by Jani Kay
“It took me three days to come to terms with everything. To realize that the past is done and can’t hurt me any longer unless I allow it to.” Her voice was soft and calm.
“I’m glad. And your mom?” My gut told me her mother was an integral part to Montana’s beliefs and resistance to accepting my love. For my sake I hoped she’d worked through that.
Montana cast her eyes down and her cheeks flushed. “She wants to meet you.”
“Is that right?” I said, overjoyed and apprehensive at the same time. What if her mother didn’t like me? Although I doubted it, because most women melted when I turned on my charm, the stakes were too high for me to take this lightly. The way to spending the rest of my life with Montana lay in a stranger’s hands, and it frightened the fuck out of me.
“Is that okay? Will you come with me to meet her?”
“Yes of course.”
She smiled. “Thank you. It means a lot to me.”
“Montana, I’ve been thinking,” I said as I released my grip on her and pulled her by her hand to the seat by the outdoor fireplace. I reached for the remote control and watched as fake flames jumped to life.
Montana sat down and stared at the flames, avoiding my eyes. Her hands trembled and her mouth turned down. I placed a blanket around her shoulders and sat beside her, taking her hand in mine and rubbing her knuckles with my thumb.
“Montana, look at me, baby,” I coaxed, needing the connection between us.
Her gaze pierced mine, but I couldn’t read her eyes. “What were you thinking, Levi? Tell me.”
I cleared my throat. “Well, I’ve had three days . . . and I’ve thought this through.”
She held her breath with a pained expression on her face. What did she think I was going to say to her?
“I’m willing to have you any way you want. You hold the cards, baby. I’ll take whatever you’ll give me as long as I get to see you at least as often as we did before. We can sign a new agreement if that makes you feel better.”
She looked up at me from under her lashes. “That’s what you want?” her voice was thin.
“Yeah. I’d rather have some time with you than none at all. I won’t pressure you into marriage or having babies. I won’t mention how much I love you or that I crave to be close to you all the time. If only you’ll still have me.”
“Oh, Levi.” Tears streamed down her face. “This is too much.”
Fuck. Really? There I was thinking she’d be okay with just going back to how things were before I fucked it up by telling her I wanted more.
“Is there somebody else?” I said through clenched teeth, the idea just occurring to me. Maybe she wanted Beckham after all. Poor Red.
She shook her head before reaching forward and cupping my cheeks in her hands, then ever so gently brushing her lips over mine. She pulled away and met my eyes, hers shimmering like stars.
“You’ve made me so happy.” She laughed through her tears.
How the hell was that possible? Confused as fuck, I wiped the droplets with my thumbs. She seemed happy, yet she was crying. It did my head in.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” she said in a shaky voice. “I can’t think of anything I want more than that, if you want to, of course.”
If I want to?
My world tilted on its axis.
This was everything I’d been waiting for.
Chapter 41 — Montana
Levi stared at me as if I’d lost my mind. Well I had, and my heart and soul, too. They were his for eternity.
“I want to sleep in your bed and wake up next to you every day.”
“Huh?” was all he said, but the goofy grin on his face told me he was loving it.
“I’m all yours, Mr. Barrington, and I was hoping for a more formal and traditional agreement than our past one. One that includes a white dress and a layered cake with frosting.”
“Fuck yeah.” He beamed as he swept me into his arms and kissed the shit out of me. “Whatever happened on that road trip is the best thing ever.”
“Wait till you meet my mother. You may run for the hills,” I teased.
“Not very likely. Unless she’s a dragon.”
I laughed out loud. It felt good and so natural with Levi.
“I have something else I need to tell you,” I said hesitantly. I may as well get it all done in one go.
A small frown appeared between Levi’s brows. “Do I want to know?”
“Um, I guess you’re going to find out soon,” I said with a shrug. “Unless you don’t want to know all my secrets.”
“Montana.” His voice was gruff and commanding. “Tell me.”
