Roommate Material: A Valentine’s Day Romance Read online

  I got down on my knees and made quick work of his jeans. Alex was breathing hard, lids half-closed and dark with lust. He combed my hair away from my face with his fingers, resting his hand on the back of my head as I hooked my fingers on the waistband of his black boxer briefs. I stopped momentarily, looking up at him in all his wonder.

  “Is this okay?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper.

  “Jesus,” he hissed. “Yes, this is okay. What makes you think it’s not–”

  I didn’t let him finish. I pulled down his boxer briefs, exposing his massive, throbbing cock. Alex hissed as his hard member met the cool air. My arousal was undeniable. Alex was truly impressive, his length practically begging for contact. I wrapped my fingers around the base of his cock, which was surrounded by a bed of dark hairs. I leaned forward, taking his tip in my mouth. The sound that escaped Alex’s throat was utterly sinful. He groaned as I swirled my tongue around his sensitive head, stroking him with my hand simultaneously. He buried his fingers in my curly dark hair, watching me with fervor in his eyes.

  I hollowed out my cheeks and began to suck, taking more and more of his cock as I continued to lick him all over with my tongue. Alex squirmed, both incredibly turned on and stunned from the stimulation.

  “Your mouth feels amazing,” he groaned. “You like my dick in your mouth?”

  I hummed in response, noticed the way Alex gasped my name like a prayer. I continued to work his hot member, relishing the sounds that I was able to draw out from him. I started to bob my head, taking more and more of him until I could feel the tip of his cock hit the back of my throat.

  “God, you’re gorgeous,” he praises me. “Tia, baby, I don’t think I’m going to last much longer if you keep this up.”

  There was something about Alex calling me baby that drove me absolutely wild with desire. I sucked harder, stroked faster until Alex finally had to pull away to stop me. I looked up at him, bewildered. He offered out his hands and helped me to stand, pulling me into a bruising kiss that left me utterly breathless.

  “Come here,” he said, taking my hand and guiding me to his bedroom.

  The setting sun streamed in through the crack in the bedroom window blinds. It painted the walls a rich, warm yellow and orange, casting silhouettes of our bodies against the walls. Alex was quick to undress me, damn near tearing the buttons off of my shirt as I pulled my pencil skirt down. He had stepped out of his jeans and underwear, and had flung his grey shirt to the floor. He continued to kiss me with a level of want and desperation I had never experienced before. He led me backwards until the back of my knees hit the edge of his bed. Alex continued to push forward until he was on top of me, pinning me down with the weight of his warm body. He snaked his strong arms around me to unhook my bra before delicately pulling the garment off me.

  He leaned down, peppering quick kisses into the skin of my neck, against my collarbones, against my breasts. I watched, mesmerized, as Alex got up and reached for something in his bedside table’s drawer. He pulled out a condom, quickly ripping open the foil and placing the rubber on his thick cock. I couldn’t deny the heat and wetness between my legs. I so badly wanted him on top of me again, and practically reached out to him in a desperate attempt for contact.

  He returned to the bed, taking hold of my thighs with his massive hands. His fingers dug themselves into my flesh, entirely needy. I moved to tug my pantyhose off, but he stopped me by taking hold of my hands, lacing his fingers with mine.

  “Are you particularly attached to these?” he asked me, voice a low growl in my ear.

  God, he’s so hot.

  “Er, no?”

  “Good,” he chuckled.

  Alex then proceeded to grab the delicate fabric and tear it open, exposing my crotch. I gasped, excitement forcing a shiver down my spine. I marveled at his strength, at the level of his want. He didn’t even give me time to take off my thong, a dainty little thing made of fine lace. He leaned forward, whispering into my ear.

  “I’m going to fuck you,” he growled. My whole body trembled with his words. He pressed his hard cock against me, grinding and teasing me senseless. “I’m going to make you scream my name, baby.”

