Changing His Game (Gamers #1)

by Megan Erickson

She pressed herself against him, her hands teasing at the leather harness on his chest. “I had to show my Aric I still had it after being held captive for years.”

  He laughed. “Oh, sweetheart, you still have it.”

  She grinned at him and, fuck, he’d missed that cheeky grin, the one where she knew she amused him.

  He leaned in for another kiss, starting slow, but with intent. He wasn’t messing around anymore and if he knew Marley, she’d follow his lead.

  She did, opening her mouth with a small moan as he delved inside. He began walking backwards, and even though Marley’s skirt twisted in his legs, he maintained his balance while still kissing the hell out of his woman.

  When his calves touched the back of the throne stage, he stopped and pulled out of the kiss. Marley blinked her eyes open, her cheeks red, that beautiful flush creeping down her neck. He ran a finger along the edge where her corset met the skin of her bare breasts. He licked his lips and glanced behind him, then he stepped up onto the stage. He bent down and held a hand out to Marley. “Join me, my lady.”

  She stared at him, then the throne over his shoulder. Her breath hitched and she glanced around the room. “Austin—”

  He beckoned with his fingers. “I promise you, no one will come in here.”

  She narrowed her eyes, but they were glassy and full of lust. He knew he had her. “How can you be so sure?”

  “Trust me,” he whispered. “No more lies.”

  Her chest rose as she inhaled a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. Her mind was working behind those eyes; he could see it. Then she nodded, as if she’d come to a decision, and took his hand. “Okay, then.”

  He helped her onto the stage and wrapped an arm around her back, curling his hand around her waist. He swayed her slightly, so her skirt swished around his legs. “Did you miss me, too?” he asked, not bothering to hide the vulnerability he felt.

  She gripped his biceps and stared up at him. “Yes. It’s amazing how many things reminded me of you. And I wasn’t sure I wanted that to stop.”

  “You didn’t take my calls.”

  “I wasn’t ready.” She dug her fingers into his muscles.

  “And you are now?”

  She raised a hand and cupped his cheek. He turned his head to brush his lips over the heel of her hand. “I’m ready for my heart to stop hurting. I’m ready to stop missing you. I’m ready to start us again.”

  He pressed a kiss to her lips again, as her hand shifted to the back of his head and tangled in his hair.

  He turned them around quickly and pushed her onto the padded throne. He knelt in front of her, and her eyes widened as his hands skimmed up her bare calves. “What are you doing?”

  He pushed her legs apart and she sucked in a breath. She wore a small, nude thong, which was perfect for what he had planned. He grinned up at her as he made small circles with his thumbs on her inner thighs. “The new king only kneels for his queen.”

  “Austin—”

  He hooked her knees over his shoulders and slid her butt to the edge of the throne. Then with one finger, he pulled her thong to the side and spread her open. He blew gently on her exposed, glistening pussy and she jerked. Instead of his name now, she moaned.

  “I missed this sight, Evelyn. Missed your sounds.”

  She arched her back and gripped his hair as he blew a stream of cold air on her again.

  “I love how you spread for me, sweetheart. Do you want my mouth?”

  “Ausssstin,” she hissed and he smiled. “Yes.”

  He leaned closely so she would feel his hot breath on her sensitive skin. “Say the words, Marley.”

  She gripped his hair tighter. “Please, Austin, I want your mouth.”

  “As my queen commands.” And then Marley got his mouth. She cried out and he reached up, sticking two fingers in her mouth because while no one would come in, her shouts would be heard outside these walls. She closed her lips around his fingers and sucked as he fucked her with his tongue and swirled around her slit.

  He missed her taste and her moans. He missed her surrender of control. He missed her, her laugh and smile and dirty mouth.

  He missed all of Marley, and now she was his again. Her taste was only for him; her surrender was only for him.

  She was all his.

  Marley began shuddering and he knew she was close. He pulled back before she could come and stood slowly, staring down at Marley, whose skin was covered in a flush. She stared up at him, bare and beautiful.

