by Petrova, Em
When he’d lain down beside her on the lawn and she’d felt his hard body pressed against her, she’d thought she was in for another night of horrible torment. Now she was dizzied by him, knowing he and Abe wanted her to have this time. The sheer power of his muscles as he manipulated her to fit his body thrilled her. The scents of his personal musk, sweet sawdust and even a hint of the chainsaw oil made her senses reel. And the heat in his gaze threatened to consume her. But she didn’t care. Burning up with passion for this man felt right.
His roughened fingertips stroked her sides under her shirt, sending shivers through her. The heat built in her core until she thought she’d rupture from the slightest pressure. She rocked her hips against his, bringing his steely erection in contact with her pussy. The denim barrier was too much.
Reaching a hand between their bodies, she opened her jeans, then his. He swirled his tongue playfully over her earlobe and down to taste her throat. For several moments she gave herself up to his attentions. As his scalding mouth nipped and nibbled her neck, she raked his back lightly with her nails. The swell of muscle beneath her hands ratcheted up her need another notch. Before long she’d be sailing to the highest peaks of desire. But she wanted to savor each touch and whisper. This would be the first time she’d been with him alone.
“Baby, you’re delicious. Let me taste all of you.” In seconds she was nude, spread out for him on the cool sheets. The blades of the ceiling fan sliced the air overhead. The breeze raised the hair on her body.
His grin spread over her skin and he lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. A heartbeat throbbed between them as she studied the emotion in his gaze. “I need you, Levi. All of you.”
His mouth quirked up farther on one side and the bracket she adored appeared around it. From the first time she’d met him, when he gave her that bad-boy smile she melted.
She delved into the open front of his jeans and located his erection. The spongy head seemed to pulsate in her hand. With a groan he claimed her mouth. The world fell away, leaving only her and Levi, the whir of the fan blades and the fires raging out of control inside her. His flavors burst on her tongue. She needed more.
Pressing on his shoulders, she guided him off her. He rested against the pillows, a half-smile on his rugged face.
“We don’t need these,” she whispered, holding his gaze as she stripped his jeans off his hips. At his feet she had to untie his work boots, picking at a knot for an impatient minute. His chest rumbled with laughter. When the knot broke free, she released a victorious cry. The bed vibrated with more laughter.
Each boot thumped as it hit the floor. Then she removed the rest of his clothes, leaving him bare and glorious before her. She took a moment to drink in his appearance.
Hard work had sculpted his muscles perfectly. She ran her fingers over the ridges of his back, around to his washboard abs. “You know what you do to me, don’t you?”
Something flickered in the depths of his eyes. His voice sounded as if he’d just downed a bottle of Jack Daniels. “No.”
She grasped his hand and drew it between her thighs. He squeezed his eyes shut at the feel of her moist folds. “This. And more. You’re here.” Taking his other hand, she placed it over her heart.
His eyes flew open. Before he could utter a sound, she sank down the length of his body. Hovering over the thick length of his cock, she wet her lips.
“Fuck, Chapel, I’m gonna blow.”
“Not yet.” She filled her mouth with the velvety tip. A drop of pre-come slid onto her tongue and she issued her own moan of delight. She hummed around his shaft, taking it deeper into her throat. The head nudged the roof of her mouth and she flicked her tongue over the sensitive underside.
His hips rose and fell and she sank her fingers into the hard planes of his ass to hold him close. The soft brush of his pubic hair against her nose made her shake with need. She’d never come from simply touching a man before but she could this time. If he let her suck him long enough…
He twisted his hands in her hair, yanking gently. Her nipples pinched hard at the sensation and a flood of cream trickled down her inner thigh.
“God, I want to split you, baby. Come here.” He gripped her upper arms and yanked her atop him. Quickly she fumbled for a condom in the nightstand drawer, rolling it over his reddened cock.
Their gazes met and without a word she mounted him. Sank over his hard cock.
And cried out with ecstasy.
The knot of need inside her swelled, tightened. His shaft stroked her mercilessly and she rose and fell in his arms, helpless to the feelings coursing through her. He loved her. Wanted her. And he was swiftly carrying her toward a mind-numbing release.
He pressed on her hard clit with the calloused pad of his thumb, making her cry out again. He cupped her breast in his other hand, rolling her nipple between his fingers. A searing whip of passion struck her.
Leaning forward, she took his mouth. The bristly stubble of his jaw ignited her and she splintered. Her pussy contracted hard, clamping down on his rod. She rode it harder, seeking heights she’d never reached.
He swept her mouth with his tongue, feeding his moans to her even as he began to spurt. She angled her head and tried to express all the love living inside her through their kiss.
As she slowed her pace, she grew aware of the sound of the ceiling fan cutting through the air. Air fragranced with their lovemaking.
***
What a fucking long day. Every bone in Abe’s body ached. Ten hours falling trees followed by four hours on Griffith’s garage roof. At least most of the shingles were on. It was all downhill from here. Soon he’d have a nice bit of extra cash to put toward his loan.
He quietly entered the house. The lights in the living room were dimmed and he imagined Chapel and Levi in bed together, snuggled in each other’s arms, discussing their days.
