Chapter 20: Chapter 20

TYLER

The game was tied with a score of ~3-3~. ~Overtime, baby.~ Jaromir was obviously in the net, always was unless it was his night to rest, in which case Jaxon, our backup goalie, would take his place.

The assistant coach, Maxwell, pushed me down on the bench for a quick rest. I was on the ice when the buzzer rang, and we were allotted only a thirty-second break before overtime began.

I squirted water over my face, then over my mouth. I was ready to go. Mathieu and I were all set to jump back in, in a matter of seconds. Like Coach always said, “We need fresh legs, boys.”

Hans held the puck, waiting for us to join him on the ice. He passed it up to me, and I waited for an opening but couldn’t get one. I shot anyway. Unfortunately, their goalie made a glove save, stealing my thunder.

There was more passing, with only fifty-eight seconds left. Hans took the puck behind Jaromir’s net and moved forward with impressive speed. He passed it to Mathieu, with me following right behind.

Mathieu dropped the puck behind him, but he continued skating forward as if he still had it.

Snagging it, I slapped it into the top-left corner of the net. It didn’t matter how much time was left on the clock. One goal was all we needed in overtime to call it a game.

Our teammates cheered loudly when I scored. The adrenaline rush I felt during a game still stung my pumping veins. We all tapped our helmets against Jaromir’s, then fist-bumped some fans on our way out of the rink.

After a game, the coaches keep us in the weight room for cardio or lifting. Having spent plenty of time on the ice, I was lifting. I sent a quick text to Kate.

Tyler

In the weight room now. Give me an hour. Head to my place, I’ll call the doorman.

Kate

See you soon. xo

I lifted the weights harder and harder. Thinking of her excited me. Seeing texts like that, with her little x’s and o’s, or when she told me she missed me, made my blood fizz.

Having that woman alone in my bed that night would make me feel complete. I was already feeling euphoric with the overtime win, and now I was going to get my prize. And what a prize she was.

Jason and Steve both called me a few times throughout my workout, but I ignored them, thinking I’d call them later. I just wanted to get home to my girl.

I sped down the streets in my black Mercedes and let the sound of the engine rumble my core.

I had taken a shower after the weight room, and my hair smelled like the shampoo Kate liked so much. I wished I could walk in naked, just to surprise her.

However, when you live in New York City, you kind of have to wait until you’re already in your apartment to get naked.

“Good evening, sir,” Scott greeted kindly.

“Evening.” I nodded my head and rushed to the elevator.

After a quick ride up, I rummaged for my keys at my door. Entering my pitch-black entryway, I could smell her perfume; I knew I wasn’t alone.

“Honey, I’m home,” I yelled, drawing out the last word. “And you better be naked because I’m about to fuck—”

“Tyler,” Kate said, her voice strained and needy. ~Had she started without me?~ I took off my shirt and dropped my duffel bag with a loud thud.

“Say my name like that again, babe.”

“Tyler!” she yelled again, the neediness absent in her voice this time.

I flicked on the lights to make sure she was okay when I saw my entire family standing beside her in my kitchen. Kate’s eyes were bulging; she was mortified. I looked around angrily.

My brothers were both smiling, and my dad even had a grin on. My mom looked like she had just seen a ghost, hands covering her open mouth.

“Why the fuck are all my lights off? And why the fuck are you all here?” I bit out. Kate grabbed my countertop so hard, her knuckles turned white.

“We just wanted to surprise you, honey. To congratulate you,” Mom said, gentle and careful.

My eyes met Kate’s. “You didn’t think to call me?”

“My phone died.” She shot me a look, daring me to blame her. I didn’t want to take my frustration out on her; it was my family that needed to stop meddling. I glared at my brothers next.

Steve held his palms up in the air. “Hey, we both tried to call you. You didn’t return our calls.”

“No shit,” I yelled. “I was trying to get back here. Obviously.” I made sure to enunciate my words.

“Sorry, son. I told your mother this was a bad idea.”

And then my parents began arguing among themselves. Walking around them, I pulled my fridge open and took out four beers. Kate thanked me with a blush as I handed her one.

“Sorry,” I said. “And yes, they’re always like this. Welcome to my life.”

Her hand moved, touching my bare arm. “I couldn’t find your charger. I wanted to call you ~desperately~.”

I pulled my t-shirt back over my head. “Well, now they know,” I uttered. “About us. They won’t say shit though. My brothers have known for a while.”

She looked at them nervously. They shrugged, and she groaned. “What are we doing to ourselves?” she spoke quietly.

I gripped her by the arms. She looked at me through her long lashes, and I lost it. I pressed my lips against hers, all rough and demanding.

I had to show her how much I needed her, and I didn’t give a shit who saw. The room fell silent as our mouths crushed together. She eased against my body, fitting perfectly into my arms.

We pulled away, her big eyes open and breathing haggard. “We’re taking what we want,” I finally answered.

Kate giggled and whispered, “I loved how you greeted me.” She moaned into my ear. “I mean if we had been alone, it would have been much more satisfying.”

“You better stop,” I warned. “You’re making me hard, and we still have an audience.”

She removed herself from my arms and took a seat on my couch. I wondered if she was impressed that my apartment was finally unpacked. Granted, it was my mother’s doing, but still.

A small part of me felt guilty for being furious at my family for trying to surprise me, but the other part didn’t. I was twenty-three and lived on my own. They couldn’t just drop by unannounced. I was a grown man with needs.

Besides, Kate was already nervous about being with me. She hated the idea of it more than I did, even though we both had a lot to lose. She was worth it though, and I hoped one day she saw me worth the risk as well.

Her soft voice echoed through my high-ceilinged apartment, bringing me back to the present. She was laughing with my brothers about something, while my parents watched her with wonder.

