"He plays with controllers by day and bodies by night."
Leila had never paid much attention to the guy in apartment 5B.
Until the night the power went out.
The storm knocked the lights from every building on their block. Rain thudded against her windows as she fumbled in the dark kitchen, searching for candles. That's when there was a knock on her door.
It was him.
Blake the quiet, messy-haired gamer boy who usually kept to himself, always in hoodies and headphones. He looked more alive in the dim light of the hallway, shirt clinging to his lean body, strands of wet hair dripping down his forehead.
"Hey, um…" he said. "I figured… storm and all. I've got backup power for my rig and a bottle of wine. Wanna come over?"
She blinked. "Your rig?"
"My gaming setup," he smirked. "Still runs. Want to see?"
Leila wasn't much of a gamer, but the thought of sitting in his room, watching him play while rain poured outside, sent a flutter through her stomach.
"I'm in."
His apartment smelled like sandalwood and toasted popcorn. LED lights glowed violet across his gaming screens, and a plush blanket lay across his couch.
He handed her a glass of wine and gestured to the chair beside his.
"You ever play Crimson Eclipse?"
She shook her head. "Is it hard?"
He gave a slow grin. "I could teach you."
They sat side-by-side, his fingers moving effortlessly across the controller. Leila watched his hands, strong and nimble, veins tracing his forearms. The room was warm, the tension growing.
"Here," he said, passing her the controller. "Your turn."
She fumbled with the buttons, laughing. "I have no idea what I'm doing."
"I can guide you," he murmured, leaning closer.
His hand slid over hers, guiding the controller. But it wasn't the controller she was suddenly aware of, it was his thigh brushing hers, his breath on her neck.
She turned to speak, but her lips were already dangerously close to his.
Blake didn't hesitate.
He kissed her slow and purposeful, like he'd imagined it a dozen times already. She dropped the controller. It hit the floor with a clatter, but neither of them cared.
Their mouths collided again hungrier this time.
She climbed into his lap, straddling him, heart pounding. He groaned against her lips, his hands gripping her hips, pulling her closer.
"You're not shy, are you?" she whispered.
"Not when I've wanted this for months."
His hoodie was gone in seconds. Her shirt followed. Their bodies pressed tight, skin to skin, heat crackling between them like static.
He lifted her, carried her to the couch, laying her down slowly. His mouth trailed over her collarbone, down to her breasts, tongue flicking, lips grazing.
Leila gasped as his hand slipped beneath her shorts, teasing her until she writhed beneath him.
"Blake…" she moaned.
He chuckled low in his throat. "You like it when I play, don't you?"
"Play me," she whispered. "Make me lose."
He didn't need more encouragement.
Her shorts were gone. His mouth followed the trail down between her thighs, and when his tongue touched her, she arched off the couch.
He was slow at first drawing every sound from her lips, every twitch from her thighs. Then faster, deeper, until she was trembling under his grip.
She came hard, legs clenching around his shoulders, breath ragged.
But he wasn't done.
He kissed his way back up, grabbed a condom from the drawer beside his gaming rig smooth move and slid it on.
"You ready to level up?" he asked.
She laughed breathlessly. "That was terrible."
But when he thrust into her deep and filling her laugh turned to a gasp.
They moved in rhythm, bodies slick with heat, the storm outside roaring while they made thunder of their own. He took her hard, slow, then faster, gripping the back of the couch as she moaned into his ear.
"Don't stop!"
"I won't," he growled, driving into her with every word. "I've wanted this too damn long."
She reached her peak again with him right behind, both of them falling into each other, breathless and dazed.
Afterward, curled up in his arms, controller on the floor and forgotten, she whispered, "Guess I should've knocked on your door sooner."
He kissed her temple. "You're always welcome to game with me. No pants required."