Conklin's Foundation (Conklin's Trilogy #2) Read online

  The waitress scurried off, amused with our interaction.

  “You should have just gotten yourself the medium size salad. It would have saved you two dollars,” I grumbled.

  “Well, that’s an idea and then we could have shared it. Although a Lady and the Tramp scene would be hard with a piece of lettuce,” he smirked. “I think this establishment would frown upon us.”

  “I told you I didn’t want both,” I said in a harsh hush.

  “You can eat half of each,” he said through gritted teeth. “For God sakes it’s just a salad, Becca. Besides, I’m sure we have burned enough calories in the past 24 hours for you to eat a little more.” His eyes becoming more heated. He ran his top teeth along his bottom lip. It was so sexy paired with his scowl.

  I shook my head, attempting to bring my thoughts back to the now. “That’s not the point. I don’t like you dictating what I’m eating. I… I have to be careful about what and how much I eat.” I scrunched my arms around my body, feeling exposed as I crossed my legs tighter. “I thought you understood,” I whispered.

  Tyler’s eyes softened as he set his hand on my crossed thigh. “I do understand. But baby, you have to eat.”

  I winced and scoffed. “Are you joking? Tyler you have been throwing food at me all day!”

  His grip tightened on my thigh, his eyes becoming nervous.

  “I didn’t mean for you to notice. I know eating is a sensitive topic for you, but it’s obvious you haven’t been eating lately. You’ve lost weight, and I need to know you’re not starving yourself.”

  I was on the verge of tears. I hated talking about food. It was such a demon for me.

  “I’m not capable of starving myself. I know I haven’t had a normal eating routine lately, but it will come back. I just have to gradually get into it, okay?” I whispered, staring down at my lap. “I doubt I have even lost that much weight.”

  Tyler snorted, “Becca, you have lost a lot of weight, you are way too thin. If you keep up these eating and fitness habits, you are going to be a figureless twig like Ashlynn.”

  I rolled my eyes. “That’s a good one. With my ass I will never be as thin as Ashlynn.”

  “Thank God for that. I like being able to grab on to you.”

  I went crimson with embarrassment. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

  “You like grabbing my fat? Thanks a lot,” I hissed.

  Tyler rolled his eyes and leaned forward in his chair. “They are called curves, not fat, at least not on you… I love your ass, and it’s hard for me to concentrate whenever it’s in my line of sight.” He ran his fingers from my knee to my upper thigh, scooting closer to me. His lips were inches from my ear as I stared down at my lap. “I love your body and when I saw you last night in your red dress you were stunning, but you needed some more filler here,” he said, tracing his hand to the side of my behind. “You are so beautiful. When will you believe me? I. Love. Your. Curves.”

  I peeked up at his guileless expression. I knew he meant it, but I was unfortunately still comparing myself to Ashlynn and my sister, Heather, both skinny and heart-stoppingly beautiful.

  Wanting to rid the subject and put Tyler at ease, I reached out for a mussel and put one on my plate. I glanced up at him, giving him a lifted brow. His lip quirked up as I reached for my fork and put the mussel in my mouth. I chewed slowly. Wow it was good. “I’m eating. Are you happy now?”

  Tyler leaned back in his chair and gazed at me. “Yes, and once you eat your SALAD and your STEAK… I will be very pleased,” he smirked. I gave him a wry smile and reached for another mussel, knowing I was going to be bloated by the end of the evening and not just because I took my pill at a different time of day.

  ~

  I felt like I was going to explode as a crawled into the Lexus XL. Tyler was grinning from ear to ear at my discomfort.

  “I am so full. I’m going to go into a food coma,” I groaned, leaning back into the cold leather seat. Tyler laughed as he pulled out of the valet. “I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you, touching me is off limits for a while,” I grumbled.

  Tyler glanced over at me and his lips quirked with amusement. “But I was going to offer to give you a massage.”

  “Okay, fine. But only a foot massage,” I teased. He laughed again and took my hand, holding it to his lips the rest of the way home.

