“They’re either being serious about something or annoying one another. I’m not sure which,” Samantha said with a grin.
Sarah had a feeling they were talking about her. Levi told her that lunch today with his siblings and their significant others was so that she could meet everyone before starting her shift tonight, but she suspected that Levi was letting his brothers know about Dylan. Levi was determined to keep her safe—hence his insistence that he accompany her to Target, which then prompted Samantha and Katrina to join them. Sarah really did appreciate his efforts and knew he’d do his best. But she’d meant what she said when she’d told him that he wouldn’t be able to protect her forever from someone who was highly motivated to find her.
“You know, I have to say, I’ve never seen Levi so smitten with a woman as he seems to be with you,” Samantha said as she pulled a folded pair of jeans from a stack and straightened with the pants in her hands.
“To be honest, we’ve never seen him with a woman at all,” Katrina added with a grin. “So you must be very special to him.”
Sarah couldn’t stop the warm blush that crept up her neck and over her face. The fact that Levi had never brought a girlfriend around to meet his family and friends was surprising and shocking. But even knowing she was an exception—which she attributed directly to her situation with Dylan and not having a place to live—she refused to read too much into their comments.
“So, Mason and I are getting married next month in an outdoor ceremony at Clay and Samantha’s house,” Katrina said off-handedly. “Levi already RSVP’d just for himself before you started dating, but I hope you’ll come, too?”
Sarah really liked these two women. A lot. And she knew they were trying to make her feel welcome and a part of a group. But chances were that, in a month, she’d be gone. “Thank you for the invitation. I appreciate it,” she said, but didn’t give Katrina a firm response.
“Here’s a pair of jeans in your size,” Samantha said triumphantly, just as Sarah found one on clearance.
She pulled the denim from her rack as she reached for the pair Samantha held out to her. She’d try both of them on, but with her limited funds, Sarah was hoping the cheaper pair fit better, because there was no way she was letting Levi pay for anything.
While Katrina continued perusing other outfits, Samantha walked with Sarah to the dressing room. Before they reached the counter, she lightly touched Sarah’s arm and brought her to a stop. She glanced at the other woman curiously, not sure what she wanted or needed.
Samantha’s gaze was kind and genuinely caring. “I hope you don’t mind, but Clay told me a bit about what you’ve been through lately. Being held up at the mart, then having your room broken into and trashed . . . I’m really very sorry, and if there is anything I can do to help you out, don’t ever hesitate to ask.” Then she smiled sweetly. “I’ve had a similar experience in starting over with nothing, so I understand how hard it can be.”
Sarah blinked at Samantha, stunned by her offer of help but also shocked that this gorgeous, refined woman could relate to her situation. “Thank you.”
Samantha hesitated for a moment, then decided to speak whatever was on her mind. “I also wanted to tell you that Levi is a great guy, and he’s the real deal, just in case you haven’t already figured that out for yourself.”
“I have,” she assured the other woman. But none of this was about Levi or how great of a guy he was. It was about Sarah’s messed up life and the fact that she couldn’t offer Levi even one tenth of what he was giving to her.
Samantha gave her one last smile, along with a gentle arm squeeze, then headed back toward where the guys were standing. Sarah went into her assigned dressing room, her mind spinning with everything that Samantha had just told her.
She already knew that Levi was a one-of-a-kind guy—that had been evident since the first day she’d met him at the convenience store. But what she’d learned about him over the past few days had only solidified that impression. She’d never come across a man so genuine and caring and protective. Or one with a childhood as tragic as her own.
As she took off her old, faded jeans, she thought about everything that had transpired last night. The way he’d opened up to her about his mother had nearly broken her heart, but what really got to her was the way he’d listened while she’d told him about Dylan and how quickly he’d come to her defense without judging her at all.
Levi was everything she could ever want in a man, but she’d learned time after time that anything good in her life never lasted long. If there was any real happiness for her to find, it was always stolen away right when she became too complacent. When something started to feel too good to be true, it usually was, and heartache ensued. It was a cycle she couldn’t seem to escape, so why would Levi be any different?
It didn’t matter that she was seriously falling for him, she thought as she put on the less expensive jeans and looked at herself in the mirror—grateful to see that they fit just fine. It didn’t matter that sex with him was like nothing she’d ever experienced before—and probably never would again. And it definitely didn’t matter that he made her happy and hopeful and so incredibly content when she was with him. No, that was usually the warning sign that, just around the corner, life was going to pull the rug out from under her feet. Again.
So, for right now, she just needed to be grateful for the time she had with him and enjoy every moment—even as a huge lump formed in her throat at the thought of her time with Levi coming to an end.
She forced back the emotion and stripped off the pair of jeans just as she heard a male voice talking to the dressing room attendant. A moment later, a knock sounded on her door, startling her.
“Hey, did you find a pair of jeans that worked?” Levi asked in a low voice.
The corner of her mouth kicked up in a smile, the same way her heart raced a little faster whenever he was around, and she welcomed the distraction from her too depressing thoughts. Unlatching the door, she stood behind it since she was only dressed in a shirt and her underwear, and peered out at him. “Yes, I found a pair. What are you doing in the women’s dressing room and how did you get in here?”
