Level Me Up (Gamer Boy Book 1)

by Lauren Helms

  I can feel his breath on my neck, and it takes every bit of strength in me to stifle the warm tingles shooting down my back. I turn my head slightly toward him, making this the closest we've been, and say with a slight pout, "I guess it wouldn't be fair for me to take up all your time tonight.” Then with a smile, “Don't worry. I won’t leave."

  He smiles as he places his hand at the small of my back and replies, "Good. I'll see you later," and he follows the rest of his team to the far end of the loft.

  Where just a few moments ago I was warm and surrounded by people, I now feel cold at their absence. The air is empty around our small table. I immediately feel the loss of Dex and the others.

  "Morgan! Earth to Morgan," Ruby says from across the table.

  "Oh sorry, what? That’s one fun group of people, right?" I ask her.

  "Totally, but I'm more interested in you and what's going through that pretty little head of yours. You're totally into Dex, aren’t you? I can tell. Don't even try to deny it."

  I giggle, mostly to myself. "I'm totally into him. Which makes no sense. I've just met him and well, I wasn't expecting this."

  Ruby has this all-knowing look paired with a big toothy grin, "Well, let the record show that I called it from the get-go. Now, let’s use this time to get our groove on and shake what our mamas gave us out on the dance floor!"

  I quickly drain the rest of my drink as liquid courage is the only kind of courage that gets me to dance. Unfortunately, I've only just finished my second, and I've been nursing it for almost an hour. So I'm going out there on the floor with really only the excitement of the night and the promise of passing the time before I get to talk to Dex again.

  Ruby and I have probably spent a good forty minutes out on the dance floor. She is a much better dancer than I. She can indeed shake it like a Polaroid picture. I, on the other hand, look like I'm trying not to drop the Polaroid. But whatever, it’s fun, and I don't care tonight. Ruby and I laugh the whole time, as I feel the beat pulse through my veins. Even though I'm working up a sweat, I don't care. I don't even care if Dex sees me out here; though I'm sure if he looks hard enough out at the floor, he will, but it's better if he knows now that I'm not a good dancer. It will just save me from embarrassment later.

  Ruby motions to me three songs later that she needs a drink. We make our way through the bar, but we both only order water. We are standing at the bar when Ruby elbows me and says, "We are being summoned," and she lifts her head in the direction of the loft. I look up to see the guys assembled around the table we left only an hour ago. Dex and Simon are leaning against the railing, looking down at us. Dex has a smile on his face as Simon says something that makes him laugh. Link, standing next to Dex, is waving his arms down at us to get our attention.

  I slide a glance at Ruby, who is no longer looking up at the guys. "More like you're being summoned, Rube."

  She rolls her eyes and replies with disdain, "I'm not interested," and I chuckle because she is totally interested. I can tell. She is always so sweet and funny and gets along with everyone. Yet she can't decide if she wants to laugh or argue with Link.

  "Right," I say. I grab her hand and drag her back up to VIP.

  As we ascend the stairs, I see Bernie has since joined the table's three occupants. As we approach, Dex slides off the stool and motions for me to sit. Ruby grabs the empty stool next to Simon, the farthest seat away from Link.

  "You guys were having fun out there! Next time I want to go out dancing, I'm taking you two!" Bernie says over the music.

  "When was the last time you went dancing, Bernie? And do you even know how to dance?" asks Simon. She elbows him, hard, and with an oomph, he says, "Jeez, Bern!"

  "Yes, I know how to dance. And yeah, so what if it's been a while? They made it look like so much fun, I really want to go now." She turns to me and pleads, "Please tell me you guys will invite me with you next time you go dancing."

  Ok. I'm ecstatic that she wants to hang out with us, even if it is doing one of my least favorite things. I'm such a nerd to get excited about a potential new girlfriend. "Yes! We will definitely take you with us. My roommate Gia always wants to go out dancing, so she would love the excuse."

  "Totes," Ruby agrees.

  Dex leans in. "You were definitely having fun out there. Made me want to dance, and I don't dance."

