man.”
He grinned and she couldn’t help but smile back. “Of course. I love my toys.” He leaned down and whispered, “If you want, I’ll show you my toys tonight and we can have fun together.”
Heat swept up her body and into her face. Oh my, she hadn’t had much experience with adult toys, nervousness swept up her spine along with excitement. “You’re a very wicked man.”
“You don’t know the half of it.” He dropped a kiss on her nose before moving away. Then Beth noticed the sign proclaiming all the toys in the shop could be gently played with.
She followed him at a more leisurely pace until he paused to stand behind a young boy sitting on the floor playing a video game. The boy looked about twelve to her.
“Hi there,” said Jake and the boy glanced up. “What are you playing?”
“City of Gold, but I can’t get past this level.” The boy sighed as “game over” came up on the screen.
The boy glanced up at Jake and asked, “Would you like to play?” He motioned to the second controller sitting on the floor.
“Yes, I would. Thanks.” Jake turned to her. “Beth?”
She shook her head. “I’m not very good at video games. Why don’t you two boys play?”
“You’d play with me, mister?” asked the young boy, his eyes growing wide. Beth had the feeling adults didn’t play with him often.
“I sure would.” Taking a seat on the floor, Jake threw her a huge smile before picking up the controller. Rosie settled in beside Jake. “But you have to promise to let me win,” he teased the boy.
Moving up behind the pair, she watched them play. After they started playing, Beth realized how much skill one needed to play the game. While it seemed to her Jake could beat the little boy, easily, he kept the scores close.
“Man, mister, you sure know how to play this game.” There was awe in the kid’s voice.
“It’s one of my favorites.” Jake concentrated on the screen. “You have to be careful in the catacombs, and watch out for the wall demons. If you catch the golden chalice when it floats by you’ll have total protection through the catacombs.”
“This is cool.” The boy’s excited voice rang through the store. “I’ve got the chalice.”
“Great,” said Jake. “Now make your way through the doors, but watch out for the dragon keeper.”
Beth took a deep breath. Happiness flowed through her. Jake face was animated as he talked the little boy through the levels and gave encouragement to take risks. Jake would make a great father. He’d make sure his children were loved and cared for, not ignored or shoved aside. And she wanted it as well. She wanted Jake’s loving, his caring, him.
Her eyes snapped open. This wasn’t a line of thinking she wanted to pursue right now. She returned her attention to the game. The pair continued to play, Jake quietly giving advice to the young boy. When they made it to the fourth level, the boy paused the game.
“Wow, this is neat. I’ve never made it past the third level.” He gazed up at Jake. “I thought I was a good player, but mister, you’re awesome.”
“Thanks.” Jake set the controller down. “But I’ll tell you a secret.” He leaned over to the kid.
“What?”
“I have an advantage. I created the game.”
“No way.”
“Way.” Jake grinned at the boy and the boy smiled back.
Beth’s heart contracted as the last of the ice started to melt away. Jake’s eyes twinkled with excitement, and the kid’s eye filled with awe.
“Wait ‘til I tell the guys at home I met the guy who made City of Gold. It’s our favorite game.”
“Charlie,” called a female voice.
“That’s my mom.” He rolled his eyes. “Got to go. It was nice meeting you, mister.” Charlie rose and took off across the store.
Jake stared up at her with a bemused expression on his face.
“So, you design video games.” She might have guessed it, since he did run an electronics company.
“Among other things.” He reached up
He grinned and she couldn’t help but smile back. “Of course. I love my toys.” He leaned down and whispered, “If you want, I’ll show you my toys tonight and we can have fun together.”
Heat swept up her body and into her face. Oh my, she hadn’t had much experience with adult toys, nervousness swept up her spine along with excitement. “You’re a very wicked man.”
“You don’t know the half of it.” He dropped a kiss on her nose before moving away. Then Beth noticed the sign proclaiming all the toys in the shop could be gently played with.
She followed him at a more leisurely pace until he paused to stand behind a young boy sitting on the floor playing a video game. The boy looked about twelve to her.
“Hi there,” said Jake and the boy glanced up. “What are you playing?”
“City of Gold, but I can’t get past this level.” The boy sighed as “game over” came up on the screen.
The boy glanced up at Jake and asked, “Would you like to play?” He motioned to the second controller sitting on the floor.
“Yes, I would. Thanks.” Jake turned to her. “Beth?”
She shook her head. “I’m not very good at video games. Why don’t you two boys play?”
“You’d play with me, mister?” asked the young boy, his eyes growing wide. Beth had the feeling adults didn’t play with him often.
“I sure would.” Taking a seat on the floor, Jake threw her a huge smile before picking up the controller. Rosie settled in beside Jake. “But you have to promise to let me win,” he teased the boy.
Moving up behind the pair, she watched them play. After they started playing, Beth realized how much skill one needed to play the game. While it seemed to her Jake could beat the little boy, easily, he kept the scores close.
“Man, mister, you sure know how to play this game.” There was awe in the kid’s voice.
“It’s one of my favorites.” Jake concentrated on the screen. “You have to be careful in the catacombs, and watch out for the wall demons. If you catch the golden chalice when it floats by you’ll have total protection through the catacombs.”
“This is cool.” The boy’s excited voice rang through the store. “I’ve got the chalice.”
“Great,” said Jake. “Now make your way through the doors, but watch out for the dragon keeper.”
Beth took a deep breath. Happiness flowed through her. Jake face was animated as he talked the little boy through the levels and gave encouragement to take risks. Jake would make a great father. He’d make sure his children were loved and cared for, not ignored or shoved aside. And she wanted it as well. She wanted Jake’s loving, his caring, him.
Her eyes snapped open. This wasn’t a line of thinking she wanted to pursue right now. She returned her attention to the game. The pair continued to play, Jake quietly giving advice to the young boy. When they made it to the fourth level, the boy paused the game.
“Wow, this is neat. I’ve never made it past the third level.” He gazed up at Jake. “I thought I was a good player, but mister, you’re awesome.”
“Thanks.” Jake set the controller down. “But I’ll tell you a secret.” He leaned over to the kid.
“What?”
“I have an advantage. I created the game.”
“No way.”
“Way.” Jake grinned at the boy and the boy smiled back.
Beth’s heart contracted as the last of the ice started to melt away. Jake’s eyes twinkled with excitement, and the kid’s eye filled with awe.
“Wait ‘til I tell the guys at home I met the guy who made City of Gold. It’s our favorite game.”
“Charlie,” called a female voice.
“That’s my mom.” He rolled his eyes. “Got to go. It was nice meeting you, mister.” Charlie rose and took off across the store.
Jake stared up at her with a bemused expression on his face.
“So, you design video games.” She might have guessed it, since he did run an electronics company.
“Among other things.” He reached up
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