High Heat (Hotshots 2)
“We’re playing a board game?”
“Not just any board game. Remember how my parents limited TV? We’re playing the game that has produced years-long sibling grudges in my house. Epic battles. Brother against brother violence. Entire chore regimes hung in the balance over this game, man, and when I saw it at Grandma’s in a closet, I knew it would be the perfect distraction for you. And then after I kick your butt at the game, we’re going to watch this not-half-bad movie she had me watch earlier in the week, only I’m going to teach you how to knit during it so you can gain two new boredom-busting hobbies tonight.”
“I thought we agreed when you tried to show me the sock thing that my hands are too big?”
“No, you said your hands were too big. I heard your complaints and raided Grandma’s craft room for some bigger needles and chunky yarn. You’ll be fine,” Rain said airily, as if Garrick had a burning desire to craft and he was doing him a favor, making that happen.
“I’m not sure...”
“Grandma sent cookies.” That got a woof from the actual Cookie lurking nearby, making them both laugh before Rain continued, “You must have impressed her with the stuffed peppers if she was motivated to bake for you. And I’m only sharing if you give this a try.” Rain started setting up the board game on Garrick’s dining table.
“I’d rather give you a try,” Garrick grumbled, thinking again about the sex option. Rain was a lot less bossy when he was strung out and begging to come.
“I told Grandma not to wait up.” Winking, Rain patted his arm. “Win the game and I’ll wear whatever you want for the knitting lesson. And then after...”
“Yeah?” Suddenly Garrick was a lot more invested in the board game. “I... I’ve missed you this week. I mean, I know I see you every day, but...”
“I know what you mean.” Rain leaned over and gave Garrick a lingering kiss. “Don’t tell Grandma but I sleep better over here.”
“Well, I do tell better bedtime stories...”
“I’m counting on it.” That got him another kiss, this one far sweeter than any cookies Rain could produce. With other people, kissing had usually functioned like an express train to the bedroom, but with Rain, kissing was more like...conversation. Nuanced. Hello kisses and goodbye kisses and give-this-a-try kisses and wait-till-I-get-you-naked kisses. Sometimes sex followed, but often via a more meandering route, and he could honestly say he was coming to appreciate the more scenic route. Even when it came with board game tokens.
“Okay, so you’re going to have to help me here. I’m not really much of a gamer guy.”
“You don’t say.” Rain gave him an exaggeratedly pointed look. “I’ve already figured out that you were one of those kids they couldn’t keep indoors. Roaming around your dad’s farm. Sports. Scouts and clubs, too, I bet.”
“Guilty. We owned some video games, but they could never hold my attention. Even now, buddies have tried to get me into this first-person shooter game, and honestly it’s boring. And sports are great to play, but watching them can drag unless I’m at a bar and trying to... Anyway, how about you explain the rules to me?”
“Nice change of subject. And you can go ahead and admit your sports bar patronage is in direct correlation to how good of a pickup joint it is. Even Grandma knows you’re a player. She was joking about it the other night.”
Rain’s tone was offhand, but it hit Garrick like a well-aimed dart. How could he explain that he wasn’t really a player? He’d been that guy a lot of years, true, but now it felt like a discarded coat, something that no longer fit. He wasn’t ashamed of that past, but maybe he wasn’t that guy anymore. Hadn’t been even before the accident, if he was being honest. But now...all those years of fast living seemed so very far away. And it wasn’t precisely a lack of words that kept him from speaking up. More like it seemed Rain had already reached a conclusion and Garrick didn’t want to try to talk him out of it and end up looking stupid.
“Right now, only one I’m playing with is you,” he said at last, tone light. “And I’ve been at the bar for trivia night. Tell me this is more engaging than that.”
“Poor baby. Nerds invading your sacred space.” Rain laughed as he put the finishing touches on the game. “Now think of this like football. Or capture the flag as kids. It’s all about strategy and misdirection.”
“Okay.” Garrick let him continue explaining the rules, liking how into it Rain got as he warmed up to his role as the teacher. As they got started playing, he had funny stories about his brothers and managed to distract Garrick into bad decisions with his side of the board more than once. He was deceptively competitive, and if Garrick had expected him to go easy on him since he was a newbie, he was quickly proven wrong.