Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 188(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Babysitting my neighbor’s kid isn’t exactly the career path I planned after college. But then again, Joey’s not just any kid. He’s my best friend and longtime gaming buddy.
He’s played hooky from school to stay home gaming. That’s no surprise. The surprise is who he is playing with… Zak Templeton.
The Zak Templeton, designer of all the biggest, most popular games. Games everyone’s heard of.
Now I’m in deep trouble. Not only did Joey skip school on my watch, now I’ve gotten myself obsessed with an older successful man.
Could a guy like Zak, a man with the world at his feet, really have any interest in a younger, thick-set, nerdy girl like me?
Can I win the game of love or will I lose the guy and my best friend in the process?
It’s game on. And I play to win.
* Playing For Keeps is an insta-everything standalone instalove romance with a HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
CHAPTER ONE
Jade
Joey, my neighbor’s son? He’s a great kid.
A little bit nerdy. A little bit quiet. But I think that’s why we get along.
He’s only ten, but he does have this adult habit of telling little stories. White lies, if you will, to get his way.
I’ve babysat him since he was a baby growing up, and even during semester breaks, he was still my meal ticket in a strange kind of way.
Earning extra money from babysitting is something I know I took for granted as soon as I went to college.
It gave me some sorely needed cash for the important things.
Like gaming.
Something little Joey takes almost as seriously as I do.
Almost.
Studying computer science as well as being a lifelong gamer kind of saw those lines blur for a while. But here I am again, fresh out of college, unemployed, and still telling myself to be grateful for any work.
Even if it is just a few hours here and there, watching Joey while his mom and my mom work or sometimes just have some time out on their own.
So, when Joey calls me up and says I have to come over to watch him right now, I take a calm breath before reminding him that I’m not supposed to watch him until tomorrow.
At least, that’s what I thought.
“I know. I know,” Joey whines, lowering his voice while he talks over the phone.
“I just…. Look. Can you just come over?” he says hotly, sounding more frustrated than annoyed.
I really have nothing else going on except some gaming of my own right now.
And Joey does have a mean computer set up. Latest games and console too. Plus, a screen rig that makes mine look embarrassing.
I agree with a sigh, and hanging up after I pause my own game, I slip out back and ease myself over the low wall separating his yard from ours.
The back door’s open, but I know his mom and mine are both at work.
I figured Joe would be at school today.
I rap my knuckles on the doorframe before I feel my chest tighten. Almost like I can’t breathe.
The sound of a voice. A man’s voice makes me freeze on the spot.
It makes me forget all about whether or not Joey’s playing hooky.
It actually sounds like there’s a man in the house. And there’s never a man in Joey’s house. Not since his dad left, anyway.
But like I said, Joey has a cool set-up, and once I hear his voice joining in, even laughing, which is rare for Joey, I realize he’s on speaker with someone. And playing a game, too, if the background noise is anything to go by.
But the deep, sonorous voice isn’t just anyone. And it’s certainly not another kid.
It’s a man’s voice, but a very deep one. So sexy that I feel myself shiver and even bite my lip. I linger for a moment before going into Joey’s computer room.
My instincts as his babysitter, neighbor, and Joey’s friend are at odds with the face I can immediately put to the voice.
Zak Templeton.
Anyone who follows behind the scenes in the gaming world has heard of him.
Not a household name.
Not yet. But Zak Templeton did make headlines a while back.
He was being sued by his then employer, a big name in the gaming world. But suddenly, the case was ‘settled out of court,’ and Zak’s name and the headlines disappeared.
Rumor has it he’s been working on building his own brand of games, with even a few people online claiming to be approached by Zak himself to Beta test his premier game.
By the looks, the rumors are true. And somehow, my little buddy Joey is one of those lucky people?
“Oh, hi, Mom,” Joey chimes, noticing me in the doorway and shooting me a pleading look.
That ‘just play along for both our sakes’ kind of look.
I feel my mouth hanging open, still trying to process just how hot Zak Templeton is.
I would’ve followed the news a little closer if I knew he was this handsome.
The thumbnail video image of Zak on Joey’s big screen is large enough for me to see for myself just how handsome the man is.
His dark, intelligent eyes flash on mine, and, gripping the back of Joey’s computer chair, I steady myself.
My legs suddenly feel like water. My mouth is dry, but another part of me is instantly wet.
Zak Templeton could be anything with those looks.
A model or a movie star. Hell, he could just charge people to come and look at him.
He’s that hot.
Well, I think he is anyhow.
A mature-looking guy, which surprises me. His broad, intelligent brow is dusted with a little silver at his temples.
His shock of thick, otherwise dark hair frames a square face that has a chiseled jaw with high cheekbones.
A cleft on his rigid chin dimples when he smiles, and rows of perfect white teeth make his dark eyes shine brighter.