course," he murmured. "When I first saw you . . . tonight, I mean . . ." "In all my glory?" he teased, lifting his brows into an arrogant arch. She shot him a rather enchanting scowl. "I didn't think this could possibly work." He moved forward. He was close, so close to embedding himself fully within her. "May I tell a secret?" he returned. "Of course." "Your secret"-- one.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| bf8f358 | What are you doing?" she whispered against his lips. He gave her a lopsided grin, as one of his fingers slid inside. "Making you feel really, really good?" She moaned, which pleased him. If she'd managed intelligible speech he would have known he wasn't doing his job correctly. -Kate & Anthony" | Julia Quinn | ||
| 1089c1b | His hand skimmed softly over her stomach, then he said, "I think I'm a little overdressed, don't you?" Kate's eyes widened as he left the bed and stripped off the rest of his clothing. His body was perfection, his chest finely muscled, his arms and legs powerful, and his-- "Oh, my God," she gasped. He grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment." -Anthony & Kate" | Julia Quinn | ||
| 32f55c7 | His tongue slid down the inner length of her finger, then traced the lines on her palm. "Such lovely hands," he murmured, nibbling on the fleshy part of her thumb as his fingers entwined with hers. "Strong, and yet so graceful and delicate." "You're talking nonsense," Kate said self-consciously. "My hands--" But he silenced her with a finger to her lips. "Shhh," he admonished. "Haven't you learned that you should never ever contradict you.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 5832b10 | He laid her down on the mattress, his eyes never leaving her charmingly disheveled form as he methodically stripped off his clothing. First his gloves, one by one, then his coat, already rumpled by his ardor. He caught her eyes, dark and large and filled with wonder, and he smiled, slowly and with satisfaction. "You've never seen a naked man before, have you?" he murmured. She shook her head. "Good." He leaned forward and plucked one of .. | Julia Quinn | ||
| e4f8793 | Anthony," she whispered, his name a benediction, a plea, a prayer all in one. "Anything," he replied raggedly, dropping to his knees before her, his lips trailing a hot path along her skin as his fingers frantically worked to release her from her gown. "Ask me anything," he groaned. "Anything in my power, I give to you." Kate felt her head fall back, felt the last of her resistance melting away. "Just love me," she whispered. "Just love m.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 5ec878f | When Anthony kissed her, she felt as if she were losing her mind. And when he kissed her twice, she wasn't even sure if she wanted it back! -Kate's thoughts | Julia Quinn | ||
| 2c06e25 | Anthony glared at his brother, then for good measure at Miss Sheffield, who was looking at him as if he'd just despoiled ten virgins in her presence. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 73da5d5 | You don't want to do this, Miss Sheffield," he warned. "Oh," she said with great feeling, "I . I really, really do." And then, with quite the most evil grin her lips had ever formed, she drew back her mallet and smacked her ball with every ounce of every single emotion within her. It knocked into his with stunning force, sending it hurtling even farther down the hill. Farther . . . Farther . . . Right into the lake. Openmouthed with d.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 4e10a77 | My sisters call him Slinky Simon.' Alec chuckled. 'It's only funny if he's not your cousin.' 'It's funny because it's true. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 584b586 | Benedict advanced immediately, lunging and attacking, but Colin had always been particularly fleet of foot, and he retreated carefully, meeting Benedict's attack with an expert parry. "You're in a bloody bad mood today," Colin said, lunging forward and just nearly catching Benedict on the shoulder. Benedict stepped out of his way, lifting his blade to block the attack. "Yes, well, I had a bad"-- he advanced again, his foil stretched strai.. | marry-sophie siblings | Julia Quinn | |
| 5585fbf | Shall we play youngest to oldest?" Colin suggested, with a gallant bow in Edwina's direction. She shook her head. "I should rather go last, so that I might have a chance to observe the play of those more experienced than I." "A wise woman," Colin murmured. "Then we shall play oldest to youngest. Anthony, I believe you're the most ancient among us." "Sorry, brother dear, but Hastings has a few months on me." "Why," Edwina whispered in Ka.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| 0800b20 | She fiddled with the flower some more, then blurted out, "You shouldn't have picked this." "You should have a tulip," he said matter-of-factly. "It isn't right that Edwina receives all the flowers." Kate's stomach, already tense and prickly, did a little flip. "Nonetheless," she managed to say, "your gardener will surely not appreciate the mutilation of his work." He smiled devilishly. "He'll blame one of my younger siblings." She could.. | Julia Quinn | ||
| e8e5d03 | Violet sniffed and shot him a haughty look. "I should not be so quick to mock me, my son. I merely point out the truth. You should be down on your hands and knees thanking your maker every day that you don't to marry an heiress. Most men don't have the luxury of free will when it comes to marriage, you know." Anthony just smiled. "I should be thanking my maker? Or my mother?" "You are a beast." He clucked her gently under the chin. "A .. | Julia Quinn | ||
| e2c9c3e | This is madness," he whispered against her ear. But he made no move to let her go. Her reply was an incoherent, confused moan, and her body became slightly more pliant in his arms, allowing him to mold her even closer to his form. He knew he should stop, knew he damned well shouldn't have started, but his blood was racing with need, and she felt so . . .so . . . So . He groaned, his lips leaving hers to taste the slightly salty skin of .. | Julia Quinn | ||
| e4bbefa | amidst the horrors of war, it became apparent that there was no way he could possibly survive the carnage. And if by some stroke of fate he managed to come through the conflict with his body intact, he knew that his soul would not be so lucky. | Julia Quinn |