Gaming for Love (7 page)

“Yes, they are in the
stockroom. There’s an entire cabinet of supplies for story times
and kids parties. Just ask Danny and he’ll show you. Do you
remember the code that I gave you for the door?”

“Yep. Are you okay?”
Alex looks at us curiously. ”You both look a little out of breath.
Were you fighting? I thought you would like the flowers, Yasmin.
Uncle Scott said that he made you mad and was trying to apologize.”
She looks at him intently. “Did you not apologize? Is Yasmin still
mad at you?”

“We’re good, Baby
Girl. She liked the flowers. I better get going. I have a ton of work
to do. Someone will be by to pick you up.” He kisses the top of her
head and turns to go.

“You’re not coming
back to pick her up?” I ask, disappointed when he shakes his head
no. “Oh, well can I have my letter and pen?”

He looks down, like he
forgot that they were still in his hands. When he looks up again, his
trademark smirk is back. “Of course. I wouldn’t want to deprive
you of anything that you want.” He hands them to me with a wink and
saunters out the door.

I sag against the
counter as Alex looks at me with amusement in her eyes. “You’ve
got it bad. But, so does he,” she tells me as she skips off
laughing.

I look down at the envelope in my
hands and slowly tear it open.

Beautiful, sexy Yasmin,

If you’re reading this, I hope that means that you’ve forgiven
me (or are at least considering it) and I haven’t yet done anything
else to upset you. I love that you wrote back to me and I hope that
we can keep these letters going. I’m really liking putting a pen to
paper for you. My life is surrounded by computers and I have always
believed that technology was better. But, at least in this case, I
think the old fashioned way may be better. I’m not going to stop
texting you, though, but I’ll try to behave. :)

In your letter, you told me things that you like. I want to return
the favor, but I’d rather tell you things I hate. I’m just that
kind of guy. So, here is my list:

I hate people who use others. It is the one thing that is
unforgivable to me. I would rather have someone ask me for something
outright than use me.

I hate being proper. My family is being honored at a fancy ball in
a few months for our charity work and advances in technology. Our
company’s PR people have told me that I have to wear a regular tux
with a tie and take out my piercings. So, no tats or piercings
showing. Oh, and I have to let them style my hair into something
conservative. My parents love me, tats and all, so why can’t I be
me?

I hate fancy food. Give me a burger and fries or some mac and
cheese any day!

I hate that my family had to move because of me and my actions.
That’s all I can tell you now. Maybe one day, I can tell you more,
but I just can’t right now.

I used to hate myself but there is a beautiful pen loving bookworm
who is starting to make me believe that I am not all bad.

I hate that I haven’t kissed her yet and I hope to have the
chance to do that soon.

Scott

I am swooning.
Seriously, honest to God swooning. I want to find Scott right now so
I can comfort him, assure him that I don’t want anything but him
from him, tell him that I think he is awesome the way he is and oh
yeah, kiss the fuck out of that gorgeous mouth of his.

I notice that some texts came in
while I was reading the letter. I swipe my finger over the screen to
read them.

Scott: I’m sorry that I had to leave and I can’t come back
later. I have to finish this project in the next two months and it is
seriously kicking my ass. I would rather be with you. Having you in
my arms for even just those few seconds felt AMAZING!

Scott: Yasmin, are you there? Please don’t be mad!!

Scott: Yas? I’m so sorry I left. I can come back. Just tell
me we’re OK, please.

Shit. I hope he isn’t on his way
back. I don’t want him to think I am upset. I’m not at all.

Me: I’m sorry--I just saw your texts. I was reading your
beautiful letter. I ‘m not mad. Go take care of your work while I
write your letter.

Me: Oh and I like that you called me Yas :)

Scott: Whew! I was worried, but glad you liked my letter. I
can’t wait for yours.

Scott: Yas, Yas, Yas, Yas….

Me: Will you call me that when I see you in person next time?

Scott: Definitely. When can I see you? I mean, can I ask that?
Shit, I don’t know how to act around you.

