The Love Game

by Regina Hart

  “I remember.” Tyler brought the meeting to mind. “The only ones who felt they’d contributed were the ones who’d directly worked on it.”

  “Use your speech to explain to the entire company how they’ve all contributed. Hearing that from you would mean a lot to them.”

  Tyler leaned back onto his chair. He was more at ease than he’d been for the past two weeks. He hadn’t even realized how much stress he’d been feeling over this speech. He’d just kept pushing it to the back of his mind. That’s how he’d run out of time, though he’d never admit that to Iris.

  Relief brought forth a smile. “I can do that.”

  They spent the next hour drafting the presentation and eating dinner. Tyler set the tone. Iris’s encouragement came in the form of comments like “good idea” or “be more specific” or “seriously?” She made him laugh. He had almost as much fun writing this speech as he’d had designing the game—and it was all because of Iris.

  She stood from the table. “Do you want more water?”

  “I’ll get it.” Tyler filled their glasses from the filtered water section on her refrigerator, then brought them back.

  “Thank you.” Iris accepted her glass from him.

  “Thank you.” Tyler sat. “I couldn’t have written this presentation without you.”

  “They’re your words.”

  “But you helped me find them.” Tyler watched a blush rise in Iris’s cheeks. Lovely. “Just like you helped me find a way to talk to my father.”

  “As I said, I’ve been there myself.”

  “I’ve worked with you for two weeks but I don’t know much about you.” Tyler leaned into the table to get closer to her. “Who wants to be in charge of your family? Is it your father?”

  “My parents are dead.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “So am I.” Iris’s voice was soft. “My oldest sister is the bossy one. She thinks she’s my mother. She always has.”

  “That must be difficult.”

  “I think it’s hardest on my other sister.” Iris sounded pensive. “She’s in the middle, literally. She’s always been the peacekeeper.”

  “So you have two sisters, no brothers?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Xavier and I are only children, but we grew up like brothers.”

  “When I first met your executive team, I could tell your family is very close. Even Van seems like an Anderson.”

  “Xavier and I met Van in college. He fit right in.”

  “I can tell.” Iris reached for his dishes.

  Tyler caught her wrist to stop her. He felt her pulse jump against his fingertips. “Let me clean up. It’ll be my way of thanking you for dinner and for the overtime.”

  “Thanks aren’t necessary.” She arched a brow. “As for the overtime, I charge a lot more than a few washed dishes.”

  “You can send me your bill.” Tyler collected her setting, as well, and carried everything to her sink.

  “I’ll load the dishwasher later.” Iris trailed him to the kitchen and leaned against the wall.

  “I should get going so you can start your weekend.” Tyler turned and was struck by those beautiful big eyes gazing at him.

  “It won’t be much of a weekend. I need to catch up on all the work I couldn’t do during the week since a demanding client wants me to work from his office.” Her smile softened the scold.

  “If you’re trying to make me feel bad, it’s not working.” Tyler stepped toward her. Only an arm’s length separated them. “But I am curious. Why are you spending your Friday night alone?”

  “Why are you fixated on my love life?”

  “I’m not.” He suddenly felt like the awkward teen he’d been: founder, president and sole member of his high school’s computer club. The credential hadn’t made him popular with the girls in his school.

  Iris straightened from the wall and paced away from him. “First you warned me not to use Anderson Adventures for hookups.”

  “That’s not what I said.”

  “Now you want to know why I don’t have a date on a Friday night.” Iris stopped beside the table. “You sound pretty fixated to me.”

  “I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m just curious.” Curious about everything to do with you.

  “Why?”

  He should never have said anything. “I would’ve thought a woman like you would have men breaking down her door.”

  “A woman like me?”

  “You know what you look like.” Tyler gestured toward her. “You’re beautiful. You’re intelligent, interesting and your chicken salad tastes like the featured dish at a five-star restaurant.”

  Iris gave him a dubious look. “You had me up until the part about my chicken salad. That was over-the-top.”

  “Then maybe it’s more about the woman who made the salad than the food itself.” Tyler slowly closed the distance between them.

  That quickly, the mood in the room changed. It went from stilted and awkward to basic and undeniable. Tyler answered his instincts.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea.” Iris’s words were barely audible.

  “Neither do I.” But Tyler closed the gap between them and lowered his head to hers.

  * * *

  Iris parted her lips in a silent gasp. Tyler’s tongue swept in. His taste was warm, spicy and maybe a little bit wicked, like a half-remembered dream from the deepest part of the night. His touch was bold in a way she hadn’t imagined he could be. Her body trembled against him as though her muscles were overwhelmed by the torrent of feelings inside her: surprise, confusion. Desire.

  Tyler wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He was big, lean and hard against her. His was definitely not the body of a stereotypical desk jockey. From the way he wore his clothes, she’d suspected he kept fit. Now, up close and personal, she could confirm her suspicions.

  Iris wanted to feel this body. To explore it all over. To learn its secrets and share her own. She wrapped her arms around his do-me-baby shoulders, rose on her bare toes and pressed herself against him. Heaven.