  Once we arrived at Union Square, Tyler grabbed my bag from the back seat and opened my door. I was quite cozy from the seat warmers and would have been happy to have my food-induced coma in the warm leather seat.

  “Do I need to carry you?” Tyler smiled, holding out his hand to me.

  My eyes grew wide. “I don’t think so.” Especially not after the huge meal.

  “I would be more than happy to, baby doll,” he chuckled, pulling me out of the car.

  I gave him a you must be crazy look and walked with him to the elevator.

  I didn’t even take my gray pea coat off and headed straight for Tyler’s couch, plopping myself down, curling into a ball. I heard Tyler laugh as he hung his coat up and made his way over to me. He knelt on the floor in front of my face, his eyes filled with humor.

  “I’m glad my bloated discomfort is amusing you,” I grumbled.

  Tyler ran his hand through my hair. “Okay, I will back off trying to feed you all the time.” He ran his nose along mine and gave me a quick kiss then stood up. “Come on, let’s go cuddle in bed.”

  Reluctantly, I stood up with him and took my coat off to head upstairs. Tyler grabbed my jacket from me and hung it up, then followed me up the spiral stairs, resting his hand on my lower back. Once we got into his room I rummaged through his top drawer of t-shirts as Tyler started to unbutton his dress shirt. I pulled out my favorite gray Michigan shirt of his. It was so soft and comfy. I loved how it was loose and smelled like him. I shuffled out of my dress and unhooked my bra, throwing on the t-shirt not even thinking that Tyler was standing in the room watching me.

  Once I was done I turned around to find him staring at me with his head cocked to the side, shirt off with hungry eyes.

  “I thought we were going to cuddle,” I said sternly while pointing my finger at him.

  A sexy smile spread across his lips as he held his hands up. “Just enjoying the view. You are so sexy in my t-shirts.” His eyes were burning with pleasure. I slowly moved towards him, my hair cascading down over my breasts. “You would look hot in one of these,” he whispered, holding up his dress shirt. I arched an eyebrow at him.

  “Good to know. I will put that in my pocket for later,” I murmured, standing in front of him. I could smell his cologne. Oh, he smelled so good.

  His stomach was so taut, prickles and all. I smiled when I looked at the small traces of stubble, curiously thinking what he would look like if he didn’t wax. I’m sure he would still be sexy as hell. Nothing would change how I felt when I looked at him. He was the switch to my libido, and that would never change.

  I lifted my hands and placed them on his pecks, caressing his taut skin. He closed his eyes and relaxed, letting a low hum escape from his throat. I ran my hands to his shoulders, gently massaging, letting one hand go up his neck to the back of his head into his hair, making circles with my thumb on his scalp. My touch still got to him. I loved how he was so sensitive. I loved that my touch meant something to him, like I was the only one who could penetrate his hard exterior and see into his soul.

  His eyes fluttered open and stared down at me, looking drunk with compassion as I moved my hand from his chest to stroke his cheek. “I love when you touch me. Your hands erase everything that makes me edgy, nervous, frustrated… all that runs through my mind is your beautiful baby blues staring up at me, calming every nerve in my body.”

  My heart swelled at his words.

  He said he loved when I touched him… Oh only if I could have the courage to tell him I loved him!

  “I’m in my own world when I’m with you, where no one can do or say anything to piss me off. I
t’s just you and me, perfect and tranquil,” he sighed.

  His eyes grew wide with fear as though something dark crossed his mind. “Don’t leave me again,” he croaked. “I’m going to do everything possible to make you happy, but please, don’t ever give up on me.”

  His fear was heartbreaking and sobering all at once. He was still apprehensive about our renewed relationship. I needed him so much more than he knew. I don’t think I could have the strength to leave him again. Only if he knew it was the other way around. I was so average while he was so… perfect. Who’s to say he wouldn’t leave me? I was just as frightened.

  “I’m here, Ty. I will always be here. As long as we learn from our mistakes together, okay?” I gently massaged the back of his neck, feeling horrible that I had caused him to be so unsure about our reconciliation.

