“Dudar.”
“Dude.” This man placed his hand on Clarke’s shoulder. “Do you even like this woman?”
“Like her? I’d have to be certifiable to like her. She’s loud, insulting. She can’t keep one opinion, not even the most minute opinion, to herself. How could a man possibly like a woman like that?”
Ceci shoved him aside. “You tell me how a woman could like a man who’s morally self-righteous, always has to be so damn proper, and suffers from a Sir Galahad complex?”
There were murmurs of Sir Galahad up and down the line. This seemed to require no translation.
Just then Tilney entered the bar with a group of people.
Clarke groaned.
Seeing Clarke, he headed toward them. “Where the fuck were you? You missed the press conference. Not cool, dude.” Suddenly noticing Ceci, he grabbed her waist, pulled her toward him, and planted a kiss on her cheek.
“Hey!” Clarke and Ceci cried in unison.
Clarke made a move toward him, but Ceci quickly disengaged herself and was about to knee Tilney. She hesitated when she saw the men who’d been translating for them lean forward, watching with avid interest.
“Fine,” she spat, crossing her arms, taking a step back and looking pointedly at Clarke.
Turning to Tilney, he sighed. “It appears I’m going to have to hit you.”
“You are such a—”
Tilney got no further. Clarke landed his fist smack on Tilney’s jaw, and the man went down.
The line of men broke out in applause.
Clarke gave them a half-hearted smile before he crouched down.
“Is he okay?” Ceci asked.
“Yeah. I’m tempted to toss a bucket of water on him.”
Ceci laughed but grew silent when he looked back at her, a serious look on his face. He wasn’t laughing. “I’ll have to let him have a swing at me. It’s only fair.”
The man who spoke English came up behind him, placing his hand on Clarke’s shoulder. “So, my friend,” he said, indicating Ceci and Tilney with his other hand. “Why?”
Still kneeling next to Tilney, who’d just come to, Clarke’s chin fell to his chest. “Because I love her.” His voice was barely above a whisper.
“What?” Ceci asked.
He stood up, balling his hands into fists, glaring at her. “I said I love you, damn it!”
Her eyes ballooned as her mouth dropped open. But only for one swift moment. She fisted her own hands, clenched her jaw, and glared back at him.
“Well, I love you too, damn it!”
The bar was suddenly silent.
The police officer huffed. Holding out his arms, he groaned. “Kanojo ni kisu shite!”
“Kuss sie!”
“Baciala!”
“Besala!”
