Page 70 of So This Is War
“Great.” I pull the food out of the paper bag and say, “Hope you don’t mind that I got myself a salad. I can pay you back later. Just thought it would be easier.”
“You don’t have to pay me back, Wylie.”
“Oh, I’m not going to be a freeloader. I’ll pay you back . . . somehow.” I wink, and he quickly looks away as he picks up hisfork and knife, ready to eat. “How was the trip? Do anything fun? We already know that you didn’t do anybody fun, but perhaps you did something else while you were away?”
He shakes his head. “Just hockey.”
“Not even a fun meal with the guys?”
He shakes his head again as he opens his container and stabs one of his potatoes with a fork rather aggressively. “All the guys went straight to their rooms. OC met up with a friend, so I was kind of on my own.”
“What were the guys doing in their rooms?”
“Calling their girls.”
“Oh,” I say as I pop open my steak salad. “Like frisky FaceTimes?”
“Pretty much,” he says on a sigh, then cuts into his steak, which cuts like butter.
“You say that as if it makes you sad. Do you wish you were FaceTiming someone?”
He looks over at me and says, “Sometimes, yeah.”
“Well, you can always FaceTime me,” I say. And then for the hell of it, I shimmy at him and say, “I could make it fun for you.”
He glances down at my bouncing breasts and then back at his steak. “You sure as hell could.”
“Ooo, I take that as you’re interested. You know, topless FaceTimes will come at a surcharge, but I’ll make it worth it.” I joke around, but from the tension in his shoulders, he’s anythingbutin a joking mood, which means I’m doing my job.
Not so fun being played around with, is it, Levi?
When he makes no attempt at a comment, I say, “Well, if interested, we can add it to my duties. Shimmy for boss. I actually have some pretty great lingerie. I have this one set that ties together like a bow in the front. With one tug, it’s hello breasts.”
The grip on his fork tightens as he says, “Yeah, we’re not crossing that line, remember?”
“I know, but just putting it out there, though.” I run my hand over his back. “You seem so tense, like you need someone to loosen you up. I can’t have my boss unhappy.” I run my hands over his shoulders. “Ooo, you’re really tense. Everything is all bunched up here. Do you need me to massage you? Because I can. I used to give out massages all the time in college.”
“What kind of massages?” he asks when he glances my way.
“All kinds . . .” I wiggle my brows. “Obviously not for money, but the few guys I dated loved my hand?—”
He bounds out of his chair, startling me back as he grips his forehead in distress. He turns in a few circles, almost confused as to what he should do next. After a few seconds, he says, “You know, maybe we should change the subject.”
“Oh, why? Did I say something bad?” I act innocent even though I’m the furthest thing from it.
“No . . . I mean, yes . . . ugh, not really.” He pinches his brow. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I’m just distracted.”
“Anything I can help you get off your mind?” I say as I puff my chest out just a touch more.
His eyes take the bait, and I catch him wet his lips right before he starts shaking his head, almost as if he needs to convince himself. “No. Nope. Nothing you can do. I can, uh, I can handle it myself.”
“Why are you so jittery?” I ask.
“Because.” He pushes his hand through his hair. “Just . . . fuck, I wasn’t expecting you to be here when I got home, so I’m a little jumpy is all.”
“Oh, okay. Well, I can leave.” I stand from my chair. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“You’re not. You’re fine.” He mumbles. “Fuck, you’re so fine.” He drags both hands over his face, and I can see the strain inhis body. I can see his will coming close to snapping. When his eyes open again, they land on my breasts, and I know my nipples are hard because I’m turned on. Turned on from having this much control over a man. I’ve barely done anything, and he’s squirming. There’s something so empowering about that.
