“Nope.” Levi blocked her path to the sink. “I’ve got it.” He put his hands on her shoulders, all rough and manly, and directed her to the couch. “You sit. Relax. I’ll do the dishes and bring out dessert.”
Relax? She wobbled the rest of the way to the couch and sank to the cushions. There would definitely be no relaxing. His touch seemed to have the opposite effect on her. At the moment, her heart beat faster than it had when she’d ridden her mountain bike up Topaz Mountain. Unable to sit still, she rearranged the magazines on the coffee table. Old copies of Self, Real Simple, Cosmo…
“Five Positions to Enhance Your Orgasm,” a hot-pink headline blared.
Whoa! She’d missed that article. She quickly turned it over just as Levi came into the room.
“Hope you like chocolate.” He set down a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries right next to the issue of Cosmo.
“Yep. Chocolate is good,” she said quickly, shoving the magazine farther aside. Something told her he’d be happy to try all five of those positions in that article tonight. She cleared her throat. “So, you just happened to have a dozen chocolate-covered strawberries lying around in your truck?”
He grinned and sat next to her. “I found the strawberries in your fridge. And there were some dark chocolate chips in the pantry.”
Yes, she always kept plenty of those in stock. “Wow. Very resourceful of you.” She picked up a strawberry and bit into it, the sweetness and sourness mingling on her tongue. “So good,” she said when she’d finished chewing. “Thank you. It was a great dinner.” And it was almost over. A trace of disappointment snuck past her better judgment.
“You’re welcome.” Levi bit into a strawberry too. “I wanted to do something special for you,” he added, turning to face her.
She knew she should look away from him, from that passion brewing in his eyes again, but anticipation held her there. “Why is that?” she half-whispered.
“Because you’re always doing things for other people.” He studied her face, like he was trying to see more than she wanted to let him. “It’s about time someone took care of you.”
“Maybe I don’t need anyone to take care of me.” Especially since she was getting ready to move, to start a whole new life somewhere else. She shifted closer to the edge of the couch, putting more distance between them.
“Everyone needs to be taken care of sometimes,” Levi insisted, appearing unfazed that she had moved away from him.
She shot him a skeptical glare. “Even you?” Seemed to her he’d spent most of his life doing his best to not need anyone. Hadn’t he just alluded to that in the kitchen?
“Even me,” he murmured, gazing determinedly into her eyes.
She turned to the coffee table and popped another strawberry into her mouth. She didn’t know what to do with this Levi. The one who had feelings, the one who kept apologizing. She’d always known how to handle the old Levi. The cocky, joking around, shallow cowboy who’d thrived in front of the cameras. Sitting here with him tonight—sharing dinner with him—made her wonder if she’d ever truly known him at all.
“You seem tense.” He moved closer, his thigh brushing against hers.
“Do I?” she squeaked. Tense wasn’t exactly the right word. Conflicted. Aroused…
“Whenever I’m tense, I go to the trainers and get a massage.” His gaze moved down her body. “I’ve learned a few techniques over the years. Want me to show you?”
“Um.” She cleared her throat, every protest melting in the heat that coiled through her.
Seeming to take her silence as a yes, Levi turned to her and eased his hands onto her shoulders. His fingertips kneaded all the knots and strained muscles brought on by worry and work, caressing them with a firm tenderness. God, he really did know what he was doing.
“Wow. You’re tight.” His hands slipped lower, following the contour of her spine, applying pressure and stroking through her thin T-shirt in a way that made her flesh prickle with pleasure.
A moan slipped out as her head tipped forward.
“See?” His lips drew close to her ear. “Everyone needs to be taken care of sometimes.”
She agreed with a mumbled “Mmmm-hmmmm.” She would’ve agreed with anything he said. She’d never been taken care of quite like this before.
His hands glided over her back with skilled motions, relaxing her muscles.
“Feeling better?” Levi’s deep voice vibrated against her neck, so close she could feel his breath on her skin.
