For Keeps

by Adriana Hunter

  The livid expression on his father’s face didn’t bode well, but when had they ever had a decent conversation? “You didn’t come home last night.”

  Tyler winced. “I’m a grown man, Dad. I can come and go as I please.”

  “Not when you’re out on my yacht, entertaining some trash from across the tracks. Not to mention screwing the help.”

  Feeling the twitch start in his jaw muscle, Tyler lowered his voice to a dangerous level. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  The older man slammed his hands on his desk and stood, leaning forward menacingly. “I know exactly what I’m talking about. You’re purposely disrespecting me, and I won’t have it. You will not make a mockery of me. You will act like you have the breeding with which you were raised, and you will not gallivant off with some piece of ass just to spite me.”

  “Really, Dad? Because I remember eating Ramen and beans growing up, helping Mom clip coupons so we could afford to eat, until you built this dynasty of yours. We don’t come from better ‘breeding’ than anyone else. Besides, you should be thrilled. Your stipulations state that I have to be married within a year. When was the last time you saw me date anyone? At least I’m making the effort now.”

  “My son will not marry some little, money grubbing hussy and let the whore drain his bank account!” the elder man roared.

  “I’m not listening to this shit!” Tyler roared back. Fuming, he growled, “Your superiority complex is getting old, Dad. Get off my back.” He turned and started to leave.

  “I didn’t dismiss you. Where do you think you’re going?”

  “To study for the damn bar exam,” he called over his shoulder, slamming the door behind him. Rather than heading back upstairs, he went outside and lit a cigarette. He needed to calm down. His father had the worst way of getting under his skin.

  There had been a time when he’d been proud of Tyler for his talent at hockey. Then, something had changed, and he’d started dumping all over both Tyler and Tyler’s mother. Lisa Princeton had escaped, filing for divorce and moved across the country. When his father had forced Tyler to quit the hockey team, then assured that he would go to law school, Tyler fought long and hard to live with his mother, but his father hadn’t let him and had forced the contract on his trust fund.

  He was about to go back inside and lick his wounds in his office when Valerie stepped out. He turned away from her, not wanting her to see the emotions on his face. He quickly put on a mask of stoicism and offered her a smile that he knew didn’t reach his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

  Valerie saw the look of pain on Tyler’s face, no matter how hard he tried to hide it, and she frowned at him, her brow creasing with concern. “What happened, Tyler? Is everything okay?”

  He laughed mirthlessly. “Just the usual bullshit with my father.”

  Valerie gulped, remembering the horrible things she’d heard the elder Princeton say about his son. “I’m sorry, Tyler. But whatever he said, it’s your life and you need to live it your way. You know, some people just don’t think about the impact that their words have…maybe because they are far too busy worrying about their own feelings to even think about someone else’s. I know what it’s like to hear something negative over and over again until you start to believe it. But Tyler, that doesn’t make it true.”

  Tyler sighed and nodded. How could she possibly understand so well? And how did she know he was upset? Most people couldn’t read him. But then, few people cared enough to really try to get close to him. His father made sure of that.

  “As a senior, a recruiter found me and gave me the opportunity to play professional hockey. Without warning, my father took me off the hockey team and said no son of his was going to make a fool of himself on national television instead of preparing himself for a lifelong, lucrative career.”

  Valerie cringed. She couldn’t imagine her family, however poor, snatching her dreams away like that. She supposed it didn’t matter how much money you had; there were always problems, and sometimes, the money itself was the problem. She didn’t know what to say to him, so she just put a hand on his shoulder, hoping it was comforting in some way.

  “Hey, cousin.” They both looked up as Sean walked by. He smiled lasciviously. “Looks like you’ve found a source of entertainment,” he taunted. “Is that what your dad’s paying her for?” Valerie clenched Tyler’s arm, holding him back as his anger peaked again and he started to go after him.

