Page 84 of The Tower

“He wins the biggest prick cup for sure,” she says.

“Except …”

“Except what?”

I scowl, but without the neural headset, it doesn’t show up on my avatar.

“Come on, Sasha. What were you going to say?”

“It’s just … I don’t know,” I admit. “He’s different. I mean, think about it. He’s helping me bring down this Project Recall bullshit. He told me the truth about how my mother died. He brought in an actual doctor, and he’s keeping me safe now that I have to stay hidden until the hearing.”

“All of which he’s doing to bring down your father. It benefits you, but he’s doing it for himself.”

“What does that matter?”

“Because you’re missing the point,” she says.

“Fine. What’s the point?”

“Well, duh. That you like fucking him.”

“Ruby!”

“Oh, please. You just told me it’s driving you nuts that he’s not pushing on this Everything deal. Don’t pretend to go all prim and proper on me now.”

I grimace, wondering if I’d have been better off saying nothing. Except she’s my best friend. Not to mention the only one I can truly talk to. Except Grimm. It’s surprising how easy just talking with him is.

Not, however, about this.

“So what should I do?”

“Sweetie, there’s only one thing you can do. Make the first move.”

A full day later, I’m still thinking about her advice. She’s right, of course. But I can’t do it. I already have zero power in this arrangement. If I tell him I want sex, then I drop down into negative numbers.

Still, there must be other ways to get the message across.

I ponder that problem for the rest of the day, finally sneaking up on a solution that evening as we’re sitting with take-out Chinese food and scrolling through the various movie options for the night’s entertainment.

“Let me pick tonight,” I say. “I can’t do another action movie.”

His eyes dance with humor as he hands me the remote, his forefinger brushing over my thumb as he draws his hand back. “Not into action?”

I make a valiant effort not to whimper as I concentrate on pulling up a movie selection on the huge screen. I scroll through, then finally find what I’m looking for. Secretary. An over the top, fucked up erotic movie with a cult following and the kind of sex scenes that are sure to rev his imagination.

“This works,” I say as I use one remote to dim the lights and another to start the movie.

I’ve seen it before, of course. It’s weird and wonderful, and I’m more than a little turned on by the time it ends. Especially since I’ve been leaning against Grimm the entire time, both of us stretched out on the couch, me between his legs and leaning against his chest, our shared popcorn on my lap.

It’s an intriguing position, and I realize less than a quarter of the way into the film that my plan will work. How can it not when his hand is already teasing my breast and making my nipple ache?

Not only that, but his cock is rock hard against my lower back … and when it stays that way into the credits, I know that my plan is golden.

Hashtag yes! Hashtag fistbump!

As the last of the credits roll, we both sit up so we can face each other, and there is no escaping the heat and need I see in those beautiful eyes.

He leans in, and my breasts ache for his touch. I’m already wet, and it takes all my effort not to straddle his thigh and rock myself to Orgasm Number One.