by Renea Porter
“You don’t have to say it back…”
I interrupted him, “I love you, too.”
He gave me the biggest grin ever. And those damn dimples got me. He pressed his head to mine. “I’m falling for you, Ryls. I’ve never felt like this with anyone else.”
“I feel the same way. But it does scare me.”
Tucker James was on his fourth song. I knew it would be the last one. With Levi’s hand on my leg, we savored this moment.
After singing, Tucker James stepped off the stage to come over to us. Levi offered his hand to help me up. I looked to Tucker. “Thank you so much for this,” I told him. He took my hand, wrapping it in both of his and gave me a peck on my cheek.
“I really appreciate you coming out here, man.” Levi and Tucker slapped their hands together and gave each other a half hug.
“I really enjoyed taking a small break from the craziness.” He then looked to me. “Happy birthday again.” Tucker waved before heading out.
I reached over and hugged Levi. “Thank you so much. You don’t know how much this means to me. It’s the best birthday ever.”
We stood in place with Levi’s hand around my waist. “I’m so glad you enjoyed it. And every birthday will get better and better.”
“Oh, I don’t know if you can top this one. I’m not even sure I’m gonna wash my cheek.”
“Down girl.”
“Seriously, this was the best birthday I have ever had.”
“Stick with me and I’ll show you what else I can come up with.”
Levi bent down to pack everything back up in the basket. “Now we can go relax and watch some movies.”
“Your room or mine?” he asked.
“Yours.”
“Oh. Something different, eh.”
“Yeah. Let me grab some pajamas.”
“Sounds good.”
We stopped at my room so I could change. And we headed to his room right down the hall. It was time to really get to know each other and each other’s habits.
“Close your eyes,” he instructed as we settled in his room.
“What are you up to?”
“Close them.”
I closed my eyes anyway and waited for him to tell me when to open them. I could hear him walking around the room doing something.
“Don’t peek.”
“I’m not. Hurry up or I will look.”
“Okay. Open up.”
Levi held a cupcake up to me with a candle lit. “Make a wish.”
“It’s not even my birthday yet.”
Levi looked at his watch. “It’s after midnight. So, it’s your birthday. Make a wish, birthday girl.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and made a wish before blowing out a lone candle.
He handed me the cupcake, grabbed one for himself, and we settled on his bed. “You can pick a movie and then I’ll pick one. What is your favorite movie?”
“Hope Floats and Jerry McGuire. I know they are older movies, but I literally could and have watched them a million times and never get tired of it. What’s yours?”
“Field of Dreams and Roadhouse.”
“Oh, those are classics.”
“Yes, they are. Should we start with Jerry McGuire?”
“Yes.” I smiled wide.
***
Two hours later, Levi was sound asleep. I quietly slid off the bed so I could pull the comforter down. Moving around the bed, I pulled Levi’s legs up and tried to put them under the comforter, but I was unsuccessful because the guy was built. He woke up.
“I didn’t mean to wake you. You fell asleep so I figured we’d get comfortable.”
“Come here and let me hold you, Cupcake.”
I settled into him while he spooned me. He started kissing my neck. “Now might be a good time for that quickie.” I could feel him smile against my neck and I was done. I needed him so bad.
Leaning back, we kissed and he ran his hand over my body, sending goosebumps all over my skin. “I love the way your body reacts to my touch.”
I twisted my body around to face his. His erection pressed into my stomach, so I removed my panties. He moved his boxer briefs down, I wrapped a leg around his, and he moved inside me. We were pressed skin to skin and I couldn’t believe how much he made me feel.
Moving up, I pressed him flat onto the bed while I climbed on top. “I love seeing you on top of me. So fucking hot.” He leaned up to kiss me and I cradled his face in my hands while he pressed me onto him as if any space could get in between us. And I’ll admit, this wasn’t slow or deliberate like it was before. I was riding him like my life depended on it. This was raw and needy.
“Keep going Cupcake, I’m about to come.”
I could feel his body shake as his climax came. It took me a few more seconds before I felt my body shudder against his. “Oh my god.”
I fell onto the bed next to Levi.
“Wow,” Levi responded with a sigh, trying to regain normal breathing.
“Ditto.” I placed a hand on my forehead, wiping the sweat, and pushed my hair back.
“Now that is a way to end the night.”
I shook my head at him. Smiling, I rose up and placed my head on his chest while he put his arm around me.
Chapter Twenty
LEVI
What in god’s name was that sound? Whatever it was, it stirred me awake until I could place it. Someone was banging on a door. No one occupied this floor except me and Rylee.
Looking to my right, Rylee was dead asleep. Composing myself, I peeked out the door.
Holy shit. Someone was banging on Rylee’s room door. I stepped out of the room and walked over to the woman.
“Can I help you?”
“Do you know where Rylee is?”
“And you are?”
“I’m Callie. I’m Rylee’s ex.”
“Wait here.”
I walked back into my room where Rylee was up putting her robe on. “Where did you go?” She was squinting her eyes, trying to wake up.
“Your ex is outside your room door.”
