Page 66 of Defending her Heart

“Are you sleeping with Miles?”

“What? Miles? No. Why does everyone think he and I are fuck buddies?”

“You can’t deny the chemistry. I’ve been watching you two flirt since you first met.”

“Is there anyone Miles doesn’t flirt with?”

“Me,” Rowan says, leaning against the counter next to me. “I think he’s afraid of me. He’s polite and apologizes when he says something vulgar. I think I make him uncomfortable.”

“It’s because you’re so sweet, Row. Miles is a nice guy too or he wouldn’t apologize for making you uncomfortable.”

“Who says I am? Just because I don’t drop f-bombs on the regular and don’t sleep around doesn’t mean I’m a prude.” She folds her arms across her chest with a look of annoyance.

Interesting. I’ve never seen Rowan riled up like this.

“We know you’re not a prude,” Riley says. “On the flipside, let’s talk about the hickey on Kendall’s neck. We know she’s not a prude either, but she’s been at a stalemate since Walker and I met.”

“Not a stalemate. I slowed my extracurricular activities down is all.”

“Looks like they’re picking back up.” Riley points at my neck.

I fluff the turtleneck collar around the spot and let out a sigh. “Okay. Promise me you’re not going to make a big deal about this. Even better, promise me you won’t say anything to Walker.”

“Possibly on the first request, negative on the second.”

“I fucking hate your loyalty to your marriage.” I roll my eyes, not worried about offending Riley. She knows I’m kidding, especially after the shit Jason put me through.

“If you don’t spill soon, you’ll be forced to come clean in front of the object of my loyalty. He’ll be home in twenty minutes.”

“Fine.” I huff out an aggravated breath. “I’m in a mutually agreed upon friends-with-benefits relation...situation. No strings on either end. We both want our privacy and neither of us is looking for a relationship. We also don’t need the gossip mill talking about our mutually exclusive sexual, er, situation.”

“By gossip mill, you mean...?”

“Anyone besides you two. I doubt he’s told anyone else about us. Which means, if word gets out, I know who the leak is.” I give Riley a pointed stare.

“Me?”

“Your husband.”

“You’ve met Walker. He’s the least gossipy person I know.”

“Until it comes to one of his friends.”

Riley’s eyes grow wide. “I knew it! Youaresleeping with Miles.”

I slowly shake my head. “No. Never have. Probably never will.”

“Then who? Not Declan. He’s seven years younger than you. Not that you look thirty-two and not that there's anything wrong with it, but he doesn’t seem your type.”

“Who seems like her type?” Rowan asks.

“You know?”

“Only recently.”

Ending the game, I spit out, “Nash.”

Riley stills. She blinks. Blinks again. Then her jaw drops. “Nash Humphries? But he doesn’t even talk to anyone. He’s rarely around. Walker has been trying to get him out of his shell since the day they met. That's why he invited him over today.”

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