- - - Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme, created at The Broke and The Bookish but now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl, where a new topic is given for a top ten book-related list - - -
I feel like January just zoomed by and now Valentine's Day is right around the corner. What is my favourite aspect about the annual Love Day you ask? Sweet treats, duh. CHOCOLATE! This week's prompt is 'Valentine's Day/Love Freebie'. I'm going to mix the two and share some top-class, swoon-worthy dates/quotes that will always live rent-free in my mind. I've recruited my romance soul sisters, Lisa and Katie, to share a few of theirs as well (thank you, my darlings~). Prepare to get swept off your feet, people!
I'm starting off this swoon-fest with my favourite books and leading men. Put my picks all together and you have a good visual of my dream partner and date heh. Nothing gets my heart fluttering hard like someone who's completely enamored with their lover. Add in charm, humor and puppies and I'm yours hook-line-and-sinker. My first choice might have you scratching your head a moment since the series is called 'In Death' and it's mystery/suspense focused, BUT the main powerhouse couple makes my heart cry every time.
1. Swoony dialogue: "you were everything"
"We're not done here. You'll hear me out." As if to hold her in place, he laid a hand over hers. "I had that hole in me, that empty space. I could have lived my life with it, content enough. I wasn't an unhappy man."
He kept his eyes on hers as his thumb brushed lightly over the back of her hand. "Then, one day I felt something—a prickle at the back of my neck, a heat at the base of my spine. And standing at a memorial for the dead, I turned, and there you were."
He turned her hand over, interlocking fingers. "There you were, and it all shifted under my feet. You were everything I shouldn't have, shouldn't want or need. A cop for Jesus' sake, with eyes that looked right into me."
He reached out, just a whisper of fingers on her face. And the quiet touch was somehow wildly passionate, desperately intimate.
"A cop wearing a bad gray suit and a coat that didn't even fit. From that moment, the hole inside me began to fill. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop what rooted there, or what grew. She put it in me, you filled it. Can you understand that's part of this—the connection you worry about? Can you understand that whatever it was I felt for her it's nothing. It's so pale, so thin and weak compared to what I feel for you."
He kept his eyes on hers as his thumb brushed lightly over the back of her hand. "Then, one day I felt something—a prickle at the back of my neck, a heat at the base of my spine. And standing at a memorial for the dead, I turned, and there you were."
He turned her hand over, interlocking fingers. "There you were, and it all shifted under my feet. You were everything I shouldn't have, shouldn't want or need. A cop for Jesus' sake, with eyes that looked right into me."
He reached out, just a whisper of fingers on her face. And the quiet touch was somehow wildly passionate, desperately intimate.
"A cop wearing a bad gray suit and a coat that didn't even fit. From that moment, the hole inside me began to fill. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop what rooted there, or what grew. She put it in me, you filled it. Can you understand that's part of this—the connection you worry about? Can you understand that whatever it was I felt for her it's nothing. It's so pale, so thin and weak compared to what I feel for you."
2. Swoony date location: a lighthouse
"Don't you ever do anything for fun that doesn't burn a thousand calories?"
"What do you mean?"
"Come walk the beach, Morgan." My voice lowered in an awful Jackson impression. "Come surfing, Morgan. Look, there's yoga to learn, Morgan."
His laugh echoed through the brick structure.
"Why not, let's see a movie, Morgan? Or my personal favorite, let's order in and watch Netflix, Morgan?" We finally reached a landing with a door, and I turned toward him as he stepped up beside me, drawing my eyes upward again. "Hmmm?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"I will order in with you whenever you want." His gaze dropped to my lips, and the temperature in the lighthouse rose. Or maybe that was just my own body. "I'll even let you pick what we do next time."
Next time. I swallowed, trying to find the levity we'd had just seconds ago. "I hope you're up for a fun night of reading on the couch," I teased.
"I'll come read with you," he offered in what had to be the sexiest voice imaginable. Hell, that was the sexiest line imaginable.
"What do you mean?"
"Come walk the beach, Morgan." My voice lowered in an awful Jackson impression. "Come surfing, Morgan. Look, there's yoga to learn, Morgan."
His laugh echoed through the brick structure.
"Why not, let's see a movie, Morgan? Or my personal favorite, let's order in and watch Netflix, Morgan?" We finally reached a landing with a door, and I turned toward him as he stepped up beside me, drawing my eyes upward again. "Hmmm?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow.
