Page 63 of Square Deal

Maddie grinned like the Cheshire cat. “Isaac, do you mind helping HJ put out the silverware?”

Hannah Jane’s eyes turned to saucers. All heads turned to look at her, and she quickly steeled her expression.

Just because we weren’t making our private business known didn’t mean I couldn’t have a little fun, teasing the hell out of her.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Hell Yes Ma’am. Nice to see you again.”

Hannah rolled her eyes, but I saw the inkling of a smile quirk at the corner of her mouth. “Knives and spoons go on the right. Forks go on the left.”

I stood behind her and reached around, grabbing half of theutensils she had in her hand. Static bounced between us. I was certain that blue sparks would fly off the silverware the moment our fingers brushed.

Hannah’s breath hitched. My crotch brushed against her ass. If I looked down, I’d be able to see straight down her dress.

She had been so distracted that she dropped the utensils, sending them to the floor in a clatter.

“Holy shit.” The gasp came from a short woman with a dark complexion and thin braids twisted up into a bun on top of her head. She was wearing light blue scrubs and had a vat of mashed potatoes in her hands.

The rest of Maddie and Luca’s friends stopped what they were doing and stared at us. Well, except for the men. Luca, Steve, and Chase looked like they were plotting a murder.

Mine, to be exact.

Luckily, the doorbell rang, distracting the mob.

“I got it,” I said through gritted teeth as I bent down to pick up the fallen silverware.

Hannah didn’t say a damn thing. One of the girls—Kristin from the inn—pulled her away and whispered, “Oh my God. That was so hot, it turnedmeon!”

I did a sloppy job of putting the silverware beside the plates just because I knew it would piss Hannah off. Luca tilted his head toward the stairs. I followed him down to the speakeasy I convinced him to put into the basement when he was renovating.

As soon as my foot hit the floor, a hand shoved me against the wall. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the sexy kind. It was the homicidal kind.

“What did I tell you at the wedding? Huh?” Luca hissed, backing off and cracking his knuckles before sticking his finger in my face. “I told you not to fuck with her. That’s Maddie’s best friend.”

Before I could get an explanation out, footsteps thundered down the stairs. Steve Pelham and Chase Brannan joined the party.

Chase looked down. “Is blood easy to get out of the flooring?”

Luca’s deadly glare didn’t leave me. “Don’t care. I’ll replace the whole damn thing if I have to.”

“Works for me,” Steve chimed in.

“Before you rearrange my face, have you considered, you know, talking like grown-ass men?” I asked.

Steve stroked his beard. No way in hell I could take him. The dude was built like The Hulk. Chase was lean, but he looked capable of inflicting some serious damage. Luca was the least of my worries. I could sic his Nonna on him.

“Keep your hands off of HJ, and we won’t have a problem,” Chase clipped.

Steve crossed his arms.

I chuckled and raised my hands in surrender. “She doesn’t like me. Nothing you have to worry about.”

That was good enough for Steve. As soon as he heard his baby crying, he was taking the stairs two at a time.

“Besides. She’s seeing someone,” Chase said.

What?

Apparently, that was news to Luca too. He wasn’t very expressive, but we’d been friends for a long time. I could read him like a book.

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