“Fuck,” she muttered, stepping out into the hall. “Callie. What are you doing here?”
I stayed behind and leaned in the door frame to watch their exchange.
“Well, I heard you were here. And I want to talk.”
Rylee pushed her room door open. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
I moved closer to hear their exchange. And I’ll admit, I was a little taken back that Callie came here. What if Rylee took her back? I swallowed a lump that formed in my throat. No. She wouldn’t go back to that toxic relationship.
Callie stepped into Rylee’s room. “Please, if you let me explain.”
“What? Did your lover leave you?”
“I want to get back together.”
Rylee laughed. “That’s funny. I have a newsflash for you. I’m with someone and he makes me so happy.”
She seemed shocked at first. “Well, it’s only been a few months, so I know you don’t love him. You can leave him and come home with me. We can start a family. I’m ready now.”
“I can’t do this right now, Callie. I need you to hear me loud and clear. I don’t want to be with you.”
“Why not? I thought we were good together.” She stepped closer to Rylee. Rylee couldn’t see me watching their exchange until I stepped closer and looked to Callie.
“Go home, Callie. She doesn’t want you here.”
She looked at me and then to Rylee. “Please, Rylee.”
“No. I don’t want to be with anyone that treats me like garbage all the time. I don’t even know why I stayed so long. You put me down every chance you got. Told me no one would love me as much as you. But guess what? I’m with someone who shows me far more affection than you ever did the whole time we were together.”
“But…”
I couldn’t stand that Callie wasn’t getting the point Rylee was trying to make. “She’s with me now. And she’s being well taken care of.�
��
Callie looked between us again and huffed. “I’m staying at Charlotte Inn until tomorrow night. It’ll give you time to change your mind.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “I think Rylee would like you to go.” I moved to give Callie enough space to leave. But she turned around. “Think about it. We’ve been together a long time to give up now.”
Rylee chuckled. “I’m done. We were done the minute you stepped out on me. Goodbye.”
I stepped inside while Rylee slammed her door shut behind her.
“You okay?”
“No. Yes. I don’t know.” She paced the floor. “She had a lot of nerve showing up here thinking we would get back together.”
I went over to Rylee to stop her from pacing.
“Why don’t you sit and try to relax?”
She sighed once again. “My blood pressure feels like it’s through the roof.”
Thankfully, it was Saturday, which was our day off. “What can I do to make your day better?” I asked, concerned.
Rylee rushed to me and pressed her lips to mine and our clothes started flying off, landing everywhere on the floor. “I need you right now, Levi.”
I smirked against her lips.
***
“Should I be worried?” I asked while we lay in bed, rain pelting against the window.
“No. I’m not getting back with Callie. I really want to relax and enjoy some quiet time.”
“How about you relax for a few hours, and I bring you lunch in bed?”
She smiled lazily. “That sounds perfect. I’m going to try to take a bath and then lie down for a while.”
“Okay.” I planted a kiss on her forehead. “Get some rest.”
I headed back to my room and showered. I called my mom, paid some bills, and a few hours later, I found my way back to check on Rylee.
I knocked lightly on her door since it was locked. “Rylee, you awake?”
“I’m coming.”
She opened her door and saw I was carrying a bag of food.
“Thank god. I’m starving.”
“I hope you like chicken sandwiches.”
“Of course I do. And you brought fries?”
“I got you fries.”
She kissed my cheek as we settled on her bed.
“How are feeling? Did you get any rest?”
She smiled. “I feel great. And yes, I did get some rest. I took a bath and slept. Also, you should know, sleeping is my my number one favorite thing to do.”
I smiled back. “I like sleep. But it’s better next to you.”
“Let’s stay in my room today since it’s dreary and yucky outside. We can continue that movie you fell asleep during.”
“Sounds good. I’m going to go grab a change of clothes to have something comfortable to relax in. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
I stepped out into the hall, and it looked like Callie wasn’t taking the hint. She crossed her arms when she spotted me. “You think you can take care of her better than I can? You look like a baby. How old are you, ten? You don’t want the responsibility of a family.”
I chuckled. “You think you’d do better? Cause you didn’t do a very good job the first time.”
“She’ll come to her senses eventually. She always does.”
“I doubt it. Because it seems like she has already made up her mind. Her future doesn’t include you.”
“Don’t worry. She’ll get tired of you.”
I was starting to get frustrated. “Go home, Callie. She doesn’t want you here.”
I didn’t stick around to continue arguing with her. Rylee and I were happy together. Why was Callie, of all people trying to put doubts in my head?
Inside my room, I grabbed some clothes and headed back to Rylee’s room.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Everything is fine.”
“No. Something is wrong. I see it written all over your face.”
I hopped on the bed next to Rylee. “I ran into Callie. She was trying to feed me lies. Don’t worry about it. I don’t believe anything she says.”
“What did she say?”
I was reluctant to relay what Callie said, but from the concerned look on Rylee’s face, I had to tell her. “She said you will get tired of me eventually. That she could take care of you, so I wouldn’t have responsibility to do it.”