  Swifly, he picked her up and took her place on the throne. He set her on his lap so she straddled him. Her hands were everywhere, almost frantic to touch and taste. She sank her teeth into his neck as he dug in the tight pocket of his pants for the condom he’d placed there. Wishful thinking that was now a reality.

  He unlaced the front of his pants with fumbling fingers as Marley started nibbling along his collarbone. She was grinding her hips on top of him, madly seeking release and, fuck, he wanted to be right there with her.

  He finally pulled his hard cock out of his pants and rolled the condom onto it. He looked into her eyes and slapped his palm down on her outer thigh. “Ride your king.”

  Her eyes went hazy, and when she sank down onto him, he swore this was heaven. She gripped his shoulders, digging her nails into his skin as she rode him hard. Her bare ass slapped against the leather of his pants, the sound erotic as it bounced off of the stone walls around them.

  He pulled her close and shoved his face into her cleavage, licking at her skin and abrading it with his teeth.

  It had been a long time since he’d been inside Marley, so he could feel the orgasm coming, quickly. Marley’s breathing was labored, her head thrown back so he knew he could get her there with him. He reached between them and pressed his thumb against her clit, rubbing that button between them. Marley gasped, her fingernails sharp on his skin, and then she was coming. He slapped his hand over her mouth after the first shout, so every other cry was muffled. When he came too, with a blinding crash, he shoved his face into her neck and bit her skin to keep quiet.

  He unlatched his jaw but kept his face pressed against her, breathing her in and appreciating her warmth. Her arms came around him, cradling his head.

  A soft kiss landed on his temple. “I love you, Austin, you secretive bastard. I love you.”

  He might have cried if he was that kind of guy. He raised his head, pulling her even tighter against him. “I love you, too.”

  When they pulled themselves together as best as they could, which wasn’t too hard since they weren’t wearing a lot of clothes to begin with, they left the Aric’s Rein set. Marley had never seen Austin this relaxed. He walked quietly at her side, his fingers laced loosely in hers. Even when they were intimate, he had sometimes seemed tense, like he was taking everything too seriously. But now, he was loose-limbed and calm. She liked him this way.

  And she loved his words. She loved them a lot. She hadn’t wanted to forgive him for his lies because she thought that might make her seem weak, but as time went on, she wasn’t so sure anymore. It took strength to forgive.

  A man dressed as Breck was standing outside of the set. Marley recognized Aric’s right-hand man by his blue tunic, easily spotted in the game. When he turned, Marley realized it was Grant. His blue eyes shone as he took in their rumpled appearance. Marley immediately colored. She wondered if he’d heard anything.

  “Well then,” Grant said, eyes on Austin. “Now that I’m off guard duty, I think I’ll be on my way. I noticed a really hot Sari who I would like to get to know.” He cleared his throat and winked at Marley. She smiled. Sari was one of Evelyn’s fellow captives, whom Breck helped save in the game. There was a cheat code to unlock a small game where Breck fights Sari’s evil brothers to gain her hand in marriage.

  Grant’s gaze darted between the two of them and he waved at their joined hands. “This, I approve of. Glad Austin pulled his head out of his ass.”

  “Run along, Grant,” Austin said
, but Marley heard the amusement in his voice.

  Grant grinned. “Right, well you two have fun.” And then he was off.

  Marley watched Grant fade into the crowd and then turned to Austin. He pulled her into his arms and she laid her palms flat on his chest. “So what now?”

  Austin’s face was relaxed, the normal tension lines between his brows now smooth. Marley reached up and ran her fingers over them.

  “Well,” Austin said. “I say we get some sustenance and then retire to our bedchamber for the rest of the day.”

  “Oh?” she feigned ignorance. “And what shall we do there?”

  Austin grinned, his eyes full of humor. He leaned down and touched his nose to hers. “The King and Queen have important matters to discuss privately.”

  She nipped his bottom lip. “Such as?”