Oh, hell. I’ve done this to him. I
don’t want him to act differently around me. Okay, maybe a little
less cocky would be good, but I don’t want to change him.

Me: Please don’t try to act differently around me! I mean it,
I like you just how you are! Well, maybe don’t kiss other girls in
front of me again, but everything else about you is pretty wonderful
and sexy.

Me: As for seeing me, I could bring Alex home tonight if you
think you can take a break from your project.

Scott: Thank you for saying that. I like you too. And I
definitely won’t be kissing any other girls in front of you OR when
you’re not around. You’re the only one I want to kiss.

Scott: Yes, please, please come find me tonight. I’ll let
everyone know that you are dropping off Alex.

Me: OK. I will see you then. Don’t work too hard :)

Scott: I have to work hard but I can’t wait to see you.
Goodbye Yas.

Me: Bye.

I close my phone
thinking about what I am going to write in my letter. The day seems
to drag. Alex does great at story time and helps Danny in the
backroom. I pay some bills—and watch my bank account dwindle—and
fill some orders from the website. I’m excited to see us getting
business from there, but my mind is on Scott and seeing him later
tonight.

* * *

Scott

I’ve been working my
ass off all day trying to break through the latest obstacle that
popped up for the software. I want to be at a good stopping point
when Yas gets here. I finally figure out what I need to adjust in the
programming for this particular part of the program when I hear my
doorbell ring. I jump up and then look down. Shit! I was planning on
changing before she got here. I tend to get caught up in my work and
frequently spill coffee or food on myself. You can’t completely
disguise the nerd with some muscles. I also wear my glasses when I
work instead of contacts. So, here I am, in a coffee stained t-shirt,
frayed jeans and my glasses. My hair is a mess from running my hands
through it, too.

The doorbell rings
again while I am trying to figure out how fast I can make it
upstairs. Fuck it, I tell myself. If I don’t answer the door, this
worry will all be for nothing anyway. I’ll let her in and then tell
her to wait while I go change. I practically run to the door.

“Hey!” I say as I
swing the door open. But, Yasmin is already crossing the backyard.
Dammit, I’m an idiot. “Yas,” I yell.

She turns and smiles a
relieved smile when she sees me. “I thought maybe you weren’t
home or you were too busy to answer. I didn’t want to bother you,”
she says, worrying her lip between her teeth while she walks back to
my door.

“No, no. You are
never a bother. A welcome distraction, but no bother. Besides, I
finished what I needed to before you got here.”

“Why didn’t you
answer the door then?” She looks worried now.

I reach out and run my
thumb over the crease between her eyes. “I realized that I look
like shit and was trying to figure out if I could run upstairs fast
enough before answering the door. I finally decided to answer it
first and then change after. Guess I wasn’t fast enough.”

“Oh. Well, you don’t
look like shit. Maybe a little rumpled, but still good,” She tells
me as we move inside and I close and lock the door. I love my family
but I need some alone time with this beautiful girl.

“Really? My shirt has
like four coffee stains on it!”

“You could just take
it off,” Yas says and then clamps a hand over her mouth.

“You want me to take
off my shirt?” I ask, feeling my cock harden at the thought of her
wanting me out of my clothes. I reach behind me and grab my shirt but
stop to wait for her to say it.

“I can’t believe I
said that out loud.” Not the answer I wanted and I start to let go
of my shirt. “But, yes, I do want you to take your shirt off. I
want to see your tattoos.”

I am now hard as a
piece of steel as I remove my shirt and see her eyes darken. I stand
still and let her look her fill. She steps forward and starts to
extend her arm out, but stops. “You can touch me. In fact there is
not much else that would make me happier than having your hands on
me. If you want to touch me, you don’t ever have to ask, Yas.” I
know my voice is husky because I can barely talk with how aroused I
am by the thought of Yas and her hands on me. I wait patiently while
I see her making her decision, the choice clear when her eyes darken
and she reaches forward.

