Page 9 of Dirty Desires

Everyone in that car had only known each other for two years, and yet we all knew each other very well. It was almost as if we’d been friends forever.

Nina moved her hand and took another drink of the beer before saying, “So, what are we going to do tonight in the Hamptons, Julia?”

She jerked a thumb toward Artimus. “Ask the master of ceremonies here. I don’t have a clue.”

Artimus was quick to respond. “Tonight we’re having a game night. Charades, Pictionary, then strip poker.”

Nina nearly choked on her sip of beer. “I’m out of that last one!”

Artimus had a good laugh. “No, everyone is in. We’ll make it interesting by bulking everyone up in lots of clothing. The first one down to their original clothes loses the game. And you girls get to learn how to play poker, so you can start joining us for our weekly poker nights. Us guys miss you girls on those nights. It’ll be a fun activity we can all do together.”

Julia smiled at her husband. “You miss me when you play poker, babe?”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “I do.”

Watching them, I got a funny feeling deep in my heart. That feeling felt a little too much like loneliness—like I was missing out on something that I’d stubbornly refused to dwell on.

It sounded to me like Artimus had a bonding weekend planned, and that meant Nina and I would be subjected to activities that would bring us even closer than we already were.

And as great as that sounded, it also sounded kind of horrifying to me.