  He pressed his lips to her ear. “Such as how many times the Queen can come today.”

  She shivered, and smiled from ear to ear as Austin gripped her hand and led her through the crowd.

  Epilogue

  Marley glared at Chad. “Will you get up? Austin said he’d be here at six-thirty, which is in five minutes and we all know the man is nothing if not prompt.”

  Chad didn’t move from his reclining position on the couch. “But this is my favorite episode.”

  “Yeah? Well, happy birthday and Merry Christmas, Friends is on Netflix now. So go home and watch it there.”

  He grumbled but stood up, stretching his back and scratching his belly. “Where’s the stud taking you tonight?”

  “I’m not sure.” Marley picked up Chad’s empty water glass and carried it into the kitchen to leave in the sink. It’d been three months since Comic-Con, and she and Austin were inseparable. Austin seemed…younger, happier…than he’d been when they first met. Grant confirmed this change, and told her if she broke Austin’s heart, he’d smash her original SNES she still owned.

  Them were fightin’ words, but it was okay, because Marley intended to care for Austin’s heart like it was her own.

  Chad followed her into the kitchen. “Not sure?”

  She shrugged. “He mentioned dinner and a movie.”

  And just on time, her doorbell rang. She shooed Chad toward the door, which he opened with a smile. He grabbed the bouquet of flowers out of Austin’s hands, sniffed them, then batted his eyes coyly. “For me? You shouldn’t have.”

  Austin just stared at him, which was Austin’s usual method of dealing with Chad. Marley thought it was hilarious to watch the eccentric Chad try his damndest to get a rise out of Austin. But her boyfriend managed to maintain a passive expression despite her brother’s antics.

  Totally hilarious.

  Marley grabbed the flowers out of Chad’s hands and shoved him out the door.

  “Have a good time lovebirds!” he called over his shoulder.

  Austin stepped inside and she shut the door behind him. “Sorry about that.”

  His eyes took in her clothes, which weren’t anything fancy. A summer skirt, tank top, and sandals. She’d pulled her mass of hair halfway up on her head. “You look beautiful,” he murmured softly, in that reverent way he had. She loved it.

  “Thank you. So do you.” He did, too, in a pair of jeans and a thin button-down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Of course, Austin was always handsome, with that dark hair and his unusual eyes.

  She’d even complimented him on the silver streaks in his hair. She thought he’d be vain about it, but instead, he’d seemed to preen under her words.

  She placed the flowers in a vase full of water and turned back to Austin. “So what are we doing tonight?”

  He hesitated, his gaze sweeping her body again. She looked down. “Am I not dressed appropriately?”

  “No, no,” he held out a hand. “You’re dressed fine. Perfect. Or…” He ran a hand through his hair. Marley tilted her head. Was he… nervous?

  With an odd twitch to his lips, he pulled something out of his pocket and set it on the island counter of her kitchen. “I have something for you.”

  It was a small square box, black, with a red ribbon. It looked a lot like…. Oh God, was he proposing? Already? Holy shit, they hadn’t been together that long and… She was hyperventilating. She needed a paper bag. Or something. She placed a hand on her chest.

  “Marley?” He was beside her now, a hand on her elbow. “You okay?”

  “Austin this is…” Breathe. In. Out. “We haven’t even moved in together yet. This might be too soon, I think. I’m not saying no, I’m just…” She was fucking this up. Her own proposal.

  Austin was frowning at the box, then at her, then back down at the box.

  Then, like a light bulb, recognition dawned on his face.

  And he started laughing. Like, full on, clutch-his-belly, double-over-with-cramps laughter.

  While she was standing there having a heart attack. “Austin!” she hissed.

  He was still laughing, one hand braced on the counter.

  “Austin! What the hell?”

  He stood up, wiping his eyes, the chuckles still rumbling from his body. “I’m an idiot.”

  She touched his arm. “No, you’re not an idiot, I—”

  “Marley, please open the box.”

