Page 138 of So This Is War
“No, but I did stop the erotic torture, and shortly after that, he picked it up.” I press my hand to my forehead. “Do you think he knows about the erotic torture somehow and just decided to play me at my own game?”
“Possibly. Does it feel like he’s playing the erotic torture game?”
“I mean . . .” I think about it, tugging on the corner of my lip. “Not as blatant as I was at times, but yeah, it feels like he’s trying to turn me on or at least get me to slip somehow.”
“Then I bet he knows. How could he not? He was so adamant about not crossing the line with you and keeping all zippers zipped up and all nipples stuffed away. I bet he knows and is playing you at your own game.”
I grumble under my breath. “Of course.” I rest my head against the wall. “Of course he freaking knows. Why else would he be pulling this stunt?”
“Well, also maybe because he finds you attractive.”
“He’s said that, I know, but to risk that attraction?” I shake my head even though she can’t see me. “No, he’s playing the game.”
“And what game is that? Because I know I’ve been a part of this from the beginning, but I’m still confused. What the hell is going on?”
“Thewho is going to break firstgame,” I say.
“And when you say break, you mean . . .”
“Give in to the eroticism. Come on, Sandie, keep up.”
“Right, right. We’re always coming back to the eroticism.”
“Exactly.” I shake my head. “God, he thought he was so good. He thought he could just skate on by, drive me nuts with his pectorals on display and his bulge ready to be unwrapped. Ohhhh no, I see right through him. When I said this is war, I meant it, Sandie. Time to strap on the war paint.”
“You know, you sound a bit, um, unhinged at the moment, and I just want to make sure we’re maintaining our goals.”
“Oh, we’re maintaining them all right. We’re controlling our goals. We’re taking the men by the dick, and we’re making them all suffer.”
“Okay, so when you say things like that, do you mean you’re taking your dad by the dick as well? Because although I enjoy the play on words, I’m just afraid we’re not thinking entirely straight here.”
“I would never grab my dad by the dick.”
“Good, okay, now I feel like we’re?—”
“But I would grab him by the man nipples.”
“Ehh, okay, now we’re back to me being concerned.”
“No need to be concerned,” I say, feeling slightly crazed. “Everything is on the up and up.”
“What do you mean by that?”
The warrior inside me takes over as I say, “I mean, we’re no longer going to sit back and be the good girl worker. Ohhhh no, if he wants to play with me, then I’ll play with him. First one to cave loses.”
“Ah, I see. So we’re not going to tell him that you know he knows that you know? We’re just going to continue this battle?”
“Battle? Ohhhh no, Sandie. This is war now. All of this is war. I was sidetracked for a second there, trying to please my dad, but not anymore. I’m doing this for me and me alone.”
“I like that attitude, but what are you going to do?”
I squeeze the phone in my hand and say, “Erotic torture is back on.”
“Oh dear God in heaven . . .”
Chapter Thirteen
LEVI
