Quotes About Vulnerability

He was past the jitters about her age, her uncle. He was moving on this. And when it was over, he was going to be shot, he was pretty sure. But he was into her; she had him. He hoped his death would be quick and painless.

For the past several years, he'd avoided romantic relationships that could gut him in the end. That whole not-sleeping, feeling the deep ache that came from failure, enduring the sudden loneliness of being rejected…it was bad for his disposition.

When your heart aches with love, just the fear of having it thrust away is enough to frighten the boldest from spilling their simple truth.

It's the way we don't tell the most important people in our lives the most important things.

She realized uneasily that she hadn't really known as much as she should have about T.J., but she knew everything about Sean. She knew his strengths and weaknesses. He had never lied to her. When she first saw Sean a month ago, she thought he'd reappeared to screw up her life. She'd literally wanted to rearrange his face. Now, she ran into his arms for comfort and support. Her best friend. A man she knew she could trust.

It was strange to Mike that he'd first become attracted to a feisty, tough character and now, even though most of the time she was soft-spoken and had trouble maintaining eye contact, his feelings toward her hadn't changed all that much. He would welcome the old Brie back if she could fully recover—but he realized that even if she remained this vulnerable, he was feeling something strong. Something he wasn't going to be able to let go of easily. "Where

Listen, I know your emotions are all over the place—bad divorce, ugly legal problems, major pregnancy… Abby, I love you. I'm not just a guy under the same blanket with a girl. If it wasn't you, this wouldn't be happening. God, I hope that doesn't scare you away." "Is

He was wearing sweatpants, his chest and feet bare, a towel slung around his neck and his hair wet from the shower. She flushed a little, remembering that wide, hard chest as it had been pressed against her breasts. And those muscular arms that had held him up over her to keep from crushing her with his weight. "I

Tell me your secrets. Tell me when you were most afraid.

Her scars were not thistles, they were velvet artwork on her heart. In

Paige looked up at him, smiled sweetly, and it made him feel all soupy inside. Her eyes were so sad, so scared. She couldn't help it, he understood that. If it weren't for the fear, he might actually take her hand to give her courage—but she wasn't just afraid of whoever did that to her. She was afraid of everything, including him.

You cannot wake a person who is pretending to be asleep.' She could be using anger to cover more vulnerable needs.

I'll be honest with you," he said. "It shakes me up." "I noticed," she said with a laugh. "I'm serious, Shelby. I'm wanting you again. I don't want you to leave this bed." She rolled over onto her stomach and raised herself up on her elbows. "I'm going to have to go home eventually. Before there's a search party." "I will shoot anyone who touches that door," he said.

And you're still feeling okay?" "I've been sick as a dog with this one. But I hang in. Jack promises he's not going to do this to me again. And I'm leaning toward a surgical procedure while he sleeps." *

This young Shelby was so transparent, she left little doubt as to what she wanted. Needed. She'd like to wrap her emotions around a man and tether him right up against her heart, breaking him in half. Then, in making his getaway, he'd hurt her bad. Annihilate her. Leave her young, tender heart in shreds and spoil everything for the guy who might come along later to do right by her. The

It's the way we don't tell the most important people in our lives the most important things. It was how men tended to be.

It's like . . . I'm paranoid about people borrowing my laptop because I'm convinced they'll find some secret document on there that would make the whole world think I'm a terrible person—something I don't even remember writing. And it doesn't matter that there's no document like that. I'm still terrified, you know?

No one wants to get hurt." " Well, maybe not, but sometime's it's worth it.

I suppose she didn't think anyone was looking and had let her guard down, the way you did in an empty room. The way I did when I closed the blinds and stared up at the ceiling fan above my bed, equally fascinated and horrified by the thoughts racing through my brain.

I just hadn't wanted to admit it, because admitting it meant acknowledging the possibility that the odds might be in my favor. And that possibility was terrifying.

The way i figured it, keeping quiet was safe. Words could betray you if you chose the wrong ones, or mean less if you used too many.

But the thing about being a disaster in middle school is that the shame of it never fully goes away. Even after your braces are off and your hair is exactly the way girls wear it on Tumblr, underneath it all, you're still just as unsure whether someone actually likes you, or is only talking to you so they can laugh about it afterward.

Sitting there on the swing set, in her bare feet and blue dress, her hair slipping out of its ponytail, she was so gorgeous that it hurt.

I cried for my brokenness, for the way her words had crippled me, and for the three unspoken words I'd been carrying with me for a while now, and how quickly one of them had changed.