Air pounded in and out of her lungs, building the craving he’d already kindled inside her. Somehow she lifted her head enough to peer at him over her shoulder. “You’ve definitely picked up some solid skills.” But something told her this massage was a lot more sensual than the ones he got from his trainers.
She expected him to bring up another certain skill set he could offer her, but he stayed quiet and continued caressing the sore, tender muscles up and down her back. The more he touched her, the more she ached for him. She couldn’t help it. Couldn’t keep resisting that pull between them. She leaned her head against his chest, feeling his sharp intake of breath near her ear.
“You smell good,” he murmured.
She hardly heard him over the whoosh of blood that ignited her body. “So do you.” Like chocolate, dark and seductive.
“I can’t stop thinking about that kiss.” A husky desperation edged into his voice.
“I’ve thought it about it too.” Longed for it…ached for it…
“Maybe we should stop thinking.” He traced his warm lips down her neck, giving her a delicious shiver.
“Maybe we should.” She closed her eyes to let the feel of him drown out the faint warning sounding in a dark corner of her mind. She hadn’t properly made out with anyone in years. She was always too busy. Too stressed. Too worried. “Screw it,” she muttered, turning fully to Levi.
“What?” He half-laughed.
“Nothing.” She pushed to her knees and straddled his lap. Screw being so careful. Being so closed off. For once, she wanted to feel something that resembled passion.
Levi’s grin had returned. He eased his lips over hers with more tenderness than she had expected. His fingers rose to her face, stroking her cheeks lightly. “Why have you been avoiding me?” he asked, pulling away.
“I don’t know,” she answered breathlessly. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember. All she knew right now, in this moment, was that she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to abandon herself to him without analyzing what might happen tomorrow.
She inched her knees forward and kissed his lips greedily, seeking out his tongue.
Levi groaned against her mouth as he pulled her in tighter. His body was so strong, a shelter in her lonely world. His powerful arms wrapped around her, and for once, she gave up the fight. For right now, he had her, he was holding her, and she could give herself over to the desires she’d hidden too long.
Levi’s lips seared her skin with a blinding heat, leaving his mark all down her neck. “I want you, Cass,” he rasped. His hands lowered and caught the hem of her T-shirt, slowly raising it up before he pulled it over her head. Greed pooled in his eyes as he brushed his fingers along the edge of her red, lacy bra.
Desire poured into her heart, encroaching on her lungs. “I need this.” All of it—the dinner magically prepared for her, and the Shirley Temple, the chocolate-covered strawberries, his hands on her body. It had been too long. Too lonely…
His lips worked their way back to hers while he reached around and undid her bra clasp with one hand. “Nothing would make me happier than fulfilling all your needs,” he growled, taking the straps down her shoulders and then tossing the bra away. He ran his fingers over her breasts as though taking in the details, his eyes growing hungrier with each stroke.
Cassidy struggled to breathe. No one had ever touched her this way, so skillfully, as if he knew exactly what she wanted.
“I used to think about this,” Levi said, his eye
s searching hers. “A lot.”
“Really?” She clasped her hands behind his neck and tried to decide if he was feeding her a line. Back in high school, he hadn’t shown much interest in her. Besides being a protective, irritating older-brother type of influence in her life.
“Really.” He lowered his lips to her neck, kissing his way down until his teeth grazed her nipple.
“Ohhhh…” A long moan flowed out of her. She dug her fingertips into his shoulders. “You never said anything,” she gasped, trying to hold on to coherence.
“I couldn’t.” His hands held her hips, urging her closer. The hard bulge at his crotch pressed between her legs, grinding against her. She moved her hips until he panted harder.
“Don’t worry,” he uttered. “I’ll prove how much I thought about it.” He wrapped his arms around her, shifting and lifting until he lowered her back to the couch. Kissing her lips, he eased onto his side next to her. “When I’m done, there won’t be any doubts.”