  I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck again, pulling him into a harsh kiss. “Then fuck me already,” I told him, words heavy on my tongue.

  And that was all the permission he needed. Alex lined himself up with my entrance and pushed in slowly. I moaned into his mouth, consumed with the burning stretch. He pressed into me until he could move no further, filling me to the brim. It took me a few seconds to adjust to the sensation. He slowly began to move his hips, began thrusting into me at a slow and gentle pace. In all honesty, it was too slow for what I wanted. I bucked against him, trying to urge him on, but Alex smiled into my mouth. He was doing this on purpose.

  “Patience, baby,” he hummed in my ear.

  “Alex, please.” I was begging. We weren’t even a few minutes in, and he already had me begging. “You feel so good. Please, just–”

  He cupped my face with one of his hands, cradling my head with the other. He picked up in speed and force, giving me exactly what I wanted. I moaned and whined, only a little ashamed of the noises that he managed to draw out of me. Every time he thrust into me, he pushed me a little closer to the edge. There was a hot coil building up in the pit of my stomach, something mind-blowingly tense and wonderful. We kissed passionately, our hot breaths ricocheting of the other’s skin. He fucked me into his mattress with little restraint, face twisted in a beautiful combination of pleasure and agony.

  “You like that?” he growled against my neck. He sucked at the tender skin there, deliberately leaving it swollen. He was marking me, I realized. He was marking me as his own.

  “Yeah,” I breathed. My voice was thin, on the edge of shattering. “Yeah, just like that.”

  “Your pussy feels so good.”

  “Alex, I’m going to–” I choked on my words. I fisted my hands in his hair and tugged.

  “Not yet,” he told me firmly.

  He pulled out, leaving me feeling empty and cold. I whined in protest. I needed him. I needed him so badly. Alex grabbed me by the hips and forcefully flipped me over onto the mattress.

  “Get on your knees,” he instructed. I was really starting to like this whole bossy thing he had going on.

  I did as he told me, bracing myself on my knees and palms in front of him. He pressed his penis back inside of me with a quick snap of his hips. He covered my back with the warmth of his chest, reaching around to grab my breasts in his big hands. He squeezed them, pinched my hard nipples as he sucked marks into the back of my neck. Alex started to fuck me in earnest, hard and hurried and devilishly good. The heat in my stomach was starting to become unbearable, building up until I could no longer hold back.

  “Alex, please,” I panted. “I’m going to–”

  He removed one hand from my breast and reached down, locating my clit with his index and middle finger. He began to rub firmly as he continued to thrust, leaving me senseless.

  “Come,” he ordered.

  And I did. I screamed his name, shuddering violently as he stimulated me. He left my pussy pulsing around his cock, shoving into me like a man with a mission. It only took Alex a few more snaps of his hips until he was coming, too. He carefully pulled out and removed the condom before turning to me. I rolled over onto my back, welcoming him into my arms. He rested his head against my chest, listening to my heart pound. We lay there in silence for a good few minutes, soothed by the sounds of our heavy breathing. I felt sleep begin to encroach the edges of my vision, and it wasn’t long until I began to drift off with thoughts of Alex still fresh in my mind.

  That was honestly the best I’d ever had.

  7

  Alex

  I watched as she slept, snoring gently against the pillow. Her glorious mess of hair reminded me of a halo or an adorable nest for her to lie upon. Last night had been, without a doubt, an amazing s
urprise. Tia defied all of my expectations. She was so much sexier than I had imagined. Every kiss she gave, every run of her hand over my skin left me yearning. There was something deeper at play here, something so much more profound than a feeling of accomplishment. I thought that was what I wanted, to be able to score with this amazing woman. But now that I had her, I realized just how different Tia was to me when compared to every other woman I’d had in my life. And it scared me just how much I admired and adored her. This was no longer about winning, or proving to Molly I could seduce an unwinnable woman. Tia was so much more than a prize to be won. She was special. She was different.

