When Levi pulled off the gray sweatshirt he’d been wearing, she stared at his incredible, hard body, a little awestruck by him.
“I’ve wanted to do this for a while.” He chucked the shirt to the side.
A little humiliated about her lack of sexy lingerie, she quickly tugged off her jeans and T-shirt, hoping the lack of push-up bra didn’t matter. Nope, she didn’t have the sexiest choices tonight. No bra, push-up or otherwise, and she wore light blue panties with pink hearts.
His gaze swept over her, and he groaned.
She went for her panties to remove them before he noticed they were whimsical and not at all sexy, but then noticed that he wasn’t moving. Just staring. “What are you looking at?”
“You. Just you.”
She sucked in a breath. Levi wanted her, just the way she was right now, lack of sexy lingerie included. And a moment later, when he pulled off his boxer briefs, she saw firsthand how much he wanted her. He was gorgeous, hard man.
“This isn’t going to be fast,” he said with a lazy smile. “Or easy.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
THE ROOM BUZZED with an almost unnatural quiet. So quiet Carly could just about hear the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. And her body as it vibrated. Purred. Fully awake. She’d never been so turned on by a man in her entire life and she didn’t want to stop. Not now. Ever. She wanted him inside of her, making her feel something again. She’d missed this. Being so close to a man. Connected. He was Mr. Right Now, and she didn’t want to think about anything else. She felt protected. So wanted for the first time in forever.
Levi crawled up her body, covering her with openmouthed kisses. Knees, inner thighs, stomach, breasts. And everywhere he touched shook with warmth. With need.
He cupped her jaw and met her gaze. “You okay?”
“Yes. I’m good.”
“I want you, Carly.” Without waiting for her answer, he tugged on her earlobe hard enough to make her moan.
He reached between her thighs to touch her right in the middle of all her hot, damp need, then gave her an easy smile. “And you want me, too.”
No use arguing there, since her body had spoken for her, but oh, boy, he was so confident. And correct. She didn’t answer but bucked against him, making him groan.
“Tell me,” he demanded.
“I want you.” Reaching for him, she wrapped her hand around his shaft, showing him how much. “You know I do.”
He groaned and kissed her deeply, using one strong arm to brace himself above her while his talented fingers teased her as they dipped in and out of her wet core. She writhed and moaned, losing herself. His kisses were an experience unto themselves, and not just a means to an end. He kissed her like his life depended on it. Like she was his oxygen.
Meanwhile, his fingers continued their sweet torture and she came seconds later, her body shaking and trembling. And if she’d come like that with his fingers, she had a feeling she might spontaneously combust when he got inside her. Willing herself to get a grip, she stopped gasping and whimpering and rolled on top of him.
He let her, gripping her hips tightly when she straddled him. “I think you liked that.”
“Okay. Maybe I did.” Couldn’t let him get too cocky.
She slid down the hard length of his body, feeling his taut muscles tense under her touch as her tongue circled one pec and then followed down to his abs and the light smattering of hairs leading to the V of his pelvis.
“Oh, yeah,” he moaned and fisted a hand in her hair.
She smiled and gave him one long lick before she took him into her mouth. His body went rigid and he groaned, his hips bucking as he lost some of his control. His breathing became ragged; he cursed and then moaned in pleasure.
“Stop. You’ve got to stop.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not ready for this to end. Remember I said it had been a long time? And I want inside you. Condom. Now.”
She sat up and looked wildly around the room. “Right. Where is it?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
He sat up and rummaged through nightstand drawers. “You’re supposed to be flattered. It means I wasn’t sure about you. Also, did I mention it’s been a long time?”
She joined him, jumping out of bed to search the dresser drawers. “Well, I sure don’t have anything, because if you think it’s been a long time for you...”
“My wallet!” He reached into his pants and pulled out his wallet, and a moment later there appeared a cellophane-wrapped dream.
“Check the expiration date.”
“Way ahead of you.”
She closed her eyes, hoping, really worked up for this. For him. Ready as she’d ever been. A moment later the sound of plastic ripping open. She almost forgot to breathe.
He took control then, rolling the condom on and moving them both to tuck her under him. “I want to see your face.”
Yes. Oh, yes. She wanted to see his face, too. And his beautiful eyes. His gorgeous, expressive mouth with a smile that made her feel like he could see into her fantasies to know what she was thinking.
With one swift move he slid deep into her, making her cry out. “Levi.”
“Right here.” He bent down to meet her lips in a fierce kiss.
He moved above her in even and slow devastating strokes, so gracious and strong. His powerful thrusts rocked her world. She felt hot. Wild. She met his heated gaze, seeing his eyes now dark with desire, and she shifted her hips to take him deeper still.
He threw back his head, pleasure etched in every angle of his face, the cords in his neck drawn tight. “Carly.”
