Virtual Reality

by Kitty Cox

  For some reason, that made Rhaven smile a little more. "I can do that," she promised. "Just hit me up in the morning, but I'll be logged in. I'm in the back corner."

  "All right," Riley said. "That's three teams. I mean, I'm smoking all of you, but it'll be fun."

  And the conversation began to move back to gaming. Kate really had no idea what she'd just signed up for, but they were all willing to help her with some strategies for the competition. According to Braden, the prize would be a new gaming rig for everyone on the winning team, top of the line, complete with Deviant Games logos on the case. Void and QQ seemed unimpressed with that, Psyc looked amused, but to Kate it sounded pretty amazing.

  "What I really need help with," she finally admitted, "is making it through this speech tomorrow!"

  "Really?" Braden asked.

  She nodded. "I hate public speaking."

  "It's easy," Void told her. "Stop thinking about it as being public, and start looking at it more like this. Just a room of your friends, and some people who soon will be."

  "A few hundred friends?" she asked.

  Braden chuckled. "Yeah, pretty much. Look, I'll promise that half the people in the room will be ignoring you. The other half will be staring at your chest." He shrugged. "It's kinda what guys do."

  "Not helping," she told him.

  "And it's not that easy," Rhaven said, speaking up. "Look, you guys? You're all the kind that have people check you out normally. That makes it easy because you're used to being the center of attention. For most people, it sucks to have everyone looking at you."

  "Are you the shy kind?" Braden asked.

  Rhaven rolled her eyes. "I'm just sick of being judged. Lithium, just talk to me. I'll be in the back corner, and if you look at me, they'll think you're looking at the whole group."

  "Thank you," she breathed. "No one else seems to understand!"

  "Yeah, well I do. Consider a shot of something potent before you go up there, even if it's just espresso. Helps convince yourself it's ok." Rhaven laughed once. "And act like this is no biggie. None of us will know you're freaked if you don't tell us."

  "Wait," Psyc said. "How'd you get suckered to do this crap anyway?"

  Kate scrubbed at her face. "I work for the hotel. That's how I got to come."

  "And a nice suite," Adam added. "Paid holiday for her. She's the Executive Marketing Coordinator."

  "My mom's assistant," Fizz bragged. Then he snapped his mouth shut.

  "Really?" Riley asked. "So Kate works for Fizz's mom, and is dating her other son?"

  "Don't ask," Cynister mumbled. "Trust me, Q. It's a don't ask thing."

  Riley looked between the pair of men and nodded. "I figure they'll tell me when they're ready. I'm willing to assume Kate also knows all the dirty gossip."

  "And won't say a thing," she promised, reaching over for Adam's hand.

  He laced his fingers with hers and pulled her closer. "See, we're all hiding something, Q. You that you were a girl, Void kept his real name to himself, and not a single one of us believes that Cyn delivers pizza."

  "Totally do," Cynister assured them. "It's what all the hackers are doing."

  "I'm not hiding anything," Synjd offered, his voice sounding exactly the same in person as it did online.

  "Not the daughters?" Cynister teased.

  Synjd shook his head. "Nope. Talk about them in game all the time. Usually as a reason for why I can't make the ops times, but still. I'm pretty much an open book."

  "Then you," Adam told him, "are the weird one. No offense, guys. I like you all, but when I log in, I want to forget all about the real-life crap."

  "Cept your girl," Void reminded him.

  Adam turned a warm smile on Kate. "I found her online, so she doesn't count."

  "Hyperbolic angel and all?" Kate asked him.

  "Mhm."

  Riley laughed. "So tell me, Lithium, does he fuck as hard as he fights."

  Rhaven almost choked on her drink. "What?!"

  Kate grinned, but she wasn't about to pass up the chance to pick on her perfect boyfriend about anything. "More controlled. In game, he likes to go wild. In bed?" She reached over to poke Adam. "He's all about accomplishing the mission."

  "Oh damn!" Fizz gasped.

  "Wait," Psyc groaned. "No. I don't want to hear about some dude fucking!"

