Page 198 of Just for the Plot

“Yeah, I said topless.”

“And I took my shirt off. That’s topless to me.”

“That’s not topless to me,” he says. “Want to see those tits.”

“These aren’t for free,” I say, motioning to my breasts. “You have to earn them.”

“And the orgasms I gave you didn’t earn them?”

“No,” I say, turning away and going back to the couch.

“Wow, Bower. I always knew you had a saucy side to you, but to be just flat-out vindictive, I didn’t see that coming.”

“Show me what you can do in the kitchen, and then I’ll show you what I can do in the bedroom.”

“I know what you can do,” he says.

“You’ve barely cracked the surface.” I sit on the couch and purposefully lean slightly forward, exposing more of my breasts. From where I’m sitting, I hear him clear his throat, which makes me chuckle.

I’ll be shocked if he gets through making dinner without touching me.

CHAPTER 36

BOWER

“This is such a goodvideo,” I say as I sit on Bennett’s lap, completely topless now because he cooked me one hell of a chicken dinner. “I’m getting turned on from you fingering chicken.”

“Can you not say it like that?” he says.

“That’s what you’re doing. You butterflied the chicken breast and then slid your finger through the crack. God, it looks like you’re fingering a woman. I wonder if Gretchen will approve.”

“Given how she doesn’t seem to care how we get views, as long as we get them, pretty sure she’ll approve.”

His hand climbs up my stomach so his thumb caresses the underside of my breast gently, his other hand slowly working over my other breast, his fingers toying with my nipple, making me feel dizzy with need.

“How is that going to coincide with the book club?”

I turn to look at him. “Are you serious? Bennett, it’s a romance book club. This coincides perfectly. Just watch. I’ll say something in the text like, ‘Come join us for book club.’ But then italicize the word ‘come.’ We have to be suggestive here.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve been trying to be suggestive this entire time, and you still have your phone in your hand.”

He pinches my nipple, making me yelp. “Bennett.”

He chuckles and then whispers in my ear, “Did I hurt you?”

I shake my head and set my phone down before straddling his lap. “No, just surprised me.”

He connects his forehead with mine. “Would you tell me if I ever did?”

“Of course, but I know you wouldn’t.”

“I’d like to think so, but I sometimes feel myself lose control when I’m around you…in you. I just want to make sure you’re communicating with me, letting me know if I ever do hurt you.”

“I’d tell you,” I say.

“Good.” He kisses me lightly and then lifts us both out of the chair, his strength so impressive, because he did that without even grunting.

I cling to him as he carries us into my bedroom and he stands me in front of the floor-length mirror propped against my wall.