  “Don’t bother…please,” she begged him in a low voice she hoped was soothing. “I can take care of myself.” She nudged him in the opposite direction. “Come on, I’ll buy you a coffee today, and then we’ll go upstairs and start studying.”

  Reluctantly and still seeing red, Tyler nodded and followed her lead. This was obviously not his day.

  * * *

  It was late, and the office was empty when Valerie knocked on Tyler’s door. He’d asked if she could stay and study with him some more this evening, after he’d had time to develop questions from the material he was going to look over while she did her paperwork. She opened the door and found him deeply absorbed in one of the study guides, scratching his head with a scowl on his face, a notepad covered in scrawl laying on the desk in front of him.

  When he heard her come in, he looked up, and his face instantly brightened, giving Valerie a smile that made her heart skip a beat. She really shouldn’t be having these reactions to him, but how could she not? He was devastatingly handsome, and his bad-boy alpha-male persona mixed with the underlying flatterer and tender-handed lover were too much to ignore. “How’s it going?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “I’m completely lost. I can’t even begin to put this all into any kind of outline I can follow. I mean, individually each part of the whole makes a sense, but when I try to put all this legalese into perspective, it becomes one big jumble.”

  “This is true. That’s okay, we’ll get it organized for you.” She made a move to grab the notepad, but Tyler grabbed her hand instead, staying it. She looked up at him, wide eyed, and he let go, putting the book down and coming around the desk. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against his chest, taking her mouth with the same passion that he’d taken her so many times in a more personal manner the night before. His tongue made love to hers and made her breath come in pants and gasps.

  It was too much, and Valerie tangled her hands in his hair, rising up on her tiptoes, wanting to taste more of him. It was like honey and smoke, a sweet masculine taste that made her wet, made things low on her body clench and beg.

  As if understanding her need, Tyler ran his hand over her ass, around her hips, and between them, stroking just above that wonderful, sweet spot. Her clit throbbed with sensation, and she rocked against him, begging his fingers to drop just an inch or two lower to satisfy her desire. Instead, his fingers reached beneath her shirt, toying with the skin on her stomach and then up under the wire of her bra, drawing circles around her breast and pinching her nipple, even as he continued diving into her mouth.

  Her nails found the back of his neck, biting into his skin, and then trailing more lightly down his arms and then to his waist, where she untucked his shirt and moved to feel the hard muscle and smooth skin of his chest. She could feel the thrumming of his racing heart, and she wanted him more than ever. Without a second thought, she reached for his fly, only to find his erection thrusting against the material already.

  She made fast work of his pants, dropping them around his ankles, and reached inside his boxers, grasping his shaft tightly so he hissed a breath through his clenched teeth. He thrust against her palm, and she moaned, feeling the moisture building between her legs.

  With a rough movement, Tyler grabbed her hips and lifted her onto his desk, setting her on the edge and pushing up the skirt she wore, his fingers pushing aside her panties so he could feel her wet clit. She spread her legs wide for him, throwing her head back with a cry as he pushed two fingers inside her, curl
ing them until he found the right spot to make her gasp. Over and over, he stroked it, fingers pushing in and out of her, torturously. He watched her features clench as she approached orgasm and felt the muscles inside her pussy convulsing with her release as cum coated his hand. He could barely contain his own explosion at the sight of intense pleasure on her face.

  “Please, Tyler, I want you inside me.” Her begging whisper was his undoing, and he pushed his boxers down, while she tore at her panties. Quickly and aggressively, he pushed his cock into her in one fast motion, and they both swore at the incredible satisfaction of the sensation. He almost ripped her blouse and shoved at her bra, cupping both her breasts in his hands and leaning her back on her hands as he took up a murderously fast rhythm, pounding into her with incredible need. She felt better than anything he’d ever imagined, and it was all he could do not to cum immediately.

