The Love Game

by Regina Hart

  Tyler caressed the side of her breast. “So beautiful.”

  He lowered himself to her gently, then joined with her in one long, strong, deep push.

  His hips moved, picking up a rhythm that fanned her desires. Iris wrapped her legs around Tyler’s hips and met him thrust for thrust. She looked up at his handsome face. His features were hard and sharp with desire. His intense gaze locked with hers as they moved as one. He lowered his head and kissed her hard. His hips moved deeper, faster. Iris’s blood rushed through her veins and roared in her head. Her heart pounded as though it would burst from her chest. She lifted her hips higher, pressing harder and harder against him. She squeezed her eyes shut at the sweet pleasure-pain.

  Her body shattered, trembling in his embrace. Tyler stiffened above her, drawing her closer as they bodies shook together.

  A long time later, Tyler stirred. “I don’t regret what we did. I don’t want you to, either.”

  His words disrupted the stillness in the room. Perhaps he’d let the silence last a little too long. It was becoming tense—or was that his imagination? In any event, he meant it when he said he didn’t want either of them to have regrets.

  “I don’t.” Iris rested her head on his chest.

  Her simple reply brought him a measure of relief. Still, Tyler needed to be sure. He hadn’t planned for this to happen, at least not tonight. But he wouldn’t change a thing. Would she?

  He measured his words. “I know we’d agreed to wait because of our project contract.”

  “I wouldn’t have made love with you if I thought I was going to regret it.”

  “I’m glad.” That’s all he’d needed to hear.

  Tyler relaxed. He buried his right hand in her thick, tousled hair. His left held her to him. Iris had said they’d “made love.” The words expanded in his heart like a sunrise. He breathed in her scent, citrus and sex.

  “But what do we do now? Act like nothing happened?” Iris’s breath tickled his skin.

  “That’s not possible.” He watched the shadows stretching across the ceiling. What time was it? Did he care?

  “No, it’s not.” Her soft breasts pressed into him with her sigh.

  Tyler’s muscles tightened with a pleasure that was almost painful. “We’re doing that a lot more lately, agreeing with each other.

  “That’s because you’re finally coming to your senses.”

  “Maybe you’re the one who’s seeing reason.”

  “Impossible.” Iris waved a dismissive hand, then let it land on his chest. Her tone sobered. “I don’t want people to know we’ve been intimate. I’m your marketing consultant. This could damage my professional reputation.”

  “That was the reason you didn’t want to become intimate in the first place.” Tyler pressed her hand against his heart. “I’m not going to announce that we’ve made love. But I’m not going to act as though I’m not attracted to you, either.”

  “All right.” She sighed again. “I have another concern.”

  “What is it?”

  Iris folded her arms on his torso to prop herself up. Cool air slipped between them. “You once accused me of using Anderson Adventures as a dating service. I don’t want you to think I came on to you for mercenary reasons.”

  “I don’t. I trust you.” And he did. Tyler cupped her beautiful face with his left palm. “Besides, I know you want me for my body.”

  Iris trailed her fingertips from his chest down his torso. “It’s a great body—for a gamer.”

  “That’s an unfair and inaccurate generalization of my people.” Tyler ignored his quivering stomach muscles.

  “Oh, yeah?” She’d lowered her voice to a sexy, taunting whisper. “I’ve heard gamers tend to be twenty-pound weaklings.” Iris gave him an arched look that heated his blood. “I’ve met a few in my time.”

  “I think you can see I’m not a twenty-pound weakling.” His voice was rough with desire.

  Iris covered his body with her own, making his erection throb. “Show me.”

  Tyler rolled, bringing her with him. His quick reflexes surprised a gasp from her lips. He drew her under him and held her gaze with his own. “With pleasure.”

  He lowered his head and captured her lips.

  * * *

  The next morning, Iris paced Tyler’s hotel room. She checked her silver wristwatch again. “The reporter from The Gamer’s Seat is supposed to be here in ten minutes. I’ve heard he’s usually early, though.”

