The Scumbag's Guide To Heroism novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42: 42 | Optimal Proximity, Suboptimal Choices

She was touching me back. Reciprocating. This wasn’t just allowing contact anymore, wasn’t passive acceptance. This was active participation.

〘 Diane Fitzgerald – Temptation Gauge: 27% (+4%)

Status: Highly aroused, boundaries degrading, responding to escalation

Warning: Subject awareness of situation is complete. Current interaction is fully consensual. Proceed with caution regarding secondary subject proximity. 〙

Twenty-seven percent. Another four percent jump.

Complete awareness. Fully consensual.

Diane knew exactly what was happening. She understood precisely where my hand was, how close my fingers had gotten to dangerous territory, and she was not only letting me continue but encouraging the escalation. The way she’d adjusted her position, the way her breathing had changed, the way her fingers curled into my shirt—all of it pointed to someone who had decided something.

My hand slid higher. Just a bit more. The heat between her thighs was impossible to ignore now. My fingers were so close to where her thigh met her hip that if I moved another inch I’d be touching the edge of her panties.

If she was even wearing any under that nightgown.

Jesus Christ.

"You okay?" Sloane asked quietly. Her voice came out soft, concerned. The vibration traveled through her shoulder into mine.

"Yeah, why?"

"Your heart’s beating really fast. I can feel it."

Of course she could. She was pressed up against me. We were sharing body heat under this blanket. My cardiovascular system was doing everything except remaining calm.

"Action sequence," I said. "Gets the blood pumping."

"It’s a car chase, not a horror movie."

"I’m very invested in Victor Sterling’s survival."

She laughed quietly. The sound moved through her body into mine, warm and genuine. "You’re so weird."

If only she knew.

On screen, Sterling had somehow gotten into the helicopter. He was fighting the pilot now while the woman in red watched with her gun trained on both of them. The helicopter spun wildly, losing altitude, heading straight for a construction site.

I let my right hand drop under the blanket too. Just resting on my own leg for now. Neutral position. Giving myself room to work.

〘 2:54 of 7:00:00 elapsed with Diane Fitzgerald.

Secondary subject contact window optimal. Recommend initiation while primary subject attention divided. 〙

Two minutes fifty-four seconds with Diane. Four minutes and six seconds to go.

Then I had to somehow transition to Sloane without Diane noticing. Without Diane caring. Without Diane reacting in a way that made this entire situation explode in my face.

The System was right about one thing. If I was going to touch Sloane, now was the best time. During an action sequence when Diane’s attention might be on the screen. When Sloane was already cuddled against me and physical contact wouldn’t seem strange. When the precedent for casual touching had already been established.

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