by J. S. Scott
“Yeah, I think I do,” I answered softly.
“Right. Yes. We’re on the same page there. Now, we need to figure out how to piece together what’s happening with us in the physical world. We need to decide what we’re going to do about our connection.”
I nodded, but I was disappointed. He sounded as if he’d already given up on the belief that I would be part of his future. Did he find me less attractive as time wore on?
I was big-boned, and carried an extra twenty to thirty pounds, even when I’d tried to shed them. Before Hayden’s wedding, that hadn’t really bothered me. Now...
Now, I wondered if it was a bit premature to assume that I’d found someone to love, a man who had been through almost every trial in my life, someone who would love me in spite of the extra weight.
As if he sensed my growing apprehension, Levi brushed his fingers under my chin, and tilted my face up. “When Jackson told me how crazy he was for your sister, I questioned her motives and his.”
I started to speak but he continued, “After I met Hayden, I realized your sister wasn’t after Jackson’s money.” His eyes danced with mischief when he quickly added, “As you pointed out, we aren’t our siblings so you should know the truth right from the start. I may be after your money, but I’m damn interested in what you’ve got underneath that sweater, too.”
I didn’t hesitate, wondering if he was serious. His joke was something he was doing to try to get my mind off whatever serious stuff I was thinking about. It had always been one of his tactics to make me feel better.
The last thing he needed was my money. He had plenty of his own.
I snorted. “You’re a jerk…” I gave him a playful shove, and the crushing sensation in the center of my chest eased a little. “Says the man who not only has a debt-free engineering firm, but also prides itself on having the most tangible assets?”
“My brother or your sister talks too much.”
“No they don’t,” I argued. “Levi, I do remember everything, and you’ve always been driven. Maybe sometimes too much.”
“That attitude can be a blessing, or a curse,” he grumbled. “I think you already know that.”
I was silent as he frowned. But there was no awkwardness in the quiet room.
Not wanting to stop the ease of conversation between us, I said, “If it makes you feel any better, we can pretend you’re only after my money.”
His demeanor shifted as he ran his hand up the back of my neck. Holding my head still, he lowered his lips to mine, and whispered hoarsely into his first kiss of the night, “The only thing that will ever make me feel better is this…”
His tongue met mine, and the ravenous pull that started between us was spell-binding and infused with so much passion, and too many unexplainable emotions. A light moan fell between us, and I wasn’t sure if the sound had come from him, or me.
As he finally lifted his head, he said, “Don’t pull back just yet, Amy.”
It was sweet, almost innocent, the way he held on for another intimate moment. He pressed his forehead against mine and said, “This should’ve been our first kiss. I’m so sorry I embarrassed you at the reception.”
“Don’t do that,” I said, hoping we could begin our journey together without regrets. “If I remember correctly, I was the one with my back against the wall, ready for you to fuck me right in the middle of a wedding reception.”
He winked. “Let me know if you want to be there again. We have a roomful of walls here.”
“My living room. My rules,” I said, debating if I should take it a step further, or use those words to imply I was a good girl who didn’t want to rush things.
As I inhaled his masculine scent, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t mind having my back against one of my walls. Or all of them.
He let out a masculine sigh. “I was afraid you might say that.”
What the hell was I doing? Did I really want to play the good girl after living out such naughty dreams?
The earth shifted whenever Levi entered my dreams. I’d longed for a real moment with my dream man, and now I could have that moment. Without thinking about the consequences or where any of this might lead, I stood.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“That’s up to you,” I said saucily. “Pick a wall.”
Chapter Nine
Levi
We landed against the living room wall, but it wasn’t as I’d planned. It wasn’t as I’d imagined or even seen in my dreams. My back was flat against the surface. Her hands feverishly worked at freeing my tucked shirt.
Jesus Christ! She’s going to kill me!
There was nothing sexier than watching her lose control, but I was afraid I was going to lose mine as well.
“Slow down, gorgeous,” I said in a husky voice.
Her lips claimed mine, and as we kissed, I felt her relax. I took advantage of the moment, and turned her around. My fingers fit with hers as I braced her hands against the wall. I worked my tongue across the nape of her neck, lightly feathering the tip against her skin before kissing the shell of her ear. “Tell me you belong to me.”
I had to hear her say it. Here. In the real world.
Her body jerked, and I held her hands tighter to the surface, pressing my chest against her back, and making the request all over again. I was a little more impatient this time. “Say it, Amy.”