  If my face wasn't already flushed from the dancing, it is now. So, he did see my dancing. Great. I giggle nervously. "Wonderful. You witnessed the most embarrassing thing I do: dance in public."

  He laughs and replies, "No way. Don't be embarrassed. It was sexy."

  I just about choke on my water in response, and I'm now coughing. Dex's low chuckle is in my ear as he lightly pats my back. The rest of the table is now staring at me. Once I calm down and tell them I'm all right, that the water went down the wrong pipe, they go back to their mixed conversations.

  Sexy? He thought I was sexy when I danced? Maybe he was looking at someone else. Yeah, that had to have been it. Because I've never been described as sexy before. Not even by my past boyfriends. Cute, adorable, pretty. Check, check, check. But never sexy.

  Now that my coughing has subsided, his hand that was once on my upper back, between my shoulder blades, is now sliding down to the small of my back. He leans in and says in a sexy growl, "I meant that, Morgan."

  "Oh yeah? Because I've been called a lot of things when I dance, and sexy isn't one of them," I retort. I swear the grin on his face is contagious, because now, instead of being embarrassed, I'm smiling too.

  "I want to take you out on a date. Next week. When we are back in Chicago. What do you think about that?"

  Well, I think I'd do just about anything to keep him smiling, but I don't admit that. "I'd like that," I say breathlessly as I lean in slightly.

  There is a gleam in his eyes when he leans into me and demands quietly in my ear, “Give me your number, Morgan."

  I miraculously recite my number, and then I feel my phone vibrating from my clutch. I dig out my phone, and there is his number calling mine. I snatch up the phone and tell him to smile as I snap a picture of him.

  It isn't long after we exchange numbers that Ruby and I say goodbye to the group. Ruby and Bernie haven't stopped talking since we joined them, so now that they hit it off I'm even more excited about hanging out with her again.

  Dex walks me to the door as I follow Ruby out of the club. He wanted to walk us back to the hotel, but Ruby interrupts, "It’s ok, lover boy! We have like a five-minute walk, so we’ll be fine."

  She’s right. We will be. There are so many people out and about, we have no need to worry about getting back to the hotel safely. He chuckles as I wave and say good night. I turn away, and he grabs my hand to pull me toward him. I'm taken a little off guard when I realize that he is pulling me in for a kiss. He leans down, looking into my eyes, and then at my lips, and then he kisses me. It's gentle but firm. It only lasts a few seconds, but it is amazing.

  I want more, but he's already taken a step back, and I can hear Ruby whistle from behind me. He smiles genuinely at me and says, "Good night, Morgan."

  He heads back into the club. Ruby loops her arm through mine and says with a laugh, "A good night indeed."

  Ten minutes later, as we walk into our hotel room, I feel my phone vibrate. I pull it out and see that I have a text. It’s from Dex. My heartbeat hits double-time as I swipe at the text and read…

  Dex: She did call me lover boy, so I had to make good on the name. See you soon.

  Chapter Ten

  Dex

  I can tell that her friends—and their opinions—are important to Morgan. Ruby didn't seem outwardly skeptical of me or my intentions with her friend; she actually seemed to be rooting for me, so I needed to make sure I kept that support. I waited for an opportunity to kiss Morgan all night, but I couldn't seem to get close enough to her. While I was dying to be alone with her, I was thankful every time one more person filled in around the table, as it pushed me cl
oser to her. It gave me perfect excuses to brush her arm, her leg, or her hand. And I really wanted to hold her hand.

  So when the moment presented itself after that subtle challenge from Ruby, I took it. I grabbed that hand and pulled Morgan to me and kissed her. When she called me lover boy, I had to make good on the nickname. While I would have liked to do much more than such a brief kiss, we were in public. I could see that Morgan embarrassed easily. So turning that kiss into a full-on make-out session probably wouldn't have been an excellent idea after all was said and done.

  She looked like she would have liked more when I let her go. I wanted to follow through and show her how much I was on the same page, but a guy can't show his entire hand upfront, right?