He couldn’t wait to join them. But first he needed a drink the size of a fire hydrant and a shower.
Turning the corner between the living room and kitchen, he drew up short at the sight of Levi rifling his bill drawer. Chapel’s mussed head was pressed to Levi’s and they were speaking in whispers.
His heart flipped over and raced out of control as an enormous shot of adrenaline hit his system. “What the hell are you doing?” he barked.
They spun. Several papers fluttered to the tile floor, including the loan payment booklet. He ground his teeth so hard, his jaw popped.
Chapel’s eyes flared wide and Levi spun an arm around her waist. Part of him hated that his tone frightened her. But dammit, they had no business looking at his finances. Betrayal slid down his throat and settled in his stomach like the vilest medicine.
He took two menacing steps forward and jabbed a finger in Levi’s chest. “This is your doing.”
Chapel brought her hand down on Abe’s wrist. His gaze flew to hers. She knew. Of course she did. And he hated the wretched look on her face. A look that he never should see there.
“Abe—”
He made a sharp gesture and she released him. “Just because you two live in this house does not give you the right to snoop through my belongings.”
“I was trying to help, man, and Chapel—”
Abe wanted to shove his friend through the wall. If Chapel wasn’t in the way he might try it. “Help? How does it help me to live with people I can’t trust?”
She made a noise as if he’d punched her in the stomach. She doubled up and twisted away, facing the wall. Her shoulders shook with her sobs.
Abe’s mind raced. How much did they see of his financial stress? Enough for her to leave? You might drive her away with your anger first.
“Don’t blame Chapel for this. It was me. I came looking for the loan information so I could help you without your knowledge.”
With a grunt, Abe let his eyes slip closed. A quick prayer for patience ran through his mind, buried deep beneath the wall of fury and humiliation.
“I don’t need your help
, Black. I would have asked if I did.”
“Would you?” he countered. “You’re barely scraping by. You won’t allow me to pay a better share and you won’t let Chapel help at all.”
Abe exploded. Rather than grab Levi by the throat and bash his head off the nearest appliance, he gripped the edge of the kitchen table and hurled it over. It hit the floor with a deafening crash and Chapel released a shrill cry that rent Abe’s heart in two.
Levi wrapped her in his arms, one big hand cradling the back of her head. Her face was hidden against his chest. God, what was Abe doing? Tearing up the people he loved to protect his pride?
He kicked the table leg and sent it spinning a little. “Fuck.” He rubbed the bristly hair on his scalp. “I’m sorry. I’m an idiot.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“Stop, please.” Chapel lifted her face from Levi’s chest and met Abe’s gaze. She pulled free and reached for him.
Before her fingertips could skim him, Abe spun away. He opened the refrigerator, grabbed a beer and slammed the door. He stomped through the house to the front porch, where he sank into a wooden chair and stared at the clouds. For hours the gray masses had flown across the sky but not a drop of rain had fallen. He wished it would pour. That lightning would crash and thunder would rumble through the land, cleansing it for a new day.
He needed that. A new start to the day. If he’d been smart, he would have taken the night off from working on Griffith’s garage, come home with Levi and made love to their woman together. At the moment, the idea of watching Chapel’s face splinter with pleasure was the only thing that could counteract the bad feelings inside him.
He was very unhappy with the way he’d acted but wasn’t yet able to discuss it with the people he loved.
Their betrayal was a blow to the gut. They had no right looking at his bills. If the roles had been reversed—if he’d snooped through Levi’s private belongings—he had no doubt heads would roll. The man would probably put him in the hospital for a breach like that.
The sorrowful notes of Chapel’s violin drifted through the closed door to him. His heart wrenched. Dammit, he’d hurt her. He had to make things right, but first it was better to nurse his wounds and gain some perspective. The last thing he needed was to say something else he regretted.
At that moment the door creaked and Levi appeared in the doorway, shirtless and barefoot, looking as if he’d just spent hours pleasuring Chapel before digging through Abe’s life.
With a violent flick of his hand, Abe uncapped his beer and brought the cool bottle to his lips. The wind blasted him straight in the face as he tipped it back and poured the crisp liquid down his throat. A lump there threatened to choke him but he swallowed around it…and continued swallowing until the bottle was drained.
“You going to apologize to her?” Levi’s voice was ragged. Abe speared him with a look. “Yeah.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
“Do you hear her playing?” “I’m not deaf.”
Levi shifted but Abe didn’t spare him another glance. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry, man.”
He set his bottle down on the porch railing with a clank. “I can’t discuss it now. I need some time.”
A long moment of silence passed as Abe concentrated on the whip of the trees and noted the dropping temperatures.
The door creaked when Levi opened it again. Before he disappeared through it, he quoted, “‘The difficulty is not so great to die for a friend, as to find a friend worth dying for.’ Homer.”
Chapel’s song burst the confines of the house as the door closed, leaving Abe outside. Alone with his pain.
***
Levi stared at Abe’s rigid back as he crossed the clearing and tore into a tree without a word. The saw ate up the trunk and Abe’s biceps bulged from the pressure he exerted to make the initial slice.
