by Leslie North
He tried to come up with an equally provocative response, but his mind was too preoccupied with how she looked, how she smelled, how she might taste if he kissed her. Levon played it off with shrug, blaming his dyslexia again because it was as good an excuse as any. “You know me. Takes me a while to think of what to say.” Especially with you so close.
“I’ll wait.” She tilted her head, exposing that delectable throat of hers and damn, now all he could think about was nuzzling that spot right beneath her ear. Damn, he had it bad for Olive Owen and that wasn’t good. “I’m good at waiting.”
“I remember,” he said quietly, memories of their long study sessions back in high school replaying in his head. “Uh, how about we get out of here and you let me buy you a drink and we can talk about the old days?”
“The old days?” Olive narrowed her gaze on him a moment as if considering his request, her red lips compressed. For a long moment he thought she might turn him down, and Levon was surprised by how disappointed that prospect made him. Then she smiled and nodded. “Sure. I guess I’ve been waiting long enough to see how you turned out. Tonight, I get my answer. Where should we go?”
“Is the Rusty Spike still open?” he asked, waiting while she locked up her classroom, then following her to the exit. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in town.”
“Yeah, it’s still there,” Olive said, pushing out into the cool night. The parking lot and his waiting truck were not far away. “Still a total dive too.”
“If there’s somewhere else you want to go…”
“No. The Rusty Spike is fine. Not much else to choose from around here,” she said, walking beside him down the sidewalk, the orangeish glow from the streetlights catching fire in the highlights running through her chocolate-colored curls. Levon felt an insane urge to run his fingers through them to see if they felt as soft as they looked, but he didn’t think Olive would appreciate him messing up her fancy new do.
“Which car is yours?” she asked, jarring him out of his inappropriate thoughts.
“Oh, that one,” he said, pointing to the shiny black extended cab Ford. It was a nice ride, with plenty of leg room for him and all the bells and whistles inside. If he’d been in the market for a vehicle of his own, this would be the one he’d get. As it was, he wouldn’t be in town long enough to do much driving. He’d be off on his last SEAL mission soon enough. “It’s a rental.”
“Nice.”
He clicked the button on the key fob and the lights flickered as the doors clicked open. Olive opened the passenger side door before Levon could get there to do it for her and climbed into her seat, buckling her seatbelt while he walked around the front of the truck and slid in behind the wheel. Soon he’d cranked the engine and pulled out of the lot, heading for the only bar in town. While he drove, awkward silence descended between them again, until Olive started chatting about the people at the reunion. He only half-listened, more interested in her than any of the other losers he’d become reacquainted with tonight.
They slowed for a red light and she giggled. An honest to God giggle, and the husky sound went straight to Levon’s groin. So much for playing it cool. He shifted in his seat, glad his longer shirt covered any embarrassing situations down below. Olive ran a hand through her hair, then looked over at him. “Sorry. I think I might’ve had too much punch back at the gym.”
Me too. Levon bit back the words and frowned, punching the accelerator harder than necessary once the light turned green. Moments later, they arrived at the bar and he pulled into an open spot near the end of the row in the gravel lot. This time he got out and went around to help Olive out of the truck. The height meant her skirt rode up a bit as she stepped down, giving him a glimpse of slim thighs and shapely calves and damn if he couldn’t stop thinking about those legs wrapped around his waist as he drove into her warm wetness over and over again.
Shit.
“Thanks,” Olive said, her hand still in his as she stood before him, their eyes locked and their breath hitching. Oh boy. Then she stepped back and smoothed her hand down her dress. “We should, um, get inside and get a table. The place fills up quick.”
Right. They were here to have a drink and get reacquainted, not screw in the parking lot. The sooner Levon remembered that, the better. Still, as he followed her into the dark, noisy bar, he couldn’t help noticing the sway of her hips as she walked.
Luckily, there were two seats still open at the end of the bar by the pool tables and they took a seat, Levon ordering a dark lager and Olive sticking with sparkling water this time.
“So,” he said after taking a long swig from his bottle to quench his parched throat. “What have you been up to since high school?”
“Well, college, of course. Then coming back here and getting a job teaching science.”
“Really?” At her grin, he connected the dots. “Wait, are you saying you teach at Harper’s Forge High now?”
“Yep. In fact, that classroom you barged into earlier is mine.”
“Wow.” Levon chuckled, some of the tension knotting between his shoulder blades easing. “Imagine that. Olive Owen taking over our old classroom.”
“It’s Miss Owen now.” She winked at him and the room seemed to get a little hotter. Levon resisted the urge to run his finger beneath the collar of his shirt. “And yes. The sophomores are mine.”
Amidst the clack of pool balls from the tables nearby and the drone of conversation around them, he and Olive spent the next hour or so catching up. He told her as much as he could about his time in the Navy and his training for the SEALs, and she talked about her life in their small hometown. Eventually, the alcohol in his system and the lack of food in his stomach created a nice buzz that chased away any remaining inhibitions he might have had. Then again, the three ales he’d downed, on top of what he’d had before in the gym, didn’t hurt either.
The sound of Olive’s voice was nice, soothing, sexy. He was happy just to listen to her talk. Besides he didn’t really have more to say.
