Chapter 18

“Honey, I’m home!” I called out, throwing my bag at my feet as soon as I entered the door and threw my hands in the air.

An older woman walked around the corner with a kind smile on her face. “I’m happy to see you, Xavier dear.”

“You too, Mrs. Carter.” I grinned.

She tutted and swatted the air in front of her, causing the air to swat me on the shoulder. “You know better. Carissa or mom. None of this Mrs. Carter nonsense. It makes me feel far too old.”

“You know, my life purpose is to make you feel young, Carissa.” I winked at her just as Gideon’s thundering steps came down the stairs.

“Xavier! Stop flirting with my mom. It’s weird!” He whined. His dirty blond hair was in shambles, obviously from just lying down. He was wearing only black cargo shorts, and I had to force my eyes away from the defined V dipping into his shorts.

“Why don’t you boys head up to Gideon’s room and settle Xavier in. Dinner should be done soon.” Carissa said, waiting for me to grab my bag off the floor before giving a nod of approval.

“Thanks, Mom,” Gideon said. “Come on!” He gestured to me before thundering up the steps to his room.

I followed Gideon up the stairs, my shoulder brushing against the wall to keep my balance as I lugged my duffel bag over the other shoulder. His room was at the end of the hall, the door slightly ajar, and I couldn’t help but smirk. This room had been a second home to me during our high school years, a sanctuary from my own dysfunctional household.

With a practiced flick of my wrist, I sent my bag flying into the corner of the room, the thud echoing as it landed. I didn’t bother to watch where it fell; I was already diving onto Gideon’s bed, the familiar scent of his cologne, a mix of freshly baked bread and nutmeg, enveloping me. The mattress bounced under my weight, and I let out a satisfied sigh, stretching my arms above my head.

Gideon was perched on the edge of the couch, his fingers deftly maneuvering the game controller as he navigated his character through a virtual battlefield. The blue glow from the television screen illuminated his face, casting shadows that danced across his sharp jawline and the soft curve of his lips.

“You know, for someone who claims to be a gaming expert, you sure die a lot,” I teased, propping myself up on my elbows.

He didn’t miss a beat, his eyes still glued to the screen. “Says the guy who’s never held a controller in his life.”

I scoffed, feigning offense. “I’ll have you know, I was quite the gamer back in the day. You could learn a thing or two from me.”

Gideon snorted, finally tearing his gaze away from the TV to meet mine. “Oh, please enlighten me, Master Sinclair.”

I swung my legs over the bed and made my way over to him, my steps light, almost hesitant.

I settled in next to Gideon, our bodies angled towards the glow of the television screen. The controller felt foreign in my hands; its buttons and joysticks were a language I hadn’t spoken since last summer when I was last here. Gideon shot me a smirk, his eyes glinting with mischief as he prepared to school me in his digital domain.

“Ready to get your ass kicked, Sinclair?” he taunted, his thumbs already dancing over his own controller.

I chuckled, the sound low and confident. “This is just like riding a bike, Carter. Once you learn, you never forget.”

The game loaded, and we were thrust into a world of pixelated warfare. Gideon’s character sprinted ahead, his movements fluid and practiced. I, on the other hand, stumbled and fumbled, my character jerking around the screen like a puppet on strings.

“You call that playing?” Gideon laughed, the sound rich and full-bodied. It was a sound I’d never grow tired of, a melody that seemed to resonate within the very marrow of my bones.

I shot him a glare, but there was no real heat behind it. “Give me a minute, will you? It’s been a while.”

As the minutes ticked by, muscle memory kicked in, and I found my fingers moving with more purpose and precision. My character began to respond to my commands, diving into cover and lining up shots with an accuracy that surprised even me.

Gideon’s eyebrows shot up as I took down one of his digital minions. “What the hell, Xavier? When did you get so good?”

I couldn’t help the smug grin that spread across my face. “Told you I had it in me.”

I tried to focus on the digital battle unfolding before us, but my attention was splintered, fractured by the man beside me. The way his lips parted ever so slightly when he was deep in thought, the furrow of his brow when he was concentrating – it was a distraction I didn’t need but couldn’t seem to resist.

Eventually, I managed to best Gideon, my character delivering the final blow to his. The screen erupted in a display of victory, the words “Game Over” emblazoned across the screen in bold, triumphant letters.

Gideon turned to me, his expression a mix of disbelief and grudging respect. “Okay, I’ll admit it. You’re not half bad.”

I leaned back against the couch, the controller resting idly in my lap. “Not half bad? I seem to recall kicking your ass, Carter.”

He rolled his eyes, but the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth betrayed his amusement. “Fine, you won this round. But don’t get too cocky. I’ll have my revenge.”

We played in silence for a while, the only sound the rapid tapping of buttons and the occasional grunt of frustration from Gideon when he lost a life. I found myself stealing glances at him, studying the way his hair fell into his eyes behind his glasses, how his muscles flexed when he pressed the buttons a little too hard.

“You’re distracting me,” Gideon muttered, his gaze still fixed on the screen.

“How so?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You keep staring at me,” he said, a hint of pink coloring his cheeks.

I chuckled, feeling a rush of boldness. “Can you blame me? You’re pretty.”

Gideon finally turned to look at me, his eyes wide with surprise. The air between us seemed to crackle with an unspoken tension, and for a moment, it felt as though the entire world had narrowed down to just the two of us.

I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling vulnerable under his gaze. “Anyway, let’s see if you can beat my high score,” I said, deflecting the intensity of the moment with a playful challenge.

He smirked, the light returning to his eyes. “Challenge accepted, Sinclair.”