Round 13

N eema gulped down the last of her herbal tea, her eyes narrow. “I can’t believe your nemesis is coming here.”

“‘Nemesis’ is a bit of a strong term.” I slouched over the kitchen table and popped another bit of toast layered with avocado, tomato, cheese, and an incredible amount of ground pepper into my mouth.

“And according to Shaun, he specifically requested that he be alone with you.”

“You’re making it sound weird.”

“It is a bit weird.”

I swallowed. “I’m guessing the only reason he wants to be alone is because, if you and Shaun are here, he won’t critique it properly. This is business. Simple as that.”

Neema hopped off her stool and towered over me like a graceful swan, whereas I was more of a… headless chicken. Her eyes were still narrowed. “Okay. But be careful. I haven’t met a woman who could resist that troubled man, and now you’re single and vulnerable, and I’m just saying…”

I opened my mouth to stop her, but she raised a perfectly manicured finger, stopping me. “Don’t give in to his charms. If you hook up and it doesn’t work out, it’ll be a mess. Why do you think I’ve never introduced him to any of my friends, and—”

“Whoa.” I raised my hands. “Who said anything about hooking up? I can handle William. And besides, I’m far from his type. Again, this is business. He made notes, plenty of them.”

She hummed and grabbed her keys on the way to the door. “I suppose he is the perfect person to do it. He won’t go easy on you. Are you ready?”

I wasn’t. How could I ever be ready to have someone tear apart the game of my heart that I’d spent years pouring myself into?

But before I could answer, my phone buzzed. It was strange seeing William’s name beside a text message.

“He’s here,” I told Neema as she opened the door. “I’ll walk down with you.”

We walked downstairs to the parking garage, where William’s car turned into the visitor’s bay, the loud sound of the engine bouncing against the concrete walls. He pulled into a space, and everything stilled the moment he turned off his car.

Climbing out of the driver’s side, William stretched his long legs and rolled out his neck. It was a mystery how he folded himself enough to fit into a hatchback.

Black jeans. Starfleet T-shirt.

Neema waved at him on her way to her car. “Be nice!”

He lifted his hand and saluted. “We’re Playing Nice.” He glanced at me, and even in this mediocre lighting, the lines of his face spelled mischief.

My stomach somersaulted against my will.

“Stairs or elevator?” I asked, ignoring the nerves brewing within me.

“Stairs. I sit enough during the day.”

His body said otherwise.

Bah. Stop.

I swatted away that thought and raced ahead, but he and his long legs caught up within a couple steps.

Unfair.

William walked into my apartment and looked around. The small kitchen to the left was clean, spotless even. I’d wiped it down before he arrived. Across from it, the living room looked… well… lived in. The large, worn navy couch faced a decent-sized flat screen, and underneath it, my Xbox sat on display. I’d left it there for him to see. Between the couch and television was the coffee table with my board game already set up and waiting.

Which was the main focus of today’s meeting.

“Have a seat.” I gestured to the couch. “Coffee?”

He nodded and walked straight to the Xbox like a magpie seeing something shiny.

I picked up a box of chocolate chip cookies and said, “Think quick,” before tossing them at him.

One large hand snapped upward, and he caught it just before it hit him. He fell backward onto the couch and spread out in the way only William did, like he belonged there.

“Thanks, these are my favorites,” he said. “Did you get them for me?”

“Purely coincidental. I didn’t buy them specifically for you.” I think .

I exhaled a shaky breath. Why did it feel like a job interview or a first date? Neither of which I had much experience in.

William let his gaze linger on my face before he looked down at the cookies and opened them. “Take a breath. I’m not going to kill you or seduce you. This is business.”

“Can you read minds?” I asked. That could be a problem.

“No. But I can read you.” He glanced over his notes. “Which is why it’s so easy to beat you.”

“Oh, stop it.” I carried over the two mugs of coffee. “You take it black, right?”

“Yes, as you once told me, ‘like my soul.’” He flashed me one of those smiles, and a strange tingle spread across my chest. Was this his dark magic at work?

Perhaps sitting as far away from him as possible was a good idea.

I sat on the opposite couch and gestured to the game. “Shall we get started?”

He took a sip of his coffee, and his Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed.

Damn you, Rose. Stop it. Don’t look.

I stared down at my coffee and took a deep breath.

“I’m going to walk you through my gaming experience.” He glanced at his notebook, his voice void of the playfulness I’d become accustomed to. “Your first problem, which I’m sure you’re aware of but I’m mentioning it anyway, is the missing written and structured rules.”

My face flamed hotter than the mug I was clutching. “I know, I know.”

“That way, you won’t have to be there to ramble in circles about it every time anyone plays your game.” His dimple made a showing while he suppressed a smile. “Although, I imagine if you had it your way, you would be.”

He was absolutely right.

He took another sip of coffee and then picked up a cookie and put the entire thing in his mouth. “But, Rose.” He paused while he finished chewing.

I startled at his use of my name. When he called me Rose, it was somehow familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. I always expected some variation of “hobbit.”

He swallowed the remainder of his cookie and brushed the crumbs off his black T-shirt. “We’re not going to discuss the formation of rules now. Today is all about the game, exactly as we played it.”

