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“I’ll be your friend in daylight. I’ll treat you as a comrade in every gas-lit ballroom. But alone, under moonlight, I’ll not pretend that I want you for anything but mine.”
― Courtney Milan, Unlocked

“Maybe that’s what I have been looking for. When storms and rockslides threaten, I am looking for someone who will hold on to me and not let go.”
― Courtney Milan, Unlocked

“She had always thought that she wanted someone to love her beyond all reason. Someone who would slay a regiment of knights to save her the slightest inconvenience.
She'd been wrong. That sort of fool left nothing but a swath of bloody knights in his wake.”
― Courtney Milan, Unraveled

“What can I say? I have a thing for women who carry heavy books and know how to use them”
― Courtney Milan, Trade Me

“See?â€� Jenny said. “That was good. A comforting gesture, and completely unprompted on my part. You’re a
quick study. Even you will have to admit that, despite your appeal to logic, touch works. All the cold in me flows to you.�
“Cold can’t flow,� he said, pulling her closer. “Only heat.
Thermodynamically speaking—�
“G²¹°ù±ð³Ù³ó?â€�
He looked down.
“Don’t ruin this.�
He didn’t.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“What are you planning to do
with all my points?�
Points? It took Jenny a moment to remember what he was talking about. Points, when he smiled. She turned
around slowly and put her hands on her hips.
“Your points? Those are my points. I earned them. You can’t have them.�
Gareth scowled and shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Bollocks. I had to smile very hard for every single one of them. And if you don’t take this elephant and marry me, I
swear to God you’ll never get another point again.�
Jenny’s world froze. Outside, she could hear the clear voice of a blackbird singing. It was overwhelmed by the
ringing in her ears. She turned to Gareth slowly.
“What did you say?�
“I said, you’ll never earn another point again. I haven’t smiled since you left me, and I miss it.� He kicked at the ground, his eyes tracing the dust. “I miss you.�
“No, before that.�
“Take this elephant—�
“A´Ú³Ù±ð°ù.â€�
He looked up. That feral light shone in his eyes again, but this time the wild look was a plea. A lion yearning to be
freed from its cage. “Take me.� His voice was thick and husky. “Please. Jenny. I’m begging you.�
She didn’t know what to say in answer. He’d shocked the words right out of her skin. She could only stare, as some frozen expanse inside her tingled to life. It hurt to want.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“This is why people are so hard to understand. I cannot even estimate their gravitational pull.”
― Courtney Milan, Unlocked

“But here's the thing about having been in love that first time: I always knew, every time after, that what I was faced with was a pale imitation. I never found someone else I could trust with my soul. After that first time, nothing else was acceptable.”
― Courtney Milan, Once Upon a Marquess

“And that was how Jenny discovered the answer to her question. How could she remain Gareth’s lover without becoming his mistress?
She couldn’t.
The only question was whether this affair would end in three months or three days.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“After Blakely delivered that infamous and muchrepeated set down, he transferred his gaze to the new
Marchioness of Blakely.
She shook her head, once. Firmly. “Gareth,� she said dryly. “It is your sister’s wedding day. Behave.�
Silence. He’d lifted his chin, in typical Blakely arrogance.
The crowd waited for the blast.
And then Lord Blakely shrugged and grinned helplessly.
Grinned. Helpless. A Blakely.
“Oh,� said his sister, from where she stood near him. “Is
that how it’s done? I’ll have to practice that.�
Like that, everything society knew about nine generations of Blakelys went up in smoke.
Since that day, there had been no question. Lady Blakely had been granted otherworldly powers at birth.
Every smile she coaxed from him, every laugh that she surprised from his lips, stood as testament to her arcane abilities.
And those that questioned her worth still had only to see the look in his eyes when he watched her to find all the
proof they required.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“Jenny’s admonition had the desired effect. Ned drew a deep breath and thrust his arm gingerly into the bag, his mouth puckered in distaste. The expression on his face flickered from queasy horror to confusion. From there, it
flew headlong into outright bafflement. Shaking his head, he pulled his fist from the bag and turned his hand palm up.
For a long moment, the two men stared at the offending lump. It was brightly colored. It was round. It was�
“An orange?� Lord Blakely rubbed his forehead. “Not quite what I expected.� He scribbled another notation.
“We live in enlightened times,â€� Jenny murmured.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“Now come,â€� he said. “Does your Alex love you back, or is he a hopeless idiot?â€�
“He loves me,� she said quietly. “But I’m afraid he’ll stop after we marry. He’ll change his mind. He’ll—�
“He’ll love you more. Trust me.�
“Really?� She was far too somber.
“Really.� He had no words to make her smile, and so Gareth tweaked her nose.
And she giggled.
It had been a long time since he’d laughed. But despite all those years, he still remembered how. What he’d
forgotten was the lightness of his soul when he did so. The moment was perfect.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“What do you see?â€� asked Ned, his voice hushed.
“I see…I see…an elephant.�
“Elephant,� Lord Blakely repeated, as he transcribed her
words. “I hope that isn’t the extent of your prediction.
Unless, Ned, you plan to marry into the genus Loxodonta.�
Ned blinked. “Loxo-wha?�
“Comprised, among others, of pachyderms.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“The marquess held the weapon out, as formally as if he were passing a sword.
Soberly, Ned accepted it. He placed the sacrificial citrus on the table in front of him, and then with one careful
incision, eviscerated it. He speared deep into its heart, his
hands steady, and then cut it to pieces. Jenny allotted herself one short moment of wistful sorrow for her afterdinner treat gone awry as the juice ran everywhere.
“Enough.� She reached out and covered his hand midstab.
“It’s dead now,� she explained gravely.
He pulled his hand away and nodded. Lord Blakely took back his knife and cleaned it with a handkerchief.
Jenny studied the corpse. It was orange. It was pulpy. It
was going to be a mess to clean up. Most importantly, it gave her an excuse to sit and think of something mystical to say—the only reason for this exercise, really. Lord Blakely
demanded particulars. But in Jenny’s profession, specifics were the enemy.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“Her fingers clenched against his shoulder blades. “You don’t know what you’re asking.â€�
“Do I not?� He threaded his hands gently around her neck. “I’m asking you to make love with me.�
That word again. She opened her eyes. “Gareth,� she whispered. “Please. Don’t. This is hard enough—�
She stopped speaking as his gaze pierced her.
Incredible. Last night had seemed so intimate. And yet it
had been so dark that she had not been able to see anything other than flashes of light, reflecting off the surface
of his skin. Now she could look into his eyes. They were golden-brown. They were not cutting or dismissive. And
even though she could see the desire smolder inside them, there was something else in them that turned her belly to liquid.”
― Courtney Milan, Proof by Seduction

“I do believe you would have cut the rope.”
― Courtney Milan, Unlocked

“His past followed him around as faithfully as his shadow.”
― Courtney Milan, Unlocked