Page 57 of Spark

I stare at him in disbelief. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

He shrugs. “It’s how it works. Believe me or don’t. It’s up to you.”

“I just want Ruby, Savage. But I don’t want to manipulate her like that. Help me. Tell me what to do.”

“Well, I can tell you whatnotto do. The exact same thing you’ve been doing for twelve fucking years. You can’t do that and expect to get a different result. Ya feel me? That’s the very definition of insanity.”

I pull a face that concedes he’s got a point. But what I say is, “What do you suggest I do, then? Specifically. Other than bribing her building manager, because I’m not going to do that.”

“I think you should.”

“I’m not doing it.”

“How about I do it for you? That way, you’ll have plausible deniability.”

“Never say ‘plausible deniability’ in my presence again. You sound like a psychopath when you say that, man.”

Savage laughs, while I lean my head back and exhale.

“Just tell me what to do to get a different result than the one I’ve gotten for the past twelve years.”

He exhales. “It’s pretty simple, really. You have to make things feel sexually charged between you. Show her some skin, every chance you get. Work out shirtless. Come out of the bathroom after a shower, wet and wearing nothing but a towel. Show her the merchandise, man. Remind her you’re Kendrick fucking Cook. Show her why every other woman on the planet wants you.”

“That’s not going to work.”

“Kendrick, have you seen yourself?”

“Dude, Ruby’s seen me. A million times. She’s been looking at me for twelve years, including countless times half-naked in a bathing suit.”

“It’ll be different when she’s staying with you. When it’s just you and her, and she’s sleeping in your bed every night.” He winks. “Make things feel sexual, whenever you can, and when you show her some skin, it’ll hit different for her. I guarantee it. Especially if you touch her a lot, too. You know, brush hair out of her eyes. Scoot past her in the kitchen and make contact when you do. Oh, and talk about sex with her, however you can squeeze it into conversation. Do all that, and she’ll eventually give you an obvious green light. I promise you. And when she does that, you need to be ready to go for it without hesitation. Without over-thinking it. Just go for it. Seize the moment when she serves it up to you.”

My heart is racing. “This could work.”

“I know it will.”

“Add to the list, I’ll pretend to have insomnia every night, so she’ll cuddle me.” I explain the whole thing about Ruby’s theory, and Savage agrees it’s a fantastic addition to the overall plan.

“I have to play it really cool with her, though,” I say. “After her breakup with Cooper, she made a huge thing about never wanting to date a friend, ever again. Actually, she made a thing about not wanting a relationship, period. Only a fling.”

“Now, see, that’s some great intel. When Ruby gives you that green light, let her know it’s got to be a fling. A ‘best-friends-with-benefits fling.’”

“I want more than that, though.”

“I know. But trust me, that’s all you can offer her. Tell her it’s gonna be like a tour fling: it ends when she moves out of your place. But then, during the fling, you’re gonna give her so many amazing orgasms, while still being the bestie she lovesso much, that she’ll be the one who asks to keep things going for real.”

“You’re a genius.”

“I know.”

“I really think this could work.”

“It will. The key is, you’ve got to go through Ruby’s ‘meaningless fling’ door, so she doesn’t feel like getting down with you is such a major life decision. You can’t make her feel like she’s got to take a huge leap of faith to have sex with you—a leap that might fuck up her closest friendship forever. Hell, no. ‘This is nothing but fun, Ruby! A fling. And everything will go back to normal after you move out!’ That’s how you’re gonna play it, man. And she’s gonna eat it up.” He waggles his eyebrows. “She’ll be in love with you in two weeks or less.”

I frown. “I’ve only got a week, like I said.”

Savage shrugs. “I mean, that could work. Just saying, after twelve years of friendship, that’s a tight squeeze. But, hey, if anyone can do it in a week, you can.”

“Hell yeah. I’m a man on a mission, baby. Failure isn’t an option.”

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