Practically snarling at the perky little blond legal assistant with the bouncing ponytail who led her through the office, Valerie Gordon tried with all her might not to scowl at all of the rich, beautiful people around her. Knowing the only reason she’d landed the internship at Princeton, Paulson and Chesterfield rested on her incredible grades and not her ability to fit in with the plastic and high maintenance around her. She’d been grateful just to have the job and the measly pay that covered her rent.
Of course, there was also the experience to consider. To be a fresh community college grad working for what was arguably the top corporate law firm in the country proved great filler on a resume in the future, opening up better opportunities.
Now, though, she carried her things in one large box and followed Jennifer to the elevator and up to the fourth floor, clenching her teeth as she considered just what was in store for her.
She felt incredibly insecure surrounded by all these Barbie types who had, reversely, been hired more for beauty than brains. Granted, she wasn’t fat per se, but against the toothpicks in the miniskirts, her curves stuck out like fat rolls. Bitterly, she shook her head, thinking if she could only afford a personal trainer, she might stand half a chance at finding the motivation to get into shape. Just maybe.
But most of all, she resented being transferred. She’d been comfortable and doing an excellent job updating and filing reports for Charles Princeton, Senior Partner. Apparently, though, he was pawning off her services to three junior partners who were coming on board – two nephews and a son, if she’d heard correctly.
What absolute bullshit!
She’d heard Mr. Princeton talk about his son – the ‘worthless sack of shit living off Daddy’s money’ and the ‘rebel without a cause’. Jennifer had whispered to her on the elevator with some explanation.
“Tyler is a trust fund baby, which means his entire future is already in a bank account. But his father has conditions on its availability to Tyler, like his having to join the firm and what not. Anyway, he and his cousins, Sean and Aaron, are all going to need help learning their way around. Mr. Princeton saw what you can do and has enough faith in you to trust you to keep all three of them in line.”
Valerie didn’t so much care for the derisive snort at the end of the statement, although she couldn’t really argue with the fact that she didn’t feel qualified to babysit three grown men who had to be forced to work for their own family. How much more cushy could a job get? And with what she knew they’d be paid…if asked, she might lick Mr. Princeton’s toes daily for that kind of salary.
A thought that made her wrinkle her nose and gag a little. Sure, she’d been lacking a little in the sex department for awhile, but she could never use sex to get what she wanted.
Finally left alone, she set her things back up on her desk, glancing around at the large open lobby around, the file room to her right, and the three doors with freshly added nametags for Tyler Princeton, Sean McCreary, and Aaron McCreary. She eyed her chair and didn’t like the angle of it, nor the thin padding on the seat. Rolling it toward the file room, she switched it for the more cushioned ergonomic chair left there.
“Everything alright?” She jumped at the unfamiliar voice as she tested out the new seat and looked up into devastating blue eyes, that bright crystalline blue of a white sand beach where you could see your toes even when you were in over your head.
Of course, the eyes were just the beginning of it, and she knew she was gaping at the perfect, patrician nose, high sharp cheekbones, angular jaw line, and shaggy blond hair curling down to his shoulders. The expertly tailored dress pants and button down fit every line of his body, and the motorcycle helmet in his hand both explained the mess of hair and made Valerie want to salivate.
When she realized he was still waiting for her answer, she blushed and looked away.
“I’m fine,” she responded, clipping her words short unintentionally. Drawn out of her spell, Valerie easily put two and two together. Tyler looked a hell of a lot like his father.
Only much younger. And infinitely sexier.
Even with the unfriendly tone she’d used, he stepped up to her desk and held out a hand introducing himself. “I’m Tyler Princeton. I guess you’re the intern Dad brought up for me?”
She nodded, still not meeting his gaze. “I’ll be helping you and your cousins…the McCreary’s settle in.” She lowered her voice feeling self-conscious as she realized that he was watching her mouth intently. “Your office is there…” She indicated the one behind her on her right “…and if you like, you can settle in and I’ll bring you some coffee.”
He shook his head. “It’s okay, I’ll get it myself.” He didn’t move, still staring down at her, and Valerie felt this strange sensation, as if she was being undressed right here and now. “Would you like to tell me your name?”
Again she blushed and met his gaze meekly, her nether regions burning and wishing that, just once, she had a chance in hell with someone like him.
“Valerie Gordon. Nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure’s mine,” he said with a wink and perhaps the most sensual half-smile she’d ever seen. God, she hoped his cousins weren’t anywhere near as pretty, or she’d have to just quit. It would be hard enough maintaining professionalism with Tyler, much less two other Abercrombie-model types.
She gave him the best toothless smile she could muster, afraid she might still have a piece of her morning muffin stuck in her teeth. “Are you sure you don’t want me to get you some coffee?”
