"You drink half, and Jimin can drink the other half," Guk said smugly.

I swallowed down a few healthy gulps before I slid the bottle across the coffee table to Jimin, who threw back it like it was nothing.

"This is what I missed in college?" I teased as Jimin wiped the back of his arm across his mouth.

"Maybe I should have stuck around just to get you two out of the apartment."

"I dragged him to the club a few times," Jimin offered.

"It just never really took."

"He thinks too hard."

"It screws up his rhythm when he tries to dance."

"Hey!" Guk shook the tiles in the banana-shaped bag.

"Don't team up on me just becos I'm winning the game."

Jimin and I shared a look, then both burst out laughing.

I figured it was the beer rushing to my head but I turned my head shyly to the side a little scared what would happen if I kept looking into his slate eyes.

"Another round?" Guk asked, and we were back in the game.

Bloom. Mine. Lion.

I frowned at my tiles then shook my head.

I really wanted to spell out bologna but it just wasn't working with my other letters.

When I glanced up both Guk and Jimin were scowling at their boards as they quickly rearranged tiles.

Every time they hollered out I had to grab another one and my pile kept growing bigger.

Then with a stroke of luck I got the one I was looking for and all the pieces came together.

"Bologna! I mean I got bologna and swoon and lion and tamer! I mean I won!"

Jimin frowned at his very incomplete game. "Damn it."

"Well done," Guk said with a nod as he glanced at my tiles.

The game went on for a while longer although I lost so often it all started to blend together.

I was tipsy enough to feel loopy and silly but not so drunk I was messy and so when Guk called it a night and Jimin asked if I wanted to play his Switch with him, I actually said yes.

"I have no idea how to do this," I explained as I took a seat next to him on the couch.

The fabric was soft beneath my hand and I stroked the cushion.

Jimin played with a controller as he flicked through a menu that was open on the large TV which was flat against the wall across from us.

"Did you play video games when you were young?"

"Sometimes."

"Usually to make Guk happy."

"What kind of games did you like?"

I tried to remember. "I was good at smashing buttons, but I didn't like fighting."

Jimin nodded. "How about a racing game? Mario Kart?"

"You can just hold a button down and steer."

I grinned. "Perfect."

I watched Jimin as he got the game set up He sat with his legs spread and he leaned forward his elbows on his knees.

Back at the office he was always poised with his hair carefully combed in place and perfect posture as he greeted clients and projected confidence.

But like Guk said here at home he relaxed a lot more, and the puppy dog side of him came out.

He did kind of have a puppy dog look I realized.

I mean, he was handsome in that traditional way and his eyes really were his most striking feature.

But behind that confidence, he was eager to please and a part of me wanted to touch his face.

I blinked, then tore my eyes away, surprised with the turn my tipsy thoughts had taken.

Jimin hadn't caught me staring at him thank god and when he handed me a controller, I acted like every thing was normal.

Checking out Jimin was not on the list of activities for the night.

Anyway, I already knew the guy was hot.

That was obvious when I first laid eyes on his pretty full lips and brow.

There was no need to start staring just because I'd had a few beers.

With a startle, I realized I had inched a little closer to him and him a little closer to me.

An electric charge shot up my leg when he leaned in and his knee pressed to mine.

"Accelerate is A, brake is B," he said, gesturing to the controller that I now hold.

I kept my knee pressed to his Even if I tried, I thought it would be impossible to pull away and deny myself that little pleasure.

I was used to being touched, and I missed it.

"Great," I said. "Let's go."

I picked the little dinosaur guy with a nice green racecar and did my best to play the game.

Blood rushed to my cheeks as I tried to steer, which made me feel much more drunk.

Every now and then, Jimin offered me a helpful comment and even drove his car around to rumble slowly beside me and help me figure the game out for a minute.

It felt good I hated that it felt good but it did.

He was just so freaking nice.

And handsome.

And without even thinking about it, I was rubbing my leg against his a little bit and maybe he was just slightly rubbing his leg against mine.

When my racecar sped around the corner, I leaned to the side and our shoulders bumped too.

We both laughed and with a horrified startle, I realized I was hard.

Achingly stiff, in fact.

I pulled away abruptly and scooted back down the couch.

Jimin twitched when I did it, but he didn't otherwise react.

Instead we just finished out the game still occasionally laughing or chatting until my racecar puttered across the finish line.

My heart was in my throat.

If Guk knew what was in my head right now, he'd strangle me.

Even thinking about flirting with Jimin was a hard no.

Rubbing my leg against his was the first step in a long road that ended with my job, my housing, and my relationship with my brother all destroyed.

"I should go to bed," I announced as I stood.

I kept my hands folded over my crotch.

The phantom sensation of Jimin's leg was still warm against mine as he rose and offered me another smile.

Nice.

Handsome.

Damn it.

"Go on," he offered. "I'll clean up here."

"Thanks." I played with my hair, awkward and dizzy all at once.

"Have a good night," I finally added,then hurried off toward bed.

Who would have thought a game could get a person so worked up?





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