  “We’ll be ready whenever he arrives.” Tyler settled onto a corner of the sofa.

  Iris stopped to study him. In his black polo shirt and steel-gray slacks, he made an incongruous image against the pink-and-red floral-patterned sofa. But the dark clothing made him look dangerously sexy. Her stomach muscles quivered every time she remembered the way he’d touched her through the night. Iris shook her head to clear the image from her mind.

  “Maybe we should look at one of the other articles he’s written.” She began pacing again.

  Had she done everything she could to prepare her client for this interview? Had she given every effort to present Tyler in the best possible light to the public?

  “We’ve already dissected three of his most recent ones.” Tyler propped his right ankle on his left knee. “We don’t need to look at any more.”

  “He’s going to want to know about the game reveal, its features as a first-person game, its remote-play functionality and platforms—”

  “Iris.” Tyler’s low voice brought her to a sudden halt.

  “Yes?”

  “Sit down.” He gestured toward the armchair beside him. “You’ve done a great job prepping me. Everything will be fine.”

  “You’re right.” Iris took a deep breath as she crossed to the sitting area. She ran her hand down the front of her conservative sapphire dress, then lowered herself onto the armchair. “I’m sorry.”

  “Our roles have reversed.” Tyler tossed her a smile. “Now you’re the tense one and I’m calm.”

  A loud knock sounded on the door. Iris frowned at it. “I told you he’d be early.”

  Tyler rose from the sofa. “And I told you we’d be ready when he arrived.”

  Iris stood as Tyler answered the door. Ryan Tipper, the reporter from The Gamer’s Seat, was even more rumpled than photos of him suggested. He looked as though he hadn’t shaved since he’d arrived at the convention. Judging by the dark gold stain on his dull white shirt beneath his mud-brown blazer, he liked spicy mustard.

  The reporter shoved his shaggy brown hair back from his glasses. “I’m Ryan Tipper of The Gamer’s Seat. And you’re Ty Anderson. Nice job with your launch yesterday.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Tyler offered his right hand. “Come in.”

  “Thanks.” Ryan paused when Iris stepped forward. He adjusted the satchel on his left shoulder.

  “Iris Beharie. I’m Mr. Anderson’s marketing consultant.” Iris held out her hand. “Thank you for coming.”

  Ryan looked surprised. “Sure, sure. I appreciate the exclusive.” His hand was soft and damp.

  “Let’s sit.” Iris tugged her hand free.

  She nodded toward Tyler, indicating he should take the armchair. Iris gestured Ryan to precede her to the sofa.

  “Okay, I’ll jump right in.” Ryan flipped open his satchel and unpacked an audio recorder. He pressed a couple of buttons on the machine then turned toward Tyler. “This is the Tyler Anderson interview. Today is Friday, June fifth. Ty, how are you enjoying ‘Osiris’s Journey’’s gameplay reveal?”

  Iris gave a mental nod. He’d started with the softball questions just as she’d anticipated based on her research of the reporter’s interviewing style. She sat back on the opposite end of the sofa and observed the interview. Tyler did a fantastic job. He was comp
osed, concise and confident. Everything she could have hoped.

  “‘Osiris’s Journey’ will be available on all current platforms simultaneously,” Tyler said.

  “All on the release date?”

  Tyler nodded. “Yes, on July tenth.”

  Ryan glanced over his shoulder at Iris before he turned back to Tyler. “Will the game be ready in time?”

  Tyler looked puzzled. “It’s ready now.”

  “Are you sure?” Ryan glanced briefly at Iris again.

  Iris’s brows knitted. Why does he keep looking at me?

  “I’m quite sure.” Tyler’s frown deepened.

  Ryan arched a brow. “But ‘Osiris’s Journey’ has failed its product tests.”

  Iris blinked her surprise. She sat straighter on the sofa, fisting her hands to keep from interjecting. Let Ty handle this.

