Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

"They left me. My parents actually left me! IN FRANCE!"

"I don't know.  I don't really like old movies.  The acting is so, 'Hey buddy, ol' pal.  Let's go wear our hats and have a big misunderstanding"

"If you ask me to kiss you, I will,” he says. His fingers stroke the inside of my wrists, and I burst into flames.“Kiss me,” I say. He does."

"And then this — the moment he calls my name — is the real moment everything changes. He is no longer St. Clair, everyone's pal, everyone's f"

"And then I turn another corner, and my chest constricts so tightly, so painfully, that I can no longer breathe. Because there he is. He's engrossed in an oversize book, hunched over and completely absorbed. A breeze ruffles his dark hair, and he bites his nails. . . . Several other people are soaking up the rare sunshine, but as soon as they're registered, they're forgotten. Because of him. I grip the edge of a sidewalk café table to keep from falling. The diners stare in alarm, but I don't care. I'm reeling, and I gasp for air. How can I have been so stupid?How could I have ever for a moment believed I wasn't in love with him?"

"He snuffles. Oh, no. He's not going to cry, is he? Because even though it's sweet when guys cry, I am so not prepared for this. Girl scouts didn't teach me what to do with emotionally unstable drunk boys."

"A moment of reserve. "That was it? The whole story"Yes. God, you're right. That was pants."I sidestep another aggressive couscous vendor. "Pants"Rubbish. Crap. S"

"We'll be together. We both got our Point Zéro wishes — each other. He said he wished for me every time. He was wishing for me when I entered the tower."

"We've stopped in front of Notre-Dame again. I point at the familiar star and clear my throat. "Wanna make another wish"You go first." He's watching me, puzzled, like he's trying to figure something out. He bites his thumbnail. This time I can't help it. All day long, I've thought about it. Him. Our s"

"Girl scouts didn't teach me what to do with emotionally unstable drunk boys."

"I spent the period reading the first novel assigned for English. And wow. If I hadn't realized I was in France yet, I do now. Because Like Water for Chocolate has sex in it. LOTS of sex."

"Imagine," she said, after registering, "a whole city of gorgeous Italian guys. They can say anything to me, and it'll be sexy." "You'll be so easy," Rashmi said. "Would you like-ah to order-ah the spa-ghe-tti? 'Oh, do me, Marco!"

"To: Anna Oliphant From: Étienne St. Clair Subject: So . . . Does that mean I can call you now?"

"Suddenly I register that St. Clair is shorter than Josh. Much shorter. It’s odd I didn’t notice earlier, but he doesn’t carry himself like a short guy. Most are shy or defensive, or some messed-up combination of the two, but St. Clair is confident and friendly and—"

"He closes his eyes. Our lips brush lightly."If you ask me to kiss you , I will," he says. His fingers stroke the inside of my wrists, and I burst into flames."Kiss me," I say. He does."

"The directness of her question throws me. "I don't know. Sometimes I think there are only so many opportunities...to get together with someone. And we've both screwed up so many times"- my voice grows quiet - "that we've missed our chance."Anna." Mer pauses. "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard."But—"But what? You love him, and he loves you, and you live in the most romantic city in the world."

"I trail my fingers across his cheek. He stays perfectly still for me. "Please stop apologizing, Etienne."Say my name again," he whispers. I close my eyes and lean forward. "Etienne."He takes my hands into his. Those perfect hands, that fit mine just so. "Anna"Our foreheads touch. "Yes"Will you please tell me you love me? I'm dying here."And then we're laughing. And then I'm in his arms, and we're kissing, at first quickly - to make up for lost time - and then slowly, because we have all the time in the world. And his lips are soft and honey sweet, and the careful, passionate way he moves them against my own says that he savors the way I taste, too. And in between kisses, I tell him I love him. Again and again and again."

"I said you were beautiful. I slept in your bed!"

"I bought you love poetry! 'I love you as certain dark things are loved, secretly, between the shadow and the soul.'" I blink at him. "Neruda. I starred the passage. God," he moans. "Why didn't you open it?"

"You're the most incredible girl I've ever known. You're gorgeous and smart, and you make me laugh like no-one else can. And I can talk to you. And I know after all this I don't deserve you, but what I'm trying to say is that I love you, Anna. Very Much."