Amazingly, she felt the pressure inside her grow quicker than it ever had before, and for a moment she felt a trickle of fear. She couldn’t lose complete control, not with him. Not yet. But she tossed that thought to the side, a little bit crazed by the way her body responded to him. She lifted her hips to him again, crying out when he went so deep. He pumped into her harder, driving her to the edge. When she couldn’t stand it a moment longer, she told herself it was okay to let go. Just this once. He had her. She came again, fiercely this time, her body pulsating in little quakes as she cried out his name. It was a moment later when she realized they’d come together.
A first for her.
She lay beneath him, spent and sweaty, wondering if she looked as ruined for any other man as she felt inside.
Levi pressed his forehead to hers. “You still with me?”
Not sure about that, she simply nodded and fought to catch her breath. Feeling her heart rate come down from cardiac-event levels, she forced in an even breath. Levi took his weight off her but didn’t move from his position braced above her. Still inside her. He grazed her jaw before he kissed her lips again and again.
“I like kissing you.”
He moved off her, rolled and tucked her beside him. She lay in his arms, eyes wide-open, wondering if this was normal for him. Did he always wreck women like this, or was she just particularly weak?
When she shifted in his arms to get up, his grip tightened, and he grazed her neck with his lips.
“Not yet.”
Carly relaxed into his arms, a smile tugging at her lips. “You’re a cuddler, Levi. Color me shocked.”
“What? I don’t look like a cuddler?” He smiled against her forehead.
No. He didn’t. More like the guy who would take what he wanted and let himself out the back door. She knew she wasn’t being fair to label Levi. Just because what little she knew of his history with women was less than monk-like didn’t mean he’d never been tender. Loving. He’d proved that tonight.
“Hmm.” She let her fingers graze down his pecs to his abs and back again, gratified when his muscles tightened in resp
onse. “I appreciate you not ordering me around.”
“You weren’t ready.” He chuckled softly. “But the night is still young.”
He was right about that. She didn’t need to limit fun to the hours before midnight. No, she was in charge of her own life and had all night with Levi if she wanted it. She’d sleep tomorrow.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CARLY WOKE TO morning light filtering through the bedroom window and blinked. It was morning, but she still didn’t want to get up. She’d been having such a great dream...
Who knew orders could be such a turn-on? But when they involved her pleasure, she wasn’t going to argue with the man. She snuggled closer to the star and reason behind her erotic dream, only to find a pillow in his place. No Levi. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, one thing became clear. She’d overslept. In Levi’s bed! Her plans, hatched sometime during the wee hours of the night, had been to wake just before dawn broke. She’d write him a sweet note, something to the effect of “thanks for the memories” but much better than that. Oh, she’d come up with the right words. Just give her a few hours and a deadline. After composing the perfect note, she’d planned to quietly slip next door so when he woke up he could miss her.
Not...not this.
Levi was missing from his own bed. What did that mean? He wanted her to go? A note—which she certainly hoped was his grocery list—sat on the nightstand, tucked partially under the baby monitor. She sat up, tucking the sheets around her naked body, and read the note.
Went for a run with Digger. Be back soon. —Levi
So...damn. He’d outwitted her in the note department. Kept it short and sweet. That was certainly one way to go. Wouldn’t have been her choice, because he’d left out details. Should she wait for him here? Go next door and try again for her miss-me approach?
Was there coffee?
All the important stuff. Missing. She climbed out of bed and picked up her jeans and shirt off the floor. Her panties had to be stuck somewhere in the covers, but after struggling with sheets and blankets for several minutes, she found nothing. Fine. More underwear was waiting for her next door. It wouldn’t kill her to go commando.
But then she heard the front door open. Levi was back. And she was naked and still here, since he’d ruined her grand exit. He owed her a grand exit. And something told her that morning sex would be off-the-charts hot with Levi. Might as well not waste her presence here. One more time with him ought to do it, and then she’d get this ridiculous crush out of her system for good.
She wrapped the top sheet around her, smoothed her hair into place and stepped outside the bedroom door. There, she turned her backside in his direction and dropped the sheet, bracing one arm in the door frame. À la Marilyn Monroe, she tossed her hair back and gave him a full moon.
“I’m ready for more orders, Airman!”
“Carly?”
Carly froze because that was not Levi’s voice. She quickly picked up the sheet and turned to see Cassie, a huge smile plastered on her face as she held Grace and covered the baby’s eyes.
“Sorry!”
She’d traumatized the poor, motherless child. One night with her father and she’d been ruined. Great job, nanny of the year.
Carly backtracked, tripped over the sheet and hit her head on the bedroom door frame. “I’ll be right with you.”
Her panties had materialized out of the sheets in all the chaos. She pulled them on and dressed in yesterday’s clothes.
She gazed in the bathroom mirror only to be rewarded with her bed-hair look. Might look sexy in bed but not so much in the kitchen. And she would have to join the real world a little sooner than planned. She finger-combed her hair and brushed her teeth with her finger and a little of Levi’s toothpaste.
