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

wasn't Kate's. "Rhaven?"

That was a man. His voice was deep and rich. The kind that made her toes want to curl, and it was pitched almost seductively. The only problem was that she hadn't answered like Rhaven. She'd just answered, not thinking about her voice because she'd expected it to be her best friend. In a panic, she pulled the phone away to look at the number - and her heart stalled.

"Braden?" she asked, the words a breath.

He chuckled. "Yeah. Hey, um, I know I got your number for use at the conventions and all, but I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I called."

"Why?" There had to be a catch. She was worried it would be a big one.

He cleared his throat, sounding almost nervous. "Um, yeah. So, I'm in Billings, actually. Deviant's hiring a call center to handle our customer support. I guess we've finally gotten big enough that we can't keep everything in house. And, yeah. Um, Dez sent me out here to sign the final contracts and make sure everything's on the up and up."

She was still lost. "Ok?"

"Well, I'm here in Montana, and I know you're in Montana. I just figured that since I'm done here, I could probably make a pass your way and was wondering if I could take you out for coffee. What are you doing tomorrow?"

Her breath rushed from her lungs. No, Billings wasn't that far. A couple of hours away. That wasn't the problem. It was him. Braden Mathis! The lead FPS developer for Deviant Games? The big, strong, gorgeous hunk that kept flirting with her at the conventions? He was there, and she was here, but at home she couldn't be herself!

"I can't," she squeaked.

"Day after?" he tried. "I mean, it would be a shame to be this close and not buy you dinner, at least."

God, her heart was hammering in her chest. Her fingers were tingling. She felt like she couldn't catch her breath. This couldn't be happening! Not now. Not here!

"This isn't a convention," she hissed. "Braden, this is real life. I can't!"

And then she hung up before he could say something to change her mind.

Chapter 3

Her phone rang again a second later. Rhaven just stared at it, watching until it went to voicemail. A few seconds later, it dinged again, but this time with a text notification. Her hands were shaking when she picked it up and dared to read the message. Naturally, it was from Braden.

Braden: It's just coffee, Rhaven. Maybe dinner. I was just hoping for a friendly face out here in the middle of nowhere.

She wanted to ignore it. That would be the smart way to deal with this, and yet her fingers were moving before her mind could tell them not to.

Rhaven: I know you don't understand how small towns work, but there is no such thing as a Starbucks out here.

Braden: Ok. Denny's? I hear they have coffee and Google shows one in your town. I just figured that a restaurant might be better. I mean, I'm more than willing to make that room service at my hotel if you prefer, but I didn't want to give the wrong impression.

Rhaven: You don't understand, ok?

Braden: Answer the phone.

Immediately, it rang again. Clenching her eyes closed, she swiped at the screen and lifted it to her ear. "What?" she asked.

"It's just a coffee," Braden told her, his tone as gentle as he could make it. "Friends. Little chatting about games. I mean, I kinda thought we were becoming buds over the last few events."

"Yeah, with Rhaven," she shot back.

"Ahh," he mumbled, sounding like he'd just figured it out. "Not out at home, huh? Small towns. Yeah, so you're all worried about someone seeing you talking to me?"

"Braden," she breathed.

"Well, how about I counter with this: I don't care what version of you I get. I'd like to sit down with the person who made the Sightless Mod for Silk." He paused. "Rhaven? You still there?"

"Ethan," she breathed.

"I can do that. Feels disrespectful as fuck, but ok. Ethan. Can I buy you a coffee and get you to talk to me about these overlays you've been making for my games?"

"I'm not breaking the TOS," she countered.

"Nope," he agreed. "Terms of Service encourage people to make mods. Thing is, most don't make good ones. I mean, there's a million that turn the enemy into naked women, remove clothes, and shit like that. You? Yeah, you make new HUDs and GUIs. Clean ones that are so