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“Much better,” she said cheerfully.
The chauffeur dropped us off at the bar and circled around to find a place to park. Cameron, the owner of the bar, welcomed Celine with a tight hug.
“Darlin’, welcome home! How’s the munchkin doing?”
“She’s doing well, Cam, thanks. This is my friend, Marcus Donovan. Marcus, this is Cameron Cooper, one of my oldest friends in NYC.”
Cameron studied me appraisingly for a moment before he put his hand out.
“Welcome to Bollinger’s, Marcus. Your drinks are on the house, my man.”
We thanked him and found a booth in the corner.
“He’s very generous,” I commented.
Drinks in this area were at a premium, especially on New Year’s Eve. To comp that was a hell of a generous move.
“Cam’s the best,” she agreed, and I almost wished the drinks turned out to be watered down.
But my single malt was perfect.
“Ohmigod! You hate this place, don’t you?” she exclaimed.
I grimaced as I tried to find a better way to put it.
“I don’t hate it exactly…” but I could think of nothing else I could say that wouldn’t sound offensive.
She grinned at me unsympathetically.
“Snob,” she teased, swirling her straw around her margarita.
“Fine! It’s not the place I hate. I just wanted to punch your friend for putting his hands on you,” I confessed.
She choked on her drink and I patted her on the back a few times as she coughed.
“Stop! Are you trying to kill me?”
“I’m just trying to pat your back. That’s what you do when someone chokes.”
She snorted in derision as she wiped her eyes.
“That wasn’t a pat, that was assault. And FYI, Cam is my friend, and nothing more than that. He’s happily married to a woman who will take my head off with a cleaver if I even look at him.”
“It’s not about him. I’d feel this way about any man who touched you.”
She studied me as she sipped her drink slowly.
“Why?” she asked finally.
“Don’t you know?”
“I want to hear you say it.”
“Because you belong to me,” I said fiercely.
“I’m not an object, honey. I’m a person,” she replied.
“Well, you’remyperson. Just as I am yours. I wanted to take it slow this time, Celine. But I don’t see the point. It doesn’t matter if we haven’t known each other for too long. I know all I need to know about you. I know that you possess me body and soul like no other woman has ever done. I know that I’m in love with you, and I will only love you more and more every day from now until eternity. I know that I would lay down my life to make you happy.”