Or maybe he did.
The simmering want in his blood rolled into a full boil and he found himself reaching over to take her hand. It probably wasn’t the wisest move ever, but hell if he could make himself care anymore. Time reduced to only the now, only this woman, this night, this moment.
He leaned closer to Olive, and whispered near her ear to be heard over the din in the room, “What do you say we continue this somewhere more private?”
Levon didn’t imagine the slight shiver that ran through her body, or the heat in her gaze as her eyes met his. Yep. She wanted him too. No doubt about it. It might have been a while since he’d been with a woman, but a man never forgot a look like that.
Olive licked her lips and he tracked the tiny movement, thinking about all the places he’d love to have her use that cute pink tongue on him.
“Let’s go,” she said, and that was all he needed to hear.
After slapping a fifty down on the bar top for what was probably twenty dollars’ worth of drinks, Levon took Olive’s hand and all but ran out of the bar with her, not caring that people might talk behind their backs. It was a small town after all. And sure as hell not caring if he seemed way too eager to be with her. Right now, his entire universe consisted of Olive Owen and he didn’t give a shit who knew it.
Between kisses and caresses, they somehow made it to his truck. In a tangle of limbs and lust, they climbed inside. The cab of the truck was bigger than most, but still not ideal for making love. Still, they made it work. Levon tore off his tie and button-down shirt, popping a few buttons along the way, while Olive tugged her burgundy sheath dress off over her head, leaving her in nothing but a lacy black bra and matching panties. She straddled him in the seat, the warmth between her legs brushing over his khaki-covered hard cock, and Levon was lost.
He couldn’t get enough of her. Forget the punch or the beer or anything else.
Olive was by far the most intoxicating thing tonight.
Soo
n her bra was gone and he had those fabulous breasts of her in his palms, their soft weight filling his hands perfectly as he teased her taut nipples with his fingers and thumbs before taking each one into his mouth in turn, making her moan and writhe against him again.
Next he slid her panties down and off her legs, while she fiddled with his belt and unzipped his pants to take him firmly in hand. It took all his hard-won willpower not to come instantly at the contact of her warm skin against him, but somehow he managed. Man, he wanted her like he hadn’t wanted anyone in a long time, maybe ever. Lord knew he’d thought about doing this with Olive so many times, but now it was actually happening, and the reality was so much better than any of his fantasies.
She ground against him, making his hard cock ache to be inside her, but some small shred of common sense still niggled in the back of his mind, making him say, “I won’t be in town long. And I don’t have a condom with me.”
“I know you aren’t staying,” she said, reaching her fingers down to tickle his sensitive balls and making him groan low in his throat. “It’s fine. I want you, I want this. One night is enough. And I’m on the pill, don’t worry.”
Levon kissed her hard and deep, pulling back as she rose up to position him at her wet entrance. Those warning bells went off in his head again before he shut them off. Something was wrong here, but his mind was too fuzzy to think of what.
You need to be inside her, that’s what’s wrong.
Then Olive sank down onto his hard cock, her warm, wet, tight channel fitting him like a glove, and any last remnants of coherent thought left him completely. “Oh God, Olive. You feel amazing.”
She leaned in, trailing kisses down his neck as she rode him to her pleasure. “So do you. So, so good.”
Then there was no more talk, just kisses and caresses and moans of ecstasy as the truck windows steamed up and they both got pulled under by a riptide of desire.
2
Hours later, as the first streaks of dawn glowed through the windows in Olive’s bedroom, Levon lay awake thinking about the night they’d shared. Olive was asleep on his chest, or at least he thought she was, until she stirred and propped her chin on her hand, looking up at him.
“What are you thinking about?” she asked, her voice groggy with sleep.
“Just everything I have to do once I leave town again,” he said, dodging her question. Truth was, he was thinking about making love to her again, but he didn’t want to wear her out—or push his luck. “Busy.”
“With your SEAL team?” Olive traced lazy patterns on his chest with her fingers and his skin tingled in the wake of her touch. “I thought you told me you were done.”
“Almost—I’ve got one last mission,” he said, catching her hand as it traveled down his abs toward his cock again. So apparently she was up for another round before he left. Good to know, but right now, it was just nice to talk. Since leaving his SEAL team, one of the things he missed most was having the other guys to bounce ideas off of. He hadn’t been out on his own long enough to build a group of close friends like that yet. Olive was the closest thing he had to a connection thus far, so he decided to tell her. “As for after that… I’ve interviewed for a new job now that I’m retiring from the Navy. A group of ex-SEALs have started their own security firm in Arlington and have offered me a position, if I want it.”
“Sounds interesting.” Olive rose up on her elbow to meet his gaze. “Are you going to take it?”
“Thinking about it.” He ran his fingers up and down her spine, enjoying her shudder of pleasure and the way her body curled into his as he stroked her skin, like a cat. “Seems like interesting work—mostly protection services and investigations. Pretty much anything that involves muscle.”
“Huh.” Her hand stilled over his heart. “Seems like that will keep you pretty busy.”
