by Jill Sanders
“What kind of pie do you like?” he asked after shutting down the Jeep.
“Okay, don’t kill me, but I like Hawaiian. It’s the best.” She answered.
He chuckled. “Pineapple on pizza.” He shook his head. “I guess for you, I’ll try anything.” He got out, then held up his hand. “You wait here, I’ll get it.”
He stepped into the pizzeria. He was next in line to order when he spotted a familiar face.
“Hey, Corey.” He shook his friend’s hand. “What are you doing back in town?” He’d gone to school with Corey Leggatt. One of the reasons he and Corey had gotten along was that both of them were high school mistakes, as they called themselves.
Corey’s parents had been in the same grade as Levi’s mother and both women had gotten pregnant around the same time. Corey was less than a month older than Levi, instantly making them friends in school.
“Hey, man.” Corey laughed. “My folks’ reunion is coming up. We’re back here spending some time with my grandparents. Trying to enjoy some fun and sun.” He waved to his grandparents and his parents, who were sitting across the room enjoying their drinks while they waited for their food.
Corey had lucked out with parents who not only stuck together through the teenage pregnancy but were still together more than twenty years later. That thought had a slight ache spread near Levi’s heart.
“Cool,” he sighed, then remembered Scarlett mentioning the reunion at the camp. “Oh, hey, I’ll see you around then. I’m working out at the camp where the reunion is happening.”
“I heard.” Corey slapped his back, then moved up to take his order when he was called. “Congrats. It seems like a pretty cool deal out there. Makes me wish I wasn’t stuck behind a desk all the time,” Corey said.
“City life will make you soft,” Levi joked as his friend walked across the room.
“Hey, it pays the bills and gets me loads of women,” Corey joked back quickly.
After ordering their pizza, he tried to avoid watching the family across the room from him.
As a kid, he’d never really thought about how much it hurt to not have a mom and dad. His gran had been everything she could to him. Everything he’d dreamed of having. Until he’d spent the night over at Corey’s house when he was ten. After one night of seeing what a real family could be like, Levi had dreamed of something different. Something more. He’d tried to keep those hopes locked away from his grandmother, since he didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he’d been so young, and his grandmother was a wise woman. She’d tried to cheer him up the best she could and eventually, he’d put it in the back of his mind.
“You okay?” Scarlett asked as he got back in the Jeep.
“Yeah.” He smiled, but she shook her head.
“Levi.” She took his hand, stopping him from putting the Jeep into gear. “It’s just us. Talk to me. What’s causing that lost look in your eyes?”
The fact that she was repeating his own words back to him had him sighing and pushing his hands through his hair in frustration. It was silly, as an adult, to let this kind of thing still affect him. But here he was, almost twenty-five and wishing once again he could have what other people had. A slice of normalcy. A family.
The look in her eyes told him that she wasn’t going to let him off without an explanation, just like he’d demanded one of her earlier. If he wanted things to move forward with her, he was going to have to tell her about his own past desires.
Glancing around, he sighed. “Not here. Let’s talk back at your place.”
Chapter Thirteen
Stepping into the house with Levi felt different than it had the night before. He’d walked into the pizzeria happy and almost walking on air. When he’d returned, it was as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.
Something had caused him to come crashing down to earth, and she was determined to find out what had caused his mood change.
Tossing her beach bag down, she took the pizza from his hands and walked back to the kitchen. Flipping the oven on warm, she set the box in it and then turned to see him watching her from across the kitchen.
She pulled out a bottle of wine and poured them each a glass.
“Sorry, we don’t have beer,” she started to say only to stop when he downed the glass and set it aside.
“I didn’t have a family growing up.” He started moving around the kitchen, his long legs eating up the small space so that he had to turn several times and make a large circle around the bar area. “My friend Corey was like me. His mother and mine were in the same class.” He turned to her, his eyes almost unseeing. “They were friends. I don’t know how close, but from my mother’s yearbook, close enough to be seen in several pictures together. Anyway, Corey was born a month before me. His folks, shortly after graduation, got married and…” He sighed and rolled his shoulders. “They were in the pizza joint tonight with Corey.”
She moved over to him and touched his arm. “I’m sorry.”
“Growing up, I tried to let my grandmother be enough for me. I really did. She gave up so much for me. The first time I saw Corey’s family together was the first time I realized I was missing something in life.”
“Levi, not everyone gets the family they deserve,” she said softly as she thought of her own messed-up childhood. How her father had, even before the divorce, been absent most of her life.
“No,” he agreed as he wrapped his arms around her. “Since that day, my biggest wish in life has been to have a family of my own. To make something great, something I never had growing up.”
Scarlett tensed. She’d been trying to avoid thinking about her own future. One thing she’d promised herself after her parents very messy divorce was that she was never going to fall into the marriage trap. No man was ever going to hurt her the way her father hurt her mother.
