Page 69 of The Tower

I give the hair a little tug. “You leave me no choi⁠—”

I squeal as he flips us over, leaving me on my back with his thumb and forefinger firmly gripping my nipple. And since I’d let go of his chest hair during the flip, that leverage is gone.

“Don’t play games with me, Princess. I’ll always win.”

I bite my lower lip to keep from laughing, then meet his eyes. “Go ahead. Twist it. Maybe I’ll like it.”

He stays perfectly still for a moment, then he releases my nipple, only to cup my full breast with his palm. “You might at that,” he says. And though there’s nothing specific in his voice to disturb me, I have to fight a little shiver. Because I can’t help but think that he seems to already know what I like. As if he knows what Prince Killiam has done.

But that, of course, isn’t possible.

“You constantly surprise me,” he says, more to himself than to me.

“How so?”

He cups my face, then gently trails his fingertips over my lips. “For a woman who’s been so sheltered, you⁠—”

“What?” I press when he cuts himself off.

“Let’s just say you have a natural skill.”

“Oh.” I feel my cheeks flush, and I can’t quite meet his eyes. “Is that bad?”

“Do you mean would I rather touch some timid little princess who barely moves, doesn’t seem to like it, and gives the distinct impression that she’d rather be sweeping up cinders in front of the chimney? I wouldn’t.” He brushes the pad of his thumb over my lips. “So tell me,” Princess, are you truly a natural, or have you managed to escape your father’s keen detection and seek out … shall we say … some on-the-job experience?”

“Sneak? What? No!” The conversation has shifted toward mortifying. “I, um, I watch a lot of movies.”

“Movies,” he repeats, in a tone that suggests he doesn’t believe me.

“Yes.” I underscore the lie by lifting my chin. Though it’s not entirely a lie. I do watch a lot of movies. But sex … well, that I learned in Elysium. But I’m not telling Grimm about that.

Not yet.

Probably never.

But I won’t swear to that. After all, last week I would have laughed in anyone’s face if they suggested I’d have a reasonable conversation with Liam Grimm, much less wild, delicious sex.

Still, Elysium is my heart and soul. And there’s going to have to be a lot more trust between us before I share that world with him.

“Did I lose you?”

I shake my head and smile. “Sorry. You muddled my head a bit, I guess.”

“One of my best traits as a lover.”

I laugh, still surprised by how easy it is to be around this man who for so long has been my enemy.

Who maybe still is.

“Just movies?” he asks, erasing my frown. “No boyfriends you snuck into Reed Tower?”

I just stare. He’s as aware of the extent of the security at my home as I am. Probably more so, as I’m sure he’s tried to hack it.

“Lots of movies,” I say. “With a variety of ratings.”

His brows rise. “Your father must be more lenient than I thought.”

“Correction— I hack into a lot of movies and watch them in secret. All ratings. R is the best for that kind of education,” I add with a bold smile, surprised at how comfortable I am talking about this with Liam Grimm.