  She paused. “What?”

  He was looking at her intently now. “Please open the box.”

  She frowned, but did as she was told. She untied the ribbon, opened up the lid of the box, and there, nestled in the box, was a key. And beside the key was a thumb drive.

  There was no ring. Not one glimpse of a diamond anywhere.

  She smiled. “Oh my God. I’m the idiot.”

  He shook his head. “No, I am. I didn’t even think about what the box looked like. I should have but—”

  She laughed, snorting as she clutched the key. “We’re both ridiculous.”

  He cupped her face, his grin wide. “Yes, yes we are.”

  She held up the key. “So is this asking me to move in with you?”

  He nodded. “I want you with me always, Marley Lake.”

  “I want to be with you always, Austin Rivers.” She loved her apartment but Austin wasn’t here. And she wanted to be where he was. “And this?” She held up the thumb drive.

  Austin took a deep breath. “That, to me, is probably a bigger commitment to you than a ring. On that thumb drive is the access code to a demo of Aric’s Rein. I’d like you to play it and tell me your opinion.”

  She almost dropped it all on the floor. In her hot little hand, she held a demo to the most highly anticipated game of the decade. And she slept with the amazing man whose brain created it.

  To Austin, this was huge. This trust he was placing in her. He was right—this was bigger than a ring or words. This was everything to him. His creation.

  And he was letting her be a part of it. She gripped the thumb drive and key and brought her fist to her chest, over her heart. “Austin.”

  “Yes?”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “And Evelyn better sooo kick some ass in this game.”

  Austin laughed, loudly, the sound echoing off the walls of her apartment. “Oh she does, Marley. She does.”

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  Acknowledgments

  So, this book all began with a conversation with my husband. I called that stupid little spinning thing on my Mac a “rainbow wheel” and he had to go all SNL IT guy on me and tell me it’s a “beach ball.” I just about cried laughing that he felt the need in his nerdy little head to correct me on that.

  So I wrote a page of this book starting with that. And then Marley kept talking to me. And then Austin wanted his voice heard (demanding bastard), and then before I knew it, I had
this book, and I really freaking loved it.

  The good thing was that my critique partners—Natalie and Amy—loved it too. And then my agent loved it. And then we found an editor who loved it just as much.

  Marisa Corvisiero, as always, you give me so much inspiration to follow my dreams. Sometimes, when I don’t believe in myself, you still believe in me, and that gives me the extra push to find my feet again and keep going.

  Heather Howland, THANK YOU. Thank you for your phone calls, your time, everything you put into this book. You know books and writing, and your talent as an editor blows me away. I learned so much during a two-hour phone call with you. I can’t imagine how much more I’ll learn by the end of this series. You encouraged me to write Marley, and tell Austin’s story, and I just can’t thank you enough.

  To my Mobsters—I love you guys. I shared bits of this book with you while I was writing it and you were SO EXCITED. It gave me the desire to keep writing and move on and give Marley and Austin that HEA.

  Tumblr was a huge inspiration for this book, I mean, HELLO, just read CHANGING HIS GAME and you’ll see why. Can I thank a social media website? Whatever, I do what I want. Thanks, Tumblr!

  To my husband—your nerdiness (I don’t think that’s a word) was such a source of inspiration to me. Thanks for answering me honestly when I inquired, “What are some technology innuendos”? Because, really, there are a lot. Thanks for humoring me in this crazy business and for loving me for what I do. Thanks for playing LEGO with the kids when a scene hit me and I had to stop everything and write.

  To my friends, my family, Lia Riley, Lucas Hargis, and the ’14 debuts who ALWAYS keep me sane, I couldn’t do this without you. And last but not least, Andi, you’ll never be one of the “little people.”

  About the Author

  Megan Erickson worked as a journalist covering real-life dramas before she decided she liked writing her own endings better and switched to fiction.

  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two cats. When she’s not tapping away on her laptop, she’s probably listening to the characters in her head who won’t stop talking.