  I didn’t believe at love at first sight. But that was before I laid eyes on Tia. Smart, strong, determined Tia. She worked hard to get where she was, to become the lawyer she always wanted to be. She wasn’t like me, relying on my father’s wealth and reputation to keep me in a school I really didn’t deserve to be in. Tia was a hard worker, someone who deserved all the love and attention in the world. But she was also someone who was struggling, despite her gifts. And my God, did I want to make sure she got whatever her heart desired. Tia deserved nothing less than perfect.

  She stirred, slowly cracking her eyes open against the soft glow of the morning light. The smile that stretched across her lips left me feeling high. I could look at her all day and never get bored. It should have been illegal to look as beautiful and breathtaking as she did. I reached out and tucked a strand of her wild curls behind her ear, grazing her soft cheek with the back of my finger.

  “Good morning, beautiful,” I greeted.

  “Good morning yourself,” she giggled. I could drown in her laughter and be totally at peace with it.

  I kissed her forehead, rolling slightly to press my body to hers. I was already half-hard just from looking at her. “Do you want to pick up where we left off last night?” I asked, winking at her suggestively.

  Tia smiled, but shook her head. “I have that meeting with your father today, remember?”

  I clicked my tongue. “Right. Totally forgot about that.”

  She started to roll out of bed, but I clung to her beautiful hips. I whined, already missing her warmth. Tia giggled again, running her hand through my hair as she slowly pried herself free. She stood at the edge of the bed, leaning over to offer me a chaste kiss.

  “How about,” she started, “we have fun later tonight when I get home?”

  “Promise?”

  “Promise,” she assured me.

  She hurried out the bedroom door and down the hall to her own room. I could hear her unzip that massive suitcase she had brought with her, rummaging through her clothes for something appropriate to wear. I groaned as I finally sat up in bed, throwing on a pair of grey sweatpants I had left on a nearby chair. I started toward the kitchen, watching as Tia hurried past me, pulling her hair into a high pony tail.

  “Do you have time for me to make you breakfast?” I asked. This was another surprise to me. I normally never offered to make any of my previous female guests breakfast first thing in the morning. But Tia deserved something delicious in her stomach, deserved to start her day off right.

  She shook her head before planting an apologetic kiss on my cheek. “Sorry, no time.” She was always running late, I was starting to learn. “Anything I should know before I got to be interviewed by your father?”

  “Not really,” I responded. “Just be yourself.”

  A twinge of nervousness flashed across her eyes. “You sure? I really can’t afford to screw this up. Not after… Well, not after Richardson & Sachs.”

  “You’re going to be great, Tia. Don’t get in your own head about it. I’m the one who recommended you, so the likelihood that my father will deny you the job is pretty slim.”

  Tia smiled sweetly at me and my heart pounded in my chest. In the soft morning light, she looked like a fucking angel.

  “I’ll see you tonight,” she said.

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “See you tonight.”

  Tia gave me a cute little wave before snatching her purse from off one of the kitchen island stools. I listened to her hurried footsteps against the cold apartment floor. She shuffled by the doorway, slipping into a pair of high heels and throwing on her jacket.

  “See you!” she called to me before the door closed shut behind her.

  And just like that, I was alone again. Alone in a big empty apartment with nothing but my thoughts. I looked around, contemplating the emptiness. I had had my fair share of girlfriends, but they rarely ever lasted. I was living a dream that every rich young bachelor craved. I had a wonderful apartment with a fantastic view, more money than I knew what to spend it on, and several beautiful cars waiting to be taken out for a joyride in the garage downstairs. But now it felt vacant, different. The warmth that Tia had brought along with her was gone, her absence for the day leaving my body and mind aching.

