Beyond the Cherry Trees: The Cook Brothers Series
Read Beyond the Cherry Trees: The Cook Brothers Series Online
Authors: Heather D'Agostino
Tags: #Romance
Beyond the Cherry Trees Playlist
Beyond the Cherry Trees (The Cook Brothers #2)
H. D’Agostino
Copyright © May 2016 by Heather D’Agostino
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are property of the author and your support and respect is appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
The following story contains mature themes, profanity, and sexual situations. It is intended for adult readers.
Cover design and formatting by Cassy Roop @
Pink Ink Designs
Photography by Kelsey Keeton of K Keeton Designs
Cover Models: Dillon Denton and Amanda Romine
Editing by Rebecca Cartee @Editing by Rebecca
ISBN: 978-1530188734
(Paperback)
2 months ago…
THE LIGHTS FLASHED
around me, pulsing to the beat of the music as I lifted the glass to my lips once again. Tonight was about celebrating, and I was the man of the hour. The case I’d been working on for the last several months finally closed, and we won. My client was getting a huge settlement, and after my boss saw me in action on the case, he finally awarded me the title of partner. No one in my firm had ever made partner at my age. I was what they called a “prodigy”. Several of the other junior partners had invited me out to celebrate, and here I was. Gavin, my best friend, was supposed to be meeting me here, but he hadn’t shown up yet.
“Hey, you.”
Her
voice came from behind me, causing me to jump slightly. Christina had been pursuing me for weeks. I’d been interested at first, until I found out she was strictly off limits. First, she was an intern. She didn’t work directly with me, but still, interns were off limits. The big kicker? She’s my boss, Henry’s, daughter. Yeah, that one caught me completely off guard. I walked into Henry’s office one day to see a picture of Christina on his desk. It hadn’t been there before, but now she was staring right back at me. As much as my dick wanted me to say “fuck it”, I couldn’t. I knew messing with her would screw me royally, and I loved my job. I was Tyler Cook. I could have any chick I wanted. I didn’t need Christina Stark.
“You can’t be here,” I mumbled around the lip of my glass drunkenly. I’d stopped counting at drink number five, and Johnnie Walker had become my new best friend tonight.
“Why’s that?” She tipped her head to the side and sunk her teeth into her lower lip. “You seem pretty lonely Ty.” Her palm flattened on my bicep before she squeezed it lightly. “I was hoping you might want a little company.”
“You know this can’t happen,” I grumbled as I motioned for the bartender to get me another drink.
“But it can.” She licked her lips, and I couldn’t help but watch her tongue as my dick twitched in my pants. “No one would have to know. It could be our secret.” Her voice lowered as she leaned in next to my ear. One hand slid across my back as the other lowered to where my thigh was flexing under the bar.
“I would know,” I muttered as I swallowed. “Fucking rules,” I mumbled just as the stool on the other side of me made a scuffing noise as it was pulled back.
“Sorry I’m late,” Gavin’s breath was labored as he folded his tall body onto the stool. “Work was a bitch today, and I just couldn’t get away.” He motioned for the bartender as I swung my gaze in his direction. I would have been amused by his disheveled appearance if I wasn’t trying to push Christina away so hard.
“It happens,” I chuckled lightly with a shrug.
“Who’s this?” Gavin grinned as his eyes scanned the vixen perched on the other side of me.
“Trouble,” I muttered as I used my fingertips to push the glass I was holding across the bar in hopes of getting another. I’d been tipping these back so fast that I was starting to really feel them.
“Trouble ‘eh?” His brows wagged as he looked past me and held out his hand to her. “Nice to meet you. Why are you with this loser?” Gavin laughed lightly as I rolled my eyes. We’d been friends since law school, and after Mia crushed my heart, he’d turned into my perfect wingman. He knew when to back off, and when to swoop in and save me. Apparently, I wasn’t sending the right message tonight because the harder I tried to deflect Christina, the more he pushed. “You look like a fantasy to me, not trouble.”
“Why, thank you,” she giggled as she moved to stand between us. “If you don’t want me, maybe your friend does,” she whispered as she turned her back on me. Now, I don’t know if it was the alcohol or the fact that I was going to lose the girl to my best friend, or what, but those few words made me throw all common sense out the window and head down a path I knew would be nothing but trouble.
“I don’t think so,” I growled as I rose from my seat. “I don’t lose,” I grabbed her wrist and tugged her flush with my body. “Ever!” I stressed the words as I leaned down and nipped the shell of her ear. Yeah, I was in so much trouble, and I didn’t even know it yet.
Christina giggled as I dragged her toward the bathroom of the club. I wasn’t usually this impatient, but I hadn’t gotten laid in over a week. I was never really into the one-night stand, but after Mia up and left, I was doing everything I could to get back in the saddle. I’d sworn off dating for over two years, and now I was happy just to have a warm body in my bed. I really didn’t have to search; the women seemed to come to me. I had the looks and the brains, a total package. I haven’t always been this cocky, but having your heart broken changes you. I don’t care what people say, once that little piece is shattered, there’s no getting it back. You may heal and move on, but you’re never the person that you were before.
“Ty,” Christina panted as I shoved through the door of the bathroom. I pushed her into the single stall, and twisted the lock.
“You better be ready for this,” I warned. “All this teasing and taunting that I’ve listened to for weeks,” I winked as I undid my belt buckle “I’m going to give you one hell of a ride.” The alcohol was making me brave, and as I watched her body tremble with desire, I couldn’t slow myself down if I wanted to.
“I hope so,” she giggled. She reached for me just as I shoved my boxers to my knees and wrapped her in my arms. Our mouths crashed into one another, and as my tongue explored, my hands slid under the pencil skirt she was wearing. I pushed it up as I fisted the flimsy material of her thong and gave it a harsh tug. It ripped from her body, causing her to gasp in surprise. “Fuck me, Tyler,” she groaned as I lifted one leg to wrap around my hip. I positioned myself at her entrance and with one quick thrust filled her.
“Fuck!” I hissed before pulling back and slamming into her once again. She moaned and I covered her mouth with mine to muffle her cries. I knew I wasn’t going to last, and as I sped up, her nails dug into my back. We soared over the edge together, and just as I finished, reality slapped me right across my face.
“Get a room,” someone groaned as the door to the bathroom swung open. Our feet were all that could be seen, but we hadn’t been subtle about what we were doing. I placed my hand over Christina’s mouth to keep her quiet as we waited for the person to leave. I recognized the voice as one of the men I’d come here with. I was so dead if we got caught.
“Shh,” I whispered as I slowly moved my hand. The bathroom door closed, and I leaned over to pull up my pants and boxers. “This can’t happen again,” I warned as I turned my back on Christina and left.
I walked as fast as I could to the front of the club, leaving her in my wake. I needed to get away. I’d text Gavin later and let him know what happened, and then I needed to figure out how to make Christina understand that this was a one-time thing. We had a company function coming up soon. I’d need to show up with a date. Maybe that would help. Christina and I couldn’t be anything. It just wasn’t possible, no matter how hot she is. I just hope she understood this as much as I did.
Present Day…
“WHAT ARE WE
doing?” I gasped as her hand reached into the waistband of my boxers, and I felt her fingers wrap around my cock.
“Exactly what you want to be doing,” she giggled as she stroked me again. We were in my office making out like teenagers. It was late, and only the cleaning crew was here. I don’t know how she managed to stay without anyone questioning her, but she did. I’d been finishing notes for the case I was taking to trial the next week when she waltzed in and closed my door. I’d told her months ago that this couldn’t keep happening, but we couldn’t stay away from each other.