Gaming for Love

by Crystal Perkins

  “Wow. That would be awesome. But if Amazon and B&N are after it, there is no way I could afford it.”

  “Things are pretty bad, huh? If you need to let me go, I understand. You are my friend first and I don’t want you struggling. I mean it.”

  “I know you do and I love you for it. Things are rough, but if we can get the website up, maybe that would help. I was thinking that we could do recommendations and link in some of the bloggers I’ve met. Maybe make it both a social place and a place to shop.”

  “That sounds great! I’ll call Sean and have him get started!”

  “So, tell me about this friend, Sean.” Erika turns red and starts blushing. She is saved by the store phone.

  “Thanks for calling I Heart Books, this is Yasmin. How may I help you?”

  “Hi Yasmin. It’s Alex. Do you have time to talk?”

  “Alex! Yes, of course! I’d love to talk to you! Did you finish one of the books?” It has been a week since she came into the store and I am really hoping that she read and liked one of the books. I head back to my office to take the call, mouthing to Erika that I will be back on the floor soon.

  “I read all of the books and I loved them so much! They were exactly what I needed.” She proceeds to tell me what she liked about each book and we talk back and forth for over half an hour before she tells me, “I especially liked the contemporary book. I-I haven’t read a contemporary in about nine months. I haven’t wanted to read anything based in the real world since…”

  I wait patiently, not wanting to push her when it seems like she’s struggling with how much to tell me.

  “Since my parents died.”

  “Oh, honey, I am so sorry.” My heart breaks for this beautiful girl. Just like my heart broke inside of me the day my parents died.

  “Everyone says that but no one understands,” she says with a hint of bitterness.

  “I understand,” I tell her gently. “My parents died 2 years ago. This was their bookstore. They loved it like it was a second child and when they died, I took it over. Every day since their car accident, I miss them and sometimes I can hardly bear to be in this store. But, books have always helped me escape and I can’t imagine not being able to talk to customers and friends about the books here in the store.”

  “Oh. You do understand. I didn’t know and I’m sorry for you, too. It doesn’t sound like it gets easier. I want it to be easier, but I don’t want to forget them either.”

  “It does get easier, but you never forget. Some days I almost forget that they are gone and go to call them when something good or bad happens. Then, I remember that they are not here. I know that they would want me to live my life and be happy. So, I’m trying and most days, I succeed.”

  “I think my parents would want that for me too. I stopped reading contemporary books because I didn’t want to read anything real. I couldn’t stop reading but I thought if I read something that was futuristic or in a fantasy world, I could get lost in them. Especially because my mom loved reading contemporary books - YA and romance especially. But, the one you gave me was fun and good and I think when I come in again, I want to get some more.”

  “Oh, sweetie, I am so glad to hear you want to read contemporary again. They are reality based for the most part but you can still escape in them. Not in another world, but with a hot guy who has a tender heart or by seeing a character go through a rough time and get through it. You know those books have saved a lot of lives and brought happiness to many people.

  I will confess that like your mom, I read contemporary romance and now New Adult books when I’m not reading YA. I like to escape into them and imagine that some hot guy would want to romance me. I know that’s not going to happen. A book store owner is not sexy to most real men. But, at least I can pretend that it might happen when I am reading.”

  “So, you don’t have a boyfriend? Really? I mean, I think you’re awesome and gorgeous.”

  “Aww thanks. No, I don’t have a boyfriend. I haven’t had much time to date, but my friends have been bugging me to make time. I think you are awesome and beautiful, too. I want to see you smile more.”

  “My grandparents and uncles tell me that, too. I want to try to be happier. Are you working tomorrow? I’d like to come in and get some more books. And see you. I think one of my uncles can bring me.”

  “Yes, I’ll be here. I can’t wait to see you.” We say our goodbyes and hang up. I can’t stop thinking that I would do anything I can to help this girl through her grief like my friends helped me.