"I will order in with you whenever you want." His gaze dropped to my lips, and the temperature in the lighthouse rose. Or maybe that was just my own body. "I'll even let you pick what we do next time."
Next time. I swallowed, trying to find the levity we'd had just seconds ago. "I hope you're up for a fun night of reading on the couch," I teased.
"I'll come read with you," he offered in what had to be the sexiest voice imaginable. Hell, that was the sexiest line imaginable.
3. Swoony dialogue: "there's nothing more beautiful"
"You're not nervous this time, are you?" he asked, half-teasingly, half honestly wanting to know. She'd been so confident, unwavering before.
"It's the way you're looking at me."
"How am I looking at you?"
"Like you look at the Taj Mahal. Or the Sistine Chapel. You're staring at me like you stare at the Mona Lisa."
"I've never seen those things."
"It's like you've never seen something so beautiful before."
"I haven't."
She shivered at his words. "That's the way you're looking at me."
"And that bothers you?"
"I can't live up to it," she said. "You can't put me on a pedestal. I'll only fall."
"You'll never fall," he said. "Not if I'm there to catch you."
"It's the way you're looking at me."
"How am I looking at you?"
"Like you look at the Taj Mahal. Or the Sistine Chapel. You're staring at me like you stare at the Mona Lisa."
"I've never seen those things."
"It's like you've never seen something so beautiful before."
"I haven't."
She shivered at his words. "That's the way you're looking at me."
"And that bothers you?"
"I can't live up to it," she said. "You can't put me on a pedestal. I'll only fall."
"You'll never fall," he said. "Not if I'm there to catch you."
4. Swoony date idea: training search and rescue puppies
Ford and Violet spun, attempting to get the puppies to calm down, but the lead ropes began winding around their legs, and Violet gripped onto Ford's arms as she was the one suddenly fighting gravity. "Woah"
"You guys," Ford started, but the biggest of the puppies took off one way as the female shot in the opposite direction. "Stay! Sit!"
Violet swayed backward, bracing for a fall.
Lightening quick, Ford wrapped his arms around her and pivoted, taking the brunt of the fall. They hit the ground hard, Ford landing on his butt with Violet sprawled on top of him.
A giggle started low in her throat, until she was laughing full-out. "You're right. Your training methods are clearly better than mine."
Ford chuckled too. "It's a work in progress. One that needs more work."
"Maybe you should try the half-a-treat-up-front, half-once-the-job's-done method. All the gangsters use it, and it works very well for them."
"Oh, and you know a lot of gangsters?"
"What? I don't strike you as the mob-boss type?" she asked as if offended.
"I'm not sayin' that, but I did watch your method fail to yield the desired results."
"That's because you"—she poked a finger to his chest, accidentally noticing how very firm it was—"didn't let me finish."
"You guys," Ford started, but the biggest of the puppies took off one way as the female shot in the opposite direction. "Stay! Sit!"
Violet swayed backward, bracing for a fall.
Lightening quick, Ford wrapped his arms around her and pivoted, taking the brunt of the fall. They hit the ground hard, Ford landing on his butt with Violet sprawled on top of him.
A giggle started low in her throat, until she was laughing full-out. "You're right. Your training methods are clearly better than mine."
Ford chuckled too. "It's a work in progress. One that needs more work."
"Maybe you should try the half-a-treat-up-front, half-once-the-job's-done method. All the gangsters use it, and it works very well for them."
"Oh, and you know a lot of gangsters?"
"What? I don't strike you as the mob-boss type?" she asked as if offended.
"I'm not sayin' that, but I did watch your method fail to yield the desired results."
"That's because you"—she poked a finger to his chest, accidentally noticing how very firm it was—"didn't let me finish."
5. Swoony dialogue: "you're the first"
"You don't think you're the first for me?" he asked.
"I know I'm not." I plucked at a loose thread on my blouse.
"Not sexually, no, but you're the first in other ways."
"I am?"
"You are." He grasped the back of my neck and pulled me to him for a long kiss filled with affection and tenderness.
Then he took my hand and placed it on his chest. Beneath the cotton of his T-shirt, his heart beat rapidly against my palm.
"Feel that?" he asked. "You're the first woman who's ever made my heart beat like that. You're the first woman I've ever wanted to spend all my time with, the only one who could convince me to start a new life. You're the first woman who's ever made me genuinely happy. Who makes me glad to be alive, who makes me burn hotter than fire. You're the first woman who's ever made me afraid."