“I know the thought of something more in a relationship scares you.” He pulled back slightly and looked down at her. “That’s why I’m trying to take things slow with you.” He sighed. “Which is why we should eat that pizza and then I should kiss you before I head home.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but he stopped her by placing his lips over hers.
“Don’t argue with me, Sassy. I’m not in the mood.” He rested his head against hers.
“Don’t I get a say in any of this?” she asked, feeling frustrated.
“Sure.” He smiled and dropped his arms to his sides. She swayed slightly, missing the feeling of his strength against her. “Go ahead.” He motioned towards her.
She had so much she wanted to say, but at the moment all she could think about was having his arms wrapped around her again. She wanted to enjoy the feeling of him touching her. To know what it would be like to be with him. Even if the possibility of getting hurt outweighed her desire for him.
“I don’t want you to go,” she admitted.
His eyes darkened and for a moment she thought he was going to reach for her. Then he tucked his hands in the pockets of his shorts.
“Trust me when I say I don’t want to leave either.”
“Then stay.” She moved closer to him, but he stopped her by holding onto her shoulders and keeping her at arm’s length. “Screw the future,” she blurted out. “None of us know what’s going to happen tomorrow. I may not be able to promise you forever, but I’m here right now.” She shifted slightly until her body finally came up against his. “Let that be enough for tonight.”
He bent down and kissed her and, for a moment, her entire body shook with the desire radiating from him.
“I have commitment issues,” she said between kisses as she tugged him towards the stairs. “I may always have them, but I trust you.” She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “You may be the only man I can say that to.” He smiled suddenly.
She gasped as he hoisted her up into his arms. “If you’re sure,” he asked, waiting, and she felt her heart kick in her chest at being held in his arms.
“I am.” She smiled an
d then laughed when he started taking the stairs two at a time. “My bedroom’s at the end.” She motioned to her door when they reached the landing.
“You make me feel stupid.” He chuckled when they stepped into her darkened room. “Drunk and stupid.” He bent down and kissed her.
“Good, because that’s how you make me feel,” she said as he lowered her slowly to the floor. Her body brushed against his until her feet touched the ground.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him until she was breathless. His hands nudged her shorts down her hips slowly, sliding the jean material until it pooled at her feet.
She stepped out of them and reached for his shirt. She ran her palms up his six-pack, over his chest, as she removed his shirt. Tossing it on the ground with her shorts, she reached for his swim trunks, but he took her wrists and pulled them over her head so he could slowly pull her tank top off.
She stood in front of him in her swimsuit as his eyes ran over her hungrily.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered as his fingers traced her collarbone.
“You saw me in this all day.” She chuckled and reached to release the clasp.
He stopped her. “I know, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to enjoy removing it from you.” He traced the material over her skin. The feeling of his fingertip running over her had her eyes closing as she sucked in a breath.
She felt herself sway slightly until his arm wrapped around her waist as he continued his soft exploration of her.
His finger dipped below the material, tracing around her breast, causing a low moan to escape her lips.
“You’re torturing me,” she complained.
In response, the straps of her top floated away, leaving her exposed. She watched his eyes heat, then she smiled as he bent his head down and traced the same motion with his tongue.
“Perfection,” he said before taking her nipple into his mouth and sucking lightly. She gripped his hair, holding him as she felt her entire body pulse with each suckle.
“Levi,” she groaned, trying to hold herself in check. There was no way she was going to be a selfish lover for a third time with him.
Reaching for him, she unsnapped his shorts and pulled them down his narrow hips quickly before he could complain.
He jerked slightly as she wrapped her fingers around his length, enjoying for the first time the feel of him in her hands.
“My god,” she moaned with pleasure. “You’ve been keeping something from me.” She smiled as he glanced up at her.
“Not by choice.” He chuckled.
“If every woman knew what kind of package you had, you’d be in big trouble at the camp,” she teased as she continued to stroke his length. He was larger than any other man she’d experienced before. For a moment, she wondered if she really knew what she was doing. What had she gotten herself into?
Then his fingers trailed down her stomach and nudged her swimsuit bottoms down over her hips. When he dipped a finger into her, she gasped and held onto him as he once again took over.
“I can’t think when you do that,” she complained, reaching for him again.
“Good.” He shifted, and she realized he’d walked her backwards. Her knees hit the side of her bed. Instead of letting him pull her down, she reversed their positions and placed her hand in the center of his chest and nudged him until he fell backwards on her mattress.
He chuckled. “Okay.”
“My turn,” she said as she slowly moved over him. “I did warn you,” she reminded him as she ran her eyes over him. “I’m going to eat you up,” she said as she ran her mouth over the line of each of the muscles in his six-pack. “I’ve never seen someone as defined as you.” She enjoyed the way he sucked in his breath as her mouth moved over him.
His fingers were tangled in her hair and when she trailed her tongue over the length of him, his grip tightened.
“Sassy.” It came out as a warning.