  I'm not the kind of guy to get all caught up in a girl. Sure, I date but there isn't a lot of time for much more. The team needs my undivided attention, so that's my focus. To be perfectly honest, I’ve really been anxious to find the right girl. I just don't have the time to go out and look for her.

  I wasn’t expecting to see Morgan again, but when I saw her from afar today, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see her again. I followed her into the Gaming through the Years exhibit and found her about mid-way through. Our encounter got off to a rocky start when I startled her and she almost knocked over a podium. After that, we flirted a little but I could tell she was a bit overwhelmed just by being at Comic-Con.

  All too soon, her friend Ruby showed up, and after being accused of stalking, twice, I managed to get her to agree to come to the Visionwave party. I knew this time when we parted, I needed her full name. There was no way I would forget it, because if she hadn't shown up tonight, I'd have to eventually track her down. I needed to know this girl.

  It's funny because I'm not a guy who really cares what others think of me. I am who I am, and I like who I am. I like the people I choose to hang out with, but I was nervous in the hours leading up to the party. I wanted to look my best, I wanted to be on my A-game. I wanted to impress her, but I didn't want to be a douche about it. Simon and Link could tell I was nervous, which meant they were bound by bro-code duty to give me shit all night, mostly because I don't get nervous around girls.

  They also knew they needed to be cool. Link is a doofus ninety percent of the time, so there was a high chance that he was going to do or say something stupid and ruin it for me. However, aside from attempting to shake her hand, which I'm positive was to embarrass her, he was on his best behavior. He seemed to focus most of his energy on Ruby.

  The night was going well. Morgan was just as beautiful and sweet as I thought she would be when I first saw her. The last thing I wanted to do was make rounds with the industry VIPs, but it’s part of the job. The moment I spotted her on the dance floor, though… shit. I think my heart stopped again. She wasn't a great dancer by any means, but she was caught up in the music, dancing like she didn't care who saw. Laughing and smiling like she was the happiest person alive. It was so damn sexy.

  So yeah, when Ruby challenged me with the lover boy comment, I had to make it count.

  ***

  "Dude. You're so into her," Link shouts over the music when I return to our table.

  "Yeah, and you're so into Ruby. You've been doing this weird flirting thing with her all night." I shoot back before I take a swig of my beer.

  "I wouldn't call it flirting, I'd call it crashing and burning," Simon counters with a laugh.

  Bernie, who seems preoccupied with her phone, adds on a snort, "I second that!"

  It's true, though, the guy couldn't catch a break with Ruby tonight. I didn't think it was possible, but it seems as if Link has finally met his match. Every time he would try to impress her or flirt, she either threw it back in his face or just laughed at him.

  "Whatever. It's fine. There's nothing wrong with a challenge. I happen to like a good challenge," he arrogantly insists.

  "Ok, but don't go pissing her off. I'd really like to see where things go with Morgan. I don't need you ruining things for me."

  "No worries, man. Ruby will learn to love me, and it will be all sunshine and roses."

  "Or she will hate you, and in that case, it might be pretty entertaining to watch her put you in your place...every time. It will be better than watching reruns of Key and Peele," Simon quips.

  Still glued to her phone, Bernie adds with fervor, "I'll bring the popcorn!" We crack up at Link's expense as he rolls his eyes. "I'm calling it a night, douchebags."

  ***

  After a final day in California, we all readily board a plane home around 10:00 p.m. While I always enjoy Comic-Con, I’m always so ready to head home. And sleep. I’ll sleep for at least a day straight.

  I’m thrilled to step foot back in Chicago after a four-hour flight. Since we all live in the same apartment complex, a common strategy among professional gaming teams, we just jump in the next available Uber van. I crawl into the back of the van and settle in for the thirty-minute drive home. Link slides in next to me, with Simon, Bernie, and Ben in the middle row, and Chuck in the front.

