Gaming for Love (22 page)

“Cool, I’ll call
and tell her. Thanks again guys.”

* * *

Yas

I had my meetings with
the bank and the private investors. They didn’t go well. It looks
like I may have to get a second mortgage after all. Erika and Sam
convinced me that I should go that route instead of just selling the
house. A part of me thinks that I should’ve taken Scott up on his
offer, but I know that I made the right decision by saying no to his
money.

Things are going so
well with him. He did what he promised and took me to his house. It’s
nice to be able to stay over there when we have dinner with his
family instead of driving back to my place. His deadline for the
project that he’s working on is coming up fast too, so it is easier
for him to already be at his place. And next week will be the party
to celebrate the completion of his project along with his birthday.

“I can’t believe
that I finally get to meet this mystery man of yours,” Erika tells
me as she comes in to work.

“He’s not a
mystery, Sam has met him. You just keep missing him.”

“I have and he’s
pretty hot,” Sam says as she comes out of the back after her shift
is over.

“Speaking of hot, why
are you taking this Justin guy to the party instead of putting Danny
out of misery and going with him?” I ask her.

“Danny doesn’t like
me like that.”

“Oh, yes, he does,”
Erika tells her. “You just never give him a chance. You always find
these jerk guys to date instead.”

“Justin is not a
jerk!”

“Umm, yeah he is.”

“Let’s just agree
to disagree about Justin,” I say before they start fighting and
scare away the few customers that we have in the store. “But I do
wish that you would give Danny a chance. A good guy is not a bad
thing.”

“I’ll think about
it,” she tells me and then hugs us goodbye.

“So, Sean told me
that the company that is doing the computer program has pushed back
the launch date for two weeks. The programmer had some personal
things to deal with apparently. So, you should get your loan payment
before then,” Erika tells me.

“Oh wow. That is good
news. I was worried that I would be last to get it which would suck
since I’m counting on the extra business you guys think that I will
get from the website to help with expenses.”

“Speaking of hot, I
saw a picture of the programmer the other day. If I wasn’t in love
with Sean, I would have to think of a way to meet him.”

“That good, huh?” I
ask. “Good thing I’m in love, too!”

“I don’t know,
maybe you could get a free program if you dated him.”

“You know I would
never do something like that.”

“I
do
know that and it is one of the reasons that we are such good friends.
You would never think of using someone.”

This Hallmark moment is
getting a little intense and Emotional Yasmin is threatening to come
out. Thankfully, Alex and Maggie arrive to distract me.

“Hi Yasmin! Hi
Erika!” Alex says.

Maggie comes over, too.
“It’s good to see you, Erika.”

“You too, Maggie. You
know I always think that you look familiar every time I see you.”

“I have one of those
faces, I guess.” Maggie turns to me. “Is now a good time to stop
by your friend’s bakery to talk about the cake?”

I look to Erika who
tells me she will be fine without me for a couple of hours. I grab my
purse and we head to Drago Sisters Bakery. My friend Eliza, and her
aunt Doreen, help us design the perfect cake for Scott. We go to the
party store to pick out a few decorations and then they drop me back
at the store.

It’s still slow so I
head to my office to work on my present for Scott, telling Erika to
call me if she needs me. While we were in Chicago, I decided that I
wanted to make him a scrapbook type album of our trip. I covertly
gathered napkins and little things from the places that we visited
while we were there. I bought some cool video game papers and
stickers from Japan through Ebay to use with the pictures from the
houses and apartment and they arrived a couple of days ago. I have
also kept in contact with Quinn and she sent me some stuff too. I
think what I have done is pretty cool and I can’t wait to give it
to him.

Yasmin

Today is Scott’s
birthday and I wake him up with my mouth. I’m on my knees between
his legs and he has his hands in my hair, thrusting into my mouth as
I take him deep. My fist is wrapped around his base, matching the
rhythm of my mouth as I bring him to his climax. He jerks up off the
bed as he comes. “Fuck Yas. Baby, yes. Shit.”

