“I never had any preference for her, any more than I have a preference for breathing.”

“Explain! Tell a man to explain how he dropped into hell! Explain my preference! I never had a preference for her, any more than I have a preference for breathing. No other woman exists by the side of her. I would rather touch her hand if it were dead, than I would touch any other woman's living.”

“I prefer to interact with people one-on-one. Any more than that, and the dynamic becomes competitive.”

“You’ll have champagne. All girls like champagne.” All girls didn’t like champagne. I preferred root beer. Willie preferred anything that smelled like gasoline and burned her throat. She could hold her liquor better than any man, and I wished she was there to help me navigate John Lockwell.”

“My day had already had a good dose of bitterness, and I preferred to keep it from getting any sadder.”

“He prefers not to ruin things with any more questions. What it is is what it is.”