For The Win
by Brenna Aubrey
Published by Silver Griffon Associates
Book 4 in the Gaming the System Series
Millionaire bad boy Jordan Fawkes has problems.
Big problems.
That molten-hot intern he hooked up with at Comic-Con is now his assistant. No one can know they’re the stars of the cosplay sex tape that broke the Internet.
Business school hopeful April Weiss has drama. Big drama.
Working under the CFO of Draco Multimedia should be the opportunity of a lifetime for her, but Jordan Fawkes is the boss from Hell—a sexier-than-sin boss from Hell who holds all the cards for her future career.
And then there’s the small problem of a certain video…
RATED: 18+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Steamy Romance Lighthearted
For the Win is Brenna Aubrey's fourth installation in her Gaming the System series, and it's the first book that steps away from Adam and Mia. For the Win centers on Jordan, CFO of Draco, Adam's best friend, and well-known playboy who doesn't believe in relationship, and April Weiss, a Draco intern, who is hired to be Jordan's assistant, in exchange for a recommendation of business school. All is well, until April, in a spiral over her dysfunctional family, gets drunk at comic con, and with the nudging of a "friend", sets out to fulfill a fantasy: anonymous sex. And who better then the guy dressed up as Falco, from Dragon Epoch, with a helmet that covers his face. And why not record it, for an extra thrill? It's hot. The best she's ever had. It also ends up viral the next morning. Which also happens to be her first day working for Jordan, who just so happens to be the guy she hooked up with at comic con.
After the emotional subject manner of the last book, I am glad that Brenna wrote a book featuring a more lighthearted romance. It's not the first secret identity romance I have read, nor is it the first boss and the intern, or enemies to lovers romance, but I gotta say - it's the first romance I have read that starts out with anonymous cos-play sex at comic con! It added a flair of fun to picture a dressed up bounty hunter and elf going at it. The story itself was fun, and since their relationship is settled in the one book, less frustrating, as they work out their issues quickly. The main problem with it is its predictably. There is no sense of mystery.
The characters were likeable, and each had valid, reasonable reasons for being the way they were.
For the Win is a lighthearted romance, which was much needed after the darkness of the last two books in the series. It can be read as a standalone, but I prefer it in the series, as we get a nice "before" picture of our protagonists. If you like sexy, secret-identity, enemy to lover type romances, you will enjoy this one!
The video. I mean, the whole thing is funny, really.
Jordan timing April while she says what she wants to say
Jordan taking William out, but really just wanting to make sure April was staying out of trouble
Jordan standing up for April with Cari
Hooking up in the alley
April finding the ugliest tie Jordan had for his meeting after discovering the costume in his closet
The Northern lights
The first time they have sex ... knowing each other that is
Jordan standing up for April against her mother and her husband
Katya punching Cari and calling her a slut-shaming bitch
April and her dad's heart to heart.
Jordan quitting when Adam refuses to fire him for the same thing April did
Jordan talking to April's dad
April: "No. More. Alcohol. Ever."
Sid snorted from where she say behind her computer.
Sid: "I've heard that one before."
I stuck my tongue out at her, though she couldn't see because her back was to me.
Sid: "Who knows what STD you picked up on this escapade?"
I grimaced at her.
April: "He had a condom on, idiot."
Sid: "Oh, well then. I guess that makes it all okay."
Jordan: "Time!"
He hadn't taken his eyes off his watch the entire time I'd been speaking. I swallowed.
Jordan: "Weiss, you just said absolutely nothing to me. All I heard was 'blah, blah, blah.' "
He held up his hand, opened and closed it like a quaking duck.
Jordan: "Get back to work."
My cheeks heated.
April: "I resign."
Jordan: "What?"
April: "I said that I'm resigning."
Jordan: "No, you're not."
April: "Yes. I'm giving you my resignation, and all I ask is that you keep my identity secret as long as possible. So I might be able to find another position to intern somewhere else."
Jordan: "You're not interning somewhere else because you're not resigning."
April: "I just did."
Jordan: "No, you said 'blah, blah, blah.' Now get out of here and finish my goddamn files."
My mouth went dry. I was about to start panting like a puppy at any moment. I wanted to lick him like a puppy, too.
I hated him, but I wanted to lick him. He was licktacular.
Sid: "You are really going to need me to baby you through this, aren't you?"
April: "Girlfriend, I upload sex videos to the Internet without even realizing it. I'm sure that if I press the wrong button on this game, all of Draco Multimedia Entertainment is bound to blow up. So, yes, talk to me like I'm a first grader."
William: "This isn't what I meant when I said I wanted to learn how to talk to women. I already have the woman in mind that I want to talk to. I told you. I want Jenna."
Jordan: "Women, William. Plural. You know what they say, there are a lot of fish in the sea."