  The next day, I am talking to Sean on the phone about the website when Alex comes in with who I think is one of her uncles. He has those same amazing green eyes, black hair and facial features as Scott but that is where the similarity ends. This guy is in an expensive looking charcoal suit with a deep purple shirt unbuttoned at the collar. His black hair is a little long on top but styled in a controlled way and he is wearing fancy shoes that could probably pay my rent for a few months. He is also seriously built, his muscles fighting against the expensive suit that holds them. I tell Sean I’ll call him back and hang up.

  Alex runs right over to me and gives me a hug. ”Yasmin, this is my Uncle Ryan. Uncle Ryan, this is Yasmin.”

  “Hello, Yasmin. It’s great to meet you. My mom and Alex haven’t stopped talking about you all week,” he says with an easy smile and a little sparkle in his eyes.

  “It’s nice to meet you, too, Ryan. Your mom and Alex are great!” I reply honestly, thinking that he’s a really nice guy.

  I can’t explain the instant connection I have with this family. Well, except for the connection with Scott. That is easily explained as pure lust at first sight. Until he opened his sexy mouth. Then it was irritation at first sight. But, the other three members of his family that I’ve met so far are really nice and friendly. I would love to see Alex and Maggie outside of the store. Maybe I can ask them to lunch. Wait, I can’t afford lunch. Damn it, yes I can. One lunch won’t decide the fate of this store.

  I must have been spacing out for longer than I thought because Alex says, “Yasmin, are you okay?” I snap out of it and tell her I am fine, just thinking and that I can’t wait to show her some books.

  “I am heading over to mystery while you girls do your thing. I think Harlan Coben has a new book out,” Ryan says with a sheepish smile.

  “He does and it’s awesome,” I reply and point him in the right direction.

  Alex and I lose ourselves in contemporary YA books for over an hour. Thankfully, Danny is in today and can handle the few customers we have. A few stop to say hi as we are curled up in two of the comfy chairs I keep around the store. We are laughing and talking about our favorite YA boys when Ryan comes over to tell us he has to get back to the office.

  “I don’t want to leave yet,” Alex tells him. “I’m having fun.”

  “I can see that, honey. If I didn’t have a meeting in an hour, I would let you stay here all day,” Ryan tells her, regret written all over his face.

  “I could bring her home,” I say without thinking.

  “That would be awesome! Please Uncle Ryan, can she?” Alex looks so happy my heart almost bursts.

  “It’s really not too much trouble for you?” Ryan asks me, hope in his eyes at seeing his niece smiling.

  “Not at all. I am off at 5.” I look at Alex then. “I do have some work, sweetie, so I can’t stay here and talk to you. You are welcome to stay, though.”

  “I would love to stay. And I can help you if you want,” she says shyly.

  “I never turn down free help.”

  Ryan watches our exchange, a look of curiosity on his face. “Why don’t you stay for dinner when you come over? We have a Friday night barbeque every week. It’s one of the only times our family gets together all at once. We have been doing it for years but this will be our first since we moved here.”

  “I wouldn’t want to intrude on your family time,” I tell them although I really want to say yes. I would love to s
ee Maggie. Not Scott. Okay, yes Scott. Maybe he can keep his mouth closed while eating.

  “You wouldn’t be. Oh, please come!” Alex pleads.

  I meet Ryan’s eyes and he nods. “Alright, then, I would love to have dinner with your family.”

  “Put your number into my phone and I will text you the address.” I do as he asks and then we say our goodbyes until later.

  I spend the afternoon catching up on emails and bills while Alex reads and helps shelve books. Right before we are set to leave, I receive an email from Erika with a link to the software program she was telling me about. I print out the info and stuff it into my purse without looking at it. Alex and I say our goodbyes to Danny and head to her house.

  * * *

  Scott

  I made some great progress with the software today. If I can just work out these last couple of bugs, I will definitely be done in time for my dad and Ryan to launch it before the fall semester starts at the universities. I want to make my parents proud and bring good publicity to the company. It’s not enough but it’s something. Anything I can do is worth it.