Kate usually got that reaction out of people, but she was completely ignorant of her own charm. She was an accidental charmer.

“I code and fight hackers for software security,” Steve answered a question. He looked mildly intimidated speaking with her.

“One day he’ll get a real career,” Jason teased. I laughed, but Kate only shook her head at us.

“I think that’s wonderful. Don’t listen to them,” she said, being the perfect diplomat. “In fact, if you’re ever in the market for a job, give me a call.

“I’m always looking for software security geniuses, especially if it’ll keep my companies and investments safe.”

“The Blade’s information gets hacked a lot?” he asked skeptically. Kate and I both laughed.

“She’s the president and CEO of Martin Financial,” I answered.

She shied away for a moment and then wrote her information down on a piece of paper, handing it to my brother. He thanked her profusely before we moved on to other topics.

Eventually, my parents got the hint that I wanted Kate alone. Unfortunately, my brothers didn’t catch the same hint as they stayed put on my couch.

“I’m sorry,” my mom whispered to me. “She opened the door when we knocked, thinking it was you, and we kind of bombarded her.

“I mean, we could tell you guys were hiding something, but we definitely weren’t expecting to see her here. We just figured we’d wait for you if you weren’t home and she didn’t say no.”

I sighed, looking at my mom’s genuine honest smile. “Just make sure you guys don’t breathe a word about this. This hasn’t been and won’t be easy for either of us. We need to keep this as secretive as possible.”

Mom nodded and kissed my cheek when I leaned down to hug her. Dad patted me on the back and said, “Get your brothers out of here soon.”

They left, and I returned to my living room. I plopped my ass down beside Kate, the goosebumps peppering her skin as we touched always boosting my confidence.

I pulled her hand into mine. She tensed up at first but relaxed soon once she remembered we were safe then.

I doubted our relationship would ever be truly safe in the public eye, but there were certain people we could trust and be ourselves around. Hopefully one day it’d all get easier.

~One day?~ ~I was surprised to be subconsciously planning something long-term with Kate. I was only twenty-three years old and just starting my career but had found myself falling for a chick already.

I relaxed, reminding myself that she wasn’t just some chick. She wasn’t attracted to me for my money or career. She was better than me in every possible way, and she always would be.

Catching myself thinking long-term, I wondered if she felt the same. I shook my head, needing to clear my shitty thoughts.

“I swear I tried to stop them, dude. We both told them this was fucking stupid,” Jason said, clearly exasperated.

“We only met them here because we thought it’d be better if Mom and Dad didn’t come alone to your house after a win, in case you were hoping to celebrate, ya know?” Steve added.

I looked at Kate, and we both laughed. “Oh, I know.”

After half an hour of random conversations and some much-needed laughter, my brothers left. They each hugged Kate goodbye and quietly told me how amazing and attractive she was.

It was information I already knew, but my family loving her was even better.

“Finally,” I whispered, nuzzling my face into her ear. I traced a finger around her collarbone, feeling her heart beating fast inside her chest.

Her breasts moved up and down, and I watched with fascination. “They’re nice, aren’t they?” she asked, running her fingers through my hair.

“Your tits? Yeah, they’re great.”

Her laugh warmed me. Lowering her voice, she spoke in a primal tone. “I believe you promised me a good time tonight. But you’re still dressed.”

I began to pull my shirt over my head but decided against it. She faked a sad pout face, encouraging me when I started to undress her.

“You spend all your time taking care of everyone else. Tonight, I’m going to take care of you.”

And that’s exactly what I did, over and over again: no breathers, no breaks, just pleasure.

My body collapsed on top of hers, both of us out of breath. The sky was pitch-black outside my windows, and only city lights shined through.

I rolled off of her and chose to just watch. Her eyes were closed, a gray silk sheet draped across her waist showing the outlines of her outstretched legs.

She opened one eye, catching me staring. “I am so hungry,” she murmured.

I jumped up and carried her to the kitchen, hauling her over my shoulder. She squealed when I placed her naked ass on the cold bar stool.

I grabbed one of my t-shirts for her, which was long enough to cover her butt. “What do you want me to make?” I asked, looking through my cabinets.

She was quiet for a moment. “Tyler?”

I turned to see pain in her beautiful eyes. “Yeah?” I asked.

“What are we doing?”

I couldn’t answer right away. I knew it was only a matter of time before she’d mention how horrible it was for us to be together again. It was a conversation I always dreaded.

She kept going back and forth with her feelings. She wanted to be with me, but when she remembered the consequences and what we both faced to lose, she’d get scared and run away.

No matter what happened between us, the running away had to stop. It wasn’t healthy for either of us.

Kate must have sensed my disturbance. “I mean, do we know what we’re doing?” she rephrased.

“I think so,” I answered without looking at her.

“We truly suck at staying away from each other. Like really, really suck.”

I smiled. “Maybe because we’re not supposed to stay away from each other.”

She wrapped her arms around my waist from behind and squeezed tight, laying her head against my back. “Well,” she said. “Good thing I can’t get enough of you.”

And just like that, we were back to normal. I turned and placed my hands on either side of her face. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss me before I had the chance to.

“You never answered me. What do you want to eat? You need to get those calories back that we just burned.”

“I didn’t burn any! You wouldn’t let me do anything.”

“Babe, sometimes you just need to relax.”

We ended up baking some chicken to mix into a Caesar salad, which apparently was one of her favorites. Afterward, we lay in my bed, telling stories of our childhoods.

She had more bad ones than I did, but she also possessed plenty of good ones to surpass them.

And, of course, I gave her precious self what she always asked me for. I answered her question of “Just one more quickie?” with an all-night affair. We were wiped out by the end of it.