Page 68 of Square Deal

Usually poorly,but I kept that to myself.

Mel snickered. “The planet is grateful for your lowered use of battery-operated devices.”

I rolled my eyes.

“So, things aren’t—you know—like, exclusive between you and him?”

I began to tell her the conditions Isaac and I had set for our deal—how we’re open to going on dates with other people, butsex was exclusive. How condoms are mandatory, and the sex comes with no-frills and no feelings. The biggest rule of all: tell no one.

Kristin and Mel became casualties of that rule when they happened to hear elicit sounds coming from Maddie and Luca’s wine cellar.The thong-gag didn’t do a damn thing.

It was hot as Hades, though. The memory made my spine tingle and sent heat pooling low in my belly.

“But that brings us back to the secrecy,” Mel said as she helped me lug my bags downstairs without even breaking a sweat.

I, however, was winded.

“Why?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t do this. I don’t want everyone to think I’m having some kind of crisis. Especially since I’m doing it with him.”

Mel winced. “What’s so bad about him? I mean, yeah, so Isaac has a reputation, but so did Luca. Look how that turned out.”

“Luca has a freaking heart of gold. He practically worships the ground Maddie walks on.” I paused, glancing at the couch in the sitting room where Isaac and I made out like horny teenagers.

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe Isaac is the same way? I mean…” Mel fanned herself. “Girl, the way he was looking at you during Thanksgiving? Hot damn, Mama—he was about to peel your clothes off with his eyes.”

Under my breath, I mumbled, “He stole my panties at the dinner table.”

“Hewhat?!” Mel shrieked.

I fought off my smile by biting my lower lip. “No judgment zone?”

“Hell no. We’re southern—we judge. But you know the poker club doesn’t judge each other. Just everyone else.”

I mean, she had a point.

I looked down at the pointed toes of my high heels—the new ones Isaac bought for me—and smiled to myself. “He leaned overbetween bites of mashed potatoes and turkey and told me to take my panties off.”

“No way!” she gasped. “And you did?”

I grimaced, but nodded.

“Hell yeah!” Mel screamed at the top of her lungs. “I knew you were secretly a wild woman behind all your ladylike skirts and pearl necklaces!”

I shook my head. “Again, rule number two: absolute secrecy.”

Mel giggled and tapped her fingers together like a mad scientist. “Look at you, jetting off to New York City for a sex-cation.”

“Not a sex-cation,” I said, pointing a finger at her. “We’re just getting out of Beaufort so we don’t have to sneak around so much. I mean, sex at the inn is getting kind of boring. And Chase being two doors down complicates things. He’s way too chill with the wholemi casa es su casaconcept.”

Her jaw dropped. “You had sex at work?”

“NotwhileI was working!”

“Anyway,” she said, “Back to the wholesex-cationthing. He’s flying you to New York to wine and dine you? You go, girl!”

“Not a sex-cation,” I reminded her.

---