Saving Valencia_A Steamy Alpha Male Romance

by Kelli Walker

  As I fisted her ass and drew her away from the wall, I felt her fall into me. I felt her finally cave to me and bury her face into my neck as a smile crossed her cheeks. I walked through the waiting room of her small office space and found my way back into her office. I pressed through a door that had her name on it, then closed it behind me with my foot.

  Then, I swiped my arm over her desk and crashed everything to the floor.

  I didn’t know how I knew, but I knew things were going to be okay. As my hands migrated up her shirt and skated along the soft, warm skin I’d come to adore, I knew things would work out. I’d never experienced anything like this before. The pull to protect someone. The need to have someone around. It had never knocked me off my feet with the kind of force Val did. But this was another pivot point in my life. Another massive mark that would forever change the landscape of my world.

  I had found a woman strong enough to stand by my side.

  Scratch that, I had found myself to be strong enough to stand by hers.

  My lips kissed down her neck as my hands dragged her jeans off her body. I rolled her office chair underneath my body and sat down, tugging her ass to the edge of her desk. She panted into the air. Her hands wrapped around the edges of her desk. I kissed down her legs as I worked her panties off her body, my eyes taking in the glistening juices of her heated core.

  “I thought dinner was first?” she asked, panting.

  She held her head up long enough to catch me grinning before my lips fell to the inside of her thigh.

  “Haven’t you ever heard of an appetizer?” I asked.

  The sounds that fell from her lips as I lapped up her pussy were unmistakable. The way she grabbed onto my hair and pulled me close was undeniable. Val was the one for me. Her juices melted on the tip of my tongue as I tasted her, over and over again. My tongue circled around her clit and her thighs jolted against my cheeks. I dove into her. Lost myself in her scent and her life’s force. I filled my stomach with her as she begged for release. A release she knew only I could give her. My eyes fluttered up to her face and I watched how red it grew. How sweaty her brow had become as I edged her to the brink of disaster.

  And as my eyes raked over her body, I didn’t find myself looking forward to dinner.

  I found myself looking forward to our future and what it meant for us. What life would hold for us after this first leg of our journey. As she ground against my lips and sought the satisfaction she wanted, my mind drifted to various things. Moving her in. Whisking her away on our first vacation. Having her teach me more about survival.

  The ring I would eventually pick out for her.

  “Silas. Please. I can’t take it. I need… let me cum. Please. I-I-I can’t any longer.”

  Her voice hit my ears and I gave into her pleas. I pressed my tongue deep into her clit and it sent her over the edge. Writhing. Jolting. Shaking, as her thighs locked around my cheeks. Curses and obscenities that throbbed my cock poured from her lips as her voice grew hoarse. Her toes curled into my back. Her nails raked along my scalp. Her juices flooded my face as she gasped for air, then she collapsed in a pool of her own sweat.

  “Oh, Silas. Oh my gosh.”

  I took my time cleaning up the mess she had made, careful not to waste a precious drop of it. From her ass crack to the folds between her thighs, I licked her clean and kissed every part of it. Every part of her. I wanted to show her that I would take care of her in every aspect of her world. I would leave no job undone and no stone unturned. I finally pulled myself from between her legs and stood from the chair, bending over her so I could look into her hazy eyes.

  And in her half-hooded brown eyes, I didn’t see the same brooding woman I had come to know only two weeks ago. I saw a vibrant, lively, curious woman who was ready to experience the world with me.

  I didn’t know what our future held, but in her eyes, I saw it all.

  And it was going to be grand.

  Epilogue - Valencia - One Year Later

  I felt a pair of warm lips come down onto my neck and I sighed. Silas’ hands slid around my waist, cupping my stomach and drawing me close. I managed to turn the coffee pot on before he whipped me around, then his hands picked me up by my waist and sat me on the edge of the kitchen counter.

  “You know what you wearing my clothes does to me,” he said.

  His lips fell to my exposed chest as I giggled.

  “It was all I could find. You tossed my clothes somewhere last night and I couldn't find them,” I said.

  “You have an entire half-closet of clothes.”

  “Are you complaining about me wearing your shirt?”

  He shook his head against my breasts and I felt them swing underneath the massive button-down shirt. I loved wearing his clothes. They made me feel safe on nights I didn’t sleep well. I wrapped my arms around his neck as the scent of coffee filled the room, wrapping around our heads and immersing us in the signal for breakfast.

  “Rough night again?” he asked.

  “I figured it would be this time of year,” I said.

  “You know, most couples would be enjoying their summer break.”

  “Well, most couples didn’t almost die on their summer break.”

  “It’s been a year, Val. Are you sure you’re all right?”

  His muffled voice lifted from my chest and I gazed into his eyes.

  “I’ll be okay,” I said.

  “You know that’s not a good answer for me.”

  “I don’t know what else to say. It’ll take time for me to get over some of the things we experienced. I know you still struggle with it sometimes. Nights when you toss and turn.”