  Surprise cleared the frown from Tyler’s sharp sienna features. “Your information is wrong.”

  Ryan slid another look toward Iris. “I don’t think so.”

  “You saw the reveal in the presentation.” Tyler sat forward.

  “We all know there are ways to fake a game’s readiness for the press.” Ryan looked stubborn.

  The claim was too outrageous for Iris to remain silent any longer. “Where did you get your information?”

  The shaggy reporter stared at her in surprise. “I’ll never reveal my sources.” His tone was almost comically sincere.

  “Your sources have given you bad information.” Tyler bit the words. “With minor enhancements, the game will be ready for release July tenth.”

  “‘Minor enhancements’?” Ryan chuckled. “You said the game was ready now.”

  “We could put it on the market today.” Tyler spoke with strained patience. “But these enhancements will make the game more robust.”

  “What evidence do your sources have to prove ‘Osiris’s Journey’ failed its testing?” Iris demanded. “Or are you just taking their word for it?”

  Ryan looked at Iris in confusion. “No, they sent me the test results.”

  “The hell they did.” Tyler sounded as though his head was about to explode.

  The reporter dug into his satchel again. “Here. Look.”

  Tyler scanned the stack of papers Ryan handed him. He looked shocked. Iris rose to look over Tyler’s shoulder. Her eyes widened. Her lips parted in shock. How did the reporter get ahold of these documents? The information was printed on Anderson Adventures electronic letterhead. Adding insult to injury, printed across the top in big block red letters was the word Confidential.

  Tyler lifted his head to look at Ryan. “These tests are dated two months ago. We’ve had several much more recent tests. They all prove ‘Osiris’s Journey’ is ready for market.”

  Ryan looked at Iris in confusion. He turned back to Tyler. “So you say.”

  “I can send you the latest test results.” Tyler stood, indicating the interview was over.

  “We’ll send you those results as soon as we return to the office.” Iris straightened from her position behind Tyler. “Until then, I’d advise you against printing even a hint that ‘Osiris’s Journey’ isn’t market ready.”

  “But—” Ryan looked up at her.

  “Such a claim would be knowingly false,” Iris continued. “I doubt your publisher will want to defend against a libel suit.”

  Ryan looked from Iris to Tyler, then back. “All right.” He turned off the audio recorder and repacked his satchel.

  Tyler escorted him back to the room’s door. “The most recent test results, showing ‘Osiris’s Journey’ tested successfully, will be waiting for you Monday morning.”

  After he saw the reporter out, Tyler turned to Iris. He waved the stack of old test results. “Who the hell sent these to him?”

  “I have no idea.” Iris struggled to think, to plan. “But we’d better find out. It’s obvious that someone is trying to sabotage this release.”

  Tyler ran a hand over his close-cropped hair. “It must have been an associate—”

  “That’s impossible.” Iris swept her arm out. “Anderson Adventures associates are intensely loyal. No one on your payroll would have done something like this.”

  Tyler raised his gaze to Iris. There was pain and disappointment in his eyes. “Then who could it have been?”

  Chapter 11

  Tyler convened an emergency meeting of the Anderson Adventures executive team Sunday morning. He’d briefed everyone Friday after his meeting with Ryan Tipper and Saturday as he and Iris had waited for their flight. He’d asked Iris to attend the meeting, as well. Foster, Kayla, Donovan and Xavier joined them in the company’s large conference room.

  Tyler was jet-lagged. Iris must be, too, though she hid it well. They’d traveled all day Saturday from San Diego back to Columbus. Then, they’d driven straight to Anderson Adventures to email the most recent test results of “Osiris’s Journey” to The Gamer’s Seat reporter.

  “The results of those tests will prove to Ryan Tipper that ‘Osiris’s Journey’ is market ready.” Tyler’s gaze met those of the other executive team members, then settled on his father at the head of the table.

  “I want to know one thing.” Foster’s voice was tight with restrained temper.

  “What’s that?” Tyler braced himself.

