For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,11

but under all of that, she was just waiting to break. Something about vulnerability pulled at him. It was what made him like Jeff so much. The guy was one of the youngest of the original developers, and when he'd revealed his own flaw, Braden had felt that flare of his protective nature. Dez was worse. If anyone touched her, he wanted to kill them because Dez couldn't do it herself.

Some people liked to help others. Maybe they went out of their way to make a task easier or find the answers. For Braden, it was a little deeper than that. His version of helping was protecting. After all, it was the only thing he was really good at. Braden knew how to hit, and how to keep hitting until there was nothing left. Didn't matter if that was a physical hit, a verbal slap, or an emotional punch. He could toss them all out easily - and would if it meant he was helping someone else.

That was his flaw. At Deviant, they'd made him feel like it was more of a superpower, but he wasn't sure Rhaven would agree. The crazy thing about her was that Braden was pretty sure she didn't need anyone to take care of her. She was the kind of woman who could do it herself, but she shouldn't have to. Her heart was so big. The way she jumped in to help Adam Degrass's girlfriend back at Columbus? Or how she tried so hard to keep the pros from being dragged in when KoG targeted her?

She was perfect. An amazing mix of beautiful, powerful, intelligent, and just a hint of fragile. Braden wanted, more than anything else, to wrap her up in his arms and make her feel like she could finally relax. He wanted to take care of her. He wanted to prove to her that the shadows in her eyes didn't belong there. To kiss away her tears and listen as she laughed. First, he had to get her to simply talk to him.

"What do I do if she tries to leave?" Braden asked.

Chance murmured on the other end. "You beg."

"She's going to think I've got some kind of 'tranny fetish,'" Braden pointed out.

"So make it clear that you don't."

"How?"

Chance chuckled. "Yeah, that's the hard part. Braden, don't overthink it. Don't plan out pick-up lines and expect them to work. Don't assume she's going to agree to what you want. If you're serious about this woman, it goes the other way. You need to put her in charge of where this is going. Let her set the boundaries. I mean, you can make offers, but make it clear that she's the one driving this train. If she says stop, then you stop and that's it."

"I can do that," Braden promised.

"But if she backs off, then just remember that she's already been knocked down a few times by KoG. Who knows what else she's dealing with. You have a brilliant woman there who may very well have her own plans in life. She doesn't need you, so you have to convince her that it's ok to want you."

"I do better with moving in for the kill," Braden admitted.

"You got this," Chance promised. "Just make sure you look good for your little date. Not too good, though. Tight shirt, Brae. T-shirt. Loose jeans. The kind that sit low on your hips. Casual, but show off your assets. Clean hands, smooth nails. Smell good, but no cologne. Send me a pic before you leave, and I'll let you know if you pass inspection."

"Gonna check me out?" Braden teased.

"Just being a good wingman," Chance assured him. "You helped me get my girl, so I'm going to help you get yours."

"Thanks, Chance," Braden said. "Oh, and if you haven't figured it out, I'm going to be gone a few more days."

Chance just laughed. "It's fine. The horses are still in design, and we're stealing most of the vehicular numbers from Flawed. Just tell me if you're going to need more than four days, because Denver's almost upon us."

"Thanks, Boss," Braden told him.

"Don't thank me," Chance said. "Dez made it clear that she's sick of you following her around like a lost puppy."

"Bullshit," Braden grumbled.

"It's what she said," Chance promised. "I mean, I think she's full of it too, but it is what she said."

"Well, tell her thanks, and I'll call before I head back."

"Good luck," Chance told him. "I know you really like this one, so we're