  Chuck and Ben usually fly out separate from the rest of the team. Both are socially awkward, Chuck more so than Ben, but both are kick-ass at CoB. So the fact that they flew home with us was a bit of a surprise.

  The van pulls away from the airport pick-up, and I kid you not, Bernie doesn’t wait two seconds before she turns around in her seat, expectantly looking at me.

  “What?” I mutter.

  “Are you going to call her?” she asks gleefully.

  I don’t get a chance to answer, when Simon chimes in, “Of course he is, he hasn’t stopped thinking about her since he signed her shirt,” as he twists his body in the seat and props his arm on the back of his seat.

  I shoot a dirty look at his smug face and open my mouth when I’m interrupted again, this time by Link.

  “Just don’t forget the one-week rule. You have to wait a week before you call her.”

  Really? A week? As I turn to question him, Bernie opens her mouth then closes it. Then shakes her head.

  “I really don’t think that is a thing,” I tell him.

  “Actually, it’s three days. You have to wait three days, and since you told her you’d call her when you were back in town, you’ve got to wait until at least Wednesday, since today is Monday,” Simon informs us.

  “I have to wait three days? Are you sure?”

  “Hmm, no wonder you guys can’t get girlfriends.” Bernie shakes her head in concern, “You boys don’t know anything.”

  “Who said we wanted girlfriends?” Link challenges.

  She drags her perplexed gaze back to me and her expression and tone changes, “Please, do not listen to them. You do not need to wait to call her. Please. Don’t let Tweedle-dee and Tweedledum ruin this for you.”

  “Hmm, ok, well I’ll figure it out,” I mutter. As Simon shakes his head and turns back around in his seat.

  Link adds, “Whatever, it’s a real rule. You’ll seem desperate if you call too soon. Google it.”

  I was not expecting this conversation at 3:00 a.m. in the back of a van on our way home from a ridiculously long week away. I was going to crash in my bed and sleep for at least eighteen hours. But now, all I can think about is when I will get to call Morgan and if it was going to be too soon or not soon enough. Shit.

  Chapter Eleven

  Morgan

  Upon returning from California in the wee hours of Sunday morning, I sleep all day. There are times when I wake up, and I swear I hear Gia creeping outside my door. She knows, thanks to Ruby, that Dex had invited us out to the party, and that he kissed me, but we hadn’t had a chance to talk yet. I’m not surprised when she is waiting for me as I emerge from my room this evening. Sitting at our table are three boxes of cereal, the milk, a bowl, and a spoon. My best friend knows me so well. I kind of have this love affair with cereal. It is my go to food. My day isn’t complete without a bowl of cereal.

  Fortunately for me, Gia loves cereal too and doesn’t
find my obsession strange. On any given week, we have at least four boxes of cereal in the apartment. She knows all too well that what I need most after a crazy busy few days away and jet lag is a bowl or two of cereal.

  "Sit down, eat your cereal and tell me all about your trip. I do want to know about the Con, but what I really care about is hearing everything about Dex. I will fact check your story with Ruby so there is no need to leave anything out," she demands.

  That's one of the reasons I love her. She knows I have a tendency to spend too much time in my own head. I analyze everything, and most of the time, I just deem most information about myself or the happenings around me unimportant. I don't think I'm unimportant, it's just I don't always overly share, and why share boring things? Gia says, as my best friend, it's her job to hear everything I have to say and to be my sounding board. As my best friend, she has no choice but to listen to the boring, exciting, sad, and trivial things going on in my life. She calls me out on my bullshit, and I love her for it.

  I sit down and over three bowls of cereal, tell her everything. She listens, asks questions about Dex and the team, and asks me what I thought of the whole thing and if I was going to go out on a date with him.

  "If he calls me, and actually asks me out, I will go out with him," I reply thoughtfully, "but honestly, I'm not going to get my hopes up, Gia."

  "What? Are you kidding me? It sounds like this guy is really into you. He kissed you for God’s sake!" she retorts.

  "Yeah, he did, but it was all in the moment, and with all the excitement of the Con and the party, I bet you he's already forgotten about me."