“Don’t fight it,” she said before taking him fully into her mouth. She couldn’t help the groan that escaped at the feeling of him hardening even further in her mouth.
She liked to think she was a skilled lover, but with Levi, everything seemed new. She wanted to spend the rest of the night exploring him, enjoying him but, suddenly, he hoisted her up until she straddled his shoulders. When his mouth found her pussy, she cried out and arched back as her eyes closed.
“I owe you,” he growled out against her skin.
She shook her head, but she was enjoying the feeling of his wet tongue inside her so much that she couldn’t function. Her mouth and body weren’t connected any longer.
His hands gripped her hips, forcing her to move over him until she slowly rode his mouth, taking what she wanted.
“I’m not stopping until you come,” he warned. “Let go,” he said against her heated skin.
When a finger dipped into her heat, she cried out and did as he demanded.
As with before, she floated and only vaguely registering him sliding a condom on. He laid her down and covered her, and she felt him slowly slide into her, stretching her, filling her.
She arched, her nails digging into his shoulders as she wrapped her legs around him.
“Levi?” Her eyes met his.
“I’ve got you,” he said smoothly, leaning down to kiss her as he continued to move until he was fully embedded in her.
She’d never felt so alive as she did that very moment. Her ankles locked behind his hips as she silently prayed that he would take her any way he wanted.
When he started to move finally, she watched his eyes darken until she could no longer hold onto her control. His kisses matched his movement and soon she lost herself in the best sex she’d ever had. She felt herself building up again and knew that this time, she was going to hold out for him.
“Sassy, come with me,” he said against her ear. “I need to feel you tighten around me.” He pulled her earlobe into his mouth and sucked gently as she convulsed around him, vaguely registering his release at the same time.
They must have slept for a while. When she woke, it was to the sound of Levi’s stomach growling against her ear.
Laughing, she sat up and looked down at him. His blond hair was sticking up in places. When he cracked his eyes open, she could see that he was happy and horny again.
“Food first,” she warned, trying to move out of his arms.
“Oh, I intend to eat.” His grin spread as he lifted her and once again had her straddling his face.
She could get used to this, she thought as she held onto the headboard as he pleased her for the second time.
When they finally made it back downstairs, the pizza was devoured quickly. Levi pulled each piece of pineapple from his slices and piled them on her plate. She gladly ate them up and laughed as he made funny faces at her.
“Pineapples don’t belong on pizza,” he said.
“Neither does honey, yet…” She poured another dollop on her crust and bit into it with a moan. “Here we are.” He chuckled and shook his head in response. “Come on, tell me you don’t have some food fetish yourself?” She narrowed her eyes at him.
He tilted his head and thought about it. “Chocolate and peanut butter.”
She made a noise and rolled her eyes. “Only a trillion people love that combination.”
“Okay.” He held up a finger. “I’ve got one. Pickles and red pepper.”
She thought about it. “I could try that. What about French fries and milkshakes?”
“Chocolate milkshakes,” he corrected.
“Of course.” She laughed.
His eyes darkened and she could tell suddenly he was thinking about sex again. Dipping her finger into the honey, she slowly brought her finger up to her mouth and sucked the sweetness from her fingertip. His eyes grew darker as he set the rest of his slice down.
“Sassy,” he sighed.
“I bet we could get really sticky…” She repeated the move, only this time, bringing her finger
up to his mouth.
When he took it into his mouth and sucked, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his tongue wrapped around her finger. His hands wrapped around her wrist and tugged until she moved across the space to sit on his lap. Feeling his hardness against her, she smiled.
“I think you could grow to like honey on anything,” she teased.
His fingers bunched against her hips. “Now you’ve done it.” He shoved the pizza box aside and hoisted her onto the table.
She giggled until he finished pulling all her clothes from her. When he turned the honey bottle upside down over her body, slowly letting the sticky fluid trail over her breasts, belly, and the V between her legs, she stilled.
“Levi,” she warned.
“Shush.” He dipped his mouth over her. “I’m busy. I have a sticky mess to clean up.”
Chapter Fourteen
Half an hour later, he carried Scarlett into the shower. Both of them were so covered in sticky residue, he doubted one single shower would remove all the mess.
“I’m never going to get all of this off.” She laughed as she used a washcloth against her skin.
“Let me.” He took the cloth from her and instantly felt himself growing hard again as he slowly ran it over her.
There was no way he was going to be sated in just one night.
He watched her lean back and enjoy the feel of him running the cloth over her skin. Taking some more soap from the container she showed him, he let it bubble up and then covered her skin with it, gently removing the rest of the honey residue from her body.
“Next time we’ll try chocolate sauce,” he said, watching for her expression.
“Next time, we lay plastic down.” She smiled.
He laughed, remembering the mess they’d left downstairs on the table. “Right,” he agreed. He dipped down to kiss her. “Would it be bad if I kept you up all night?” He sighed against her lips.
“I don’t have a class until ten,” she answered.