My heart beat in my throat. These were the most difficult words I’d ever said, yet they were the ones I needed to get out most. “I love you, Levi.”
The smile that spread over his face set my heart on fire. With a primal grunt, he pulled me to him roughly. “Say that again, baby.”
This time it was easier. Hell, I wanted to shout it for the world to hear. “I love you with all my heart. I have for a long time. I was just too afraid to tell you.”
“Promise me something?” His face was serious as his eyes bored into mine. “Promise me no more secrets from today. I want to know everything that’s going on with you. Everything. Got that?”
With a grin, I nodded. It was an easy promise to make. I never wanted to withhold anything from Levi again, and I wanted to tell him just how much he meant to me every day until he got sick of hearing it.
“I’m going to show you just how happy those words make me.” He loosened the top button of my shirt and nibbled along my jaw, sucked the skin on my neck, and kissed between my breasts. “Let me show you just how much I love you, baby.”
Levi placed the cashmere blanket on the carpet in front of the fire and pulled me down with him. Within a few minutes we lay completely naked with nothing between us. Face to face and skin to skin, our hands explored one another as if it were our first time making love. The Monster lay thick and heavy between us, pulsing a few times against my stomach.
“I love you so fucking much, I don’t think I could stand it if you left again,” Levi spoke against my skin as he mapped my body with his mouth.
“I’m here, Levi, and I’m not going anywhere.”
I gasped as he placed his cock at my entrance and pushed inside me without warning. He filled every inch of me, and I locked my legs around his hips to keep him there.
“Not without me.” His hands were in my hair, pulling so that my face tilted up and our eyes locked.
“No.” I ran my nails down his back.
“Or my cock. Got that, baby?” He pulled back and thrust into me almost violently.
“Yes. Got it,” I moaned, shuddering beneath him.
“Three days without you was torture. Never do that again.” Again he pulled back and I closed my eyes in ecstasy, waiting for him to ram back into me and claim me.
“No, sir, never again,” I said as I licked my lips.
“Good girl.”
His thrusts were more urgent, going deeper with every forward stroke. “Eyes, baby, eyes. I want to see you when you scream my name.”
I obeyed and opened my eyes, staring into his for what felt like eternity, his cock buried deep inside me.
“Show me how much you love me,” I begged.
He rolled his hips and slammed into me, his balls slapping my skin.
“Levi,” I cried out, craving everything he gave me.
“I fucking love you,” he groaned. “Promise to always love me.”
I was out of control and on the cusp of an orgasm.
“I promise. I love you so much.” I arched my back and dug my heels into his ass to get him even deeper inside. “I love you and The Monster.”
“Jesus, Montana, come for me, baby. I’m going to fill your pussy with my cum.”
“Babies. I want lots of babies,” I moaned as white light flashed behind my eyes.
Levi’s ar
ms shook beside my head, and I knew his self-control was caving.
“Yes, lots of babies . . . with you.” His face was slick with sweat and his pupils almost black. “My Montana.”
Those words.
This man.
I died a small death as I reached the peak of my climax.
“Levi,” I screamed. “Oh God, I love you.”
I’d never come as hard. Out of breath and gasping for air, I let Levi hold me close while he whispered sweet words of love into my ear. This was where I belonged. Where I wanted to be.
I’d made all kind of promises, but I was okay with that. These were pledges that came from a place of love, not fear like before. These left me feeling good and hopeful for a bright future filled with the love of a wonderful man, something I’d never dared dream of in the past.
But there were a few more things to talk about. We weren’t quite done yet.
I snuggled closer to Levi, resting my head on his chest as he covered us with the blanket. Autumn had brought a cool evening breeze, and I welcomed the warmth surrounding me from the fine cashmere and the fire, but most of all from Levi’s body.
I ran the back of my hand from his chin to his ear and along his square jawline.