I stared at him. "Afraid?"
"Afraid of how good this is. Afraid it won't last." He pushed a lock of hair off my forehead. "Scared to death of losing you."
"I know I'm not." I plucked at a loose thread on my blouse.
"Not sexually, no, but you're the first in other ways."
"I am?"
"You are." He grasped the back of my neck and pulled me to him for a long kiss filled with affection and tenderness.
Then he took my hand and placed it on his chest. Beneath the cotton of his T-shirt, his heart beat rapidly against my palm.
"Feel that?" he asked. "You're the first woman who's ever made my heart beat like that. You're the first woman I've ever wanted to spend all my time with, the only one who could convince me to start a new life. You're the first woman who's ever made me genuinely happy. Who makes me glad to be alive, who makes me burn hotter than fire. You're the first woman who's ever made me afraid."
I stared at him. "Afraid?"
"Afraid of how good this is. Afraid it won't last." He pushed a lock of hair off my forehead. "Scared to death of losing you."
6. Swoony date location: Motutapu Island, New Zealand
"Are you bionic?" Ísa's question had him laughing.
"Pure Kiwi male," he said, but his chest puffed up a little at her admiring tone.
"You want to paddle some more? It's a straight shot to the beach now."
"Yes." A smile over her shoulder before she began. He matched his rhythm to her gentle one, enjoying himself in a way he would've never expected such a lazy pace. "Stay in the kayak," he told Ísa when they got close to landing.
Jumping out into the water himself, he pushed the kayak onto the sand with her in it. She laughed in delight, and his heart, it flip-flopped in a way it had never done in his twenty-three years of life.
Yeah, she was it for him.
Didn't matter how many years he'd had on this earth. He knew.
"Pure Kiwi male," he said, but his chest puffed up a little at her admiring tone.
"You want to paddle some more? It's a straight shot to the beach now."
"Yes." A smile over her shoulder before she began. He matched his rhythm to her gentle one, enjoying himself in a way he would've never expected such a lazy pace. "Stay in the kayak," he told Ísa when they got close to landing.
Jumping out into the water himself, he pushed the kayak onto the sand with her in it. She laughed in delight, and his heart, it flip-flopped in a way it had never done in his twenty-three years of life.
Yeah, she was it for him.
Didn't matter how many years he'd had on this earth. He knew.
7. Swoony dialogue: "as good as breathing"
He tumbled her onto her back. "I thought your kisses were like oxygen, like a heady rush, but I was wrong."
He nipped her lower lip. "It's more like strapping on an air tank before I go into a fire. You do that, you realize how valuable each breath is. I never take the air I breathe for granted. Kissing you is as good as breathing."
Her eyes flared wide. "Is it?"
He nodded slowly and traced her perfect lips with the tip of his finger. "You know what I think? You are..."
He felt a hot swell of feeling rise up inside him, pushing out words he never imagined he'd say, but they felt right. "Your mouth is an anchor in the storm, because it's attached to your heart, and your goodness. Your kisses are everything good in this world, and I want them every single day."
He nipped her lower lip. "It's more like strapping on an air tank before I go into a fire. You do that, you realize how valuable each breath is. I never take the air I breathe for granted. Kissing you is as good as breathing."
Her eyes flared wide. "Is it?"
He nodded slowly and traced her perfect lips with the tip of his finger. "You know what I think? You are..."
He felt a hot swell of feeling rise up inside him, pushing out words he never imagined he'd say, but they felt right. "Your mouth is an anchor in the storm, because it's attached to your heart, and your goodness. Your kisses are everything good in this world, and I want them every single day."
The books I chose are ones I remember swooning over with how sweet they are! Nothing like a good declaration of love by listing your love's finest traits that you adore about her. I chose A Crown of Bitter Orange because honestly who doesn't want to fall in love in southern France with the sun, beautiful aromas from the flowers, and delicious food? Written in the Stars is a newer read for me, but this was a cute moment when Elle and Darcy go on a double date and realize the chemistry isn't going away.
8. Swoony date idea: underground escape room
"Is there a theme? she asks." He stopped in front of a nondescript door, wooden and without windows or special markings. "The year is 1908. Each of you were unfortunate enough to lose family during the reconstruction that followed the Great Fire, prompting you to seek closure by communing with your loved ones via a séance."
