Page 8 of Kiss Me Forever

"That was one of my best articles," she admitted.

"So how did you get me?"

"I got lucky," she said lightly. "And I always put one hundred percent into my work, no matter what the assignment."

"Will this cover story help you get that horse you're on turned in the right direction?"

He was definitely a smart man, she thought. She would have to be careful that she didn't allow him to outplay her.

"Your story will be good for the magazine, which is good for me. And it will be great for you, too. You're releasing a new game soon. More exposure equals more sales, right?"

"Yes, a win-win for both of us," he said.

She certainly hoped so.

* * *

The Crystal Terrace was just what Andrea had expected. Set on the top floor in a building on Fisherman's Wharf, the dining room had a gorgeous view of the bay including the infamous island prison of Alcatraz and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The décor was warm and luxurious with gleaming hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows and amazing crystal chandeliers.

There wasn't an entrée on the menu under thirty-five dollars, with one steak going for eighty-two dollars. She couldn't imagine what would make a piece of meat worth that much money, but then again, she was more of a cheeseburger-kind-of-girl. Apparently, Alex Donovan was not. He'd shown no hesitancy ordering expensive wine, a sampler of gourmet appetizers and a lobster dish that looked amazing. She'd gone for the filet mignon, figuring she might as well take advantage of the rare opportunity to dine like a celebrity.

Alex had obviously visited the restaurant on many occasions. The waiters greeted him by name, and he was treated with enormous courtesy and respect. A few other diners stopped by their table to say a quick hello, each giving her a rather curious look. She wasn't surprised by their interest; she doubted she was the kind of woman Alex usually took out to dinner.

She sipped her wine as Alex finished his meal. So far, their conversation had been fairly inconsequential. She'd learned that Alex liked movies, especially science fiction, ran at least three times a week, enjoyed sports, rooted for the local teams and had played some baseball when he was a kid. She'd also discovered that while his charm came easy, hard answers were more difficult to come by—not that she'd really pressed him yet. She'd wanted to give him time to warm up to her, but he was going to be guarded no matter how much time she gave him.

"So," she began.

"So," he echoed, meeting her gaze.

She smiled. "This doesn't have to be painful."

"Not for you."

"Let's talk about your company. How did you get into making games? Were you a big gamer as a child?"

"Yes. I've always enjoyed games. The more challenging the better. As technology evolved, so has the way the world plays games. We've gone from simple board games to computer games, video games, virtual reality experiences and mobile apps that allow people to play wherever they are. They don't need friends for these games, they can play alone or with anyone in the world in a multi-player digital online game."

She heard the passion in his voice. There was no doubt that Alex's business was more than just a moneymaker. It was something he believed in. She admired a man who pursued his goals with intensity and determination. Still, he was making games…

"Wouldn't some people argue that your games encourage children to spend far too many hours inside, hooked up to electronics, when they should be experiencing the real world?" she asked.

A smile played around his lips. "Would one of those persons be at this table? Do you not like games, Andrea?"

"I like games," she said defensively. "And you haven't answered my question."

"I would argue that for many of my customers, games connect them to the world. My team works hard to create games that are educational as well as entertaining."

"What about the violence in video games?"

"There's violence in the real world, too, but in games you have control."

She thought about his words, wondering about the undercurrent in his voice, what he wasn't saying…

When he didn't continue speaking, she moved on. "How did you get started? I know you were a millionaire by age twenty-five, so I assume your vision started a lot earlier."

"I started making up games when I was in elementary school. By the time I was a teenager, I had sketched out rough illustrations of multiple worlds. But it was all just a very big and impossible dream back then. I didn't grow up in a world of opportunity, so I had to find my own way into the industry. I started out working in an arcade at a miniature golf course. In between selling tokens and cleaning up after birthday parties, I was doing research. I had access to the database of some of the games. I could see which games were the most popular, the most challenging and who played them. Some were geared more to girls, others to boys. I made notes and files, thinking some day I would use them."

"How did that day come?" she asked curiously. "It's a big leap to go from working in an arcade to running a million—or is it a billion—dollar company?"

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