The Dialogue Thesaurus: A Fiction Writer's Sourcebook of Dialogue Tags and Phrases (17 page)

a wild pink color washed into her cheeks

color ebbed into her cheeks

color flamed into her cheeks

color had run back into her cheeks

color rushed into his cheeks

color stained her cheeks

color stormed into his cheeks

color stung her cheeks

grin lines slashed his cheeks

he ran a finger down her cheek

her cheeks burned

her cheeks burned as his eyes swept over her

her cheeks burned red with embarrassment

her cheeks crimsoned as she (...)

her cheeks flamed

her cheeks grew faintly pink

her cheeks grew hot at the thought of (...)

her cheeks grew pink as she (...)

her cheeks had taken on the hue of wild cherries

he stroked her cheek

his lips brushed her pink cheek

his warm fingers stroked her cheek

she brushed a teardrop from her cheek

she felt a tinge of heat (in/touch) her cheeks

she felt her cheeks grow warm

she felt her cheeks reddening

she felt the color steal into her cheeks

she gave his cheek a playful pinch

she murmured, a warmth in her cheeks

she reached out and stroked his cheek

she replied, a flush rising into her cheeks

she said, a coral flush tingling the tips of her cheekbones

she said, a flame on each cheekbone

she said, heat in her cheeks

she said, the color flowing into her cheeks

she saw a crease of amusement in his lean cheek

she touched his warm cheek

she wiped the tears from her cheeks (with the back of her hand)

the color deepened in her cheeks

the color had fled from her cheeks

the color returned to her cheeks

the flush deepened in her cheeks

All the color receded from her cheeks
. "What do you mean?"

"Please forgive me, Simon."
A tear splashed to her cheek
.

"How dare you!"
Her cheeks grew faintly pink
.

a quizzical brow arched above his left eye

a thoughtful frown joined his eyebrows together

he arched a black brow

he arched an eyebrow in sardonic inquiry

he drew his eyebrows together in a frown

he quirked a black eyebrow

he quirked a dark eyebrow at her

he raised an eyebrow in amusement

he raised an eyebrow questioningly

her brow creased

her brows knitted together

her brows pulled together in a frown

he said, a thoughtful frown drawing his eyebrows together

he scrunched up his eyebrows thoughtfully

he slowly raised an eyebrow

he tilted an eyebrow

his brows drew together

his brows had merged into a savage line

his brows lifted in surprise

his brows were knitted in a thoughtful frown

his dark eyebrows drew together in a scowl

his eyebrows came together in a thoughtful frown

his eyebrows shot up

his heavy brows came together

his left eyebrow took a quizzical dip

she arched her eyebrows

she said, a line of worry materializing between her eyebrows

she said, her dark brows tangling in a scowl

she slowly arched an eyebrow

she wrinkled her brow

surprise lifted his black brows

"Really?"
He quirked a black eyebrow
.

Her brow creased
. "What is she talking about?"

"Don't test me, boy!"
she said, her dark brows tangling in a scowl
.

he broke off and buried his face in her hair

he brushed a strand of hair back from his frowning forehead

he buried his lips in her hair

he drew his hands down her soft hair

he laughed against her hair

he pushed his fingers through her hair

he pushed his long fingers through her hair

he rumpled his black hair with a large hand

he said, a strand of black hair astray on his brow

he said, brushing a hand over his hair

he said, fingering her hair and discovering its texture

he said, his breath against her hair

he said, ruffling her hair playfully

he swept the chaotic hair from his eyes

he thrust a hand through his black hair

he thrust an impatient hand through his hair

he thrust the tumbling hair back from his eyes

he touched the wave of hair above her eyes

his breath stirred her hair

his eyes roamed over her hair and face

she brushed the soft wave of hair out of her eyes

she combed her fingers through her hair

she flung back her hair with a toss of her head

she flung the hair back from her brow

she flushed as she lifted a hand to her (adjective) hair

she glowered back at him through her tangled hair

she jerked the hair out of her eyes

she murmured, her dark hair spread across her pillow

she played with the wispy tendrils of her hair

she pushed a hand through her hair

she pushed distractedly at her hair

she pushed the (adjective) hair back from her eyes

she ran her fingers through her hair

she said, flicking her hair out of her eyes

she said, sliding a hand over his hair

she said, tossing her hair with a turn of the head

she said, toweling her hair

she smiled as she caressed his hair

she stroked the hair from his closed eyes

she swept the tousled hair back off her brow

she tossed her hair with disdain

she touched her hair

she twirled her hair with her fingers

she was glad that her hair veiled her expression

"I'll never let anything bad happen to you."
He pushed his fingers through her hair
.