“Probably.” He took a deep breath. Before tonight, that idea hadn’t bothered him. He’d never really settled in one place too long, not since joining the Navy. Honestly, the nomadic life suited him. Now though, lying here with Olive, he was reluctant to leave. Which was stupid, really. They’d both agreed to this one-night stand. To make it into more than that was idiotic. “I’ve got one last mission with my SEAL team to finish up. I leave tomorrow to fly to Florida, then from there, who knows? I’ll make a final decision after that.”
“Wow. Guess I shouldn’t get too attached to you then, eh?” Olive gave him a teasing little smile, though a shadow of something flickered through her pretty brown eyes too fast for him to identify.
He gave a curt nod. Neither of them should get attached to the other. In fact, they should enjoy tonight for what it was—no fuss, no muss, no-strings-attached incredible sex. And speaking of sex…
He rolled Olive beneath him and kissed her soundly. When he pulled back at last, she was wrapped around him again, her hands behind his neck and her legs around his waist, so close he didn’t know where she ended and he started. Levon rested his forehead against hers and grinned, then kissed his way down her neck to the pulse point at the base of her throat, inhaling her sweet scent before moving lower to worship those beautiful breasts of hers again. He didn’t remember her having such amazing boobs in high school. Like everything else about Olive, they’d changed. She was so mature now, so luscious and full and ripe. He wanted to eat up every inch of her and devour her whole.
To that end, he paid homage to her breasts a moment longer before kissing his way down her abdomen to the juncture of her thighs. The last time they’d made love, it had been in her shower, the warm water cascading down on them as he’d taken her from behind against the tile wall. It had been hot and intense and wonderful. But now, for this last time, he wanted to go slow and savor her.
She squirmed beneath him, her fingers in his hair as he separated her slick folds and ran his tongue up the center of her before sucking on her most sensitive flesh. Olive damned near bucked off the bed, but for his shoulders and hands keeping her right where he wanted her. With her legs around his head, he made love to her with his mouth and lips and tongue, until she came apart in his arms, crying out his name as she orgasmed. It was the sweetest sound Levon had ever heard.
Finally, after nuzzling her through the cresting waves of pleasure, he kissed his way back up her body until his cock was poised at her entrance again. She was right. They’d gone bareback before, so there wasn’t much point in worrying now. Besides, she’d said she was on the pill.
Maybe it was the lingering alcohol in his system. Maybe it was the remembered pleasure of being inside her that he’d already enjoyed three times that night. Maybe it was the magic of Olive herself, but for once, Levon threw caution to the winds and thrust deep within her, loving the tight heat of her around him.
Soon they found their rhythm and Levon had them both teetering on the brink again. Olive’s nails scored his back as he reached between them to stroke her once, twice, before she tumbled over the edge into yet another climax, her body milking his until he too came hard inside her, his body taut with release and his toes curled until finally, strength left him and he collapsed down atop her, careful not to crush Olive as he rested his head in the valley between her breasts, his breath ghosting her skin and leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake.
“That was…” she said, her words breathy. “Wow.”
“Agreed,” he managed to grunt, still amazed his old high school crush had turned out to be such a fabulous reality in the present. Her fingers stroked his scalp and before he knew it, Levon drifted off to sleep, his night with Olive better than any dream he could have had.
3
Seven months gone, and Levon Asher’s body still ached for another reunion.
He had been ready since he bid goodbye to Olive that morning after—it had been a prolonged goodbye, topped off with pancakes at their favorite diner, and another quickie in his truck. He still remembered how sticky-sweet her lips had been as she’d ridden all recollection of other women out of his head.
That was turning out to be the problem: he couldn’t stop thinking about Olive Owen. Seven months, and he could finally admit that fact to himself. His unlikely high school crush was living naked and rent-free in his thoughts and showed no signs of vacating anytime soon.
But he couldn’t look her up. Not even now, when he was back in Harper’s Forge to assist the local police force. It was his first assignment for the Southern Soldiers of Fortune—yep, he’d taken the job—and, as usual, he went where he was sent, and he was sent where his skills were most needed.
Now what he needed was to keep a clear head, focus on the case, and get the job done…but it was hard to stay on target when his mind kept wandering back to that amazing night. It would be so easy to give Olive a call, see if she was up for an encore—but that hadn’t been a part of the (admittedly unspoken) agreement. He knew how these things went. Olive hadn’t been his first one-night stand by any stretch of the imagination, and he wasn’t about to break the rules of engagement just because she had been great in bed. Fantastic in bed.
“Ugh.” Levon turned off into the high school parking lot reserved for maintenance vehicles, killed the engine, and dropped his forehead against the steering wheel. No more thinking about Olive. It should be an easy self-instruction, especially considering he was on the job.
Levon got out of his truck, yanking the janitorial jacket after him. He shrugged it on, finding it tight in the shoulders, but otherwise nondescript. Hopefully it would throw off any suspicion or questions as he snooped around.
He had volunteered for this case. It just made sense. This was his town, his old stomping grounds. If a gang was really trying to infiltrate the high school—to blackmail and enlist students into drug dealing—then there was going to be hell to pay. He’d make sure of it. He wasn’t going to see those kids endangered on his watch... them, or their teachers...