He’d already taken care of her doubts, scattering them like brittle fallen leaves caught in a fierce wind. “I’m not worried.” About anything. Cassidy turned her body to his. He was so strong and solid. Hot as hell with those wild hazel eyes and quick, sure smile. “This might be the first time I haven’t been worried in six years.” That’s how long she’d been holding everything together.
“You deserve to feel good.” He kissed her again, slow and sensual, prying open her lips and grazing his tongue against hers. “I’m gonna make you feel real good, Cass.” His large, calloused hand slid down her body, fingers catching the elastic waist of her yoga pants and taking it down to her thighs. He propped himself up on his elbow, hovering over her, eyes examining her body, flashing with desire.
Even just that intoxicated look on his face was enough to turn her on.
“It’s a good thing I never saw you naked,” he murmured, lowering his lips to her chest again. “Because I wouldn’t have been able to keep my hands off you. And your brother might’ve killed me.”
“You don’t have to keep your hands off me now.” She tugged his face to hers and kissed his lips thoroughly, feeling him grin against her mouth.
“There’s no way I could. Not now. You’re too sexy. I have to touch you.” His finger traced a line from her collarbone to her waist and then traveled down over her thigh.
Cassidy tugged at his shirt, trying to get it off, but he took her hands in his. “Nope. Tonight is all about you.”
Before she could protest, his hand slid up her inner thigh and parted her legs.
Her head fell back to the cushions as Levi slid his fingers inside her, stroking her in a rhythmic caress.
“Oh god.” The soft touches made her whole body quake. “Levi…”
“I like it when you say my name that way,” he whispered, kissing her lips. His fingers pressed deeper into her, and she arched her back, raising her hips to meet his movements.
Sounds came out of her mouth, but she had no control over them, no control over anything. Her hands fisted his shirt. “What about you?” she asked between ragged breaths.
“Oh, I’m enjoying myself,” he assured her, dragging his tongue over her breast again. His fingers pulsed inside her while his thumb stroked the outside of her swollen flesh. Breathing hot and heavy against her chest, he lightly bit her nipple and swirled his tongue over her skin.
That was all she felt—his tongue and his fingers dominating her, controlling every sensation, raising her higher and higher. “It’s so good.” How could it be so good?
“Tell me how good.” Levi’s fingers worked faster, firm and insistent.
She couldn’t. Her breaths came too fast, and her hips trembled. She tried to fight it but the convulsion overtook all sense, shattering her control, wrenching a cry from her lips.
When the room finally came back into focus, she let her head roll to the side, staring up at Levi in disbelief.
He gathered her in tighter, kissing her cheek, her ear, her lips. “That was fun.”
“Mmm-hmmm,” she murmured, unable to form more complicated sounds. It had been the most fun she’d had in a long time, but it had also been…intimate. The way he touched her, the way he held her, the way he kissed her—it had been tender, selfless.
It had been loving.
The realization overpowered the lazy contentment that hazed her body. How would she protect her heart from him now?
Chapter Twelve
Cass lay on the couch next to him, her cheeks flushed, her breath ragged. It was the most erotic thing he’d ever witnessed, her sexy, curvy body moving next to him, arching her back and bucking around while he’d made her come with one hand…
“It should be your turn,” she said dutifully, reaching for his belt buckle. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t aching to be inside of her, but Lulu would be home soon, and like he’d mentioned…tonight was all about her.
“Man, this thing is complicated.” Her fingers still fiddled with his silver belt buckle half-heartedly, like she didn’t quite have the strength to unclasp it.
“I’m good,” he lied, easing his arm underneath her back and pulling her tightly against him. The feel of her soft body deepened the throbbing ache, but he fought it back.
“That’s not fair.” She propped her cheek on her hand and gave him a seductive smile. “We should…make it good for you too. We could do more…”
Hell, yes. “You want more?” He slid his hand along the contour of her hip, savoring the feel of her.