  “How did this happen?” Foster pinned him with a dark, direct gaze.

  That question had hung unasked in the room since the others had joined him. Now it lay on the table but Tyler wasn’t any closer to answering it today than he’d been during the magazine interview.

  “I don’t know.” Tyler felt sick. Every eye in the room seemed to be on him.

  Iris leaned forward on the chair beside him. “Ty and I will review with your associates the product-testing procedure.”

  Foster’s attention shifted from Tyler to Iris. “You think one of our associates leaked the failed test results to the media?”

  Tyler heard the tension in his father’s voice. “No, we don’t.”

  “Then who did?” Foster fisted his hands on the table. “Nothing like this has ever happened before at Anderson Adventures. Ever.”

  “That’s true, Uncle Foster.” Xavier looked as troubled as he sounded. “This isn’t our brightest moment. But Ty’s planned an investigation to uncover the leak.”

  “He also was able to prevent any damage to our reputation.” Donovan inclined his head to acknowledge Tyler’s work.

  Tyler nodded toward Iris. “With Iris’s help.”

  “Yes.” Xavier shifted on his seat. “Thank you, Iris.”

  Had he heard reluctance in Xavier’s tone? Tyler ignored it—for now. “We’ll meet with our associates tomorrow.”

  “You’re going to meet with them although you don’t think any of them had anything to do with this.” Foster blew an exasperated breath. “Then what good is the meeting?”

  The walls were closing in on him. “We don’t think it was a deliberate act.”

  “You think someone emailed failed test results to the media by accident?” Foster’s eyes widened. “That’s very naive.”

  “Not necessarily, Foster.” Donovan shrugged. “You said yourself, nothing like this has ever happened before.”

  “Maybe the leak wasn’t an accident,” Iris said. “But I don’t believe it was done with malicious intent.”

  “Neither do I.” Tyler massaged the back of his neck. “We won’t know until we meet with the development team tomorrow to review the chain of command for the testing results.”

  “How do we know The Gamer’s Seat is the only publication that received these documents?” Foster sat back onto his chair. “For all we know, other media outlets also received the false results and intend to publish them without warning us.”<
br />
  “I’m using internet alerts to monitor media coverage with references to Anderson Adventures.” Iris looked to the others seated around the table. “The references to your company have been positive. It appears you’re still riding the positive press from the convention. Your preorders are up and your reviews are excellent. No one has questioned your game’s readiness.”

  “Yet.” Foster’s voice was tight.

  His father’s disappointment was a crushing weight. Would he be able to recover from this disaster? He didn’t have a choice. Tyler wanted this promotion. He wanted to succeed his father as CEO of their family’s company. But even more important was the fact that everyone at Anderson Adventures had worked hard to make “Osiris’s Journey” a success. He wouldn’t allow their efforts to be destroyed by this leak whether the information had been distributed deliberately or by accident.

  Kayla tapped worriedly on the glass table. “Will you interview the associates one at a time?”

  “No.” Tyler shifted his attention from Foster to his aunt. “We’re going to meet with everyone who was involved with testing at once.”

  “We thought meeting with people individually would increase the associates’ anxiety,” Iris added.

  How was Iris able to remain so cool and in control?

  Every muscle in Tyler’s body was stretched to the tearing point. “None of our associates would intentionally hurt the company. We need to investigate this leak but I don’t want anyone to be uncomfortable.”

  “I wonder if Leslie has any interrogation techniques?” Kayla muttered the off-hand question.

  “Her name’s Lauren, Mom.” Xavier turned to his mother, who was seated at the end of the table. “What makes you think she knows anything about interrogations?”

  Kayla shrugged an elegant shoulder. “She’s in HR isn’t she?”

  “No, she’s not.” Xavier frowned at his mother before turning his attention to Tyler. “We need to resolve this before the game release.”

  “I know.” Tyler rolled his silver Cross pen between his palms. “That’s why we’re starting tomorrow.”