Érica’s chapters

“Aoi extends his palm and smiles. “Shall we get going then?”
I nod. “Can I tell you something?”
“Anything.”
“Promise you won’t get mad.”
“I promise.”
I hold my pinky up and unexpectedly he reciprocates the
gesture. The sun shines through the window and reflects over his
frame, radiating a heavenly glow around him.
“You’re a terrible driver.”
He gasps but instead of getting mad he cracks up and ruffles up
my hair. “Care to drive in my stead then?”
“Sure, if you want us to crash.”
“At least you’re self-aware.”
Aoi’s eyes shimmer with delight and I momentarily catch
myself hoping this moment could last a lifetime and it still wouldn’t
be enough.”
― Martina D., Soaring Tide: When two lost souls meet...

“And he suddenly thinks of what it would be like to draw Jimmy Campbell into his arms, letting him rest his weary skin against his own too-tall, too-bizarre body, feeling the quiet strength and competence in his forearms, his shoulder blades, his kneecaps, the little salty sliver of skin behind his ear. Fingertips which had gripped a smoking gun, touched blood, and paddled furiously on a surfboard onto a plat sea.”
― C.L. Beaumont, The Sea Ain't Mine Alone

“James Campbell tastes like the cool layer of wet sand buried just beneath the top layer baked in the sun. Like the first burst of ocean water at the start of a new day across his bare skin. Like soft, warm heat.”
― C.L. Beaumont, The Sea Ain't Mine Alone

“Loren might not have been a Calloway sister, but he’s been more of a brother to me than any other man in my life.”
― Krista Ritchie, Some Kind of Perfect