  "No?" Riley asked. "But that's what you boys all did to me. First question you always asked. I figured there's no reason the girls can't do the same."

  "I want to hear about the women fucking," Psyc assured her. "I mean, my big claim to fame is that I'm a gamer. Outside of these events, I'm kinda a loser, Q. I have to live vicariously through the ones getting some." Then he looked back. "Unless you're hard up Rhaven? I mean, we could totally hook up all weekend if you're desperate."

  "I'm not," she assured him.

  Kate didn't miss Braden's little smile. "Single?" he asked.

  "Does it matter?" she shot back.

  He shrugged. "Does if your significant other is going to come beat my ass for inviting you to hang out at the Deviant booth. I got some new Flawed footage if you're into MMOs."

  "Dude," Psyc told him. "I can't compete with that!"

  "I know."

  Adam just chuckled beside Kate's ear. "This one's mine, guys. Hands off." Then he pulled her into his lap. "And I'm keeping her."

  "Aww," Riley teased, getting up to head back to the kitchen. "And she needs to relax a bit before her big morning. Hey, Kate? You like tequila?"

  "Don't do it!" Adam warned.

  "Yeah," Kate told Riley.

  She grinned. "You'll thank me later, bro. One glass of top shelf tequila coming right up."

  Cynister shook his head. "And she means glass, Lith. Not a shot glass."

  She did, too. When Riley returned, she was carrying two of them. One was full. The other only had a few inches, but that had to be at least two shots worth. She passed it to Kate, then set a bowl of lemon slices on the table between them.

  "To gamer girls," she toasted.

  Rhaven immediately raised her own glass. "To gamer girls."

  Kate just lifted hers. "Pros or newbies, we're gonna stick together, right?"

  "You know it."

  So Adam lifted his bottle, convincing the men to do the same. "To the gamer girls. May they kick our asses and look good doing it."

  "Gamer girls!" they all toasted in unison.

  Then they drank, and Kate had a funny feeling she would be regretting this in the morning, because Riley didn't understand the concept of 'a little bit.' The best part was that Kate didn't even care.

  Chapter 33

  It wasn't long after the toast before Kate was giggling a little too much and feeling wonderfully fuzzy around the edges. From the smiles on their faces, the guys weren't any better. Sadly, the party started to wind down early when Braden got a text. It appeared he was back on Dez duty, he said.

  Rhaven left not long after. Before it was even midnight, Knock was beginning to melt into the couch. The kid was clearly drunk, but he had the benefit of youth to keep him from feeling it in the morning. When Psyc announced that he had to get some sleep before the tournament, the party was officially over.

  "You get a room?" Adam asked Fizz as the three of them made their way into the hall.

  He nodded. "Yeah. Mom got me a corner suite on the first floor. Means less of a trip to and from the gaming hall. You in the penthouse again?"

  "Again?" Kate asked.

  Fizz waved her down. "No one else can afford them, so he always claims one at these big events. Pretty much guarantees that the hotel gets a better lease to cancellation rate, since the big suites are ranked heavier."

  "And here I thought I was special," she teased.

  Adam glared at his brother. "You're ruining my smooth moves, man."

  "Just show her the view. She won't blame you after that." They'd reached the elevators, so he pressed both buttons. "Text me in the morning to make sure I'm up?"

&nb
sp; "And why wouldn't you be?" Adam asked.

  Fizz grinned. "MMO convention, bro. I'm gonna go find something pretty and see if I can convince her to go home with me." He paused when the door dinged, but waved them forward when he saw the light pointing up. "Don't hurt him too bad, Lith."

  She could feel her cheeks warming. "Fizz!"

  "Right. Because I'm supposed to believe that you're not taking him upstairs to bang. No, I gotcha. Night you two."

  "Night," they both told him as they stepped into the car.

  The moment the doors closed, Adam moved closer. "I did promise to throw you on that bed," he reminded her, his hands moving to her waist.

  Kate lifted her chin, all but daring him to kiss her. "Mhm. And I haven't even gotten to see the room yet."

