“Nope, that has you anxious and flipping out inside and you forgot about that for a moment. This is something else.”
Like I said—he’s mastered me at this point. Still, I won’t admit to the way I felt talking to Lincoln yet. The man is still a mystery and my instant attraction to him is something I’ll keep to myself for now. He’s my sister’s age, which is ten years more than mine, a recently divorced dad, and the Marketing Director. Nope, not going to admit this crush to my best friend until I figure it out myself.
Jefferson leads us to a café across the street where we meet up with his boyfriend. Jesse is the talent behind the audio interface that plays throughout the game. Jefferson bends down and kisses Jesse, and I envy what they have. That soulmate-type of love. I’ve never had that myself. Not that I haven’t looked or stopped it from happening. True love just hasn’t found me yet.
“Hey, babe.” Jefferson takes the seat beside Jesse and grabs the drink he ordered for him. Jesse even ordered mine, knowing what I like. When they were dating, Jefferson warned we are a packaged deal.
“What has that one grumpy over there?” Jesse asks Jefferson in a teasing voice and with a knowing smile. I wear my moods on my sleeve just as Lincoln does, so they are seldom missed by my friends.
Jefferson laughs as he glances down at the menu. “I mentioned she had this dopey smile on her face after we left the meeting this morning. She trailed behind talking to Lincoln Thurlow after it ended.”
“I didn’t have a dopey smile. And whatever, we aren’t talking about this anymore.”
“So someone has a crush on the brooding, sexy Marketing Director then?” Jesse asks, causing both of them to laugh and me to slam the menu down. Had I been that obvious? Fuck my life. I’ll never live this down now.
Before either can start up again, Michelle joins us and we order our food. I focus my attention on my food and stay silent as they talk about work, thankful for the distraction from admitting I enjoyed my time with Lincoln. The desire to share more time with him is overwhelming, and I don’t know if I’m ready to admit that to everyone.
“So, what are you planning for your interview, Kate?” Michelle asks and pulls my attention away from my wandering thoughts.
Michelle will have an interview spot during the launch as well, and I’m sure she has extensive planning going on already. Michelle is efficient and organized and it’s obvious why Lincoln hired her.
I haven’t worked out the fact Lincoln wants me on the interview team, let alone a single thought of how I’ll create a presentation to share with the gaming community. My chest tightens at the thought. I’m a behind-the-scenes kind of girl. Why didn’t I take Lincoln up when he offered me the escape? Because I don’t give up that easily. Another of my father’s traits I honor after his death.
“I’m still working on it,” I mumble then return to my lunch. Michelle gushes about her grand plan, which I tune out. Jefferson adds his comments because he knows I won’t.
We finish up with lunch and go our separate ways. I try to focus on what I could share with the gaming community and what will draw the gamers’ attention. I’m the last to go on stage right before the CEO, Michael Thorn, comes up to conclude the presentation. Talk about pressure, making sure I give him an engaged audience.
I step inside and make my way through the lobby. What can I say that could capture everyone’s attention and keep it? Lincoln hasn’t given us much to go on. He wants it from our hearts, he said. Lincoln wants passion and the real gritty that gamers can relate to and feel. Not something that feels scripted and overused. Bland. Nothing bland.
The office is loud, and commotion fills this afternoon as I make my way to my desk. The steady hum of the computer fans and keyboard clicks fill the expanse of the pit. Multiple workstations are filled with employees, and energy drinks are plenty. I’m sure most of us survive on passion and caffeine alone.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that when I run into Lincoln this time, I find myself in his strong arms and pressed securely against his firm chest. He’s holding me close enough that his chuckle rumbles through me and his cologne tickles my nose. His voice whispers into my ear, and warm breath brushes across my cheek.
“We have to quit meeting this way.”
Chapter Six
Lincoln
Her hair smells like cherries and something unique that’s all her. Kate was so lost in her thoughts again that she slammed right into me. This time, I knew she was coming and caught her. So now she’s in my arms and close enough I can smell her.