He gave her a sinful smile that immediately made her melt inside. “I thought you might need some help, or my opinion about how they fit.” He lowered his voice and winked at her. “At least, that’s what I told the girl out there.”
“I already took them off,” she said, not trusting that smile or devilish wink for a second.
“Even better,” he murmured, and easily pushed his way inside the room.
She was too astonished by his bold move to do anything but gape at him and step back as he entered. The moment he closed and locked the door, then backed her up against the nearest wall, she knew she was in trouble. The sexy kind of trouble she knew would be difficult to resist.
Before he got any closer and obliterated her ability to think, she pressed both palms against his chest to stop his approach. He halted, even though she knew her hand was no real deterrent for what he had in mind. “Where are the girls?” she whispered. “And Mason and Clay?” The thought of them waiting outside of the dressing room while Levi did . . . whatever he intended to do, make her cheeks warm.
“I told them that I could handle things from here, so they left.” He gently grabbed the hands she’d planted on his chest, raised them both above her head, and easily secured them against the wall with one of his own. Then he wedged his knee between her legs, forcing them a few inches apart.
Her eyes widened and her pulse hammered, in panic and excitement, when she realized his intent. “You wouldn’t dare!” she said in a low, hissing voice.
“Yeah, I would,” he replied unabashedly, and followed up that promise by slipping his fingers into the waistband of her panties. “Consider it another one of my fantasies I didn’t know I had until right this very moment. The thought of giving you an orgasm in a public place is making me hot as fuck.”
His fingers slid dir
ectly between her thighs and into her pussy, making her suck in a gasp as he concentrated his efforts on her clit, bringing it to life with a few skillful strokes. Immediately, she knew this wasn’t going to be a slow and leisurely climb. No, it was going to be fast and reckless and wild.
She bit back a moan when he pushed two fingers deep inside and rubbed his thumb over that bundle of nerves, drawing more moisture from her body. The wicked grin he gave her said it all—that he knew how aroused she already was, and he was thoroughly enjoying himself despite the pleasure being all hers.
She tried to bring her hands down to grab his head to kiss him, to smother the noises she was trying desperately not to make, which would draw attention to their room and what he was doing to her. But he merely tightened his hold on her wrists, reminding her who was in charge. He was. Always. And she loved it.
He watched her face as he dragged the tips of his fingers along a sensitive patch of skin along her inner walls, and her legs began to shake. The pressure and friction increased on her clit, and the combined sensations had her splintering apart.
She wanted to scream from the pleasure rushing through her in waves, but she couldn’t. So, instead, she closed her eyes and silently shuddered against the hand and fingers playing her so expertly and enjoyed the rest of the ride straight into bliss.
Chapter Twelve
For the next five days, Levi accompanied Sarah to and from work, and she was never left alone. If, for some reason, he couldn’t keep an eye on her, one of his brothers did. It had to be that way until he knew for certain that Dylan was no longer a threat. Except there was no telling how long that would be.
Levi and Sarah had settled into a pattern at home. He’d never had a woman spend time at his place, but he discovered that he truly enjoyed having Sarah around, and he was quickly getting used to having her in his life on a daily basis. Going to bed with her every night, waking up together in the morning, and sharing meals and easy conversation were becoming a comfortable routine he looked forward to.
With him on leave for at least another week, they spent their days out—at a movie, lunch, or even a walk on Navy Pier or along Chicago’s lakefront trail—anything to keep her mind distracted until her shift started at Kincaid’s for the evening. He’d even treated her to a sundae at Ghirardelli’s in the city, a place she’d always wanted to go to as a kid but had never had the opportunity.
Seeing her relaxed, laughing and smiling and gazing at him so affectionately, only solidified his growing feelings for her and made him more determined than ever to show her how perfectly she fit into his life, in so many ways. He’d never believed he’d settle down with just one person, never thought there would ever be a woman who understood not only his personal quirks but also his painful past. But Sarah accepted him, damaged past, flaws, and all.
Having been a waitress a few times before, she’d made an easy transition to the bar. She was efficient, competent, great with customers, and every night she’d come home with a good amount in tip money—far more than she was making at Circle K. He knew she was squirreling that cash away, and for now he let her, because there was no sense in arguing over wanting her to remain in Chicago with him when she still felt threatened by Dylan. Undoubtedly, a conversation like that would only push her away and make her more guarded. All he could do was show her how much she meant to him and how much he cared.
So far, Nick didn’t have much to report on Dylan. The guy used a post office box for any mail delivery, and his last known physical address had been an apartment he no longer lived at. Which meant he was probably residing solely at the Sacrosanct compound.
Levi had made his own calls and contacts at the Eighteenth District Police Department, where they had jurisdiction over Fairdale, to find out what they knew about the supposed community. Come to find out, Sacrosanct was already involved in a lengthy and ongoing investigation with the FBI and ATF for suspected weapons violations. They’d already issued a search warrant and thoroughly inspected the grounds and spoken with the members. The two agencies had even brought Rick, the leader of the group, in for an interview but had found nothing they could use to shut the place down.
