Celine extended her hand. “I'm Celine. I'll be doing your hair and makeup.”
She gave a pointed stare at Kate, jump-starting her brain. “And I'm Kate, one of your bodyguards.”
After completing the greeting, Caroline withdrew her hands back to her lap and folded them gently, one on top of the other.
Celine stared pointedly at the champagne and arched a brow in Kate's direction. Kate shook her head, no. They both needed to wait on Caroline's lead.
The driver cranked the limo, turned in a wide arc and headed back out to the highway. Another solid minute stretched out in unbearable silence.
Celine started drumming her fingers on the armrest and Kate propped her elbow on the window and stared out. Her mind immediately went back to Ethan and the way his hands had felt exploring her body. Tonight, after the wedding, she was planning a big surprise for him. He'd made her lose control completely last night until she was just a mindlesscreature at his beck and call, something she enjoyed thoroughly, but she was going to turn the tables. Tonight, she’d make Ethan Slade beg.
“I can't take it. Someone open that bottle of champagne before I crack.”
Kate whipped around and stared at Caroline in shock. “Ma'am?”
Caroline ruthlessly twisted the hem of a shirt that probably cost more than most people make in a month. “I need a drink, Agent Kate, is that permitted? Or did my dad instruct you not to let me have alcohol before the wedding?”
Celine burst out laughing and yanked the chilled bottle from the ice. She had the foil off in a split-second. “No, we've just been waiting on you to give us permission.”
“Well, ladies, if I have any hope of making it through this without puking from nerves, we're going to need at least another bottle, and something a lot stronger than champagne.”
Celine poured a glass and handed it off to Caroline first who eagerly accepted it. She then extended one to Kate. “No thank you.” She had to keep a clear head and a sharp eye. Besides, she didn't really care for alcohol. It dulled the senses in general and slowed the thinking process. Overall it was just a sloppy messy thing to partake of.
“More for us.” Celine poured more in her glass and shoved the half empty bottle back into its ice bucket. “Caroline, do you want to talk about it?”
Caroline shoulders deflated, like someone stuck a pin in her balloon and all the air slowly seeped out. “I'm sure you've already guessed this is an alliance, a business merger, not a real marriage.”
Kate resisted the urge to let her mouth fall open, but Celine had no such compunction. “You poor girl. Call it off. You don't have to marry someone you don't want to; this is the 21st century for chrissake.”
“If only it were that easy. My father's plans are much higher than his current senator seat; he intends to be head of his own committee, and maybe even eventually run for president, and having me marry a one-star general climbing in the ranks with the Purple Heart for valor is a big piece of his golden ticket.”
“Then you need to find yourself an ex-convict with five kids out on parole. Make sure he lives in a trailer park too. That'll teach your dad not to interfere in your life like that.”
Kate whipped around to face Celine with wide eyes. “Celine!”
“What? I taught my parents the hard way when I was still a teenager that when they try to force me to do things, the consequences are much worse.”
“And I'm sure you spent your teenage years grounded and locked in your room because of it, right?” Kate knew she would have, but back then she’d still been under the heavy influence of her mother, a mindlessyes ma'am, no ma'am, perfect child.
Celine waggled her finger in the air. “That's what bedroom windows are for. I spent more nights sneaking out of my house than I can count.”
Caroline gasped and placed her fingers over her mouth, the look of horror on her face like she spotted the creature from the lagoon. “You didn't?”
“You bet I did.” Celine refilled her glass and topped off Caroline's. “I wasn't doing anything bad, just making out with my boyfriend. I had a good head on my shoulders, just wasn't much on being controlled.”
Caroline sighed, “Yeah, well since I can remember, I've had a bodyguard or Secret Service. Then it was all-girls boarding school and private tutors. If I stepped one foot outside of the house without clearance from my dad, he would've called in the whole secret service.”
“That seems a bit drastic.”
“Not for Senator Cotter it's not.” Small angry lines formed around Caroline's mouth, but Kate saw something else there—understanding.
“Surely you don't condone him keeping you prisoner your whole life?” Kate asked.
“I really can't be mad at him. He’s had his reasons.”
“Like what?” Celine asked, leaning in closer to Caroline.
“Like the fact I had a twin sister who was kidnapped from the hospital at birth.”