  “You think we should start going to see the therapist again?”

  “I think it wouldn’t hurt,” I said.

  “Then I’ll call her and make an appointment for the both of us to attend.”

  Silas scooped me into his arms and carried me over to the breakfast nook. The booth-style seating poured into a window that overlooked a city I had finally come to love. The sun streamed through the window, illuminating the darkened kitchen as Silas rattled around for the mugs. I smoothed my hair from my face as my mind allowed the rest of my nightmares to fall from the recesses of my mind.

  “Caramel and cream?” he asked.

  “Mmm, yes please,” I said.

  Silas sat in front of me as he made my perfect mug of coffee. He slid it to me before making his, then he reached over and took my hand. My eyes held his gaze. His beautiful gaze I had gotten so used to falling asleep next to. It had been three months since he asked me to move in with him. Ironically, around the time the two of us stopped going to counseling. We both figured we be each other’s therapists.

  But the past few weeks were proving us wrong.

  “It’s okay to struggle, you know,” Silas said.

  “I’ve never struggled like this before. Not even with the memories of my father. It’s been an entire year since that island, and I still can’t shake it. Not fully,” I said.

  “Neither can I. There are times when I wake up and you’re not there, and my entire body jerks awake before I realize you’re in the bathroom.”

  “I don’t know what I would ever do if I lost you, Silas.”

  “Well, you won’t ever have to find out.”

  He bent his lips down to kiss my hand before he drew in a deep breath. He always did that when he was struggling. He found any chance to breathe me in. He found any part of himself to press against me so he could reassure himself I was still there. Still alive. Still thriving next to him.

  “Are you ready for our business trip next week?” I asked.

  “I am. I’ve only been to Australia once. It’ll be nice to go back.”

  “When was the first time you went?”

  “I saw my first opera there.”

  “I didn’t know you liked opera,” I said, grinning.

  “When the right mood sets in, yes. I do enjoy taking in a show,” he said.


  “Seems I learn something about the man I love every day.”

  “Only to keep up with you, beautiful.”

  I patted his hand before I pulled away and took another sip of my coffee.

  “Should we go ahead and do the rundown for the trip next week?” I asked.

  “If we do, can I take you back to bed and bury us under the covers?” Silas asked.

  “Sure. Why not?”

  He tossed me a devilish smile that made my toes curl with delight.

  “Rundown. Go,” he said.

  “Okay. Monday at four in the morning, the plane’s wheels leave the ground. You, me, Grant, and Angel. The flight is twenty one hours and forty minutes, with one stop for fuel to be determined.”

  “Why ‘to be determined’?” he asked.

  “I’m working with the pilots on flight routes now. Once we have the safest one established, we’ll know where our fuel point is.”

  “I knew I hired the right woman for the job.”

  “Okay. That puts us landing in Sydney, Australia around three in the morning their time. Which means we can get to the hotel by three thirty, check in, and get a load of sleep.”

  “That’ll help with the jet lag. Good.”

  “The itinerary is what Angel’s working on. Once I have it, you will. Grant and I are working on solidifying and confirm the updated equipment that came in last week. All of the security men are getting new-and-improved technology and our survival kit is getting a facelift,” I said.

  “How is that project of yours coming along?” he asked.

  “Well. We aren’t using dollar-store toys, so don’t come down too hard on your Head of Survival when you see the bill.”

  “I gave you a budget for a reason when I hired you. So long as you stay within that budget, there won’t be any issues.”

  “Are we really calling me ‘Head of Survival’? Because I’m really just part of your security team,” I said.

  “You’re so much more than that and you know it, Val. You delve into a part of security most never think about. You aren’t just someone who helps us evade threats, you’re the one person who helps us navigate them if we find ourselves caught up in them.”

  “It’s still a tacky name.”

  “Then, what about ‘Head of My Heart’?”

  “Sounds like a porno.”

  “What kind of porn are you watching?” he asked.

  “Don’t ask if you don’t want to know,” I said, grinning.

  I watched his eyebrows hike up onto his forehead as a giggle fell from my lips.

  “We’re routing back around to that topic of conversation in a second,” he said.

  “I don’t watch porn, Silas.”

  “Doesn’t matter. My mind is already in overdrive.”

  “Then let’s finish this rundown before you explode.”

  “Literally,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes and continued.

  “We’re in Australia for a week. And that Sunday is the exact opposite scenario. Wheels up by three in the morning, one fuel stop in the same spot we’ll fuel up at going there, then we land back in New York City around one in the afternoon. We all disperse, go home, sleep it off, and come back Monday refreshed.”

  “Tuesday.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “Make it Tuesday.”

  “We’re spending another day in Sydney?”

  “No. We’ll all take that Monday off. This is going to be a hard trip on everyone emotionally. It’s the first trip we’ll be taking over water since…”

  I drew in a deep breath as I nodded my head.

  “We’ll all need a day to digest once we get back. Let’s all give ourselves that,” Silas said.

