Lorraine Heath Quotes

“Stay."

The strangled word, spoken in anguish, tore at her heart, ripped through her resolve. She swiped at the tears raining over her cheeks and slowly turned, forcing the painful truth past her lips. "I can't stay. I can no longer give you what you want. I can't give you a son."

Dallas stepped off the veranda and extended a bouquet of wildflowers toward her. "Then stay and give me what I need."

Her heart lurched at the abundance of flowers wilting within his smothering grasp. She shook her head vigorously. "You don't need me. There are a dozen eligible women in Leighton who would happily give you a son and within the month there will be at least a dozen more—"

"I'll never love any of them as much as I love you. I know that as surely as I know the sun will come up in the morning."

Her breath caught, her trembling increased, words lodged in her throat. He loved her? She watched as he swallowed.

"I know I'm not an easy man. I don't expect you to ever love me, but if you'll tolerate me, I give you my word that I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy—"

Quickly stepping forward, she pressed her shaking fingers against his warm lips. "My God, don't you know that I love you? Why do you think I'm leaving? I'm leaving because I do love you—so much. Dallas, I want you to have your dream, I want you to have your son."

Closing his eyes, he laid his roughened hand over hers where it quivered against his lips and pressed a kiss against the heart of her palm.

"I can't promise that I won't have days when I'll look toward the horizon and feel the aching emptiness that comes from knowing we'll never have a child to pass our legacy on to…"Opening his eyes, he captured her gaze. "But I know the emptiness you'll leave behind will eat away at me every minute of every day."

-Dallas and Dee”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Glory

“Within the shadows of honor, courage often walks in silence.

-Engraved on the monument Clay built”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“He wrapped his hand around hers, pressed a kiss to the heart of her palm, and held her gaze. “I’ve got a one-room cabin, a few horses, and a dream that’s so small it won’t even cover your palm. But it sure seems a lot bigger when you’re beside me.”

The moonlight streaming through the window shimmered off the tears trailing along her cheeks. “I’ve always wanted a dream that I could hold in the palm of my hand,” she said quietly.

-Houston and Amelia”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Destiny

“If he wasn't angry, he certainly did a good imitation. His voice was clipped and as hard as stone. She wrung her hands together. "I love you. Clay."
"No, you don't."
Meg felt as though he'd just slapped her. "Yes, I do. When you leave this town, I'll go with you."
Narrowing his eyes, he studied her. "Will you marry me?"
"Yes."
"Will you give me children?"
"If I can. Kirk and I were never able to conceive, but if I can have children, I want to have yours."
"In this town that we move to, wherever it is, will you walk down the street with me?"
"Of course."
"Holding my hand?"
"Yes."
"And the hands of my children?"
"Yes."
He unfolded his arms and took a step toward her. She wanted to fling herself into his embrace, but something hard in his eyes stopped her.
"And what happens, Mrs. Warner, when someone you know rides through town and points at me and calls me a yellow-bellied coward? What will you do then? Will you let go of my hand and take my children to the other side of the street? Will you pretend that you haven't kissed me, that you haven't lain with me beneath the stars?" With disgust marring his features, he turned away. "You think I'm a coward. Go home."
"I don't think that. I love you."
He spun around. "You don't believe in that love, you don't believe in me."
"Yes, I do."
He stalked toward her. She backed into the corner and bent her head to meet his infuriated gaze.
"How strongly do you believe in our love?" he asked, his voice ominously low. "If they threatened to strip off your clothes unless you denied our love, would you deny our love?"
He gave her no chance to respond, but continued on, his voice growing deeper and more ragged, as though he were dredging up events from the past.
"If they wouldn't let you sleep until you denied our love, would you deny our love so you could lay your head on a pillow?
"If they stabbed a bayonet into your backside every time your eyes drifted closed, would you deny our love so your flesh wouldn't be pierced?
"If they applied a hot brand to your flesh until you screamed in agony, would you deny our love so they'd take away the iron?
"If they placed you before a firing squad, would you say you didn't love me so they wouldn't shoot you?"
He stepped back and plowed his hands through his hair. "You think I'm a coward. You don't think I have the courage to stand beside you and risk the anger of your father. I'd die before I turned away from anyone or anything I believed in. You won't even walk by my side."
He looked the way she imagined soldiers who had lost a battle probably looked: weary, tired of the fight, disillusioned.
"You don't believe in me," he said quietly. "How can you believe in our love?”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“Austin stood. “All right, I will.” He walked to the door and stopped, his hand on the latch. He gazed back over his shoulder. “That woman you love . . . Do I know her?”

Houston forced himself to meet his brother’s gaze. The boy only knew one woman, if he didn’t count the whores in Dusty Flats. “Yeah, you do.”

“She never left your side, not for one minute.”

“She should have.”

“Well, I’m not learned in these matters, but I’d like to think if a woman ever loved me as much as that one loves you ... I’d crawl through hell to be by her side.”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Destiny

“What are you doing?" she asked.

