“He had been my almost. My might-have-been.

I was afraid of what I wanted most - His kiss.

Still, I collected kiss stories.

-Susie Salmon”

“My name is Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered.”

“I have the kiss of Walt Whitman still on my lip.”

“He kissed me hard and I kissed him back harder, like it was the end of an era that had lasted all of my life.”

“I stare at her for a long moment. I want to kiss her. I want to kiss her more than I've ever wanted anything in my life.”

“For tho' I know he loves me,
To-night my heart is sad;
His kiss was not so wonderful
As all the dreams I had.”

“He reached for my hand, lifted it to his lips, and kissed my fingertips. "I love you.”

“Yes!" Narissus unslung his bow and grabbed an arrow from his dusty quiver. "The first one who get that bronze, I will like youas much as I like me. I might even kiss you, right after I kiss my reflection!"

"Oh my gods!" the nymphs squealed.”

“So what's one little kiss, one tiny little touch?
Aah, he's wanting it so much.
I swear that this is royal blood, running through my skin.
Oh, can you see the state I'm in?
Kiss it better, kiss it better.”

“I knew that I couldn't lie beside her, without wanting to touch her. I couldn't have felt her breath come upon my mouth, without wanting to kiss her. And I couldn't have kissed her, without wanting to save her.”