  Tyler growled deep in his throat. The sound was the sexiest thing Iris had ever heard. She shivered against him again. Tyler drew his mouth from hers. He nibbled and kissed his way across her cheek, over her jawline and down her neck. Iris felt cherished by his soft feathered caresses. Her breath shortened. Her pulse raced as her senses came alive. She bent her head back, offering him more of her skin. She wanted these feelings to last. His large, strong hands stroked her back and cupped her waist. How could his touch soothe and excite her at the same time? The man was a mystery.

  He slipped his hands past the hem of her garnet jersey, his palms hot against her bare skin. Iris gasped, digging her fingertips into his muscled shoulders. She wanted to touch him. She needed to feel him against her. But when he captured her lace-covered breast, they both froze.

  Tyler lifted his head from her neck. His eyes burned with a need, a demand and a question. Iris responded to all three with the smallest movement of her head. A barely noticeable shake that she managed with her last thread of sanity. Tyler released her.

  “You’re my client.” Her words shook. Her throat was dry. Iris willed her arms to drop from his broad shoulders. Have I ever made a tougher decision? She couldn’t recall.

  “You’re right.” Tyler stepped back. His voice was rough, graveled. “I’m sorry.”

  “So am I.” Iris paced farther into the dining room, giving Tyler plenty of space. She sensed his struggle to hold his desire in check. It was no easy feat for her, either. Her thighs ached with the need for his heat. But he was off-limits.

  “I’d better go.” Tyler’s footsteps sounded across the hardwood flooring behind her.

  Iris followed him. “I’ll get yo
ur coat.”

  “Thank you again for dinner.” Tyler waited while she pulled his coat from the closet.

  “You’re welcome.” The best way to a man’s... Iris cut off the thought. It wasn’t productive. “Good luck with your presentation. I’m sure the executive team will love it.”

  “They’re a tough crowd.” Tyler managed a smile though she could still see the heat in his eyes.

  “You’re not that easy to please, either. If you like it, I’m sure they will, too.”

  “I hope so.” He hesitated a moment or two longer.

  Iris waited for him to say whatever else was on his mind. Instead he pivoted toward the door. In one fluid motion he opened it and walked out.

  “Good night, Iris.” He tossed out the words as though they were an afterthought.

  “Good night,” she responded to his back.

  Iris locked her door, then wandered back to her kitchen. Her mind wove a rich fantasy. What if she and Tyler had met some other way? How would they have spent the weekend? Iris grew warm with the possibilities. Based on her body’s reaction to Tyler’s kisses, it would have been a weekend to remember. She shook her head as she packed her dishwasher. She’d been open to love—and the joke was on her. Love seemed to have shown itself at the worst possible time. But when “Osiris’s Journey” released July 10, her contract with Anderson Adventures would be fulfilled. That was nine weeks from today. They could wait until then, couldn’t they?

  Chapter 8

  “They’re more interested in the free food than your speech.” Donovan pounded Tyler’s shoulder.

  “That’s not helpful.” Tyler winced.

  Three weeks later, Donovan and Xavier claimed to be keeping Tyler company backstage during the internal game launch. Tyler tugged at his tie in an effort to ease the choke hold at his neck. Was he the only one who felt as though the past four weeks had sped by? He was tense with nerves as the minutes counted down to his presentation. Tyler was tempted to tell Xavier and Donovan to rejoin the associates on the ballroom floor. Neither vice president was scheduled to speak. They were only with him to lend moral support. However, their brand of moral support was making him more anxious.

  Foster already had made his remarks, which had officially started the launch more than an hour earlier. He’d then invited everyone to enjoy their lunch. Now the associates were finished with their meal. The servers were clearing the dishes in preparation for Tyler’s presentation and the conclusion of the event. The disc jockey they’d hired was still mixing tunes.

  Tyler sneaked a glance through the curtains again to observe the crowd. Several associates were chair dancing to the music pumping through the speakers. What if they hated his speech? What if they booed him off the stage or asked the DJ to turn up the music? Even worse, what if they didn’t respond at all? So much depended on the event’s success.

  Where is Iris? He’d insisted on picking her up at her home and driving her to the convention center this morning. But he hadn’t seen her since the event started. She’d checked on the audiovisual equipment for the presentations, then followed up with the catering staff, then...she was gone, off somewhere else. Was she avoiding him?

  He let the curtain drop. It had been almost a month since the night he’d shown up at her place unannounced and uninvited to ask for her help with his speech.

  Almost a month since their kiss. But when he thought about it, he could still taste her, still feel her. That’s why he tried hard not to think about it. He needed to try harder.

  “You’ll be fine.” Xavier squeezed his shoulder. It was the same one Donovan had just pounded. “Just stick to your script.”

  At his cousin’s comment, Tyler suddenly couldn’t remember a single word of his speech. Dear God, where is Iris?

  “Are you ready, son?”

  Tyler turned to find his father walking toward him.

  Aunt Kayla was at Foster’s side. “You’ll be fine.”