Grimacing, he considered returning his mouth to hers and kissing her until she forgot the question and his strange behavior, but he had to know the truth. Dammit, he had to know. "Amelia told me that her toes curl when Houston kisses her. I was just trying to see if your toes curl when I kiss you."

She turned a lovely shade of rose and rolled her shoulders toward her chin. "My whole body curls when you kiss me."

"Your whole body?"

She nodded quickly."Every inch."

"Well, hell," he said as he settled his mouth greedily over hers with plans to keep her body tightly curled for the remainder of the night.

-Dallas and Dee”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Glory

“Maybe in time, once your feelings for Dee deepen—"

"That's my problem, Houston. I think I've fallen in love with her and I've got no earthly idea how to make her love me."

-Dallas and Houston”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Glory

“The melody drifted into an aching silence. Austin lifted his head, and she saw his tears, trailing along his cheeks, glistening in the moonlight.

She slipped from beneath the blankets, her bare feet hitting the cold floor. "What were you playing?" she asked reverently, not wanting to disturb the ambiance that remained in the room.

"That was my heart breaking," he said, his voice ragged.

She felt as though her own heart might shatter as she took a step toward him. "Austin—"

"Don't stop loving me, Loree. You want me to learn what those little black bugs on those pieces of paper mean, I'll learn. You want me to play the violin from dawn until dusk, hell, I'll play till midnight, just don't stop loving me."

She flung her arms around his neck and felt his arms come around her back, the violin tapping against her backside. "Oh, Austin, I couldn't stop loving you if I wanted."

"I do know how to love, Loree. I just don't know how to keep a woman loving me."

"I'll always love you, Austin," she said trailing kisses over his face. "Always."

She felt a slight movement away from her as he set the violin aside, and then his arms came around her, tighter than before. "Let me love you, Loree. I need to love you."

-Austin and Loree”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Splendor

“Holding his daughter close with one arm, he pointed toward the distant horizon. "As far as you can see—it all belongs to you, Faith. Someday, I'll take you to the top of a windmill and teach you to dream. When you reach for some of those dreams, you might fall…but your mother and I will be there to catch you because that's what love means: always being there. I love you, little girl." He pressed a kiss to his daughter's cheek. "So much…it hurts. But I reckon that's part of love, too."

-Dallas”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Glory

“He rolled her over, rising above her, cupping her cheek. "I wasn't lying, Loree. I've always heard the music in my heart…but I lost the ability to do that when I went to prison. It was like the music just shriveled up and died. I thought I'd never hear it again. How could I play the violin if I couldn't hear the music? Then lately, I started going crazy because I'd hear snatches of music—when you'd look at me or smile at me. But I couldn't grab onto it, I couldn't hold it. Then last night, you told me that you loved me and I heard the music, so sweet, so soft. It scared me to hear it so clearly after I hadn't for so long.

"Tonight, I hurt you—again. I was going to let you go, Loree. I was gonna take you back to Austin. But I heard my heart break…and I knew that's all I'd hear for the rest of my life. Don't leave me, Sugar."

Joy filled her and she brushed the locks of hair back off his brow. "I won't."

-Austin and Loree”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Splendor

“From the corner of her eye, she watched Clay walk to his wagon, where he'd find no shade.
Isolated.
Alone.
How simple it would be to prepare him a plate and walk to the wagon to give it to him.
How difficult to step into his world of loneliness.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“Please," Meg whispered. "I don't want any trouble here."
He released his hold on her. As though she might say something further, she parted her lips slightly. Then she walked out of the church.
"Touch her again, and I'll kill you," Daniel said.
Clay wondered if he should tell her brother that he'd be doing him a favor if he killed him… because his heart had just died.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“Has any woman ever touched you?" she asked as she splayed her fingers over his thigh.
"No."
"Do you want a woman to touch you?"
"No."
She stilled, and Clay pushed himself up. He cradled her check in his palm. "I want you to touch me.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“Cordelia!"

She staggered to a stop and slowly turned as her father's voice reverberated around the room.

"You just accused your brothers of trying to commit murder."

"No, Father. From this day forward, Cameron is the only brother I have. If you allow these two to remain in your home after what I have just told you, then I also have no father."

"You're as high-spirited and stubborn as your mother. I warned Leigh that he needed to keep a tight rein on you, but he wouldn't listen."

"Dallas isn't one to follow in other men's footsteps. Giving him permission to marry me was the finest gift you could have ever given me.”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Glory

“Meg forgot about cautioning him to be quiet. She forgot about everything but watching the care with which he wrapped a blanket around Mama Warner before gingerly lifting her into his arms and cradling her against his chest.
"Comfortable?" he asked.
"You know how to hold a woman so she feels precious. Makes me wish I was sixty years younger.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“Dreams were the stepping stones to glory.

By pursuing them, he had attained a level of success that exceeded most men’s reach and acquired all that he had set out to gain: Land, cattle, and wealth beyond his highest expectations.

