Page 22 of Bargaining

Everything was different before.“What else have you got?”

Pink tinged her cheeks, and she fidgeted with the clasp on her handbag. “Sex.”

“What about it?”

“It’s off the table.”

I held her gaze and lowered my voice. “No problem. It doesn’t need to be on a table. We can do it anywhere.”

She tried for a confident tilt of her head, but her flush deepened. Her voice was chiding. “You know that’s not what I meant. No sex anywhere. No physical contact whatsoever. We need to be clear on that.”

“There has to be some physical contact. This needs to look real. We’re supposed to be a couple in love.”

She frowned. “How much physical contact?”

“I’m open to negotiation. What are you comfortable with?”

“With you?” She let out a humorless laugh. “None.”

My jaw ticked. “Let me rephrase: What are you willing totolerateto make this look convincing? A normal couple would touch in public. If you want to specify where I can touch you, we’ll put it in the contract, and I’ll stick to those areas. Your hands, for instance? Would it be acceptable to hold your hand?”

The expression of barely concealed disdain on Charlotte’s face made it clear she wouldn’t choose to hold my hand even if her life depended on it. I’d dismantled family businesses and had a warmer reception.

She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “If you must.”

“Are you comfortable with hugs?”

She shifted in her seat and pulled her dress down over her thighs. “I’m not opposed to it, if it’s necessary.”

“Are there any parts of your body you don’t consent for me to touch in public?”

She wrinkled her nose and let out a chuff of laughter. “Oh, for God’s sake, Cole. Stop making it so weird. You’re overthinking it. Just act like a normal respectful human in a relationship in public and keep your hands to yourself in private. It’s not that deep.”

“I’m trying to make this comfortable for you. The contract is in both our interests. Better to just hash it all out now. What’s your stance on kissing?”

Silence crackled between us. I let it breathe. Any good negotiation needed silence. Whoever controlled the pace controlled the outcome.

Her eyes traveled everywhere except to me. “You can kiss me on the cheek if you must. Not on the mouth.”

“We’ll have to kiss on the mouth at the wedding.”

She sighed. “Fine. One mouth kiss at the wedding. No tongue.”

“No tongue. Agreed.”

She bit her lip and shot me a glance. “And what about you? What are you comfortable with?”

“I encourage you to touch me whenever you want in public. The more convincing it looks between us, the better.”

She stared at me with slight goading in her eyes. “You encourage me to touch you? And do you have any limits you’d like to formalize in the contract, or are you giving me free rein to grope you?”

I raked a hand through my hair, just for something to do with it. This negotiation was more awkward than my unsuccessful attempts at flirting with her as a teenager. Still, I kept my voice calm and measured. “Do whatever feels natural for you in the moment ... within reason.”

She raised an amused eyebrow. “Within reason. Got it. I’ll try and resist sticking my hand down your pants during the wedding speeches.”

Charlotte had always made jokes when she was uncomfortable, but I needed her to take this seriously. If we didn’t get this part right, the arrangement would never work. “I’m not playing here, Charlotte. I need to know that you’re in with me on this.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” She blew out a breath. “This is just a conversation I never expected to have. But I can do what you’re asking. You don’t have to worry.”