  "I promise, the room's not that important." He shifted that last step, so their bodies were pressing against each other. "And two floors is not nearly enough time to seduce you in the elevator."

  "Dunno," she said, her voice just a bit breathless. "I think it's working."

  He leaned down, clearly intending to kiss her just as the door dinged. That made both of them laugh, but Adam guided her in front of him just to wrap his arms around her waist. Together, with her back pressed against his chest, he walked them both toward their room.

  "You remember those big clients from downstairs with that game we know?" he said when they were almost there. "They're across the room, so you're going to have to refrain from screaming tonight. Would hate to have the staff come up because of a complaint."

  "Yeah," she agreed. "That would be awkward."

  "Mhm." This his lips brushed the side of her neck. "And so worth it. Also means I have a new challenge to chase."

  "Adam," she hissed, pulling away to reach for her key. "I'm not a screamer."

  "A man needs goals, Kate." He plucked the plastic key from her hand, slid it through the lock, then pushed open the door. "So does a woman, and making sure I know exactly what you like? I think that's a very good place to start."

  She stepped into him. "Well, I definitely approve of how you kiss me."

  "And that's all?" But he didn't move toward her mouth. Instead, he turned her toward the rest of the room. "Your home away from home, my dear."

  The room was truly impressive. To the left was a large kitchen - a real one. Straight before her and to the right was a living area. A door on the far wall looked like it led to a bedroom. Beside it, she could see a bathroom. But over half of the living room was a second floor, like a patio built inside, and the only way to get up there was a small spiral staircase.

  "The bed's on the loft," he breathed against her ear. "Set to look out over the city."

  "And the rest?" she asked.

  He gestured for her to check it out. "Go look. Explore." Then he pulled his shirt over his head, walking backwards towards the stairs. "But I'm going to be up there, waiting for a woman to keep me warm."

  The t-shirt got dropped in the middle of the living room. Next, he popped the top button of his jeans. Slowly, no more than a half inch per step, he lowered the zipper. Kate wanted to follow him. She also wanted to see the suite. Then there was the sad truth that she also really had to pee. Too much alcohol and giggling had that effect.

  "I have to use the bathroom," she told him, "so I'm going to look while I find one. I expect you to be naked by the time I get up there."

  "Yes, ma'am," he agreed.

  So she headed for the bathroom she'd seen off the sitting area. Naturally, it was massive. Two showers proved this space was designed for a couple. The matching sinks proved it. When she was done, she went to the bedroom. It was dark and serene, decorated in a midnight blue color with the softest carpet she'd ever seen.

  When she stepped out of there, she found a small office, complete with a desk in the middle, but she wasn't interested. Adam was in bed, and the longer she looked, the more she realized that this was really nothing more than an impersonal apartment with a much bigger price tag. It was meant to give rich people the feel of home when they spent most of their time away from it.

  But as she made her way up the stairs, she changed her mind. No, this area was definitely meant to seduce. The open spiral made her feel like she was climbing up above the city. The windows were almost seamless, and the entrance to the loft was set at the back, beside the view, not in the middle of the seating area. And when she reached the second level? She swore she'd just walked onto a cloud.

  The carpet was white. the bed was white. Everything was thick and plush except for the man lying in the middle of the bed. The moment he saw her, he reached for the bedside table and pressed something, turning off all the lights in the rest of the suite.

  "Now that," he said softly, "is a view. Take your hair down, Kate."

  She pulled the rubber band from the end and slowly began to unwind her braid. The whole time, Adam lay completely exposed before her, as much on display as she was. As her hair began to fall across her shoulders, she could see he liked that, but not enough. Not yet.

  "Clothes, darlin'," he ordered the moment her hair was free. "And take your time about it."

  There was something about having a man want to look at her that made her nervous. It also made her excited and turned on. The two feelings warred inside her, but she was pretty sure she liked the way he made her feel more than she feared making a mess of this. The only problem was that she'd never done a strip tease before, but how hard could it be?