  “Duly noted. I’ll inform Angel so she can make sure it gets onto the itinerary.”

  “I never did thank you for taking this job, Val.”

  I furrowed my brow as I brought my coffee to my lips.

  “You don’t have to thank me. You offered me a job I couldn't refuse.”

  “I offered you a job that didn’t exist until after I met you. Until after we encountered what we did.”

  “Isn’t that how some jobs come about? By formation after a need is established?” I asked.

  “You aren’t just part of my security team. You need to know that. To me, and Grant, and Angel… even Grier? You’re our source of hope. Of strength. You come on these business trips with us not just to keep us safe, but to give us a safety net if something were to go horrendously wrong.”

  “I know, Silas.”

  “But I want you to hear it. I want you to digest it. I’m thankful you’re on this team. I’m thankful that you work with me. Thank you for taking this job.”

  “I didn’t want to teach for the rest of my life. I knew that. You knew that. This was a solution that benefitted both parties.”

  “All parties,” he said.

  “Yes. All parties involved.”

  “But, there is one little thing that involves only the two of us.”

  “And a bed?” I asked.

  “Not quite.”

  I watched him slide from his side of the table before jamming his hand into his pajama pant’s pocket. I furrowed my brow as he pulled out a small navy blue box, then watched him get down onto one knee. I turned to him with a furrowed brow and my eyes burrowing into his, and when he cracked that small box open I gasped.

  “Oh my gosh.”

  “Val--.”

  “Oh my gosh.”

  “Valencia--.”

  “You are not,” I said.

  “I’m not going to be able to if you don’t hush,” he said, chuckling.

  I curled my lips into my mouth as tears rushed my eyes.

  “Valencia Bouchard, you saved my life. Not just physically, but emotionally. Mentally. Spiritually. In every way a person could save someone, you did that for me. And when you rode away from me in that white car after not talking to me that entire plane ride back, it killed me inside. The closeness I felt with you and the bond I knew we had established… I got a glimpse of what would happen to me if it ever broke. If it ever went away. That’s why I went after you that day. I didn’t go after you because I wanted to see where things went. I went after you because I already knew where they were headed. I simply needed to convince you of the same thing.”

  “Oh, Silas,” I said breathlessly.

  “You became my family on that island, Val. I felt a strong need to protect you then, and I feel it now. I felt the need to provide for you what I could then, and I feel that need now. You are all I have. My business? My financial empire? It means nothing without you. We became one another’s family on that island, and I don’t want to go another second without making our bond official.”

  I cupped my hands over my mouth before he reached up for my left hand.

  “Valencia Bouchard--love of my world--will you marry me?”

  I slipped the ring from the box and it went tumbling to the floor. He poised the ring in front of my finger as tears rushed down my cheeks. My hand trembled. My voice caught in my throat. And every single memory came rushing back. The rumbling volcano. The earth opening up below him. The storm that trapped us in that cave where my falls finally came crashing down. He was the only one who knew me. The only one who knew the true, unfiltered story of my father. I trusted him. A man. After everything I had been through, he touched a part of me no other person ever had.

  He was more than just my family.

  He was my soulmate.

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  “What was that?” Silas asked.

  I giggled and nodded my head as I slid my finger into the ring.

  “Yes, Silas Hopkins. I will most certainly marry you.”

  He picked me up and swung me around as my legs wrapped around him. We abandoned our coffees at the breakfast table as he carried me back to the room. Tears caressed my cheek, falling onto his neck and sliding down his chest. Our lips connected as he carried me back to the room,
my back falling to a bed we now called ‘ours’.

  “I love you,” he said.

  My legs spread to accommodate his body as I cupped his cheek.

  “I love you, too, Silas. More than I’ll ever be able to describe.”

  “You showed me on the island, Val. Even though you didn’t know it. You showed me how much you loved me.”

  I rose my head to capture his lips again as my feet slid his pajama pants down his naked body.

  “Then let me show you again,” I whispered.

  I shook with pleasure as visions of our future wafted through my mind. Our wedding. Our honeymoon. Growing old and having children. Traveling the world and painting the cities red and marking every place we owned as ours. I saw us happy and arguing. Making up and getting dressed up to go out. I saw shared showers and moments of sickness and working alongside one another until it was time for both of us to retire.

  To purchase our cabin in Wisconsin like we talked about and live out our days in one another’s arms.

  “I love you. I love you, Val. I love you so much.”

  And as I came unraveled in his arms, pinned underneath his massive body, I knew I would never go back. I’d never go back to the lonely life I was living. I’d never go back to the isolated world of teaching survival. I’d never look at nature the same way again or define survival with the same words I used to utter.

  Silas had redefined my world. And now, it was time to live in it.

  “I love you, too,” I breathed.

  His sweating body collapsed on top of me, blanketing me in a security only he could provide.

  “I’ll love you until the depths of the earth swallow us whole.”

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  Blurb: Protected: A Second Chance Baby Daddy Romance

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