Page 109 of Square Deal

Geez, I just need the floor to stop spinning for a second. Hell, now the walls were flip-flopping, and everything was upside down.

My body crashed against something solid and warm. Isaac had me in his arms and was carrying me upstairs. I tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but he had me pinned.

“I don’t wanna get your suit all sweaty and gross.”

His blue eyes blazed into me. “I don’t fucking care about my suit, Princess.”

26

ISAAC

Ihad to admit, the whole picture in front of me was terrifying. When the door finally opened, Hannah stood there wearing an oversized shirt that looked like a lampshade over her gangly legs. She had on a thick pair of mismatched socks. One had reindeer on it and came up to mid-calf; the other came up to her knee and was covered in pink and red hearts. Her hair was pulled back in a stubby tail, and she had sweat pouring off her like a waterfall.

Gross.

Her skin was clammy, but I could have poached an egg on her forehead. Still, she had the prettiest eyes I’d ever seen, and lips that I’d kiss any day—even with the sweat.

Without warning, I scooped her up and carried her up the stairs.

“Can you maybe give me a minute?” Hannah muttered, burying her face into my chest. “Just gotta get changed and fix my hair and makeup. I’ll be ready to go in a jiffy. I’ve just gotta?—”

The woman was delirious.

“No way in hell, Princess. You look like you got hit by a bus and then dunked in a pot of soup.”

That made her crack a smile.

“I thought a boyfriend was supposed to tell his girl that she looked good all the time,” she said with labored effort.

I chuckled and deposited her in the bathtub, fully clothed. “Remember when I said I’d never lie to you?”

She nodded weakly as I turned the water on and peeled off the sweaty t-shirt that was stuck to her skin.

“You look disgusting.”

Hannah groaned out a sarcastic, “Thanks.”

“Why didn’t you call?” I questioned, dumping enough body wash into the water to thoroughly decimate whatever cooties made her face puff up like a balloon.

“I was working.”

Anger pulsed through my veins. “You went to work like this?” I snapped.

Hannah’s head lolled back and forth. “Wasn’t this bad at work.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Han, listen. I can’t always be here, so I need you to take care of the most important thing in the world to me.You.”

She sneezed without warning. A glob of something bright green and gelatinous exploded from her nostrils.

I threw up a little in my mouth.No fucking way was I prepared to deal with this.

“You, uh… you good? In here?” I snagged a tissue from the box on the vanity and dangled it in front of her face.

Hannah took it and wiped her Rudolph nose clean. She closed her eyes and sank down to her chin in the water. “Please just leave me to die in sinus-infected peace,” she rasped. “Have the mortician make me look sexy as hell before they put me in the casket.”

“Glad we’re on the same page, Princess. Don’t drown,” I said as I dove out the bathroom door like my ass was on fire.

It sounded like she mumbled, “No promises.”

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