Page 16 of Unbearable Player
“Well,” Brianne said, her eyes twinkling, “I can recite the entire opening monologue from ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ backward. It’s my party trick.”
Reid raised an eyebrow. “Now, that, I’d like to see some time.”
As they continued to chat and laugh, sharing stories about their families and childhoods, Brianne felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the pizza or the summer sun. The park around them buzzed with life - joggers panting, children shrieking with laughter on the nearby playground, and a group of elderly men engaged in an intense game of chess. But for Brianne, it all faded into background noise, her focus entirely on Reid.
“Okay, your turn,” she said, wiping pizza grease from her chin with as much dignity as she could muster. “Most embarrassing childhood memory. Go!”
Reid groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Do I have to?”
“Hey, I told you about the Great Science Fair Disaster of ’98. Fair’s fair, Parker.”
He sighed, a smile tugging at his lips. “Fine. When I was twelve, I had my first shift during a school camping trip.”
Brianne’s eyes widened. “Oh no.”
“Oh yes,” Reid nodded, his cheeks tinged with red. “One minute I’m telling ghost stories around the campfire, the next I’m a bear cub running through the woods with my pajamas in tatters.”
Brianne burst out laughing, nearly choking on her pizza. “Please tell me there are pictures.”
“If there were, I’ve made sure they were destroyed,” Reid said dryly. “My mother, on the other hand...”
“Note to self: befriend Reid’s mom immediately.” Brianne grinned.
There was something about Reid - his dry humor, his quiet strength, the way he listened like every word she said was fascinating - that made her feel... seen. Understood. When she rambled about the intricacies of game design, he didn’t zone out or change the subject. Instead, he asked thoughtful questions, genuinely interested in understanding her world.
“So, what about you?” Reid asked, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement. “Any embarrassing stories?”
Brianne snorted. “Hate to disappoint you, big guy, but I’m 100 percent boring human. No furry alter egos here.”
“Trust me,” Reid said, his voice dropping to a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine, “there’s nothing boring about you, and disappointed is the last thing I am.”
Feeling her cheeks heat, Brianne deflected with humor. “Flatterer. But I’ll have you know, I can be plenty boring. Why, just last weekend I organized my sock drawer. By color AND length. Beat that for excitement.”
Reid chuckled, the sound rich and warm. “Truly, you live life on the edge.”
“You know it,” Brianne winked. “I’m thinking of going pro in extreme organizing. X Games, here I come.”
As she watched him laugh at her terrible pun, his normally serious face transformed by merriment, Brianne realized she was in serious danger of falling for Reid Parker. Okay, maybe she was already halfway in love and wholly in lust with him. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners, the deep lines etched around his mouth from years of hidden smiles, the slight dimple in his left cheek that only appeared when he was truly amused - all of it combined to make her heart die in her chest.
“What?” Reid asked, noticing her stare.
“Nothing,” Brianne said quickly. “You just... you have pizza sauce on your chin.”
Before she could think better of it, she reached out and gently wiped the nonexistent sauce away with her thumb. Reid went very still, his eyes locked on hers.
For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Her heart pounded in her ears. She was acutely aware of how close they were, of the warmth of Reid’s skin under her fingers.
Then a frisbee whizzed by their heads, breaking the spell.
“Heads up!” a voice called out belatedly.
Brianne jerked back, laughing nervously. “Well, that was almost a very different kind of game over.”
Reid smiled, but there was something in his eyes that made Brianne’s breath catch. “Indeed. Though I think I prefer our current game.”
Looking at the way his eyes softened when he smiled at her, Brianne couldn’t bring herself to care about the danger of falling for him. After all, some games were worth the risk. And this one? It was shaping up to be the best she’d ever played. And the more she thought about their kiss, the more she wanted a repeat.
“So,” she said, picking up her pizza slice with renewed enthusiasm, “tell me more about little Reid. I bet you were a real terror as a cub. Did you hibernate in the principal’s office?”