I move up his body,
peppering him with kisses as I go. When I reach his mouth, I tell
him, “Happy Birthday, Pretty Boy,” and then kiss him hard. His
hands are moving up and down my spine and then grabbing my ass. We
make out for an hour or so before taking it further. We actually
enjoy making out like teenagers and do it often. I took the day off
from work and Scott is done with his project, so we stay in bed all
day. I lose count of how many orgasms he gives me and I have to
remind him at one point that it’s his birthday and not mine. He
laughs and tells me that he likes watching me come so it’s all
good.

We finally get out of
bed to shower and dress separately. Ever since we got dressed
separately for the dinner cruise in Chicago, we’ve been doing it
for every date. It’s fun to get ready and then see the look of
surprise and appreciation in Scott’s eyes when he sees me. I use
the master bath and bedroom and he uses the guest room and bathroom
down the hall. I realize that I forgot my new hair clip in my purse
so I run out of my room to get it stopping in my tracks as Scott
walks out of the bathroom in only a towel. I have seen him in a towel
many times, but it never gets old.

“We have to go to the
party, Yas,” he reminds me. “You can’t look at me like that.”
He sprints into the guest bedroom and slams the door. I break out of
my trance and go grab the clip.

I’m wearing another Bettie Page
dress. They flatter my figure and I know that I look good. This one
is a halter style that is fitted all the way down into a pencil
skirt. It is covered in light blue flowers with gold centers and
trimmed in black. I do my hair in a 50s style with big curls and
waves framing my face and clip the blue flower into the side. I’ve
got on black wedges with ankle straps. I clip on the firecracker
earrings Scott bought me at the Art Institute and I am ready to go.

Me: Ready?

Scott: Yep.

Me: OK. I’m coming out.

* * *

Scott

Yas walks into the
living room and as usual, I have to catch my breath. I have a similar
reaction every time I see her, no matter what she’s wearing. But,
when she wears those retro dresses, I feel like I’m going to come
in my pants like a kid. I am one lucky bastard. I can’t wait to
give her the program tonight. I hope that she isn’t too proud to
take it. It didn’t cost me any money and since it’s something
that I created, I think that she will accept it.

“There are no words
for how good you look,” I tell her honestly. That dress has got to
be illegal in some states.

“You look good too.”
I see her look me over, appreciatively. I dressed up a little, but
didn’t go all out. It is
my
party, after all. I am wearing a blue button down with the sleeves
rolled up to my elbows, untucked over dark long slacks. I have my
combat boots on my feet.

“I told you that you
can’t look at me like that,” I growl. We have spent all day in
bed and I still want her like we have been apart for weeks. I know
that she feels the same way. We can’t get enough of each other.

“I can’t help it,”
she insists.

“We better go while
we still can.” I drive to my parents’ house in my Mustang, which
I had shipped out from Chicago last week. I love my car and since we
are settled here in Vegas now, I wanted it with me.

We arrive at the house
and head out to the patio where everyone is gathering. Sam is there
with some guy, while Danny looks at her like she kicked his puppy.
Yas told me that he’s in love with Sam, but she won’t give him a
chance. The guy she brought looks like a douche, but I’ll be nice
to him. Sam is a cool girl so I don’t want her to feel
uncomfortable. Yas’ friend Candi is there too and she’s flirting
and laughing with Owen. Hmm, that’s an interesting development.

Yas runs up to my mom
and Alex and quickly apologizes. “I am
so
sorry that I wasn’t here to help decorate.”

“It’s fine, Yasmin.
We had it under control. Your friend dropped off the cake earlier,
too,” my mom tells her.

“How did it come
out?” Yas asks anxiously.

Alex answers her. “It
looks so good! You picked the perfect design.”

“You and your grandma
helped.”

“We just agreed with
you. You designed it. Don’t shortchange yourself,” my mom
admonishes her.

“Can I see this
amazing cake?” I ask.

“When it’s time. No
peeking,” Yas scolds me and turns back to my mom. “We will have
to keep him out of the kitchen.”

“I’ll be good. I
promise.” I chuckle as I kiss Yas’s temple. “I can’t wait to
see what you came up with for me and what’s in that package you’re
carrying.”

