Throughout the course of the day, Bobby Tom's irritation over his artificially oiled and dirt-smeared chest and his unzipped jeans had flared into righteous indignation. They were treating him like a sex object! It was damned demeaning, that's what it was, being reduced to a set of oil pecs and a tight ass. Shit. A dozen years in the NFL, and this was what it had all come down to. Pecs and ass.

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Uhm, Kevin..."" Be quiet, or I swear to God I'll take you right here." Yes, this was definitely Forced Sex.

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Was there some basic flaw in her makeup that made her keep falling in love with this man who couldn’t love her back?

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

What are you going to do, angel face? Stab me with your eyebrow pencil?

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

What New York City football team did Joe Namath play for?"" The New York City Yankees!" A roar of laughter went up from the crowd, accompanied by more than a few loud groans. Bobby Tom silenced them all with a glare. At the same time, the glitter in his eyes dared any of them to contradict her. When he was certain every person there understood his message, he turned back to Gracie and gathered her into his arms. With a tender look and a gentle brush of his lips, he said, "Exactly right, sweetheart. I had no idea you knew so much about football." And that was how every last person in Tears, Texas, came to understand that Bobby Tom Denton had finally and forever fallen head over heels in love.

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

When did my house turn into a hangout for every grossly overpaid, terminally pampered professional football player in northern Illinois?"" We like it here," Jason said. "It reminds us of home."" Plus, no women around." Leandro Collins, the Bears' first-string tight end emerged from the office munching on a bag of chips. "There are times when you need a rest from the ladies." Annabelle shot out her arm and smacked him in the side of the head. "Don't forget who you're talking to." Leandro had a short fuse, and he'd been known to take out a ref here and there when he didn't like a call, but the tight end merely rubbed the side of his head and grimaced. "Just like my mama."" Mine, too," Tremaine said with happy nod. Annabelle spun on Heath. "Their mother! I'm thirty-one years old, and I remind them of their mothers."" You act like my mother," Sean pointed out, unwisely as it transpired, because he got a swat in the head next.

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

When male authors write love stories, the heroine tends to end up dead.

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

When that bastard calls back, you tell him he’s won this round. I’ll marry him. But I don’t take well to being blackmailed, and tell him I intend to spend the rest of my life making him miserable, got that?

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Who the hell is that?! Some call her Satan. Others, Beelzebub. She goes by many names.

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Wouldn't you like to make sure all those millions you give to Uncle Sam went to schools and hospitals instead of nuclear warheads?' As a matter of fact, he would. Playgrounds for big kids, preschool programs to little ones, and mandatory LAST surgery for NFL refs.

— Susan Elizabeth Phillips