He’d said he was going to apologize to Chapel but he hadn’t spoken to either of them in two days. He’d gone through his daily motions, even sleeping next to Chapel at night, but he hadn’t broached the topic of them rifling his bills.
Dammit, they were going to lose her to Abe’s stubbornness. Last night Levi had caught her on her cell, speaking to a realtor.
You don’t have to be part of losing her. You can love her without him.
Even as the words rose in his mind, he rejected them. Impossible. He and Abe were one and the same. Long ago Levi had given up trying to make sense of his feelings. He only knew Abe felt that way too—or at least had at one time.
The sucking noise of tires on mud brought Levi’s attention around. Before he looked he knew it wasn’t Chapel’s Jeep. But he was unprepared for the sight of the boss man, Jay Caldwell himself.
Quickly Levi scanned the area, wondering if Jay was coming to speak with Griffith or even Reardon, who was pulling logs down the road. Abe was busy mowing down timber as fast as he could, oblivious to Jay’s arrival.
Apprehension infused Levi’s chest. He’d exchanged few words with Chapel’s father and he’d like to keep it that way. The fewer the better. Seemed like the old man was determined to pick fights everywhere he went, and Levi wanted no part of that. Keeping peace was all he’d ever wanted—even when he’d delivered the shove that had ended Bryan Keer’s life.
The wiry man climbed out of his truck and pierced Levi with his gaze. Levi’s thigh muscles locked for battle. He’d seen a similar expression on Chapel’s face—when she’d stood in this same clearing and argued with her father about her right to date who she wanted
Here we go.
“Morning, Black. Hard at work I see.” He dragged his gaze over Levi’s form mockingly.
“Abe wanted to take down a dozen or so before I jump in.” I don’t know why the hell I’m defending myself to you.
If it wasn’t for Chapel, he’d tell the man where to go.
The sound of her Jeep coming up the road lifted a response in him so strong he felt it clear to his toes. An electrical jolt.
And Jay Caldwell was present to witness the look on his face.
The man moved in close to Levi. They were about the same height—Jay broader across the shoulders but Levi built all over. He knew what his body could do in a fight. He’d defended himself for seven long years in prison.
“You fucking with my daughter too?” Jay asked. He stood too close but Levi refused to step back.
“I’m not ‘fucking’ with her. My intentions are honorable.” “How honorable can the intentions of an ex-convict be?”
Levi felt heat crawl up his neck, almost blistering it like a scorching sun. Words rushed into his throat—angry words. Menacing words. He burned to tell Jay to keep out of his goddamn business. But he also wanted to beg him not to tell Chapel.
He locked his jaw until it ached. Every muscle in his body strained to strike down this man who could ruin his relationship with Chapel and Abe, stripping his world away again.
Instead of smashing Jay’s nose, Levi walked away. Twisted on a heel and strode toward his truck as fast as his legs would carry him. He felt like a wounded animal searching for a hole in which to hide.
Jumping into his vehicle, he cranked the engine and punched the gas. The tires spun in the mud, and then suddenly gained purchase. The truck shot down the road in the opposite direction that Chapel was coming from. Throwing out all caution, he gunned it.
Fuck, how had Jay discovered his past?
It wasn’t really a secret. Anyone could find out. You took a risk when you applied for the job and got lucky when no one checked your background before now.
“Dammit!” He drove his fist into the dashboard hard. His knuckles split against the plastic. Pain radiated up his arm but it was nothing compared to the agony in his heart.
He had to leave. There was no other choice. Chapel was probably now learning of his criminal record.
Tears jumped into his eyes at the thought. He ground his thumb and finger into them and fought for control.
It’s over.
“Christ, I can’t live without her. Without them.”
He skidded off the road and spent several long minutes battling his emotions. He needed a plan. Thanks to Abe giving him a break on rent, Levi had a nice stash in the bank. All he needed to do was pick up and go.
For a moment he considered going home and packing his meager belongings, and then thought better of it. Everything he owned was worth about a hundred bucks. Easily replaced. Besides, if he walked into the house and caught Chapel’s sweet scent mixed with Abe’s musk, he’d never be able to leave.
And he had to. They wouldn’t understand why he’d hidden his past from them.
Who could forgive him for delivering a death blow to kid? He killed himself with his huffing addiction and you know it. But the knowledge did him no good.
When Levi reached the main road he peeled out, the rear end fishtailing before the truck righted. He sped off toward the south. West was pain. East was torment. He only had two more directions on the map to run. If these didn’t work for him, he didn’t know what he’d do.
Chapter Ten
Chapel hit Abe’s driveway and jammed on the brakes. She stared at the gravel for a long moment, struck that Levi’s truck wasn’t here. Her heart lurched into her throat and a wave of dizziness struck her.
Something was very wrong. She’d arrived at the job site in time to see Levi tear away down the road—away from her. And her father had undeniably worn his guilt like a thick coat. And her dad had tried to joke with her. She’d seen his forced enthusiasm more than once. In fact, when he knew he’d treated her badly, he always acted too jubilant, was too teasing in an effort to smooth things over.
When a simple apology would have gone further.
She’d narrowed her eyes at her father and demanded to know what he’d said to Levi. What her dad told her blew her mind.