  He pulled my hands from his neck and kissed them, leading me to the bed. I pulled back the covers as Tyler took off his chinos, leaving him in his dark gray Under Armour boxer briefs. He crawled into bed next to me, pulling me into his arms.

  “I hope I don’t make any more mistakes with you, Becca,” he whispered nervously into my hair.

  I let out a soft laugh, “Well I’m bound to make some.”

  I felt his smile on the top of my hair. Tilting my head so I could see him, I said, “I mean it, Tyler. I don’t want to mess this up either.”

  His lip quirked as his eyes softened. “Like you said, we will have to learn from our mistakes. I’m afraid I’m caught in your web.”

  I let out a shy smile and snuggled into his chest, rubbing my hand along his abdomen. I felt his body relax into mine, his arms tangled around me, creating a safe web of our own.

  Chapter 4

  I walked into work feeling like a new person. I wore my black, long sleeve dress with my new dark brown hair and a pair of flats. I threw my hair up and got ready in a hurry. Tyler let me drive his Lexus XL into work, telling me it was way too cold and snowy for me to walk. I was touched he let me drive another one of his precious cars, just as he let me drive his Gran Turismo Maserati over Thanksgiving.

  “Hey, Becca. Have a good weekend? I barely recognized you with your dark hair!” Will, my young, friendly, redheaded boss, greeted while walking with me out of the elevator.

  “It was… intense,” I said, looking up to the ceiling.

  “Yeah? Intense how?”

  “Let’s just say it took a complete 360 degree spin,” I answered, seeming satisfied with my explanation.

  “I hope it was a good spin,” he smiled, his green eyes sparkling.

  I nodded while a slight blush spread across my face. It was a very good spin indeed, at least once completed.

  I set to work, feeling a bit cheerier than usual. All of my deadlines had been met prior to Christmas, so I worked on projects that weren’t due for some time. It was causing my mind to wander towards Tyler. In between picturing him lying shirtless in his bed, I tried to think of the perfect Christmas present for him. He had everything, so whatever I got him needed to be personal. My desk phone interrupted my thoughts.

  “Becca Stine, how can I help you?”

  “Hi sweetheart, how are you?” Missy Stine, my mother, replied timidly.

  “Hey Mom. I’m okay. How are you?” I croaked, not knowing what to say, completely thrown off that she was calling me after I laid into her at my father’s Christmas party.

  “Oh, just stressed. The holidays are coming up, you know. I wanted to know what time you would be coming over?”

  “Yes, about that…,” I sighed. She would be delighted I was bringing Tyler, but might be hurt even more when I’d tell her we’d be leaving after brunch on Christmas day to go to Chicago. “Is it okay if I bring Tyler?”

  “Of course,” she said quietly. “Will he be coming on Christmas Eve, too?” she asked, clearly trying to hide her excitement.

  “Yes, but Mom, I’m going to go with him to Chicago after we have our brunch.”

  “Oh, well of course,” she sounded as though she weren’t expecting me to say that.

  “I’m sorry. It’s just something I have to do.”

  “Becca, your father and I knew this would happen one day. You and your siblings are all going to have to deal with this once you are in serious relationships. We are fortunate enough to have Heather, Ray, and Josie for as many holiday’s as we do. I’m just happy you are planning on spending the first part of the day with us.” She was being sincere and surprisingly calm and capricious. I frowned as my heart sank. She was afraid of me, walking on pins and needles because I had spit venom towards her at the Christmas party. I hated feeling awful because I had bashed my mother so horribly.

  “Mom, I’m sorry about the other night,” I choked.

  “We don’t need to talk about that now,” she said hastily.

  I blinked for a long moment, trying to contain my tears.

  “I love you Becca. Just know that, okay?” She sniffled, trying to contain her emotion.

  “Oh mom, I love you too. I never doubted you loved me,” I muffled into the receiver.

  “Good. I will let you get back to work, okay? We can talk later.”

  “Bye Mom.”

  ~

  I met Jamie at the gym, feeling mildly better after the brief talk with my mom. Talking to her about intense subjects was always so hard, and I was afraid we would never actually discuss the venom I had spit at her. I guess if she stopped judging my every move and life choices then we wouldn’t need to talk.