“Levi, why did you leave that day?” I asked in a small voice, needing to understand.
He closed his eyes, and I thought he’d fallen asleep because he didn’t answer for the longest time. When he finally spoke, his deep velvety voice had a touch of vulnerability in it that made me love him even more. “I’m just a man. I have my limits, too.” His voice softened. “I can only take so much rejection until I start to question my own sanity.”
I sucked in a shaky breath. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve explained earlier, maybe that would’ve made it easier.”
His hand traced slowly up and down my spine until it came to rest on my lower back. “If you thought I was going to give up on us, that was never going to happen. I just needed time to clear my headspace and work out a few things.”
“You weren’t giving up on me?” I couldn’t keep the surprise from my voice. It sure as hell had felt as if he was.
“I’ll never give up on you, baby. You are what makes life worth living. Never doubt that.” He cupped my ass and squeezed the flesh in his palm. “This ass, your tits, your lips . . . your pussy . . . all mine,” he said in his sexy growly voice that made my toes curl.
“You saved me from myself. I allowed logic to overpower my emotions, and I was torn between my mind and my heart.”
The warmth of his smile melted me. “The heart always knows best. I hadn’t planned on falling in love either, but how could I not? You’re everything I want, everything I dream of.”
“Hmmm.” I nuzzled into his neck to hide my face. The raw emotion in his eyes was so intense that I’d burn up if I kept staring into his soul. I’d never been loved like this before.
Levi rolled to his side and rose to his feet. His cock was still half-mast, and I salivated at the sight of him as he towered over me.
“It’s time to go to bed, sweetheart,” he said as he leaned forward and held out his hand. I kept the blanket wrapped around me as I took his hand and got to my feet. Seconds later, he swept me up in his strong arms and carried me down the stairs back into the loft. He set me on my feet and pulled the soft cashmere from my body, lust shining in his eyes.
“I’m planning on catching up on those three days you were gone. I’m going to fuck you all night long . . . and then some more tomorrow.”
“You’re insatiable.” I laughed, knowing without a doubt he’d make good on his promise.
“When it comes to you, I can’t ever get enough. You should know that by now.”
I didn’t even try to stop my smile or the warmth that spread over my chest and cheeks and then travelled down south to my pussy. “Is that right, Mr. Barrington?”
He chuckled softly and walked me backward to the bed. The backs of my knees hit the side panel before his hands wrapped around my waist and he lifted me onto the mattress. Standing between my thighs, he leaned down and kissed me with so much passion it left me breathless and craving the next fix.
I had the world at my feet all because of the love of one man.
I was a lucky girl.
Epilogue
As Levi and I drove up the long path to the new home Mom had moved into, he reached out and took hold of my hand and squeezed it.
“I’m looking forward to finally meeting your mother.”
I laughed. “Not half as much as what she’s wanting to meet you. She couldn’t stop asking about you every time I called her this week.”
“I’m sorry I missed helping her move. Going to China with Beckham was interesting, but I’m glad to be back.”
“Luckily I had Red to help me settle her in. She knows how to handle my mother better than anyone. Sometimes Mom can be difficult, but Red’s awesome with her.”
Levi pulled up outside the entrance. He got out and came to open the door for me, holding his hand to help me out of the vehicle.
“Such a gentleman. Mom’s going to love you.”
Levi pushed me up against the closed door. “I need a kiss first. For good luck.”
My arms went around his neck and I pulled him closer, offering my lips up to him. It was a sweet lingering kiss, one that made promises of things to come.
“I love you, Levi,” I breathed, my cheeks flushed and my heart finally at peace.
I couldn’t be happier and today I’d be able to prove to my mother just how lucky I was. She could see for herself that not all men were like Adrian and that there were guys who knew how to love a woman and treat her right.
“I love you too, baby. I’m so happy you’ve let me into all the parts of your life.”
Levi opened the back door and took the candy and flowers from the back seat. He’d also brought a bear because I’d told him about Mom’s obsession.