If there was any wrongdoing going on, the community hid it well.
But none of that news meant that Sarah was safe, and every day that passed made Levi feel tenser about the situation.
Tonight, he was sitting on a stool at the far end of the bar at Kincaid’s in what had become his usual spot. He’d traded in his normal orange juice for a Sprite and lime, which had been Tara’s suggestion to shake things up, she’d teased him. As he nursed the drink, he kept his gaze on the Sunday evening crowd. It was the slowest day of the week but still busy enough to keep Sarah’s section full of customers.
“Everything still status quo?”
Levi pulled his gaze away from the main part of the bar, where the tables and dance floor were located, and glanced at his brother Mason, who slid onto the seat next to his. Over the last couple of nights, it had been Clay who’d hung out with Levi, not that he needed any backup when both his brothers had women at home they could be spending their time with. But it was nice to know they cared enough about Sarah, and what was going on with her, to keep themselves involved, even if it was just to keep him company for an hour or two while he waited for her shift to end.
“Nothing new to report,” Levi confirmed as he took another drink of his Sprite.
His brother gave him a lopsided smile and nudged the elbow Levi had braced on the bar. “That’s a good thing, right?”
“Yeah. But it’s frustrating, too,” he admitted, and when Mason gave him a curious look, he elaborated. “It’s this stupid catch-twenty-two feeling of wanting something to happen so it can just be over for Sarah so she can put this entire incident behind her, and dreading it being over.”
Mason smirked, his eyes glittering with amusement. “Damn, I’m having a hard time believing that Mr. Cool, Calm, and Collected has fallen in love, though it’s nice to know you’re human, after all, beneath all that straight-laced control,” he joked.
Levi ignored Mason’s wisecrack and instead frowned at him as he focused on the first part of that sentence. “I never said I was in love with Sarah.”
“Are you saying you aren’t?” Mason countered with a raised brow. “Because if that’s the case, I’m going to have to call you out for being a fucking liar.”
Levi blinked at Mason, stunned by the fact that his sibling—who’d once thought of love as a dirty word—was now suddenly an expert on Levi’s emotions. He would have called out Mason for being a dick, but the thing was, his brother was actually being sincere in his encouragement, and that in itself was a shocking change, too.
Levi narrowed his gaze at Mason. “Who the hell are you, and what have you done with my self-centered, asshole brother?”
Mason chuckled, not at all offended by Levi’s comment, not when they’d spent most of their adult lives antagonizing one another. “Blame Katrina,” he said with a sappy grin that told Levi just how whipped his brother truly was. “I know it sounds trite and corny, but she’s made me a better man. But I have to admit that I still have my asshole moments, so don’t go thinking I’m a total pussy.”
Levi laughed. Yeah, his brother was a changed man, for the better, thanks to the woman who’d stuck by his side for twelve long years as his best friend. Katrina and Mason were made for each other, like two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together. Exactly the same way he felt about Sarah . . . but love? He cared deeply for her, and their connection was far more intense than anything he’d ever experienced, but honestly, Levi was afraid to believe it could really be true.
His heart pounded hard and fast in his chest as he glanced from the man who’d just sat down at the opposite end of the bar by himself and ordered a drink from Tara, to Mason. “What makes you think I’m in love with her?”
Mason rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, and here I thought I was dense when it came to my feelings for Katrina.
Here’s a simple question for you. Are you willing to let her walk out of your life and never see her again once this is all over?”
His answer was immediate, because he’d already thought about the possibility of Sarah leaving him once she knew she was safe, and it made his gut twist with turmoil. “No.”
Mason tapped a few fingers on the top of the bar. “In order to keep her, are you prepared to offer Sarah something more than whatever this temporary arrangement between the two of you is?”
“Yes.” Another automatic reply he didn’t need to contemplate, even as he watched Sarah deliver a tray of drinks to a couple at a table, then switched his gaze back to the man at the end of the bar who kept glancing over his shoulder to look at something . . . or someone. “Of course.”
“Like . . . forever?” Mason asked, very seriously.
Yes. The realization made him breathless, because forever meant the rest of his life. And Jesus Christ, he wanted that with Sarah. He wanted to give her everything she’d been robbed of since the death of her family. Everything she deserved and more. He wanted to take care of her, protect her, and yes, love her.
“Oh, fuck,” he breathed in shock, and awe as well. He loved Sarah.
“Ahhh, the light bulb finally went on.” Mason grinned knowingly. “Both Clay and I have seen the way you look at her, the way you’ve upended your own life to help her when you’ve never done that for any other woman. We recognized the signs before you did because we’ve both been there. You just have to figure out the rest for yourself.”
Levi already had, he realized. His biggest hurdle, he knew, was convincing a woman who believed she wasn’t worthy of being loved that she was adored and cherished and special, and always would be. She’d spent most of her life being abandoned by people she trusted and believing that she wasn’t good enough. He was going to do whatever it took to convince her otherwise, because he wasn’t letting her go, ever, without a fight. She was his.
Dirty Sexy Cuffed (Dirty Sexy #3) Page 14