  Valerie felt the waves building and crashing, over and over again, her pleasure finding its culmination every time before the last orgasm had faded. She thought she might lose consciousness for a moment, as Tyler kneaded her breasts roughly with each stroke. It was sublime, and she bent her knees, propping her feet on the desk beside her to open herself wider to him, wanting him deeper and deeper until she could feel him all the way to the end of her.

  Her solicitous movements heightened Tyler’s ferociousness, and he plowed into her, not holding back, and when he came, he roared, feeling her explosion one more time as he poured into her. She felt back on the desk, exhausted, and Tyler leaned his head back, his cock resting deep inside her as he sought breath and willed his heart not to beat its way out of his chest.

  When Valerie sat up with his shaft still sheathed inside her and laid a penetrating kiss on him, his eyes grew wide as he felt himself growing hard again. She moaned into his mouth, wiggling her hips to entice him, and he was ready for another round.

  He began rocking his hips, a slow, steady motion, massaging her inner walls as his penis grew harder and harder, and she sighed his name, making him growl. He wanted more, felt a need to own her completely.

  Pulling out of her and groaning as she whimpered her displeasure at his removal, he turned her over, pressing her face down on the desk, and he squeezed her ass as he entered her from behind.

  Valerie felt an intense pressure as he slid into her the first time and the sensation quickly exploded into pure pleasure, with fireworks lighting her eyes, and she screamed with pleasure. With a few quick thrusts and an animalistic cry, Tyler filled her again, and she clenched around him, gaining her own peak with his. He finally collapsed on her back, laying several light kisses on her neck, and she delighted in the feel of his weight on her.

  After several long moments, he muttered, “That was incredible.”

  Unable to stifle a laugh, she nuzzled into him. “Yes, it was.”

  Tyler reluctantly pulled out of her, exhausted from the intensity of their sex, and headed for the bathroom, bringing back a towel to wipe the sweat from his body. When Valerie reached for it, he handed it to her, and he groaned as he watched her clean herself before pulling her panties back up and straightening her skirt.

  She raised an eyebrow at him. “So, are we still studying?”

  He smiled. “Yes, but first, I’m starving. So, I say we head out and grab a bite to eat. Then, we can either go to the library or back to your place to study. I’d have you at my place, but I don’t want to subject you to the joys of my father outside of business hours.”

  “I’m perfectly okay with you coming to my place.” But a coy, seductive smile crossed her lips. “I’m just concerned we’d get distracted.” She dropped her eyes meaningfully and blushed.

  Tyler chuckled. “This is true. But I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.”

  “Then let’s do it.”

  * * *

  The following morning, Valerie sat, somewhat uncomfortably, at her desk, waiting anxiously to see Tyler’s face. He’d spent the night again, and while they’d fallen asleep earlier, they’d still filled their evening with incredible sex. She was sore and tired, but she was quite satisfied. At the same time, she unfortunately felt herself getting emotionally attached; something she knew would never get her anywhere.

  When the elevator dinged, she looked up hopefully, her eyes lighting up when Tyler stepped out, only to darken when his cousins followed behind him. Tyler gave her a knowing smile, and she returned it, watching him pass by, Aaron and Sean right on his heels. As they crossed in front of her, Aaron eyed her from head to toe, a mocking smile etched tightly on his face. Falling back, just out of earshot, he lifted his chin to her, the words tumbling out like razors.

  “When you’re done pleasuring my cousin, perhaps I can have a turn.”

  Rage swirled and tore at Valerie’s chest, and she shot fire from her eyes as she met his gaze. “You’re digusting,” she replied.

  Forcing the anger down, she turned away from him and went back to what she was doing, completely ignoring him. She could see the displeasure at her rebuff out of the corner of her eye, and it greatly satisfied her.

  Of course, she wouldn’t mention it to Tyler, for fear he’d kill the man. Whether or not he had feelings for her, Tyler was a protective man, and she had no doubts that he would go after Aaron without a second thought. Sighing, she combed her fingers through her thick hair, a little unnerved despite her show of confidence, and tried to concentrate on her work.