Yasmin

I nearly moaned out
loud when Scott said that I could touch him anytime and then called
me Yas. My parents used to call me Yassie but no one else has ever
shortened my name. In Scott’s husky voice, it is the sexiest thing
I have ever heard.

I move forward and take
his right wrist in my hand, turning his arm to the side. His forearm
is covered with a skyline that wraps around his arm and covers him
from wrist to elbow. There are colors here and there making the
buildings come to life. A lake wraps around the bottom.

“Is this Chicago?”
I ask as I run my fingers over the lake, moving up to the buildings
and then the night sky.

“Yes. I got it before
we moved. I had been trying to decide what to put there and it just
seemed right.” He is biting his lip ring into his mouth as I caress
his forearm.

I nod and move my
fingers further up his arm to the anchor with “Gary” curved over
the top.

“For your dad.” I
smile and meet his eyes, which are enclosed in glasses. They somehow
manage to make him look even hotter, especially with his eyebrow
piercing peeking out over the top of them.

“Yeah. He was a Navy
SEAL.”

I move over to his
other arm because I am afraid if I touch his chest, I won’t be able
to move away from it. This forearm is a mix of video game characters
as well as characters from Star Wars
and
Star Trek. I run my fingers over Yoda and tell him, “I love Star
Wars
and
Star Trek,
too! I’m not much for video games but this is one cool tat.”

“Really? You like
them both?” His eyes are on fire, but with more than just desire,
turning them a bright green. I nod yes and he continues to talk as I
move my fingers to trace the outline of Spock. “Video games were my
best friends when I was in high school. I was the nerd in school,
always bent over a computer or playing a game. Math and science
fascinated me. Girls interested me, but they didn’t know I existed,
other than to copy my homework. My older and younger brothers were
all big men on campus, but not me. I wasn’t bullied physically
because Ryan would have beaten the shit out of anyone who touched me,
but being ignored wasn’t exactly fun. So, my games became somewhat
of a lifeline for me.”

I lean over and place a
kiss on Mario. “Well then, I’m going to have to start playing
some video games to thank these guys for being there for you. How did
you get like this?” A shiver runs through him as I gesture to his
hot, muscled body.

“Like this?” He
cocks that pierced eyebrow and I know that he is teasing me.

“You know what I
mean. You
know
how
hot you are. And I was at the pool party, remember? You were swarmed
by girls. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.”

“You think I’m
hot?” I roll my eyes and start to step back. He reaches out to stop
me. “Things changed in college. I roomed with an exercise freak,
Brent, who convinced me to actually leave the room and work out. I
didn’t become as hard core as him, but I developed some muscles
that the girls seemed to appreciate. Working for my parents’
company didn’t hurt, either. The Griffin name is as much an
aphrodisiac for some women as my muscles are. The tats and piercings
came later but seemed to add to the appeal. Chicks dig a bad guy.”

“I don’t think
you’re a bad guy.”

“That’s because you
don’t know everything about me. One day I will tell you. But, I
can’t right now.”

“That’s fine. We
haven’t even been on a date. I don’t expect you to spill all of
your secrets to me yet.”

“Thanks. And FYI,
this is a date. At least to me.”

I smile at him. “Me
too and FYI, it’s a great first date so far.”

My fingers continue
their journey and I see the names Erin and Dave above and below
“Never Forget.” From my talks with Alex, I know that these are
her parents. I lean in to kiss this one too but Scott stops me.
“Don’t. Please don’t,” he tells me in a strained voice.

“Okay, I won’t.
I’ll stop touching you.” I lower my head, hating that I messed
this up.

“Fuck, no, don’t
stop. Your fingers feel amazing.” He lifts my chin and looks me in
the eye when he says, “I don’t mean to be an asshole. That one
just hurts too much. I don’t want you tainted by it.”

“You’re not being
an asshole. I shouldn’t have tried to kiss it. You told me I could
touch, not kiss, and I already did it once without asking. But for
the record, I want to give you comfort if I can,” I tell him
sincerely.