Ever the skeptic, Darcy snorted.
Elle couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease. "Psst. Your Capricorn is showing."
"Shh." Darcy's cheeks turned pink in the dim, flickering light of the Underground. "That doesn't even make sense."
"You're cute when you blush," Elle blurted.
Brendon grinned, looking awfully smug as he rocked back on his heels. Darcy simply stared, blush deepening to the point where her freckles disappeared.
Ever the skeptic, Darcy snorted.
Elle couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease. "Psst. Your Capricorn is showing."
"Shh." Darcy's cheeks turned pink in the dim, flickering light of the Underground. "That doesn't even make sense."
"You're cute when you blush," Elle blurted.
Brendon grinned, looking awfully smug as he rocked back on his heels. Darcy simply stared, blush deepening to the point where her freckles disappeared.
9. Swoony dialogue: "you're my only hope"
Dazed, she felt him pull down her nightgown. "You're turn now," she mumbled, her head settling on his shoulder as he gathered her against him, "You haven't..."
"Sleep," he whispered. "I'll have my turn tomorrow."
"I'm still not tired," she insisted.
"Close your eyes," Marcus said, his hand moving to her bottom in a circling caress. He brushed his mouth over her forehead and her fragile eyelids. "Rest. You'll need to regain your strength, because once we're married, I won't be able to leave you alone. I'll want to love you every hour, every minute of the day." He nestled her more closely against him.
"There is nothing on earth more beautiful to me than your smile... no sound sweeter than your laughter... no pleasure greater than holding you in my arms. I realized today that I could never live without you, stubborn little hellion that you are. In this life and the next, you're my only hope of happiness. Tell me, Lillian, dearest love... how can you have reached so far inside my heart?"
"Sleep," he whispered. "I'll have my turn tomorrow."
"I'm still not tired," she insisted.
"Close your eyes," Marcus said, his hand moving to her bottom in a circling caress. He brushed his mouth over her forehead and her fragile eyelids. "Rest. You'll need to regain your strength, because once we're married, I won't be able to leave you alone. I'll want to love you every hour, every minute of the day." He nestled her more closely against him.
"There is nothing on earth more beautiful to me than your smile... no sound sweeter than your laughter... no pleasure greater than holding you in my arms. I realized today that I could never live without you, stubborn little hellion that you are. In this life and the next, you're my only hope of happiness. Tell me, Lillian, dearest love... how can you have reached so far inside my heart?"
10. Swoony date location: Grasse, France
"Hungry?" Tristan's warm, low voice.
Damn, was it that obvious? She blinked him into focus.
He half-turned and was gazing at the courtyard fountain, hands in his pockets, posture uber-casual.
"It's lunch time and, in a strange way, you're new in town." He held out a hand. "I thought you might rather put up with me than eat by yourself."
A warmth infused her. It sounded much less lonely, to eat lunch with Tristan rather than by herself either at a restaurant terrace or in the courtyard below—pulling out the yellow wooden table and chairs tucked for that purpose in a storage closet near the main doors, just like every other shop on this street.
Damn, was it that obvious? She blinked him into focus.
He half-turned and was gazing at the courtyard fountain, hands in his pockets, posture uber-casual.
"It's lunch time and, in a strange way, you're new in town." He held out a hand. "I thought you might rather put up with me than eat by yourself."
A warmth infused her. It sounded much less lonely, to eat lunch with Tristan rather than by herself either at a restaurant terrace or in the courtyard below—pulling out the yellow wooden table and chairs tucked for that purpose in a storage closet near the main doors, just like every other shop on this street.
Recognize any of these books? Did you find these dates/quotes as swoony as we did?
What romantic book scenes live rent-free in your head?
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This is a super cute topic choice!
ReplyDeleteI love the scenarios that were picked.
Adding a few of them to my TBR list. :)
Yay! Glad to hear we added to your TBR heheh. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did :D
DeleteWhat nice quotes.
ReplyDeleteMy post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-conversation-hearts-on-covers
Right?! Aren't they swoony ;)
DeleteI would definitely love being taken on a date that involved puppies!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2021/02/09/top-ten-tuesday-302/
Although the risk of death by cuteness overload increases in such cases. It's worth it~
DeleteOooh! I love these quotes and locations! Great list!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my TTT!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog
Woot~ Happy to know you enjoyed the post! :)
Delete