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"Oh." Catriona scrunches up her face in confusion. "Didn't you just say you're getting married by the new year?"
"Not me," he says, quickly shaking his head. He looks pointedly in my direction. "Maybe someone else though."
"Andreas," she groans, placing her palms on her cheeks. "Please tell me you didn't tell him that we're getting married!"
"What the fuck?" Bender blinks at me. "You're getting married?"
"No!" Catriona shouts.
"Yes," I growl, narrowing my eyes on her. She better not have a thing for Bender or I will spank her perfect little ass.
"No, we are not!"
"Yes, we are, little one."
"You…you…" She splutters, staring at me like she isn't sure if she wants to laugh or cry or just give up and change the subject. I fucking love rattling her. She gets so cute when she's flustered. "I'm telling your sister!"
"Oh, busted," Bender says, laughing his ass off.
I flip him the bird.
"We are not getting married," Catriona announces to the table at large, her eyes wide and her cheeks as red as that lipstick that won't come off and her dress. "He hasn't even bought me a ring or asked me, and I can't get married without a ring. It's a whole thing in the ceremony!"
Jesus.
My heart literally stops for a full beat before it lurches into action again. Is she saying…? Does she mean…? Fuck, she does, doesn't she?
Bender looks at me and then laughs loudly and reaches for his beer. "Yeah, there's definitely something in the fucking water back home," he says.
I push away from the table, hauling myself to my feet. Catriona is going to be disappointed but seeing Bender and the band play is just going to have to wait for another time. We've got something more important to do right now.
I stomp around the table to her, drawing to a stop behind her chair. "Little one."
"What?" she cries, flinging her hands up in exasperation, which makes Penelope laugh. Being the only woman in the band, she's surrounded by nothing but men and screaming fangirls while on the road. I think she's loving having Catriona here.
"Say bye to your new friends, rabbit. We're leaving."
"We're leaving?" Catriona cranes her neck to look up at me. "But I thought…" Whatever she sees on my face has her objection dying on her lips. She swallows hard, her pulse hammering in her throat. Her green eyes heat and darken as she stares at me. "Bye, new friends," she whispers, not even breaking eye contact with me.
I lift her out of her chair, fighting like hell not to lose it before I get her alone. I haven't even touched her and I'm already shaking. So is she. She knows this is forever. She wants to marry me. Fuck.
You're mine now, little one.
Chapter Eight
Catriona
"Wherearewe?"Iask Andreas, wandering around the luxury penthouse in uptown Houston. A wall of glass stretches the length of the living room, offering a breathtaking view of the city. Thick rugs cover wooden floors, with pretty glass tables carefully arranged around the room. A large sectional takes up most of the living room, looking both luxurious and inviting. I've never seen decadence like this.
"This is my place, little one," Andreas murmurs, coming up behind me. He turns me toward a window and points toward a body of water off in the distance. "That's the Buffalo Bayou. If you follow it east to the Houston Ship Channel, you'll find our biggest shipyard."
"Oh," I say. I guess I never thought about where else his company was located or where he stayed when he visited those locations for work. "How often do you stay here?"
"Not often. I prefer to work from the office in Silver Spoon Falls." He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me up against him. I melt into his chest, staring at our reflection in the window. We should probably look mismatched and silly together, but we don't. I think we look kind of beautiful together. Even though I'm curvy, his sheer size dwarfs me, making me seem smaller, more delicate. In my borrowed dress, I look bold and daring, sexy. The deep red color matches his tie perfectly.
"Why are you so afraid to admit that you're in love with me?" he asks.
"I…"