"Okay,"
he said, brushing a hand over his hair
, "back to the drawing board."

"This heat is killing me,"
she said, flicking her hair out of her eyes
.

a frown creased her forehead

a sudden deep frown creased the man's forehead

a vein throbbed on his forehead

he didn't dare turn his head to face her

he dropped a quick kiss on her forehead

he inclined his dark head

he inclined his head gravely

he nodded his head

he paused and turned his head

he pressed his lips to her forehead

he raised his head

her forehead was beaded with moisture

her forehead was puckered in thought

her head was spinning, she could hardly think straight

he said, drooping his head

he said, pressing a hand to her forehead

he said with a brief tilt of his head

he said with shake of his head

he touched a hand to his forehead

he turned his head and stared at her

he wiped his forehead with the edge of his hand

his head lifted and met her gaze

she (pressed/put) a hand to her forehead

she asked, her forehead beading with sweat

she bent her head and looked mutinous

she bowed her head (slightly)

she broke off and her head seemed to swim

she drew a hand across her forehead

she fiercely shook her head

she flung back her head in laughter

she held her head high

she kissed his forehead

she murmured, her head slightly bowed

she pressed her fingers to her forehead

she said, a worried frown creasing her forehead

she said, ducking her head

she said, lowering her forehead

she said, resting her forehead against him

she shook a bewildered head

she shook her head

she shook her head (dumbly/mutely/tiredly/wildly)

she shook her head and avoided his glance

she shook her head at him

she shook her head firmly at him

she shook her head in disbelief

she slowly turned her head

she spoke with her head bowed

she started to shake her head, and then hesitated

she tilted her head and met his eyes

she tilted her head forward

she tossed back her head

she tossed her head

she twisted her head away

A frown creased her forehead
. "This can't be right, can it?"

"I hate it here!"
he said, drooping his head
.

She fiercely shook her head
. "No, I refuse!"

an uncontrollable smile shook her mouth

a slow grin quirked his mouth

a smile crinkled her mouth

a smile curled on his mouth

a smile curled the edge of his mouth

a smile edged his mouth

a smile flickered at the edge of his mouth

a smile pulled his mouth to one side

a smile quivered on her mouth

a smile shaped the woman's mouth

a smile touched his mouth

a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth

a smirk sprang to his mouth

a wry little smile quirked his mouth

he asked, a smile at the edge of his mouth

he forced his mouth into a smile

he murmured against her mouth

her mouth tensed

her mouth twisted into a knowing smile

her mouth was tightly pursed

her mouth went dry

he said, a corner of his mouth quirking with amusement

he said, a grin of amusement on his mouth

he said, a hint of mockery edging his mouth

he said, a smile thinning his mouth

he said, a teasing quirk at the corner of his mouth

he said, his mouth faintly mocking

he said, one side of his mouth twisting into a smile

his mouth compressed into a hard line

his mouth gave a sardonic twist

his mouth gave a slight twist

his mouth grew mocking

his mouth hardened

his mouth jerked into a grin

his mouth moved in a smile

his mouth pulled to one side in a grimace

his mouth thinned

his mouth twisted

his mouth was cynical

one corner of his mouth twitched slightly

she breathed against his mouth

she looked at his mouth

she noticed the lines beside his mouth deepen

she pouted her mouth at him

she replied, feeling her mouth go dry

she said, her heart in her mouth

she said, her mouth crinkling into a smile

she said through a mouthful of (...)

she said with a sensuous twist of her lips

she saw his mouth twist sarcastically

the ghost of a smile brushed her mouth

there was a twist to his mouth

the words leapt out of her mouth almost of their own accord

the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them