Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 65192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
But her tone when she asked if I was “here for sex,” made it clear she isn’t impressed with my disappearing act or particularly interested in continuing this conversation, let alone getting naked with me.
And that’s not why I’m here.
Well, at least not entirely…
I’d be lying if I said the vow we made that night at coding camp wasn’t flitting through my head when I booked my flight from London, but that’s not the reason I needed to see Jess.
Hopefully, once I explain myself, she’ll stop glaring a hole through my prefrontal cortex.
I lift my hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. Listen, I’m not here to make things weird, I just…” I exhale. “I heard through the grapevine that you quit your job at Brain Chill.”
Her brows shoot up her forehead.
“Game design is a small world,” I say, answering her unspoken question. “And the company I work for has had recruiters monitoring the top new talent at Brain Chill for a few years now. When the people at Paradisus sent me your résumé as a potential hire yesterday, I…” I shrug uncomfortably and drop my hands to my bent knees. “I don’t know. It felt like a sign. Then I realized the big birthday was coming up, so I…jumped on a plane.”
“Why?”
I blink and shift on my heels, willing my legs not to go to sleep. “Why what? And is there any way we could continue this conversation in a standing position? Or maybe in chairs?”
“No,” she says, stubbornly remaining in her kneeling position on the fake grass.
“Okay.” I shift onto my backside with a grunt and cross my legs to the best of my ability in my slim-fitting pants.
Jess’s lips quirk. “This is why real nerds don’t wear leather. We like to sit cross-legged on the ground without splitting our britches.”
“Are you challenging my nerd cred?” I ask, arching a brow.
“I am. With all the leather and muscles…” She shrugs. “You look more like the lacrosse guys that used to pee in the mathletes’ locker than tech support.”
Wrinkling my nose, I say, “Thanks for the trip down memory lane, but I’m still as nerdy as they get, Cho. The muscles are from training for medieval live-action role play and this isn’t leather. It’s a biodegradable fabric made of a mixture of wool, algae, and fungus.”
“What? No way?” Her eyes widen as her gaze tracks down over my black vest and matching pants. “I’ve heard about this shit, but I never thought…” Her hand drifts out, her fingers feathering over my knee, sending my thoughts out of the lab and back to the bedroom.
There’s nothing the slightest bit sexual in her touch, but it doesn’t matter. This is what Jessica Allison Cho does to me. I’m in thrall to this woman, always have been and probably always will be, even when I’m an eighty-year-old bachelor and she’s a grandma with dozens of adorable grandkids running around, bragging that their gram invented all the best video games.
Yes. Video games. That’s why I’m here—the future of gaming and humanity at large. Must focus before I fuck this up more than I have already.
Forcing my thoughts away from Jess’s touch and how much I wish she were interested in caressing more than my fungus pants, I clear my throat. “As to your question from before, the people I work for want to offer you a job because you’re the best at what you do. The world needs more designers like you, people who make games that are creative and kind and fun, games that build connection between people instead of tearing them apart. And Paradisus wants to make sure you get the chance to do that.”
Her jaw drops as she snatches her hand back to her chest. “What? You’re kidding.”
“No, I’m not,” I assure her. “They want to offer you a position in leadership in their new gaming division. Not management because I told them you’re not a manager type of person, and that you’d be miserable if you didn’t get the chance to jump into the code and get your hands dirty, but definitely one of the culture builders for the division. You’d be able to hire your own team, set your own hours, and work from New York if you aren’t ready to move overseas.”
She shakes her head slowly back and forth, her jaw still loose with shock. “No way. This… This isn’t happening.”
I cock my head. “Why?”
“Why what? And don’t think I missed that. Don’t try to turn the tables on me. It’s my birthday. Tonight, all tables are my tables, and if they’re going to turn, I’ll be the one turning them.”
“Don’t you think you deserve a fantastic new job? A dream job? I mean, you graduated top of your class and have the skills of someone twice your age. Who deserves this kind of gig more than you?”