Out of Control Quotes

“He rubbed the ugly, jagged scar that ran from the corner of his eye to his hairline just above his ear. He was glad he had it. A lifelong reminder of that awful day”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“beautiful. “But if we get out of here and you’re . . . uh . . . old and—” ugly—“sixty years old or something . . .”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“beautiful woman. Beautiful? That thought cleared his head. “Uh . . . you’re not fifty or sixty years old,”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“an hour to ride back to my”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“As the evening passed and their married life began, Rafe discovered that in the arms of”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“perked”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“on one of my first real adult vacations, my husband and I went to Carlsbad Caverns. That place captured my imagination like few places on this earth ever have. It just transported me to the early days of the cavern. I could imagine the first people who found it, explored it. It is endless”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“unfortunately just”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“The voice broke. Sobbing echoed off the cavern walls. Not a little boy. He stuck his head over the cavern entrance. “A woman?” Rafe spoke aloud. Trying to believe his own ears. The words echoed into the depths. There was no response, only sobs. But it was not his imagination. There really was”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“the”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“mattered; he stank up the cabin just by walking inside. “You’ve brought”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“such a thing right now, Rafe?” She came along so willingly. “Not one reason in the world, little darlin’.” “Where are we going?” Rafe didn’t really care to explain, so he turned her into his arms and kissed her. When he pulled away, her eyes blinked open as if her lids were almost too heavy to hold up. “You really shouldn’t kiss me like that, Rafe. I swear when you do it, I can’t seem to think clearly.” “Why don’t you just relax and let me do the thinking for the both of us for a while?” As the evening passed and their”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“care to explain, so he turned her into his arms and kissed her. When he pulled away, her eyes blinked open as if her lids were almost too heavy to hold up. “You really shouldn’t kiss me like that, Rafe. I swear when you do it, I can’t seem to think clearly.” “Why don’t you just relax and let me do the thinking for the both of us for a while?”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“the bowl from her hands. “Careful, it’s hot.” Rafe moved fast, setting it down on the table. “Told me that a little late.” “Father is mostly asleep.”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“She might be judging her home harshly, too. “I met up with Steele. He already crossed the stream and is headed back to the ranch. He said he’d ride around, going across”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“there was no humor behind that smile. Rafe looked at the tippy table Julia had contrived. Julia saw him judging her home harshly, but”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“bringing some horses to corral over here. He’ll have more supplies, too.” Julia hoped the ranch foreman didn’t get back at mealtime.”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“pushed along with a bit of unnecessary roughness. “I’m not telling you to rest because I think you’re fragile.” “Oh, yes you are.” She looked at him suspiciously. “No, you’re going to need the rest because Julia won’t be around to help you for the rest of the day.” “She won’t?” “I won’t?” Julia asked. “Or night.” “Oh,” Audra and Julia said at”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“For what?” “Our children are going to be really smart.” Rafe smiled at the little innocent as he rested his hand on her lower back and urged her forward. “What makes you think of such a thing right now, Rafe?” She came along so willingly. “Not one reason in the world, little darlin’.” “Where are we going?” Rafe didn’t really care to explain, so he turned her into his arms and kissed her. When he pulled away, her eyes blinked open as if her lids were almost too heavy to hold up. “You really shouldn’t kiss me like that, Rafe. I swear when you do it, I can’t seem to think”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“what?” “Our children are going to be really smart.” Rafe smiled at the little innocent as he rested his hand on her lower back and urged her forward. “What makes you think of such a thing right now, Rafe?” She came along so willingly. “Not one reason in the world, little”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“poured water into a basin. He moved the basin to the table. Julia reached for the water hesitantly. “Let me help.” Rafe pulled a chair around the corner of the wooden plank”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“stale air and stared into the darkness, knowing