  Slowly, she lifted her shirt up, taking her time about exposing her breasts. When she tossed that away, she reached for her jeans, removing them the same way he had, taunting him with every inch of flesh she exposed. Adam never moved, but he was now completely hard, and his eyes followed everything she did as if he were entranced.

  "Damn, you're beautiful," he breathed.

  As she pushed her jeans off, she had to shift her hips. Easing the fabric down only made it take longer, but she managed to shed her shoes and socks when she bent to get her ankles free, turning to make sure her ass was pointed toward him for the best view. That meant when she stood back up and removed her bra, all he got to see was her spine.

  "I do love that tattoo," he purred. "And your sexy little body. So small and delicate, like you could fit in my hands. Take the rest off, darlin', and come play with me."

  "What if I intended to make you play with yourself?" she countered while turning slowly.

  His hand moved to his dick, pumping it once. "Like that?"

  "Mhm." She pushed her panties down and stepped free, leaving herself naked before him.

  "But you feel better wrapped around me than my hand." He let go to crook his finger, summoning her closer.

  Kate didn't move. "I was enjoying the view."

  The soft growl proved he liked that, and his hand went right back where it belonged. This time, his grip was different, actually stroking himself for her. Kate's teeth closed on her lip, and she watched his strong hand touch the places he liked best, and still, she broke before he did. Giving in, she crawled up the end of the bed and Adam met her half way, leaning forward to kiss her hard.

  His hand left his dick, diving deep into her wild hair instead. He pulled just hard enough to prove how bad he wanted her. She followed, letting him take over. Her leg moved over his hips, and her body straddled his pelvis, but before she could lower herself, his other hand caught her, holding her up while his mouth distracted her completely.

  He kissed her like nothing else mattered, as if simply touching her was the greatest desire he could imagine, and she loved it. This was Adam, so calm, controlled, and yet filled with passion. He was a contradiction in all things. One she'd never be able to get enough of. That was why she'd been so scared of him. He was too good, too perfect. She'd convinced herself that men like this didn't really exist, but he did, right here, just inches below her, and his mouth was promising he still had more to give.

  "Please, Adam," she begged.

  He let her sink another inch, teasing her entr
ance. "I will give you everything, darlin'. Every single thing you want, I will make sure it's yours."

  "I want you." She cupped the side of his face and made him look at her. "I always have, even if I was scared of wanting it."

  He kissed just beneath her eye. "I take care of what's mine." And he guided her down slowly. "Very, very good care."

  She felt him fill and stretch her, but he didn't rush. No, the pleasure was sweet torture, making her even more aware of every sensation. There was no music to drown out the sound of his breath. No lights to blind her to the silhouette of his body beneath her. No distractions to think about except their skin touching, moving, sliding against each other, and she let him set the pace.

  His hands lifted her, but he didn't lay there and take it. No, he was sitting up, kissing her, touching her, driving her body ever higher. When her head fell back, his lips found her breasts, kissing, licking, and sucking until she moaned above him. His grip shifted to her ass, spreading her just a bit more so he could drive himself deeper.

  It was good. So good. She took every inch he gave her, feeling the pleasure building. Her breath came in gasping pants, but he was silent, focused completely on making her feel even better, finding new ways to satisfy her. A kiss on her neck. His teeth grazed against her collarbone. His fingers dug into the flesh of her ass a bit deeper. Each touch made her moan, gasp, or whimper, and she couldn't stop the sounds.

  She also didn't try. Being with him was always amazing, but this time felt just a little bit better. Closer. As if the feelings between them had become tangible. Between the plush white of the room and the glory of her man, she was convinced she'd found a heaven made only for her.

  And she wanted just a little more. Just a bit faster. Shifting her hips, she ground herself against him, finally brave enough to take what she wanted, and he let her. His hands lifted, giving her control, but it was the growl that convinced her. Oh, he really liked this.

  "Fuck me, darlin'," he begged.

  She did. Over and over, she rode him just the way she wanted, but it was too good. His hands on her back, his mouth kissing her skin. She couldn't take much more.