“Oh, shoot, I’m so sorry.” The words tumble out of her mouth as I pull away. I don’t want to, but I know I have to. Her body is soft in my arms and her perfume is alluring. She’s warm—so warm I lose my mind for a moment.
“It’s okay, but perhaps we form a new way of running into each other rather than literally.”
I can’t help but smile at the slight pink blush that touches her cheeks. Her messy purple hair has slipped down and framed around her heart-shaped face. Her eyes are such a vivid shade of green and are framed in the fullest lashes. I could stare at her all day.
“Shit, yes, of course.” She glances at her now-soaked gray t-shirt. She spilled her coffee drink down the front of it when we collided. I can’t help myself from staring at the wet material that clings to her chest. It molds around her breasts, and I respond by dropping my gaze.
“Follow me,” I order in a low voice, but I can’t stop the edge that comes when I speak. I want to make sure no one else sees Kate with that shy blush and wet clothes touching her skin. Even I shouldn’t see her that way with the thoughts swirling through my mind.
Spinning on my heel, I turn around and walk to my office. Kate’s breaths are deeper, and I wonder if she senses the same draw for me as I have to her. A draw that I shouldn’t question any further. As I walk into my office, Kate follows close behind. I shut the door, and the click of it echoes in the quiet of my office. She considers my tidy office. The room is for work and nothing more, but considering I spend a large part of my life in here, it surprises some that it doesn’t have a more relaxed atmosphere. The office appears the same way it did when I moved to Orthorn Games two years ago.
Reaching into a closet, I search through the apparel I have for the company’s marketing. I’ve designed all of the merchandise we’ve released the last couple of years, and I have a lot stocked up. I’m sure I’ll find something in her size. Kate comes up behind me and glances into the closet to see what I’m searching for.
“I have something in here I’m sure will fit.” With a quick flip through the new designs for the Dark Abyss release, I’m determined to find one she’ll like to wear from the game she helped design.
“I’m a Trail-blazer, if that helps,” she says with excitement from behind me as I land on one of the new shirts. Our game has classes of users, so each has its corresponding apparel. Trail-blazers are the warriors who set their paths through the open game world. The Dark Abyss also has Fire-bringers, Shadow-walkers, and Magic-welders as classes. It’s not surprising to find Kate’s class choice is a Trail-blazer.
I turn in time to watch her pull the now-soaked gray Orthorn Games t-shirt over her head. I pause, my gaze trailing across her chest. Her thin white tank top is wet, exposing her black-laced bra. Fuck, she’s gorgeous. I spin around so I don’t continue to stare.
Kate comes to my side and pulls the shirt from my hand. She must lift it over her head because her muffled “Thank you” hits me next. I turn back around and find Kate has covered herself. My gaze connects with hers.
We stare at each other a moment longer while I find my voice. I clear my throat. “No problem. You’ll be the first to wear the new merchandise.”
I watch as she looks down and observes the work my team put into it. It’s a rich teal color and embossed with the Trail-blazers’ crest in a darker shade. The bottom right corner has the Orthorn Games logo. My gaze wanders lower to take in the dark wash jeans she wears that hug her curve
s in all the right ways and to the white tank top she must have removed.
“So?” she whispers. With whatever look I give, she elaborates further, with a laugh. “How does it look?”
I glance back down at the soft material hiding her breasts from me. That’s okay. I won’t be forgetting how they look anytime soon.
“Perfect,” I say.
Kate laughs again, breaking the tension forming around us.
“You want to see the rest?” I ask, pointing to the merchandise to distract myself.
She nods, and excitement takes over her face, causing the smile spread across mine.
I reach in and pull out the rest of the designs as we talk about work. I need to finish up with another presentation for a smaller game release but instead, I find myself content to lose a few hours with this gorgeous woman. There’s a presence about her that’s both welcoming and full of warmth.