My mind spun, and I couldn’t decide whether it was because he was dissecting my game or because I couldn’t keep my eyes off the way his T-shirt tightened around his biceps every time he moved. Something inside me coiled tight, and I looked away.

This was a totally normal reaction to a man who was extravagantly handsome.

“You okay?” He leaned forward, and even though an entire coffee table still divided us, it was too close.

I nodded, careful not to look directly at him. Neema was right. It was too dangerous.

“Let’s see those submission guidelines again,” he said.

Perfect. I needed an excuse to breathe. I scrambled off the couch and toward my room, where I’d left my laptop. His scent followed me. I spun around and found him leaning against the doorway, staring into my bedroom, which seemed to have shrunk in his presence.

I’d left it exactly as it was when I’d woken up. My cheeks flushed further at the number of books, games, and notes scattered over my bed, the chair, and part of the floor. As much as I denied my parents’ chaos genes, some of it had slipped through the cracks.

He peeked inside at the bulletin board mounted beside the doorway. “This is in line with what I expected.” A hearty laugh escaped him as he traced his fingers over my ticket stubs and photos.

A look of approval crossed his face as he spotted the same bands I knew were also his favorites. I’d seen his T-shirts.

He touched all my Comic-Con ticket stubs and smiled—I’d bet he attended Comic-Con too. His face straightened, and he retracted his hand before grazing a photo booth strip of Patrick and me.

I’d forgotten that was there.

I shoved my laptop against his hard chest and tried to ignore the firmness.

One more inappropriate thought and I’d shove myself into the freezer until after he’d left.

“Out, out, out. Bedrooms aren’t part of business meetings.”

He laughed, his eyes switching back to playful. “Even if I wanted to seduce you, I can’t say it would work among the Pokémon plushies.”

“Ouuuut.” With a final push, I managed to move his heavy body.

We settled back onto the couch. Opening my laptop, I pulled up the contest rules and scanned over them.

“Okay, so…” I leaned back as I read with William sitting beside me, though far enough that we weren’t touching. “I need to submit it in about one and a half months. It needs more than five players, has to be played on a board, has to be an original idea, and no pop culture–themed games or new versions of existing games allowed.” I cleared my throat. “And no… erotic games.”

My entire body must have been the same color as the red shirt I wore.

“Damn, well there goes my last note for your game,” he said with that now-familiar lilt in his voice. “Fantasy-adventure-erotica board games are coming up.”

I couldn’t resist the chuckle that escaped me as he laughed with me, rubbing his hand from the back of his neck all the way through his hair, messing it up further.

“You’re a fool,” I said.

“I know I am. But I am brilliant at games, so you need to listen to me.” He smiled smugly. “Before we continue, can I ask why you love board games as much as you do?” He leaned a bit closer, giving me his full focus.

This close, I could see myself in his pupils.

I opened my mouth, expecting to know the answer, but I didn’t. I’d never thought about it. Games had always been something I just loved.

“I know you love rules and structure.” He tilted his head, observing me. “Is it the social aspect? Because that’s exactly why I don’t prefer them.”

“I think so… I was a lonely kid. Traveling around the world, board games were played despite language barriers, with children and adults, sometimes on my own.” I cleared the lump in my throat and blinked a few times. I hadn’t expected this strange onslaught of emotions I’d buried many years ago.

He bit his bottom lip while I composed myself.

“Lonely kids, assemble.” He offered me one of his signature winks.

I giggled, but I couldn’t help wondering where Shaun had been to make William a “lonely kid.”

He took a deep breath and opened his notebook. “Knowing your motivation helps. So, lonely kid, your current version takes six players, and while it’s good enough, it could manage eight, which’ll make it more accessible.”

“I’d need two new characters that are important, but also not that important, so you won’t need eight people for every game.”

His eyebrows drew together, and he bit the tip of his tongue while thinking.

It was weird seeing William sitting in the exact spot where Patrick had sat not too long ago. Like an alternate reality. With his casual black clothes, messy hair, and playful energy, William was the anti-Patrick.

“Double up then.” His voice elevated with excitement. “Two warriors, two enchanters, two scientists, one ruler, and one medic.”

“You’re a genius!”

“It’s a fine line between a genius and a fool.”

I nudged him with my shoulder. Bad move. His body was hot with… I don’t know. It was hot, and it made my body heat up in response. I shifted away to calm my rattled nerves. “Okay, next note.”

By the third note, more than four hours had passed, and Neema walked through the front door.

“Oh, you’re still here.” She dropped her bag onto the counter.

“Imagine if I greeted you like that every time I found you on my couch,” William joked.

“You do. You’re a menace.” She laughed and walked into the bathroom.

“I should get going.” William stood and ducked his head down to look at me. “But, uh, if you want to continue, you could come over sometime this week, after work, since it’s nearby. Maybe we’ll get through another one of my notes.” That dimple was working overtime.

“Yeah, sounds good.” I stood and craned my neck up at him.

Grabbing his notebook, he retrieved his car keys from his pocket and spun the Dragon Ball key ring around his finger. “And look, you survived being alone with me without spontaneously combusting.”

I grinned as we approached the door, keeping my gaze on the ground. “I guess you’re not that powerful.”

“I’m as disappointed as you are.”