Carly met Cassie in the kitchen, where she sat at the table, Grace in the high chair. She was gumming some Cheerios and didn’t look too traumatized.
“Good morning.”
“And a very good morning to you.” Cassie rose and poured some still-brewing coffee into a mug. “Apparently.”
“I’m so sorry that you had to see my ass like that. Poor Grace. What can I do?”
“Please. She won’t ever remember this. Have a seat.” Cassie poured some creamer in her mug and stirred. “Let’s have some coffee.”
“I’m just going to go because I’m right next door.” Carly hooked a thumb in the direction of her house and turned to leave. But she didn’t even make it out of the kitchen.
“So you and Levi, huh?”
She whirled back. “I know what this looks like, but we’re not really...together.”
“Oh, I know you’re not engaged. That part is fake. But this? I might be an old woman, but I know exactly what this is.”
Carly did, too. It was fun with a capital F, and she didn’t know if she was quite done with it. But she’d have to be, because there was too much to lose. They were neighbors and friends. No one got hurt—that was the deal. Besides, she was beginning to care way too much about Levi...and Grace. More than a nanny probably should, and more than she ever wanted to admit. Publicly, she adored babies. Privately, she didn’t like or understand babies. This was just a job. An obligation and nothing more. The babysitting had helped the business. She’d helped Levi. Sort of.
And the facts were, she was very likely headed back to New York City. Her confidence was growing more every day. She didn’t need to get attached to these two, only to have to leave them. Levi didn’t need that, either, even if she had a difficult time picturing him getting too attached.
Carly glanced over at Grace, and the baby’s drooly smile kicked her right in the gut.
“And how’s your daddy doing?” Cassie changed the subject.
Kind people in town asked on a regular basis and she usually made up a few sentences to make it sound, if not good, at least passable. Making progress. One day at a time. He’ll get there. No one really wanted to hear bad news. And Dad’s PT was just another thing in her life she couldn’t control and had given up trying. The important thing was to keep after him to do his exercises and keep the bills paid so that it could take as long as it had to take to get him better. The way Daddy kept stalling, it could take years of PT, and every delay made it less likely he’d achieve a complete recovery with the new hip.
Carly didn’t answer for a beat, and Cassie took that as an answer in itself. “Man’s as stubborn as a mule, isn’t he?”
“He is.” Carly stared into her coffee mug.
He wasn’t all that different from Carly sometimes. But while he pushed her to step outside her comfort zone, he wasn’t willing to do the same. Frustrating.
“Back to you and Levi.”
“No, let’s not.”
Cassie reached to pat Carly’s hand. “I want you to give him a chance.”
“Give him a chance?”
“Don’t just find something wrong with him, like you do with all the guys you’ve dated.”
Carly snorted. “That sounds like something my mother told you about me.”
“Yes. What was wrong with that sweet man you dated for a while? Antonio, was it?”
“You mean the guy who was cheating on me with three other women? That sweet guy?”
Cassie made a face. “Then what about Rick? I thought you two were really getting along last year.”
“We were, until he borrowed five thousand dollars to start his stupid beer delivery business, took off to Idaho and never paid me back.”
“Such a shame. He had lovely dimples. And he seemed like a nice man.”
“He wasn’t.”
Then there was Alec, not a nice man at all, but she didn’t talk about him. He was just a blip on the radar of her love life, anyway.
“Well, you finally hit the jackpot. Levi is different. Special.”
&n
bsp; “I didn’t hit the jackpot. We’re neighbors and I’m his temporary nanny and fake fiancée.”
“And...this morning?”
“Onetime thing. He can go ahead and be special because I’m not looking for special.”
Cassie squinted and leaned in like she hadn’t heard right. “What, now?”
“Maybe I want a little fun for once.” She took a gulp of coffee. “Besides, the thing is, I’m probably going back to New York City.”
“Yeah?”
“Sure, as soon as I wrap everything up here. I want to finish what I started there.”
“Makes sense. And I know you’ll tell Levi your plans so he’s not left hanging when you go.”
“He’s supposed to be looking for a new sitter anyway.”
Cassie’s eyebrows went up. “That’s not what I meant.”
Levi came through the front door. He wore sweats, a windbreaker and a backward baseball cap. But more than what he wore, Carly zeroed in on his eyes. They were filled with a kind of strength that she’d never found so attractive. He was big and bad. Strong and solid.
“Hey,” he said, taking in the kitchen scene with sharp eyes that never seemed to miss a single detail.
“Hiya, cowboy,” Cassie said.
Carly zeroed in on the fact that Digger was not with him. “Digger?”
He pulled a worn-out-looking Digger from under his jacket. His eyes were no longer wide with fear but more like half-mast. On the good news front, he looked too tired to shake.
“He’s not much of a runner.” Levi set him down, and he scurried off in the direction of the laundry room and the safety of his pillow. “I would have been here sooner, but he slowed me up.”
“It’s the short legs.” Cassie dropped a kiss on Grace’s forehead and patted Carly on the back. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”
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