Page 64 of Square Deal

Jealousy bubbled up in my throat. I shoved it down.

No feelings. That was the agreement. She could date around all she wanted, but sex was exclusive. I didn’t doubt she’d been faithful to the deal, but I hated the thought of her seeing other men. The idea of her getting dressed up and going out on the town.

Did they make her feel the things I did? Did they make her breath catch in her throat? Did they make her pulse fly? Did they make her heart race?

Maddie shouted from the top of the stairs, telling us to get our asses upstairs before the food got cold.

Chase jumped at the order and raced to the kitchen.

“Don’t fuck with her,” Luca growled.

I smirked and crossed my arms. “C’mon, man. You know me.”

“Exactly,” he clipped. “I know that you’re a good guy, but I also know how much she wants something that you’re not up for.”

My smile dropped. “And who are you to make that judgment?”

“I’m looking out for my friend.”

“I thought I was your friend,” I countered. “What happened to bros before hoes?”

Luca chuckled. “You think I’m just protecting her?” He shook his head. “Southern women are a special breed. They’re the take-no-prisoners type. You hurt one of them, and you’ll have hell to pay. The girls upstairs are scary as fuck.”

“You’re scared of Maddie?”

I mean, she was crazy, but in a fun way.

He threw his head back and laughed. “Hell yeah. I’m fucking terrified of her. But I’ll let you in on a secret—if your girl doesn’t scare the shit out of you at least a little, she isn’t worth it.”

I chewed on that little nugget of newly married wisdom throughout the meal. I also debated what kind of a guy Hannah had been seeing.

He was probably in sales or marketing. Probably drove a boring-ass gray car with a high safety rating.

Probably thought a beer and a ballgame was a lively Friday night.

Probably wore chinos and button-ups in a blend of beige, tan, and khaki. Boring and predictable.

He probably had a name like Billy or Doug.

Dougwasn’t a name she could moan. He was probably some two-pump chump that couldn’t even get her off.

I hated Doug. And he wasn’t even real.

Luck was on my side because, as each of us went through the buffet line, Maddie stood at the end and told us where to sit.

Hannah looked less than pleased to be stuck next to me. Maybe she was just as on edge as I was. I wasn’t used to being around her and not being able to touch her. The scent of her perfume had my dick revving to go. Good thing the edge of the tablecloth hid the tent in my pants.

When the rest of the table was distracted, listening to Maddie and Luca tell stories from the honeymoon, I leaned over and murmured in Hannah’s ear. “Are you wearing panties tonight, Princess?”

She jolted into a ramrod straight posture and dropped her fork into her pile of green bean casserole. No one noticed. Hannah gave her head a subtle nod.

This was going to be fun.

“Take them off,” I said casually, just low enough so that only she could hear.

Hannah choked on her wine. “Excuse me?”

“Panties off.” I slipped my hand under the table and opened my palm.

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