He shook his head.
William: "I don't like fishing."
April: "I don't even know why you are covering for me like this. You -"
Jordan: "Because you're part of my team and I protect my own. I'm the only one who has the right to torment and make your life hell, got it?"
Jordan: "In the process of trying to save everyone else's feelings, you give no value to your own. Because you're too nice. That will get you nowhere. I learned a long time ago that nice guys finish last. Do you want to finish last?"
April: "Is this some kind of race?"
I stared at her
Jordan: "It's life. And it's passing you but because all of those jackasses who walk all over you are doing just that to get ahead of you. And you are letting them."
She blinked.
April: "So that explains why you're an asshole."
I sent her a wicked grin.
Jordan: "And damn proud of it."
Jordan: "So that's what I get for my apology?"
April: "Oh, that was an apology? 'Sorry ma'am, for the orgasm. It won't happen again.' Is that your usual MO? Did Sexilicious Sondra get an apology from you after you cuffed her to the bed and made her scream your name?"
Now he was red-faced and shooting me a glare out of the corner of his eyes.
Jordan: "That is not what I mean. I meant that it wasn't appropriate given our professional relationship."
April: "Yes, Mr. Fawkes, you are very inappropriate. And now, thanks to Essie's training, I know how to tell you that."
Jordan: "We're here. Thank God."
Jordan: "Can we call a truce, please? We're both in a foreign country. We don't know anyone ..."
She scoffed
April: "Canada is hardly a foreign country."
Jordan: "It's close. They talk funny here. I feel lonesome already. Please be my friend and fellow American?"
Jordan: "I could kiss you."
April: "Mr. Fawkes, you are being inappropriate."
Jordan: "How about a raise?"
April: "I'm an unpaid intern."
Jordan: "Exactly. It won't cost me anything."
Jordan: "You keep laughing at my misfortunes, Weiss, and I'll make you pay for that later."
April: "Promises, promises."
Jordan: "Well, well, lovely Snow White. Looks like the Big Bad Wolf is here to eat you all up."
April: "Wrong fairytale."
Jordan: "Well, I'm sure as hell not Prince Charming, because I doubt he ever did to her what I am going to do to you."
Jordan: "That pulse in your neck says one of two things. Either you want me or you are scared shitless of me. Which is it?"
I struggled to inhale
April: "Both."
His breath warmed my hair, my ear, the back of my neck, sending shivers of anticipation down my spine.
Jordan: "Good."
Jordan: "That was a lot more fun than arguing."
April: "That was almost an international incident. I don't even have my passport with me."
Jordan: "Oh, chill ... Bears do it in the woods. Why can't we?"
I slapped his chest.
April: "I'm not kidding. What is Mr. Canadian Mountie had gotten out of the truck?"
Jordan: "What if he had? Besides, I can't think of a better reason to go to jail. And it's Canada. How bad could their jail even be? 'Sorry I had to arrest you, sir. That was pretty impolite of me, eh?' "
April: "Thank you ... no one's ever stuck up for me like that."
My hand stroked along his jaw and his eyes closes, as if savoring the touch.
Jordan: "It wasn't anything more than you deserve, April. I just wish you realized it."
April: "Maybe I just needed someone to show me."
He gently shook his head.
Jordan: "It has to come from inside. You've got to know deep in your heart that you are worth sticking up for."
Jordan: "Miss Weiss, you are being inappropriate."
April; "You love it when I'm inappropriate."
Jordan: "Fuck yeah, I do."
Jordan: "How did Mia take the news that her cousin-slash-fiancé is a billionaire now?"
Adam: "She wasn't very surprised. Happy for me, and all that."
Jordan: "Of course she's happy for you. She gets half of it in the divorce."
Mia: "But you can't let him walk away from the company like this."
I threw up my hands, exasperated.
Adam: "Apparently, I don't have a choice. Emilia, he insisted I fire him and I absolutely refused. So he quit.
Mia: "But he quit because you won't take April back."
Adam: "Her dad -"
She raised her eyebrows at me
Mia: "You're the boss."
Adam: "You usually only say that in bed. I'm getting all hot right now."
Jordan: "I don't have to be back to work 'til tomorrow, so we have a whole day to burn, my naughty fairytale princess ..."
I grinned
April: "What was it Snow White kept singing about? Someday my prince will come ..."
Jordan: "Someday? Your prince plans on coming tonight - more than once."
I burst out laughing and he waggled his eyebrows.
Jordan: "Just so you know, I'm in this for the win. And I can be pretty goddamn stubborn when I set my mind to something ... so no bailing, no balking, no running away."
April: "Hmm. But inappropriate behavior, that's okay?"
He grinned
Jordan: "Fuck yeah. It's required,"
Check out the rest of the Gaming the System Series