He chuckled. “Listen, I’m sure the other two are going to have you running circles to get them coffee and teach them how to do the job. I don’t need anyone playing fetch for me, and I’m really just here for the view.” He winked and walked past her toward his new office.
A little bewildered at his attitude, Valerie didn’t know whether she was flattered or offended. His statement had both insulted and complimented her in a very suave, blasé sort of way. How did one respond to such an attitude?
Deciding she liked the view as well, but didn’t necessarily care too much for Tyler, she went about her business, making her new desk comfortable for her and logging back into the system on this computer, which, thankfully, connected to a much larger screen.
She tried to introduce herself when Sean and Aaron came in, but they just walked right past her as if she wasn’t even there, deep in an insulting conversation about someone they had apparently gone to school with. Frowning at the lack of acknowledgement, Valerie turned back to her computer and kept entering notes from the day before. How else was she going to fill her time, if none of these three guys took anything seriously?
“I’m sorry about those two.” Tyler’s voice, once again unexpected, made her jump, and she covered her mouth to hold back the scream of surprise. “They’re always in their own little world, oblivious to everyone else.” He shook his head, staring at the single closed door to Sean’s office, where both of them were guffawing.
Valerie simply nodded.
“I wondered if you’d like to get out of here for a bit. Get some fresh air? I’d love to buy you a coffee.”
Shocked at the offer, Valerie stared at him dumbly, finally nodding and standing. She grabbed her purse. “Oh, you won’t need that,” he replied. “Just come down, whatever you want is on me. Let’s chalk it up to a peace offering.” His eyes twinkled, and Valerie thought she might melt into a puddle on the floor. She already had to consciously remind herself to keep her mouth shut for fear of drooling.
She followed him to the elevator and rode down with him in silence, but on the ground floor, he put a hand at the small of her back and guided her, making the skin there tingle, sending a flash of hot, electric signals to lower parts that soaked her panties through. She’d never had anyone who even came close to this guy’s looks put a hand on her before. Anywhere.
Blinking several times to clear her head, she reminded herself that this was her new boss, or one of them, and perhaps the only one to notice her existence. Having these sorts of thoughts about her employer, nak*d and buried inside her while she screamed his name, didn’t file under the term ‘appropriate’. She needed to get a damn grip on reality.
As they entered the café, she cleared her throat and tried to make light conversation.
“So, I take it you passed your bar exam.”
He laughed, a sound that she realized she rather liked. “Not particularly. I finished law school, yes, per my father’s bidding. But I haven’t taken the bar yet, and I’m not sure I want to.” He moved up to the counter and motioned for her to join him.
Getting just a coffee seemed too boring, whereas ordering a white chocolate mocha could raise issues with her figure. Sighing, she opted for a skinny mocha latte, figuring it was the best happy medium available. The question was, why had Tyler Princeton, Prince Alarming, asked her to coffee when he could have just asked her to get some from the break room with him? It seemed strange, but she didn’t want to read anything into it, good or bad.
The instant he’d walked into the godforsaken office and seen Valerie, Tyler’s interest had peaked. She was a classic beauty, not the runway model waifs that were so fawned over these days, and he couldn’t get her image out of his mind. He’d sat in his expensive office chair, clicking his outrageously overpriced pen over and over while he’d pictured her writhing under him and screaming his name in ecstasy as he drove into her with the same quick rhythm of the clicks.
Finally, with a growl, he’d decided the only way to stop fantasizing was to go back out there and talk to her. Only, he’d asked her to coffee instead, and they’d hardly spoken. So now, he stared at her incredible curves – the perfectly rounded ass, the slight padding on her h*ps that gave her an hourglass figure, the br**sts that teased him by stretching and pulling taut the blouse she wore, and even the shape of her legs filling out those sexy pinstriped pants she wore.
It proved too much. He wanted her, and he always got what he wanted.
That’s the only reason he played along with this insanity to begin with. A lawyer! Him? After his day at the office ended today, he intended to meet several of his friends and race, having just added a new boost to his own two-wheel machine. And tomorrow, he planned to spend the evening on his father’s yacht.
Which would be the perfect way to start working his way into Valerie Gordon’s pants.
“You like sailing, don’t you?” he asked as they strolled back toward the office, coffee in hand.
She seemed to consider that question for a moment before answering, her perfect little nose wrinkling and her head tilting so a few locks of that silky strawberry hair fell across one eye. “I wouldn’t know, I’ve never been.”
He blinked at her in disbelief. “How is that possible?”
She shrugged and wouldn’t look at him. “I’ve never had the money to do anything like that.”
Suddenly he understood. The reason she seemed so different from anyone else in the office was because she was different. She wasn’t a trust fund baby. All the more reason to offer her everything she wanted so he could get what he wanted.