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Thankfully, Gray takes the hint and reaches for his controller, continuing the shooting game he had paused. We fall into a comfortable silence as I finish my food, but the second I’m done, I’m ready to join in. Nothing occupies my mind like a mind-numbing game.
“Do you have another controller?”
Gray glances at me from the corner of his eyes without stopping the game. “Do you play?”
“If there’s another controller, I do,” I reply, making him smirk as he points at the television stand.
I run my hands down my jeans before reaching into the unit to find the second controller. Gray gives me a stern look. “I’m not going easy on you.”
“I would question your manhood if you did.”
“Oh, you’re going to be the prettiest fucking loser that ever existed,” he retorts with a wink, restarting the game for two players. “Do you want to use my guest account or…”
His words trail off as I shake my head. “No, I’m good.”
As I log in to my account, he doesn’t utter a word as my skull icon loads in and my profile appears.
“Only one friend, sweet cheeks? That’s bad,” Gray says as he takes over, starting the game up.
“I prefer quality over quantity, Blondie,” I reply, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye.
“I like it.”
“You won’t when I beat you.” The atmosphere continues to lighten around us, the banter and calmness making my chest buzz with a weird feeling I’ve never felt before. It has the temptation to make me drop my perfectly placed walls, but I quickly remember myself and take a deep breath.
“Actions speak louder than words, Scar. Let’s go.”
The game starts without missing a beat, and the online multiplayer shooting scene appears on the screen moments later. We’re on the same team, so we’ll technically win or lose together, but the tally of kills and deaths and the ratio it provides will be telling enough.
Neither of us speaks a word, absorbed in the game, until we complete the third game and I finish above him in the team resultsagain.
“How the fuck are you so good at that?”
“I have time on my hands,” I reply with a grin, and when he doesn’t press continue for the next round, I turn to look at him.
“Are we not going again?”
Gray scoffs as his eyebrows almost raise to his hairline. “Sweet cheeks, you’re destroying me. It’s a good thing I didn’t put any money on this because I’d be shit out of pocket right now,” he grumbles, waving his hand at the television.
“We can place bets next time,” I offer as he rolls his eyes and rises from his seat.
“We’re only placing bets when I set you up against someone else so I can reap the rewards too.” He stretches his arms above his head, and I catch a glimpse of his happy trail as his shirt rises slightly.
Distraction. Abort. Abort.
He places his controller on the coffee table and offers me his hand. “Let’s go.”
Frowning at his hand, I place my controller beside me as I remain in position. “Go where?”
If this asshole says to fuck, he has me that hyped up that I would follow him without question, but I want to hear the words first.
“To party. I need to drown my sorrows for losing. You coming?”
That’s not what I expected him to say at all, but I can’t deny that I like being in his presence. With one final breath, I place my hand in his and let him lead the way.
NINE
Gray