“You say it,” she said, a bit defiant as she turned her head to look at me.
Fuck!
I smothered her lips, this time the heat between us magnified. Each minute kicked up the passion.
Each kiss drove up the hunger.
My hands skimmed her curves, my cock so damn hard that my fists were clenching, trying to hold back the need to be inside her.
I was at her ear again, whispering all the things I wanted to do, all the many ways I could pleasure her.
She flipped around, and stared into my eyes. To my pleasure and surprise, she dropped to her knees and whispered, “Watch me.”
“Not yet,” I said, stopping her as she unfastened my belt.
Am I fucking crazy! Watching her gorgeous, plump lips taking my cock is one of my wet dreams.
But this was more than a fantasy. Thinking back, she had always been much more than that.
Before the look of disappointment settled in her eyes, I pulled her to her feet, and cupped her face. “My pleasure is your pleasure. Any man can get a blowjob, but I want to feel you grinding against my lips, screaming out my name. And you’re gonna love it, sweetheart.”
“I wouldn’t dream of stopping you now,” she said, dragging her finger across the swell of my denim-covered cock.
I took her hand, and led her to the stairs. It was the first step in our future direction, a step toward our present awareness, and away from the past dreams that never made sense until now.
We were halfway there when my cell phone jingled.
“No!” she said, collapsing against me. “Tell me it can wait.”
“I’m afraid not,” I said, wrapping my arm around her waist. My heart hammered against my chest as I listened to the ringtone.
Mac knew where I’d gone tonight. It was important or he wouldn’t have called.
I knew it had to be some kind of work related issue. Mac and I had projects together.
“Work?” She looked disappointed, and I hoped I wouldn’t see that expression very often because it broke my damn heart. “I understand. Take the call.”
“Thanks,” I said, fishing my phone from my jeans before answering with a grave, “This better be good.”
“If it were good, I wouldn’t be calling in the middle of the night.” Mac sounded sleepy, so he’d most likely been awakened with bad news. “It’s the Miami Skyline Mall. It’s coming down. The walkways, shops, restaurants, all of it. Got a plane waiting for us at the airport. I need your help, Levi. Where are you?”
I winced, but I didn’t answer his question about my location. “Damn. That’s a tough brea
k, man.”
Mac’s bank had financed the Miami project. I’d warned him away from it from the start. Mac had run the plans by me before they broke ground.
My concern was always grounded in the argument that the stability of the structure under unsustainable weights during heavy retail traffic would be too dangerous for any reputable engineering firm to bid on in good conscience. For me, it was a matter of ethics, but not for everyone.
I’d passed on the project entirely.
Another firm that wasn’t that interested in ethics or safety had bid.
The mall went up.
Now, it was coming down.
I couldn’t say I was surprised, but I was worried. People could get hurt—if they hadn’t already.
I wasn’t about to tell Mac “I told you so.” Not now. He sounded concerned enough already.
“I’m on my way,” I said, disconnecting the call.
Apparently, Amy heard enough to understand. She quickly steered me back down the stairs. “Be careful, Levi. If a mall is coming down, it will be dangerous.”
For some damn reason I couldn’t figure out, I liked the fact that she worried about my safety.
“I wouldn’t dream of being anything else,” I said, gently bunching her hair at her neck, and tilting her chin up for a goodbye kiss. “I may be gone for a few days, but when I get back, we’re going to have that dinner.”
My dick was so hard that I wanted to blow off everything except making this woman mine.
But my asinine conscience wouldn’t let me.
“I’ll think about it,” she teased, clutching the door, and making the simple gesture look damn sexy. “Call me and we’ll discuss it.”
“We’ll do more than discuss it,” I growled before I kissed her again, and then forced myself out of the house.
As I drove away, I hurriedly dialed Mac to let him know what we’d need on the ground. As soon as we finished, I phoned Amy. “What’s your favorite restaurant?”
I’d be damned if we were going to talk about it, and I had to admit that I was a little edgy about leaving her the way I had.
“You’re talking to a real foodie, remember.”
“It’s one of the many things that I love about you,” I admitted. “Pick a place. As soon as I’m back in town, it’s a date.”
“Levi?” My heart stood still, wondering if she was going to put up her defensive walls again until she murmured, “Come back to me. I don’t want to lose you after we’ve just found one another. I almost lost you once.”
She’s remembering my hospital time in Germany.