Yet, desperation gnawed at him like a starving dog that had just discovered a buried bone, and as he gazed at the stars that blanketed the velvety sky, he felt as though he had achieved nothing.”
― Lorraine Heath, Texas Glory

“He was lying in bed with the woman he loved . . . a woman he couldn't make love to. He closed his eyes. More than any­thing in this world, he wanted this woman to be happy. He'd give her anything, do anything to make her happy. Even if it made his own life hell.”
― Lorraine Heath, Sweet Lullaby

“...Closing his eyes, he saw every smile that Rebecca had ever directed his way and knew a pang of regret. He would have liked to have held her in his arms one last time before he died.”
― Lorraine Heath, Sweet Lullaby

“You think the only battles fought are done so with rifles, and the only wounds that kill draw blood. You think courage is loud, boisterous, and proud. Mrs. Warner, I don't think you have a clue as to what this memorial truly represents."

-Clay to Meg”
― Lorraine Heath

“Jake?"

"Mmm?"

"I like it when you spend the day thinking."

He brought his head up, twinkling eyes and a mischie­vous grin gracing his countenance.

"Reb, honey, that was just what I thought about this morning. Wait until I show you what I thought about this afternoon.”
― Lorraine Heath, Sweet Lullaby

“Honeysuckle. She smelled of honeysuckle. He thought about her pert little nose. He'd wanted to smile every time she tilted it to demonstrate her disdain toward him. If her obvious hatred for him hadn't been so great, hadn't hurt so badly, he might have smiled.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“He picked up his knife and started carving again. He concentrated on the lines and planes of the wood to keep his mind from wandering too far into the past.
He had his own wounds that refused to heal.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“It hurts to cry," she said, her voice raspy.
"It hurts worse not to."
"Did you cry?"
"For four days straight."
"Is that how long it took you to bury them?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said in a voice that sounded like stone grating against stone.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“He cradled her face between his hands, angled his mouth over hers, and welcomed the bliss she offered. Boldly, she gave her tongue the freedom to roam within his mouth. She sighed. He moaned.
He thought a man could become spoiled touching a woman. He might never want to touch stone again. Stone wasn't warm. It didn't alter its shape with the gentlest of pressures. Stone didn't breathe so he could feel its moisture on his face. Rocks didn't make soft sounds that he'd carry with him until the day he died.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember

“I was proud of you today, handling William Long the way you did." Her fingers stilled. "What did you think of him the first time you met him?" she asked quietly.

"That he was the kind of man you should have married."

"And now you don't think that anymore?"

"Now, it doesn't matter. You're married to me."

"I was the night you met him."

Jake's eyes met and held hers in the moonlight. "No, you weren't. Not really." His arm tightened around her. "But you are now.”
― Lorraine Heath, Sweet Lullaby

“Miss Velvet."

"Lord, darlin'. You're the only man in this state who would tip his hat to a whore." She ushered the other women along and stopped beside Jake. "You haven't been back to see me, darlin'."

"No, ma'am."

"You won't be coming back to see me, will you?"

He shook his head. "No, ma'am. I won't."

She smiled, a warm, pretty smile. "It's just as well. A man like you, darlin', shouldn't have to pay a woman. You take care of yourself now, you hear?"

He returned her smile. "Yes, ma'am. I will."

She reached out, touching the raised comer of his mouth with the tip of her finger. "Lord, darlin', I don't know how any woman could walk away from that smile.”
― Lorraine Heath, Sweet Lullaby

“...When she'd skillfully turned it back towards the herd, Rebecca lifted an arm to wave at Jake, her smile vis­ible even from this distance. He felt a familiar tightening in his loins. How many times had he watched her ride across the Lazy A, experienced the same stirrings, and rid­den away so she'd never know what his true feelings were? He didn't have to ride away today. He could watch her graceful movements to his heart's content.”
― Lorraine Heath, Sweet Lullaby

“He ducked down under the wooden slats used to separate the stalls in the barn and crawled into the adjacent stall where he began rubbing the belly of the chestnut mare.

"Lay down, Lady. Please . . . it's awful cold tonight. Please lay down."

The mare complied as she always did to the soothing tone in his voice. Drawing the blanket up tightly around him, he lay down beside the horse, moving in close to her side. He was careful to place his frozen feet near enough to her for warmth, but not so near that she'd protest.

"They had a real purty tree, Lady, with candles. Bet it didn't look as purty from the inside, though. Weren't no snow on the inside."

He snuggled in closer to the warm beast. "Merry Christmas, Lady," he whispered.

The mare nickered and moved her head in closer to the boy as he drifted off to sleep, the scent of hay and livestock surrounding them.”
― Lorraine Heath, Sweet Lullaby

“You are the politest man I know, Jake Burnett."

"Had politeness beat into me.”
― Lorraine Heath, Sweet Lullaby

“Meg felt her heart lurch. It bothered her that the twins realized that she hated their brother. The words coming from their innocent mouths sounded so ugly.”
― Lorraine Heath, Always to Remember