“I want everyone dressed in new merchandise during the live stream. You’ll be playing as a Trail-blazer, I assume.”
“Of course, I created them.” She smirks my direction as we go through the clothing, posters, and other items the team designed. “Trail-blazers are at the forefront of what the game’s designed around. They are the ones who set the path for others to follow. They make their mark on the world and lead the charge into battle. When I first worked with Natalie Yoshima during the story creation, we talked a lot about what would come of them during the battle.”
Her passion causes her face to light up. She’s overwhelmed with it and produces a spark to shine in those around her. It’s something I haven’t seen in someone in a long time. Most live their lives with little passion or motivation. Something I love about working with Orthorn Games is that they are passionate. But Kate, she’s something more than that. She inspires you to feel that happiness right along with her. I don’t think I’ve smiled this much around anyone that wasn’t Lily in a long time.
“You guys did a great job creating them. So, do you have ideas for what your presentation will be yet?”
“Not yet, I swear I’m working on it. I’ll come up with something soon, and I’ll practice it. I just don’t know what it is yet.” She presses a hand to her forehead and props her elbow on her knee. We’ve taken up a spot on my office floor earlier as we looked through the boxes. I lose track of time when I’m with her like this. It feels good to have someone to talk to about things, someone who shares the same loves I do.
“Well, what gave you this passion for gaming? Made you connect to this world? I believe others would connect with someone who has that same level of love for it.” The moment the words leave my lips, I regret them with the pain that crosses her face. Without a second thought, I reach across the space between us and squeeze her hand.
“It was my dad.” She squeezes my hand tighter and releases it to press her pointer finger to the crease of her eye. “We used to play together when I was growing up. I told him what I wanted to do with my life when I was in high school. My mom hated it and thought I was throwing my life away. Her other daughter is a doctor and her son a lawyer. They followed in her footsteps, and I was following in my father’s. An artist’s footsteps. We lost him to cancer a year ago, and I swore I’ll never forget the last words he spoke. Follow your dreams and always live passionately while you can. Never live your life with regrets because you weren’t true to yourself.”
She’s looking at the floor now, holding an orange Fire-bringer t-shirt in her hand. She touches the fabric of her shirt, and I know her mind has traveled back to that day with her father. The sadness etched in the past. Now I understand her Trail-blazer creation and it makes me wonder more about the sad woman in front of me.
I want to remove the frown first. Bring back the look of happiness again. I want to make Kate laugh and smile, light back up because it makes my chest hurt to see her like this. I want to hold her and tell her she’s remembering and honoring him by living every day and following her dream like I’m sure he wanted her to.
“Hey, Kate?”
She glances up, and there’s a hint of moisture pooling there. I take a deep breath and let it out again. What will make that expression go away? “You want to see something amazing?”
She nods and acknowledges that I both understand and sense her pain, but I’m trying to help her escape it. “Sure,” she says. I rise from the floor and reach out to where she’s still sitting.
This time, instead of shoving my hand away—she reaches out to me.
Chapter Seven
Kate
I stare up at those piercing brown eyes and reach for his hand. I’m not sure why I opened up to Lincoln like that, but he didn’t shy away, instead, he offered me his hand, his comfort.
My dad and his memory are things I keep locked deep inside and share with no one. He had been my rock, my anchor throughout my life and his death was devastating for me. As much as Jefferson had been there for me, I never let him in either.
I follow behind Lincoln as he sits at his computer and brings up a program I don’t recognize. “It’s still raw, but I want you to see it.” Lincoln clicks on a file, and the screen fills with the game’s title and release date.
“What is this?” I ask as I lean over his shoulder and watch the monitor. I’m so close to Lincoln I can smell the subtle hint of his cologne. Then the narration starts, and I pause, drawing in a deep breath, a set of chills running down my arms.