  Tyler pulled the script from his pocket. He needed to practice it one more time. A hand reached from behind him and took the papers away.

  “You already know this.” Iris held the script in her hand. “Besides this presentation isn’t about reciting words.”

  “I—” Tyler reached for his speech but she secured the document in her purse.

  “And when did you start wearing ties?” She started to reach for him, then dropped her hands. “Please take it off. You need to look approachable.”

  Tyler removed his tie but his attention remained on his speech in Iris’s purse.

  Iris addressed Foster. “Are you ready to introduce our next speaker?”

  Foster rubbed his palms together. “Yes, I am. Let’s keep the show moving.”

  “Iris, I need my speech.” Tyler’s whisper was urgent.

  “No, you don’t.” Iris’s hand rested gently on the shoulder Donovan and Xavier had abused. “The thoughts and ideas in the speech aren’t new to you. Just remember that this is personal, for you and for them.”

  Tyler found a measure of calm in her words and her touch. He listened to Foster’s introduction as he prepared to take the stage.

  “Did you enjoy your lunch?” Foster’s question carried through the curtain to Tyler at the back of the stage. The associates responded with thunderous applause.

  “Wonderful!” Foster’s voice rose above the cacophony. “Good food and good company are important parts of a celebration. And here to tell you just why this particular celebration is so important is my son and your vice president of development, Ty Anderson.”

  Tyler looked again at Iris. Her coffee-colored eyes shone with supreme confidence. He squared his shoulders, then drew back the curtains to take the stage.

  Foster pulled him into a bear hug. “Good luck, son.”

  Tyler returned his father’s embrace before stepping back to face the roomful of associates. “You’re probably a little tired after that wonderful lunch. But don’t fall asleep on me yet.”

  He froze. That’s not the way his speech began. Surprised laughter filled the room at his comment. Tyler relaxed a bit.

  “I wanted to share a few words with you.” Did he sound as awkward as he felt? He kept going. “My father often—or always—says that Anderson Adventures wouldn’t be where it is today without all of you. But it recently came to my attention that many of you don’t realize how you contribute to our success. So I wanted to take this time to tell you exactly the role you play and to thank you for everything you do. Let’s start with purchasing. Will the associates of our purchasing department please stand?” He waited for the four-member staff, including Trudy, the three-time grandmother, to rise from their seats. “Thank you for purchasing the supplies we need to function, the software, hardware and everything else, and for negotiating the very best prices.”

  The audience gave the department an enthusiastic round of applause. The four purchasing associates stared at each other in surprise. Broad grins brightened their faces and pleased blushes darkened their skin. They each waved at their coworkers before resuming their seats.

  Tyler continued in this manner until he’d recognized every department and their responsibilities, and connected them back to the company’s success. The pride and satisfaction on the faces around the room were gratifying although it still surprised him that they hadn’t realized how important they all were.

  What shocked him even more was the standing ovation he received at the end of his presentation. He gazed at the faces in front of him—some admittedly more familiar than others—and finally understood what his father had been saying for years. Anderson Adventures associates weren’t employees. They were family.

  Foster joined him on stage, wrapping him in another bear hug before stepping back and joining in the applause. Once the noise had died down and their associates had returned to their seat
s, Tyler provided a brief demonstration of the game, then opened the floor to questions. Excitement filled the room. There was a hum of anticipation. The event was without a doubt the greatest triumph he’d had to date, greater than his award-winning, bestselling computer games.

  When it was over much later, Tyler waited in the ballroom with Foster, Aunt Kayla, Iris, Xavier and Donovan to thank their employees once again before they climbed into the limos that would take them back to Anderson Adventures.

  “You were right about the limos.” Foster turned to him. “Paying for parking after an event like this would have been a buzzkill, as the kids say.”

  “Ty, I am so proud of you.” Aunt Kayla pulled him down so she could kiss his cheek again. “You were wonderful!”

  “Thank you, Aunt Kayla.” Tyler glanced at Iris. She hadn’t said a word since the launch ended. Had he disappointed her?

  “You were channeling your inner Steve Harvey.” Donovan referenced the popular game-show host.

  Xavier grinned. “I knew you had it in you.”

  “I’ve never seen you like that before.” Foster slapped his back. “You were fantastic. Now take that energy on the road, son.”

  “What did you think?” Tyler turned to Iris. He couldn’t wait any longer. He’d heard from everyone else. Had he lived up to her expectations or not?

  “You were perfect. But I knew you would be.” Iris’s smile mesmerized him.

  “Thanks.” Tyler wished they were alone so he could kiss her again.

  “Your father’s right.” Iris inclined her head toward Foster. “We need to ride this wave into our external launch and the industry convention next month.”

  “All right.” Tyler couldn’t think about the convention. Iris had called him perfect. “Are you ready to leave?”

  Iris checked her silver Omni wristwatch. “Are we going into the office? ”

  “I wasn’t planning to.”

  She adjusted the shoulder strap of her briefcase. “I was going to get some work done.”