  “I’m not staying for longer than an hour, just so you know,” Jamie groaned, bending down to tie her shoe. “You may be able to go for endless amounts of time on the treadmill, but I have a time limit.”

  “I’m pretty sore. I only plan on doing a light workout.”

  Jamie raised an eyebrow at me. “That good of a make up, huh?”

  I flushed. I wasn’t referring to my extracurricular activities with Tyler.

  “I bet he is a machine in bed.”

  “Jamie!”

  “What? The quiet ones always seem to be rowdy in the sack,” she said nonchalantly.

  I shook my head remaining silent.

  “Well?”

  “Well, what?” I asked, grabbing a towel and water bottle while making my way to a treadmill.

  She rolled her eyes as she hopped on the treadmill next to me. “Is he a lover or a fighter?”

  I tried to hide my blush. “Definitely a lover. He is very… gentle.”

  Jamie laughed. “I would have pegged him for one who likes it rough.”

  “Jamie! Would you stop?”

  “Not until you give me details.”

  “He knows what he’s doing, let’s just say that.” My blush faded as I thought about my confession. How was he so good at sex? I know his main experiences were with an older woman, but he made it sound like they were all quick encounters, not long teaching sessions. Margo. The constant fear of that woman knocking on his door was always in the back of my mind. Tyler throwing her against a wall and plunging into her. Ewe.

  “So you get off every time?”

  I flushed again. “Yes, sometimes more than once,” I whispered.

  Jamie’s face lit up. “Yeah? So he knows where the buttons are, huh?”

  I laughed at her terminology.

  “Oral?”

  “Oh my God, if you have to know, yes,” I blushed again. If we kept talking about my sex life with Tyler I was going to need to start running so I could blame the color of my cheeks on my exertions.

  A sly smile came across her face. “It’s about time you let someone eat at the Y. I personally enjoy that more than sex, unless the guy knows how to move his hips.”

  I just shook my head, blushing further. Tyler sure knew how to move his hips as well.

  “So, do you think his brother is as gifted in bed?” she coyly asked.

  I had never thought of Nathan that way. I had never heard of him with a girl actually.

  “Nathan? I don’t think he dates
a whole lot, and from what I hear, Mitch gets around so he might know a few moves.”

  “Yeah, I was more curious about Nathan. I won’t start with him anyway. I wouldn’t want a repeat of that bar I worked at back in college. Oh that was a mess!”

  I laughed. Jamie had a fling with the owner of the bar she worked at during college. Needless to say it did end messy, and she vowed to never sleep with her boss again-- and Nathan was exactly that.

  After the gym Jamie and I ordered Chinese and watched movies. She was leaving to go to Florida for the holidays on Tuesday for two weeks. Just as we were pouring the Chinese onto plates, the intercom buzzed. Jamie and I shrugged our shoulders at each other. Jamie walked to the buzzer and answered.

  “I have a delivery for a Becca Stine,” the concierge said. “Is now a good time to send the security guard to make the delivery?”

  “Sure, thanks. I wonder what, or who, sent you a gift?” Jamie flirted.

  I rolled my eyes and continued pouring the Chinese on two separate plates. “I bet it is something stupid from my mother.”

  The door buzzed and Jamie raced to answer.

  A massive flower bouquet greeted Jamie at the door. She gasped then heard a muffling coming from the flowers. We could hardly hear or see the poor security guard who had to deliver the flowers to our floor.

  Jamie tried to help the gentlemen in so he could set the flowers on the kitchen table, which happened to tower over and dominate the small wild flower arrangement from Gage.

  Then it clicked.

  I tipped the security guard who was frazzled by carrying the large bouquet then went to examine the flowers with Jamie. The arrangement consisted of at least four dozen roses with white lilies, hydrangeas, and baby’s breath mixed in. It was breath taking.

  Jamie searched the bouquet for a card and finally found one. “It’s from your gentle lover,” she teased, handing me the card. I scowled at her and looked at the card.

  Becca,

  I’m sure the flowers on your table are weepy by now and I thought they needed a proper