his eyes couldn’t penetrate it. There was no way to climb out without the ladder. There was another twenty-foot descent after the ladder ended at the ledge, but it wasn’t as smooth as the upper stretch, so Rafe could climb down. “Are you hurt?” Rafe began talking as he tested the ladder. It felt sturdy. He swallowed hard, said a quick prayer, and swung over the edge. It was like climbing down the throat of a monster. “I’m coming to help you.” He heard a stifled sob. “Are you where you can see me?” One step at a time he descended the clinking ladder. “Can you hear that noise? I’ve got a chain ladder.” His voice pushed against the darkness, but it was a solid thing, too deep”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“thousand questions raced through Rafe’s mind. He suspected she wouldn’t answer any of them. “We’ll get you out of here, and I’ll help you get . . . get home.” Where in the world could home be? There weren’t any women in the area. There hadn’t been any since the gold had run out. Well, a few Indians. But her little bit of talking told him she wasn’t one. As he descended, Rafe felt the darkness of the cave press on him like a slowly closing fist, crushing him by inches. He quit talking so he could breathe. After what seemed like forever, he reached the ledge. Stepping off the ladder, he turned, listening. Her breathing was audible. She was close to the left side tunnel, as if she was poised to run down it, away from him. “Please, don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you.”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“Chapter 1 Colorado Territory June 23, 1866 Last time. This is it. Never again. Rafe Kincaid pulled his chestnut thoroughbred to a halt in full darkness, still a short distance away from the entrance of the cavern. He rubbed the ugly, jagged scar that ran from the corner of his eye to”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“calm. “I’m just thinking I haven’t really . . . um . . . seen you yet. I mean you seem . . . young. You feel really young.” And beautiful. She felt very young and beautiful. “But if we get out of here and you’re . . . uh . . . old and—” ugly—“sixty years old or something . . . well, it’s going to be awkward.”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“Nebraska with”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“Territory June 23, 1866 Last time. This is it. Never again. Rafe Kincaid pulled his chestnut thoroughbred to a halt in full darkness, still a short distance away from the entrance of the cavern. He rubbed the ugly, jagged”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“run off, are you?” Rafe hesitated. “Nope, I’m not running”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“beginning”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control

“There was nothing to aim at. Seth hadn’t screamed. Seth wasn’t down there. Another scream split the air. But someone else was. He holstered his gun and rushed for the cave. “Please, someone help me!” It was Seth. No, not Seth. “Someone help me!” The voice broke. Sobbing echoed off the cavern walls. Not a little boy. He stuck his head over the cavern entrance. “A woman?” Rafe spoke aloud. Trying to believe his own ears. The words echoed into the depths. There was no response, only sobs. But it was not his imagination. There really was someone down there. The crying rose and fell, echoed off the walls until it sounded like ten women crying, all ghostly, terrified. “Who’s down there?” His voice bounced back to him. Only more tears. The sun was gone. Dank, cool air rose up from the pit. He could see nothing. After those first words, there were no more. But she might be out of her mind with fear. Something Rafe could understand. Rafe looked at the rope but didn’t care to trust his weight to it. His eyes went to a flat boulder only feet away. Would it still be there? After all this time? Rafe muscled the boulder aside, stone scratching on stone, and uncovered a depression in the rocks to reveal . . . “My ladder.” He pulled it out, the metal clinking. It was chain, badly rusted after lying in the ground for years. Long ago Rafe had switched it for the hand-woven hemp rope he, Ethan, and Seth had trusted with their lives. Then trust had died and Rafe had anchored the ladder to this boulder. The sobbing had a haunting quality, but this was no ghost—Rafe didn’t believe in them—although for a few uncertain seconds, he’d been tempted to consider the possibility. “I’m coming down.” The sobs stopped. Then he heard them again, softer, muffled, as if she was trying to squelch the sound. “I’ll get you out,” he called, his voice echoing. Had someone abandoned her down there? “Can you tell me your name?” No response. He gave his chain ladder a quick inspection and wasn’t too happy with its condition. “I’m Rafe Kincaid. I ranch near here.” Rafe had known the cavern very well by the time he’d given up his exploring. Not as well as Seth. No one knew this cavern like Rafe’s little brother. Seth had run wild down there. Once, in a particularly wild mood, Seth had told Rafe he’d lost his soul down there and had to find it. Seth had always been”
― Mary Connealy, Out of Control