  I head out of the guest house - my house, I remind myself -into the backyard. My brothers are all there, along with my parents. We all got my dad’s green eyes but while Ryan and I have his black hair, Owen and Luke are brunettes like my mom. Erin had my dad’s black hair too. The thought sends an arrow into what’s left of my shattered heart, but I push it away as I notice that Alex is missing.

  “Where’s Alex?” I ask as I head over to the table.

  “Yasmin is bringing her. Alex didn’t want to leave the bookstore so Yasmin said that she would drive her home when she got off of work. Ryan invited her to dinner with us,” My mom says with a smile.

  “Excuse me? You left Alex with some chick we don’t know?” I stalk towards Ryan.

  “Alex was laughing and happier than I have ever seen her. Yasmin seems great and I don’t think she would do anything to hurt Alex. She was excited to see Mom again, too,” he fires back.

  “Yasmin’s great? And you invited her for dinner? Keep your dates away from our family meals.” I have never once in my life felt jealous about anyone, not even Amber, who I dated for a year. But the thought of my brother dating Yasmin makes me want to tackle him into the pool.

  “This isn’t a date, although now that you mention it, I should ask her out. She is a little young for me, but definitely gorgeous.” He looks at me in amusement when he says it and I am afraid that my jealousy is showing. I try to school my features into indifference but I’m not sure it works.

  “Damn, Scott, do you like this Yasmin girl? Because you didn’t even react to Ry saying that Alex was laughing,” Owen tells me, looking at me like he’s trying to figure me out. Good luck with that.

  “I. Do. Not. Like. Yasmin,” I spit out, a little too forcefully.

  “I don’t like you either so I guess we’re on the same page,” I hear her sexy, melodic voice say from behind me. I whirl around to see Alex and Yasmin standing by the patio door. Yasmin looks pissed and well, so does Alex.

  “What is wrong with you, Uncle Scott? Yasmin is my friend. She understands about mom and dad because her parents died. Why can’t you be nice to her?” Now she looks like she wants to cry.

  Shit. I need to fix this before the tears start. “Alex, honey, don’t cry. I’ll be nice, I promise. Just please don’t cry.” I wrap my arms around her as she starts to sob.

  I look up to see Yasmin fidgeting and looking like she wants to get the hell out of Dodge. I can’t really blame her. My niece needs her, so I swallow my pride.

  “Please stay. I’m sorry that I have been an ass. I will be nice to you.” I pull away from Alex and reach into my pocket. “Look, I’ve even got a pen you can have.” I hold it out to her, hoping that she will take it and stay. For Alex. She needs to stay for Alex. And me. NO! Not me. Who am I kidding? I want her to stay so that I can get to know her better. I shouldn’t, but I do.

  * * *

  Yasmin

  Scott’s holding out a blue pen to me. It looks like the kind businesses give out. I still feel like I might want to run but a big part of me is yelling in my head that he remembered that I love pens and is offering me one. I reach out to take it. It says “Tech Boys Do It Better” and has the name of some company I’ve never heard of on it.

  “Do they really?” I ask him before I can stop myself, blushing instantly.

  “What?” He says looking confused, until he sees the pen he gave me. “Oh, yeah, definitely.” And the smirk is back.

  Thinking of being with him makes me want to melt right there on the ground. I’m not a virgin or a prude, but it has been awhile. Maybe too long. My friend, Candi, tells me I need to get something battery powered to pass the time, but I only want body parts in there. And yes, lately that means my fingers while thoughts of a certain green eyed bad boy run through my mind.

  “Your parents died?” I’m snapped out of my thoughts -thankfully since I am standing in front of my fantasy and his family for God’s sake - by the question from a brown haired, green eyed guy who looks younger than Scott and seems to favor his mother in looks and coloring, but is no less stunning.