  She thought about seeing if Tyler wanted to go for coffee, but he was on the phone in his office – she could hear his side of the conversation and it sounded intense – so she could wait.

  When Tyler finally hung up the phone, unsatisfied at how that call had gone, he peered out his office, the sight of Valerie alone making him feel better, more relaxed. But something was wrong, in her posture, and in the strained look he saw from her profile on her face. He moved quickly to her and leaned down to speak low in her ear. “Is something wrong?”

  She looked up at him and gave him a small, forced smile. “No, not really. I’m just having a hard time concentrating.”

  Relieved, he nodded. “Good, let’s get out of here for a bit.”

  Almost worried about the two of them being seen together, she started to refuse, then decided she didn’t care and followed him out.

  * * *

  The rest of the day passed by slowing and Valerie found herself counting the minutes until she would be free from the tension in the office. Restless, and needing to stretch her legs, she turned the screensaver on and made her way down to the coffee machine. Passing by the elder Princeton’s office, she couldn’t help but overhear him ranting loudly to someone. Not meaning to eavesdrop, but unable to contain her curiosity, she stopped to listen for a moment.

  “He’s rebelling, and I can guarantee he’s just trying to piss me off by screwing that chubby piece of trash in this office. I have half a mind to fire her, just to get her away from him, but she’s brilliant and costs me practically nothing.” There was a pause. “No, he hasn’t. But if he uses this plump little tart and marries her, just to get the damn trust fund, I’m writing him out of my will, and I’ll make sure he can’t get a partnership at any firm in the state, no matter how well he scores on his bar.”

  Valerie had heard enough, and the sick feeling in her stomach nearly caused her to vomit as she hurried away from the office door, wanting to be as far away from there as possible. She rushed outside and down the street, telling herself not to get too worked up, not to cry. She had no reason to believe Tyler had any real feelings for her anyway. Why should she be upset about what his father, some old rich creep, thought of her?

  Of course, she knew the answer. She’d gotten her hopes up that there was more between them than just great sex. Now, reality set in. She’d had a good time, and so had he. But it hadn’t meant anything. Either she was part of some rebellion against his father, or she was an easy mark to make sure he qualified for the money in his trust fund. No matter what it was, she was nothing more than
a passing fling and as the truth hit her like a ton of bricks to the chest, she struggled to breathe.

  It all made sense now. In fact, it was the common sense she’d refused to acknowledge when they first met. Her gut instinct had told her that something wasn’t right, that Tyler was too good to be true. If she’d just listened to her mind instead of her heart, she wouldn’t be hurting right now. And she wouldn’t be making a fool of herself.

  Finding strength in her anger, she lifted her head and turned to go back to the office, intent on giving her notice. She was qualified enough and she certainly deserved to be part of a team that respected her and treated her better than the hateful way Tyler’s family did. And Tyler – he would never persuade her to give into his pretend desires ever again, that she was sure of. With resolve, she spun on her heels and headed for the office complex. She was done playing games.

  * * *

  “Where’s Valerie?” Tyler demanded as he stormed into his father’s office. He’d been waiting to see her for over an hour, but it looked like she might not have come back from lunch. He could only assume that his father had something to do with her absence.

  The older man frowned. “What are you talking about, Tyler? You come storming into my office, and it almost sounds like you’re accusing me of something.” He sounded so blasé that Tyler definitely didn’t buy it.

  “Look, I don’t know what you’re trying to pull, but you have no right to get rid of a hard working employee just so I don’t break your stodgy old rules. So, I suggest you get her back, or you’ll lose me, too. I’ll walk out that door right now and never come back.”

  His father chuckled. “And what about the trust fund?” He stood and came out from behind the desk, crossing his arms menacingly. “When you don’t have a job, or the means to support your prissy little lifestyle? What are you going to do with yourself? You don’t know how to survive without my silver spoon in your mouth, son.”