“You’re definitely not taking chances are you?”
Levi chuckled. “You can tell?” he said with a sheepish grin.
“Oh, my mother is going to love you without the gifts. But she won’t say no to her favorite things either.”
I grabbed hold of Levi’s free hand and pulled him toward the entrance. Mom would be waiting by the window since early morning already.
“Mom, this is Levi,” I said as soon as we walked into her room. “Finally you get to meet him in the flesh.” I kept my voice light and airy even though my heart beat in my throat. It was important to me that they liked one another.
I gave her a quick hug and stepped back so she and Levi could get acquainted.
“Hello, Mrs. Marx. I’m pleased to meet you,” Levi said quite formally, yet his voice was warm and friendly.
Mom’s face was deadpan. Her eyes narrowed as she looked Levi up and down.
Oh God, what if Mom doesn’t like him? I’d be crushed.
“So you’re Levi,” Mom said slowly with her hands on her hips. “The man who made my daughter break her promises to me.”
Shit. Mom wasn’t going to go easy on Levi.
Levi’s chest swelled, his eyes were soft and crinkled at the corners as he smiled. “Yes, I’m Levi,” he said with pride in his voice, “the man who promises to love and care for your daughter for the rest of his life.”
“We take promises very seriously, Monty and me.”
“So do I, Mrs. Marx.” He took a step toward her. “I brought these for you,” he said while handing over the gifts he’d been holding, including the black and white Panda. “Montana told me you love bears, so I got this one especially for you from Shanghai.”
“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful of you,” Mom said warily. She wasn’t going to be bribed with gifts. She was being more difficult than usual and for a moment I wished Red was there to make a silly joke . . . anything to break the ice.
“Shall I get us something to drink? I brought half a dozen cupcakes,” I said. Cupcakes fixed everything, didn’t they? “
I’ve got salted caramel, dark chocolate and pistachio, and coconut.”
“Oh, all my favorites,” Mom said, her eyes lighting up. “I’d like some sweet tea with mine.”
“Mom, that’s too much sugar. It’s bad for you,” I said shaking my head.
“She’s bossy, isn’t she?” Levi said to Mom, nodding his head toward me playfully.
Mom folded her arms across her chest. “Yeah. I’ve had sweet tea all my life, now she wants me to stop drinking it because it’s got too much sugar.”
“How about I have sweet tea too . . . then we’ll both have sugar overload.” Levi’s face broke into his megawatt smile. Kathryn Marx didn’t stand a chance.
“Did you hear that, Monty? Levi wants sweet tea too. Are you going to tell him ‘no’ too?”
I laughed. “Okay, sweet tea it is, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when you get all hyperactive.”
“I think we can handle that,” Levi said with a chuckle as he pulled out a chair for my mother. A small smile twisted her lips as she sat down. Mom liked people with good manners and she was ever so slowly letting her guard down.
Over sweet tea and cupcakes, she grilled Levi with all kinds of questions and in his replies I learned things about his family and childhood I’d never known. Levi answered each question graciously, even when Mom asked him a few tough ones.
“So Levi, do you want children?” Mom said with raised eyebrows before she took a bite of her second cupcake. Levi had hardly touched his, he’d been too busy answering her questions.
I squirmed in my chair. Levi took hold of my hand and brought it to his mouth. He kissed my knuckles and then smiled at Mom.
“Only if they’re as sweet as Montana.” He cleared his throat. “I know you haven’t known me for more than an hour, Mrs. Marx, but I’d like to ask your permission to marry your daughter.”
What? Mom’s hand went to her chest and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.
“Levi,” I breathed, caught completely by surprise.
My mother turned to me. “I can see why you’re so in love with this man. He’s very charming.”
“Mom,” I chided as my cheeks heated up.
Levi gave me a shit eating grin, he was winning my mother over and clearly he was loving it.