Page 104 of Lovely Darkness

“Not usually.” I let go of her hand, then step back, leaning on the counter again. “I’m sure I sound like every other man who comes through that club, but I’m really not every other man who comes through that club.”

“Of course not. There’s only one owner.”

“Two,” I say, holding up two fingers. “Everything that’s mine is also McKay’s.”

“Wow. You really do trust him. Are you two married then?”

“No.” I laugh again.

“Why is that funny?”

“He’s not gay. Neither am I, really.”

Her smile drops and her face goes serious. And for a moment I wonder if I offended her somehow. But then she says, “You love each other.”

I nod. “We just love each other. I guess that’s all there is to it.”

“Well, Adam Boucher. It’s not easy for a man to blow my mind. But you have just crossed that finish line.”

“I aim to please.”

She sets her glass down on the bar and sighs. “I guess I should get going.”

“Why?”

“We’re done. Aren’t we?”

“Done? No, Miss DeCoudreau. We haven’t even gotten started.” She looks over her shoulder in the direction of the bedroom. But I quickly correct her. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Oh.” She turns back to me. “What did you have in mind?”

“Breakfast, for one. But it’s either too late or too early for that. So why don’t we just take a seat and have a talk.”

She bunches her hands into tight fists, then makes an explosion sound as she opens them up near her ears. “Mind. Blown.”

I walk around the bar, take her hand, and lead her over to the couch. She sits, but I do not sit next to her. I take a seat in one of two chairs opposite the couch.

Perrine DeCoudreau is no longer just a woman I want to fuck.

She’s a woman I want to know.

Perrine draws her legs up, tucking them underneath her as she arranges her robe. I watch with fascination. It’s been a good long while since a woman intrigued me, so I allow myself to enjoy her enchantment.

Once she’s settled, she says, “OK. Let’s talk. But I get to go first.”

I put up a hand. “Hold on. I have one question before we start.”

She cocks her head at me, intrigued. “OK. You go first.”

“Are you here to kill me?”

Her single word response is a barked-out laugh. “What?”

“Are you here to kill me?”

She stops laughing. “You’re serious.”

“I’m afraid I am.”