“Well, yeah.” Her gaze wandered down his body, lingering at the crotch of his jeans.
It was gonna take one hell of a cold shower to remedy that.
“You’re pretty good at that stuff,” she murmured, feeling her way up his chest.
He almost whimpered. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” They had years to make up for, and he planned to offer her the performance of his life. But…“Not tonight, darlin’.” The words actually hurt. “Your mom’ll be home soon. And it probably wouldn’t go over well if we were holed up in your bedroom too busy to greet her.”
Judging from the construction of the house, she’d hear everything through the walls, and he didn’t want Cass to be quiet. Nothing turned him on quite like those sounds she made…
“Right.” She sighed and shimmied her pants back to her waist before sitting up. “I guess now’s maybe not the best time.”
He forced himself to sit up too. “Which means we’ll have to get together again soon.” So he could continue proving how much he wanted her. “Speaking of…let’s go out.”
“Out?” Not looking at him, she snatched her bra off the floor and slipped it back on.
“Yeah. You know, dinner or a movie or some country line dancing at the Tumble Inn?” He leaned forward to take care of the clasp for her…and couldn’t resist brushing a kiss over her sexy bare shoulder.
“Um…” She scooted away from him and collected her shirt, pulling it back on in one panicked motion.
Here we go again. He braced himself for another swift escape. Every time he got closer to her, she backtracked.
Sure enough, Cass turned to him, still disheveled and lovely, but her eyes, which had been soft and open only a few minutes before, shot him a familiar glare. The one that built an invisible force field between them. “I’m hoping to leave in July,” she said, as if he wasn’t well aware.
“So am I.” He glared back and set his jaw. Not this time, honey. Not after what just happened between them. “By the end of summer, I’ll be all healed up, and I’ll have to hit the circuit again.” In return for his friends’ helping him out with the clinic, he’d agreed to join up with them for a tour of sorts—appearances at some of the bigger rodeo events around the country.
“So there’s really no point in doing this.” Cass calmly smoothed her hair back into place, as though it would be that easy to move on. “There’s no point in spending time together.”
“No point?” He pretended to be offended. “
I think I just proved my point about five minutes ago.” He hadn’t seen her bailing out on him when he was kissing her, touching her.
Her lips strained as though she didn’t want to smile but couldn’t help it. “You know what I mean. Making out with you is really…well…you know…”
“Really good,” he finished for her. “You mentioned that. A few times.” He’d be hearing that in his dreams tonight.
“Yeah. It was good.”
Damn, he loved making her blush. It brought her face alive.
She scooted down to the next couch cushion like she didn’t trust herself to be too close to him. “But you don’t have to do this, Levi.”
“Do what? Make you feel good? Make you a priority?” He wanted to do that. He could live to do that…
“Make up for the past,” she said stiffly. “I know you feel guilty about not being around, but it’s okay. You’ve won me over.” She faced him directly, though the few feet between them may as well have been an ocean. “I forgive you. I even like you again. So you don’t have to keep trying so hard.”
He shouldn’t be surprised. After years of silence, she had no reason to trust him, but her doubts about the depth of his feelings still lit a fuse on his frustration. “That’s not what this is about.” He moved closer to her so she could read the intention in his eyes. Maybe it had started out that way. He couldn’t stand that she didn’t like him. Everyone liked him. So maybe initially he’d wanted to simply win her over.
But now he knew what it was like to kiss her. What it was like to hold her against him. What it was like to make her feel good. It was addictive. And he couldn’t give it up.
“This isn’t about guilt,” he told her, turning her face to his. “I like you. I like being with you. I like being here for you.” It meant more than anything he’d done in his life. It reached deeper.
“I like you too.” It would’ve been more convincing if she hadn’t moved her gaze to the floor. “But that doesn’t do either of us any good right now. We’re going our separate ways. We’ll be living two completely different lives.”
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