“Just watch, okay?” I listen to him and once the Trail-blazer crest appears and the story begins, I’m entranced just like with the first trailer he made. It’s my creation coming to life because of this man. The trailer is a cinematic storytelling of the game by Zohar—the Trail-blazer commander. He’s rallying the troops, preparing them to take back their world from the darkness and evil that consumed them. It’s epic. It’s beautiful—I’m lost.
The music kicks in and the trailer continues. Arthurian drops in, and I gasp in amazement at how Lincoln captured him, the story, and the gameplay in such a way. It inspires you, throws you into the designer’s world and what we spend our every waking hour creating.
My hand flies to my mouth. The tears have fallen as the final screen shows the release date again. With the talk of my father and my desire to make him proud, then seeing Lincoln emphasize that I’m doing it in such a way, has me struggling to keep my emotions in check.
“This will play right before you come on stage,” he says.
I look his way but say nothing. He’s watching me with a look I can’t place or describe. It’s not a way a man has ever looked at me before.
I should say something. He’s brought life to something I have so much love for. “Thank you.” It isn’t easy with him sitting and me standing, but I rush forward and wrap him in a hug. I bury my face in his neck and smile. The potent scent of Lincoln overwhelms my senses, and I want to stay there tucked in close. “It’s amazing what you’ve created.”
Pulling myself back, I wipe my eyes again as I walk around his desk to create some distance. I bend down and collect the merchandise we’ve spread across his office floor. I love every piece of merchandise Lincoln’s made, but the shirt he gave me is my favorite. I can’t believe I ran into him again and ended up in his office crying.
Now embarrassed by my sudden emotional response, I load up the things scattered around to distract myself. What is it about this man that has me flustered so much? That’s right, he’s gorgeous and has my stomach in knots.
“Here, let me help.” He bends down and gathers things with me. We load up the boxes and return them to his closet when he curses. “Shit.” He glances at his watch, and my eyes widen when he rushes around his office to gather his things.
“What’s wrong, Lincoln?” He has his phone shoved in his pocket and is walking to the door before I get the sentence out. I follow close behind because whatever has him moving lets me know this time between us, this moment, is over.
“It’s my turn to pick Lily up from school. I’m late.” He shuts the
office door behind us, and that’s when it clicks in my head. Jake.
“I’m supposed to pick up Jake too.” I rush away. If Lincoln is late then so am I. When I make it to my desk, I gather my purse and throw my stuff inside. Everyone around me is silent, focused on their work as I rush to put myself together.
I spin around and end up right in Lincoln’s arms before I can make it a step from my desk. He’s prepared this time and catches me then turns to walk us outside. “I’ll drive you,” he adds and leads us across the street and toward the parking garage. “We won’t be too late, and at least now I know she will be with Jake.”
He chuckles as we find his car and climb inside. His luxury SUV guarantees a quicker and more comfortable ride across town this time, but I’m nervous about being alone with him. “I can’t believe I lost track of time like that.” I bite my lip to stop the overflow of words that want to pour out. Rambling happens when I’m nervous, which is often how I am when I’m with Lincoln.
He smirks as he pulls out into traffic. I know what he wants to say, and so I wait because I enjoy the playful Lincoln. He’s rather serious most times, but getting him alone and away from work, he’s different.
“Really, you never forget things or run late?” Lincoln asks. I know we’ve only met today, shared a few hours of time together, but it’s like he’s getting to know me and feels comfortable enough to make this joke.
I smack his arm playfully, not bothering his driving and then laugh. “Whatever. God, it’s good I’m not a parent. I’m lucky if I remember to put underwear on in the morning let alone care for another human being.”
Lincoln lets out a loud laugh and then turns my direction when he reaches the stoplight. He has a mischievous glint to his eyes when he asks his next question. “You forgot to put on underwear today?”
“Oh, shut up.” I chuckle and shake my head. I need more of a filter, but it seems lost on this man. It’s a good thing for now, since he seems to find it humorous rather than crazy. It’s nice to share such a light, playful moment with him after the heaviness we shared in his office.
Worth Something More Page 4
