37

The arabelle is the Plaza Athenee’s signature restaurant. It was also far too ostentatious, Kathleen felt, for the way she was dressed. “However,” she said, cocking an eyebrow at me, “the Bar Seine was voted ‘Best Spot for Romance’ by the New York Post.”

“Then we’re in the right place,” I said. We strolled across the lobby and entered the Bar Seine. I pointed across the leather floor to an empty couch that was covered with an animal print fabric.

“Wanna cuddle over there in the private alcove?” I said.

“Slow down, Romeo, and get me a sandwich first.”

“You can think of food at a time like this?” I said.

She winked. “I need to build some strength for later, you lucky dog.”

We sat beside each other in overstuffed chairs with ridiculously high armrests. There was a small octagonal coffee table in front of us. “Maybe I’ll order a bottle of courage,” I said.

“They don’t serve bottles here silly,” she said. “This is a high-class joint.”

I looked around. “They’ve got a signature hotel, a signature bar, probably got a signature drink,” I said.

“Here we go again,” she giggled. “Actually, they do have a signature drink!”

“As long as it doesn’t contain the words venti or doppo,” I said.

“If I tell you the name, promise you’ll order it?”

“Is it really pretentious?” I asked.

Her laughter started bubbling up, spilling out into the room.

“More puffed up than the coffees at Starbucks?” I said.

She feigned a snooty look. “Those are bush league by comparison,” she huffed. “Mere pretenders.”

I smiled. “Okay,” I said, “hit me with it.”

Our waitress came, and we ordered a watercress sandwich for Kathleen. “And to drink?” she asked.

“I’ll have a pomegranate martini,” Kathleen said.

The waitress smiled and looked at me. “And for you, sir?”

I looked at Kathleen.

“Say it,” she giggled.

I sighed. “I’ll have a crystal cosmopolitan,” I said, and she howled with laughter.

The drinks came, and I didn’t want to ruin the moment, but I had to know what happened to make her change her mind about seeing me.

“Augustus,” she said.

“Augustus?”

“You sent him to guard Addie.”

“I did.”

“Even though you and I were through at the time.”

“So?”

“So you really cared about Addie and wanted to keep her safe. That warmed my heart, Donovan. It says everything about your character.”

I remembered how I’d ruined the moment with Lauren the week before and was determined not to react or say anything that could turn the tables on what promised to be an epic evening. I thought I’d stick to a safe topic.

“You had a chance to spend some time with Quinn?” I asked.

“I did,” she said. “Augustus is wonderful with the children—so loving and gentle.”

I couldn’t recall ever hearing the words Augustus and loving and gentle in the same sentence before.

“Did you talk to him about me?” I asked.

“Of course!” she said, her eyes sparkling.

“And?”

“And I told him I thought you were seriously flawed.”

I nodded. “And what did he say?”

Kathleen grew serious for a minute and paused to give weight to her words. “He said you were chivalrous. That you’re always on a quest.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes. That you’re a good friend to have.”

“Did he mention I liked puppies and butterflies, too?”

“No … thank God!”

An hour later, we entered my suite, and she mugged me with kisses before I got the door shut. Our hands were all over each other, racing to see who could touch the most skin in the shortest period of time. I pinned her against the wall in a full body embrace, and our mouths worked hard to keep pace with our passion.

Then Kathleen broke away and dragged me to the bedroom. She spun me around and pushed me onto the bed. I sat up and reached for her, but she slapped my hands away.

I said, “Damn, those pomegranates are amazing!”

“You mean these?” she said. She ripped off her bra, and my brain circuits spun like tumblers in a slot machine.

“Now, Donovan!” she said.

“Now?”

She stepped out of her clothes. Licked her lips.

“At your cervix,” I said.

We made love like teenagers, wrecking the sheets, rolling all over the place. At one point, she started moaning like a porn star, and I said, “Hey, calm down. We both know I’m not that good!”