“That bitch!” Rylee flew off the bed and opened her door, looking out into the hallway.
I had to hold her back. “She’s not even worth it. If you’re done with her and want to be with me, it’s settled. She said she’s leaving tomorrow, right?”
“Right.”
“Come here.” I offered her a wicked grin. “Let me show you all the ways I can take care of you.”
“Oh, I do like the sound of that.”
Rylee crawled on the bed and sat in my lap. Her hair fell around us as we kissed, and I rubbed her bare legs. There was no where I wanted to be than here with her.
She reached down, taking the hem of my shirt and pulling it off. She raked her hands over my hard abs. I lifted her top off and slowly slid her bra straps down. Undoing the clip in the back, I took her nipple in my mouth and sucked on them while she tilted her head back, enjoying the sensation.
I pulled her closer against me and took her mouth, teasing her mouth with my tongue and sucking on her lips.
“Are you trying to tease me, Conceited?”
“Is it working, Cupcake?”
“Yes. I need you inside me already.”
“Then your wish is my command. But I didn’t bring a condom.”
“I am clean. I got tested when I first got here, and I got on the pill.”
“You sure? I’m clean, too.”
She nodded while biting her bottom lip. And I flipped her over so I was on top. I kissed her lips and rolled a thumb over her hard nipples before planting kisses on her neck. Working my way down her body, I kissed her stomach before she pulled me up, and I knew that was my cue that she wanted this as bad as I did.
I thrusted inside her. “God, you’re so tight.”
I wasn’t normally one for dirty talk. But this woman was causing me to come undone. There was no way I could take my time because we both had a thirst that needed to be quenched.
“Oh god, Ryls.” I bent down, taking her mouth, and I could tell she was close.
“Don’t stop. Fuck.”
“Fuckkkkkk.”
“Oh god. Oh god.”
I didn’t stop until we were both climaxing at the same time.
I rolled over to the side while we caught our breath.
“You good?” I turned on my side to face Rylee.
“I’m good. You?”
“Yep. And I’m starving as I didn’t get a chance to eat earlier.”
“Shower with me first?” Rylee suggested.
I smirked. “You’re nothing but trouble, Cupcake.”
“But you love me for it.”
“True. True. Also, happy birthday. Callie kind of put a damper on things and I didn’t get to tell you that earlier.”
“It’s okay. Thank you.”
With hot water cascading over us, I took a washcloth to clean Rylee. “I don’t think I could ever get tired of you. So, I hope you never get tired of me.”
“I don’t think I could ever get tired of you, Conceited. I feel like we have this connection that is nowhere near what I had with Callie. It’s you and me.”
“Yeah. I like that.”
She took the washcloth to wash my body but her touch caused me to get another hard-on. “Round two?”
“You’re insatiable, Conceited.”
“You’ve turned me into a monster. You’re like an addiction and I need my fix.”
“I think I’ve got the cure.”
Chapter Twenty-One
RYLEE
The following Monday morning, Levi and I were getting ready for work when I heard a knock on the door. “Expecting anyone?”
“No.”
Opening the door, a man stood with a bouquet of flowers. “Rylee Raegan?”
“That’s me.”
“These are for you.” He handed me a vase filled with flowers. Taking them from him, I shut the door and looked at Levi. “These aren’t from you?”
He shook his head. “No.”
I sat the vase down and spotted a card.
“Who’s it from?”
I rolled my eyes and dumped them in the trash. “From Callie.”
Levi jumped up and fished them out. “You don’t have to throw them away. This vase looks expensive.”
“Fine. I have the perfect place to put them.” I took the vase and put it on the lid of the toilet in the bathroom.
Levi laughed. “Well, alright then.”
“I don’t want to be staring at them.”
“No. I get it.”
I moved over and put my arms around Levi’s neck. “I had a nice time this weekend, minus the Callie thing. Thank you for having Tucker James come out here for my birthday. You made it really special.”
“Anything for you, Cupcake. You know how I feel.” He brushed my lips with his. I felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He took a quick glance at it and said, “And on that note, I gotta get to work.”
I smiled. We always got a little carried away with each other because I couldn’t get enough of him and he couldn’t get enough of me. Wasn’t that how it always was in the beginning?
***
Friday evening, we headed into town to watch a firework display for the Fourth of July holiday. Aubrey and Chance brought their kids as well so we were meeting them in town. We arrived thirty minutes before the show so we could grab a quick bite to eat. And we had some snacks packed in case we needed them. We caught up to Aubrey and Chance.
“It’s been awhile since we last spoke or saw each other. I’m glad Levi asked you guys to come,” I told Aubrey as I hugged her and then Chance. They had an SUV so they all could sit in the back to watch the display.
“I have some news,” Aubrey said, beaming.
I had my suspicions on what it was. “What?”
“We’re having another baby.”
“Oh my gosh. That’s so exciting. Congrats.” I hugged her and Chance once again. “I’m so happy for you guys.”
“Thanks. We need to have a girl’s weekend sometime before I get too big. Four kids are gonna be hard to manage.”