  I wanted her here, I realized. Sure, to her, I was probably a temporary solution. It was a transactional relationship, with a few benefits on the side. She paid her rent, I gave her a place to stay. I gave her a job so that she could pay her rent on time. But I knew, deep down, that Tia was so much more than that. She challenged me. She didn’t shy away, didn’t just let me take what I wanted. I felt the need to impress her, felt the need to support her and encourage her. She wasn’t just a quick lay, wasn’t just another one of Molly’s friends that I could add to my score card. Tia was shaping up to be so much more than that.

  I wandered back to my bedroom, aimlessly thinking about what it would be like to have Tia stay. I felt like a stupid teenager, wondering what it was we had between us. What was I to her? Were we just fuck buddies? Were we boyfriend-girlfriend now? I desperately needed to know. Because if it was the former, there was nothing I could do to stop Tia from leaving. She’d find her own place, eventually. She’d probably move out the moment she could afford to. She seemed like the type of woman who didn’t want to inconvenience anyone, even if I more than welcomed any inconvenience related to her.

  I found myself rummaging through my closet, pulling out old shoeboxes filled with photographs and old childhood memorabilia. When I finally located the little blue velvet ring box that was tucked away beneath an old collection of softball cards, I swallowed hard. I opened the box to expose my grandmother’s wedding ring. She had given it to me a few months prior to her passing in the hopes that I could give it to my then girlfriend. It obviously didn’t work out between us, so I had shoved the ring away, believing full well that I had no use for it. I had never wanted to give it to anyone, never even considered marriage an option.

  But the longer I stared at the ring, the easier it was to imagine it on Tia’s finger. It would glimmer on her hand, it would fit like a dream. It occurred to me just how much I was starting to want her, to keep her near me for as long as I could. I wondered if I was going crazy. Was I really falling that fast? This was all too sudden, too dramatically quick. I shoved the ring box back, hiding it away again. My stomach did a nervous little flip. I was shocked, confused.

  But I also couldn’t deny the excitement that left my fingers and toes tingling.

  Tia may very well be the one.

  8

  Tia

  Terrance Peterson greeted me personally. Point, Peterson Holt & Tult. Harold couldn’t even be bothered to find the time to introduce himself on the first day. I was starting to like this place already. Alex looked a lot like his father. They had the same broad shoulders, the same square jaw. Albeit, Alex was a little softer looking, and significantly younger. Terrance Peterson stood out as a man of wisdom, grey streaks in his hair and beard a testament to his age and experience. I followed him around for the better part of the morning as he personally gave me a tour of the office.

  “And this is my office,” he stated, opening the glass doors wide for me to enter. I marveled at the collection of first edition law books that decorated his shelves. Terrance gestured toward a free chair across from his mahogany desk. “Please, have
a seat.”

  I did what I was told, glancing the numerous award plaques hanging on Terrance’s walls. There were several picture frames on his desk which held family photos. I recognized Molly and Alex instantly, but they’re younger in the photos. I’d guess Molly was about eighteen in the picture, with Alex significantly more youthful in the image. His face has filled out a lot more, and his features are a lot more masculine and defined than they were.

  Terrance sat down across from me and threaded his fingers together on the table’s surface.

  “I’m not going to lie,” he started, “when Alex called me to make a recommendation, I was very surprised.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “He’s my son, but that doesn’t mean he’s my best employee. I’m glad he’s starting to take his job a little more seriously by making credible references.” Terrance pulled open the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a stack of paperwork. He handed them to me. “Feel free to look over these. It’s a comprehensive job description, and it details your starting salary. You can take your time to look them over.”

  The starting salary figure jumped out at me from the page. I struggled not to gawk like an idiot. I’d be able to pay off my student loans in no time. A buzz of excitement filled me to the core, a wonderful warmth nestling at the back of my neck. Things were finally working out, I just couldn’t believe it.

  “Now,” continued Terrance, “I’ll have one of the paralegals show you to what will be your office, if you choose to accept the terms of your position, and–”

  “I get an office?” I asked, incredulous.

  “Of course,” he chuckled. “It’s the least we can do for a lawyer with your credentials.”