“After dinner, you
can have it all.”

I lean down to her ear.
“All? Really? I already had it several times today, but I want it
some more.”

She turns red, but
whispers back, “You can have it all you want later.”

“I’ll take you up
on that,” I tell her and then say loud enough for everyone to hear,
“Let’s eat.”

Dinner is great. My mom
made all of my favorites and I have fun talking and laughing with
everyone. My family makes Yas’ friends feel welcome and included in
our conversations. The plates are cleared and we’re waiting for
Erika and Sean to arrive to have the cake. Erika had to close the
store and Sean stayed with her.

They’re at the door
and my mom and Alex go to start preparing the cake. Yas tells them
that she will join them in a few minutes, after she greets her
friends. A pretty blonde who I assume is Erika steps through the
sliding door first and freezes when she sees me. I’m not sure why
she is looking so shocked.

“Whoa, Erika, let a
guy know if you are stopping that fast. What happ-.” Sean stops as
he sees me too. “You’re Scott Griffin.”

Erika snaps out of it
and looks to Yas. “Your Scott is Scott Griffin? Why didn’t you
say anything? We have been talking about his computer program for
weeks!”

“Computer program?
You mean the bookstore one?” Yas looks confused but I am starting
to feel uneasy.

“The computer program
that you are salivating over, Yasmin?” Justin says. “I know Sam
said that you would do anything for it, but fucking a guy to get it
is pretty low. I’m impressed.”

Yas’s eyes go wide as
she looks at me. “No. I didn’t. I swear I didn’t know. You know
that we never talk about work, Scott. I thought your family business
was all real estate and architecture. That your program had to do
with buildings.” She looks at me with pleading eyes.

I want to believe her,
but I can’t. Not again. My heart is splitting apart and I lash out.
“That’s why you snuck into my workroom all those weeks ago isn’t
it?” I advance on her and she shakes her head, crying. “I
trusted
you. In fact I was going to
give
you the program tonight. That’s what you wanted all along. I can’t
believe I was so stupid.
Again
.”

“You weren’t
stupid, Scott. I didn’t know. I love you. You
know
that I love you.”

But in that moment, I
don’t.

* * *

Yasmin

“You said that you
would never be like Amber, but you’re worse.” I flinch back like
he punched me. It feels like he did. My heart just exploded. “You
really took your role far. Were you laughing when I offered you
money? Were you waiting for the bigger payout? You made me fall for
you. I have never felt like that before about anyone and it was all a
lie. Again. I must be the dumbest guy on the planet.”

I reach for him. “It
wasn’t a lie, Scott.” I am starting to feel anger mixing with my
hurt. Did he really just say that I am worse than Amber?

“Don’t touch me,
bitch. You had a good time manipulating me, didn’t you? Just doing
what you wanted while you played me.”

I lose it and don’t
even know what I am saying until it is out of my mouth. “What I
wanted? Really? Because I don’t remember ever
wanting
to have you tie me to your bed with game controllers and fuck me so
that you could live out your teenage nerd fantasy.”

“Whoa, man, you did
that?” Owen says, breaking the silence around us.

“Yeah,” Scott says
with a sneer. “The slut will probably live out your fantasy, too,
if you ask since you own part of the company. You want to put some
paintbrushes up her pussy? Owen’s art is so cool, isn’t that
right Yasmin?”

“Scott!” Gary says
sharply.

I am slapping him
before I even think about it. “You goddamn bastard.”

“Get out of my
house,” he says through clenched teeth, rubbing his jaw.

“You think that you
can talk to her like that and get away with it? I can have some guys
here to kick your ass in minutes,” Candi snarls at him.

“No, Candi. Leave him
alone.”

I look over at her and
make sure that she sees that I mean it. “Fine. He’s not worth the
call, anyway.”

I grab my purse and
turn to go as Alex and Maggie come outside carrying the cake. “We
thought that you might have gotten caught up with your friends, so we
decided to head out,” Maggie says and then notices the tension.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”