  “Owen!” an older looking version of Scott and Ryan with salt and pepper hair says sharply. He turns to me with a kind smile. “Please excuse my son, he sometimes lacks manners. And a filter. I’m Gary and it is great to meet you, Yasmin. You know Maggie, Ryan, Alex and of course Scott, already. These are our two other sons, Owen and Luke.” I nod at them and notice that Luke looks like his mother as well.

  “It’s nice to meet you all. And Gary, Owen’s question is okay.” I look over at him. “Yes, my parents died two years ago in a car accident. A drunk driver ran them off the road. I took over the bookstore when they died.”

  “You own the bookstore?” Maggie asks looking a little shocked.

  “Yes, I do.” For now at least, I add silently.

  “You’re pretty young to be running your own business. From what my wife says, it is a wonderful shop,” Gary tells me.

  “It is wonderful. It was my parent’s dream and I’m carrying it on for them. I’m 20, so yes, I am young, but I love it as much as they did.”

  “Well, that’s what’s important, doing what you love. And thank you for helping our girl smile again.” He looks over at Alex with eyes full of love when he says this.

  “It’s my pleasure, really,” I tell him.

  “Enough with the sappy stuff, can we eat now? I have a party to get to,” Luke says with a smile, lightening the moment.

  I walk over to the table with Alex and Scott to sit down. Alex sits in the spot next to her grandparents so I take the last spot, next to Scott. I don’t want to sit next to him, but I have no choice. Oh, who am I kidding? I so want to be next to him.

  They start passing the food around and it looks amazing! As usual, I load up on carb-filled sides. I know that I should eat more protein instead but the potato salad and mac and cheese look too good to pass up.

  “Are you really going to eat all of that?” Scott looks at me incredulously.

  “Umm, yes?” Oh, God, did I take too much? Do I look like a pig?

  Scott must sense my unease because he leans in close to me and whispers, “I think it’s sexy as fuck that you want to eat all of that. I hate women who won’t eat in front of guys.”

  What I said about melting earlier? Nowhere close to this. I am basically a liquid form in this chair. What’s this guy doing to me? And can he do more?

  The rest of the night flies by. Everyone is so nice and funny. I love to hear them tease each other. They all make an effort to include me in their conservations, even Scott. Especially Scott. He asks me about myself and what I am studying at school. He tries to talk to me about what he does, but I tell him that I am pathetic when it comes to anything having to do with computers. He seems to find that funny and teases me, bumping my shoulder with his. I catch the other members of his family smiling at us from time to
time. When Maggie brings out brownies for dessert, Scott puts the largest one on my plate with a smile. He jumps up to walk me to the door when I say that I need to get home. He tells me that he hopes I had a good time and kisses me on the cheek. Maybe he isn’t such a jerk after all.

  Chapter 3

  Scott

  It’s the morning after the barbeque and I wake up rock hard. I could pretend that I don’t know why or that it’s just normal morning wood but I know better. I was dreaming about Yasmin. About how sexy she looked eating last night, how she moaned after her first bite of my mom’s mac and cheese. I want to make her moan like that while I’m sucking on those hot tits of hers and thrusting my cock into her. Shit, I want to do that so bad, I could barely stop myself from throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her to the guest house. Especially when I leaned in to whisper in her ear last night. She smelled like something floral but musky at the same time and I was even harder than I had already been, if that’s even possible. Well, I guess it is. I was hard the minute she asked me about the pen with that sparkle in her darkened eyes. Yeah, I think she wants me to.

  When I kissed her cheek last night, she flushed red and her lips parted slightly. I wanted to kiss her mouth, too, but I held back. I shouldn’t have even kissed her cheek. Talking to her all night and then that small kiss made me realize that I want to get to know more than her body. I want to get to know her.

  But, I can’t go there. My family seems to love her and she is bringing my beautiful niece back to life. I can’t use her for a one night fuck. I know that it would be a use-the-entire-box-of-condoms kind of night, but I can’t do it. I would have to see her again. I want to see her again. One night wouldn’t be enough with her.