Page 38 of The Plus One Pact

Which means I need to keep my current gig. "Are you sure I can say anything I want?” I ask.

“Do you already have a book deal?” he jokes.

“Something like that.”

He nods. “As long as you change my name,” he says again. “Then go wild.”

I shake.

We iron out the initial details over another cup of tea (coffee for him). The rest, we figure out over text, over the next few days.

The wedding is in three weeks. The retreat starts in two. I iron out the schedule with Meredith, so we won't miss an episode, so she deals with minimal retreat interruption.

She wants details, but I'm not ready to share. I don't really want to share them with my listeners either. Not yet.

What would I say about the experience? How do I explain how it feels to pay someone to pretend they like me?

It was good sex.

But it wasn't what I want out of sex either.

And here I am with two weeks to figure that out. What I want from sex, from my job, from my life as a single woman.

I spend my time researching, swimming extra laps, prepping future topics. Then, three days before we go on the trip, Romeo and I meet for a real date.

Well, a lightning round of getting to know each other.

Then a practice date.

With his best friend as the judge.

She'll decide if we're selling this or not.

No pressure.

Chapter Nine

Romeo

The second the doorbell rings, Sasha jumps to her feet. Her big brown eyes shine with evil glee.

That's why men love her. Because she can switch between Mistress of Pain and sweet, loving girlfriend in the blink of an eye. She can't help it. She loves to see men in pain. Especially me.

"Don't get too turned on, Sasha," I say.

Her fire-engine red lips curl into a wide smile. They stand out against her light skin and dark hair. She isn't in full glam today. Her choppy bob is messy. Her eye makeup is a simple black line. And she's dressed more like an ordinary Orange County woman than a Dominatrix on her day off.

Ankle boots, stretchy magenta dress, studded black purse.

Okay, more like an Orange County Dominatrix on her day off.

"Oh my god, Rome, do you really think you could ever turn me on?" Her nose scrunches in distaste.

"Me? No. My pain? Yes," I say.

"Not even if you were writhing on the floor in agony." She taps her chin. "Although…"

"See?" I say.