My heart heaved, and started to beat again.
A million pounds of steel wouldn’t stop me from getting my ass back to her as soon as possible.
Chapter Ten
Amy
The next morning, I awoke to a sweet text: Meet me tonight in our dreams. Wear something red, sexy, and…make it see-through! Long day ahead. If we’re in bed by ten, maybe we can time it right. Any thoughts?
I had a few, but waited an hour before I fired off a response: It’s Valentine’s Day. What makes you think I want to turn in early? I might have a date.
I was more than aware that he’d know I was joking. But I could almost hear his possessive growl in my head.
His: You do. I think you may know him. Me.
Mine: In that case…ten it is.
His: It’s a date.
I held the phone tightly against my chest, and entered my walk-in closet. Staring at the dreadfully bare built-in lingerie drawers, I avoided opening them. Whatever lingerie I’d stored there was inevitably steeped in bad memories, and disappointing affairs.
I’d had plenty of sexual encounters—with two different men in my past, but I’d never really planned for a tryst or anything remarkably close to what Levi had planned for the night.
I was unabashedly anxious for our eccentric date.
So maybe it wouldn’t be the ideal Valentine’s Day affair, but it would be perfect for a couple of people who knew what they wanted to take away from the night ahead.
Now that I knew more about Levi, I was less guarded. He wasn’t the player that I’d first imagined, but that didn’t mean he was any less alpha. He’d strip away my self-control, and do it with a smile. He’d already managed to do it, and that was before we knew one another in the real world.
We wanted what we hadn’t been able to have in our dreams. Maybe we were both a little curious, too. How much could we do in our dreams now that we knew one another in our reality? We’d been open and honest about our history, and were eager to hold onto the memories we’d made. We were eager to embrace just about anything.
If only Hayden were here. She’d lived through the dream revelations. She’d know how to advise me. I wondered if she’d felt this angst after connecting with Jackson?
My mind churned with the possibilities Levi and I would face in the night. Maybe now it would be easier to see him in my dreams. I shivered with thoughts about what the night might hold.
Would he even be able to see what I was wearing now?
Would he be able to lay me down and have his way? Would we have sex? Would we talk? Would we make plans for the future?
I was getting carried away.
I’d never been the kind of woman who always dreamt of meeting the one man who could make all my dreams come true. Part of my cynicism derived from my mother. She’d used Dad for her own personal gain, and it broke my heart. My father had been her puppet, and I wondered if he’d really wanted to treat Hayden and I so poorly, or if he’d just been trying to please my mother.
Dad wasn’t entirely innocent, but he’d never been wise to her approach. When she asked for something, he gave. When she became bored with one toy, he gave another.
I was from the school of thought that marriages should be built on mutual trust and compassion. A marriage built with love could sustain anything.
I also believed that large weddings, and the fanfare that went along with them, were too stressful. One day, if and when I finally married, I hoped to run away with the man of my dreams, and maybe tie the knot on a whim and immediately start our lives together.
For some, that wouldn’t sound too romantic.
For me, it was a dream come true.
I paused. Since when had I become a believer in dreams again?
Grinning, I continued to think about Valentine’s night. Now that Levi and I had connected, we could potentially leave our dream feeling fulfilled. If nothing else, perhaps it would make everything in the physical world less awkward, if and when we later consummated our relationship.
But what would it hurt to play along now in a world we were familiar with?
I tried to stop thinking about Levi as I left the house, and drove to another part of the city.
It had been a while since I’d shopped for myself. Houston’s boutiques were full of plus sizes, and if I hurried downtown now, I might have time to run by Houston’s Pet Sanctuary, and play with the newborn kittens.
Spending time at the sanctuary was always great therapy when I didn’t want to think about my troubles. Levi wasn’t troubling, but I could overthink our date, and that was the worst thing I could do.
The afternoon flew by. Before I knew it, I was headed home, and fighting my way through the lover’s holiday traffic.
I didn’t hear from Levi again until he called around seven o’clock. “This is a surprise,” I said.
“And not a good one, I’m afraid,” he said, sounding disappointed. “We lost the east wing today. It’s all over the international news.”
“I understand. Duty calls. If you can’t make it tonight, there will be other nights, and other moments.”
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss tonight. I may go to bed a little later than planned, but I’m still hoping to pull off the sexiest Valentine’s Day event ever.”
“What are you up to?”
“It’s a surprise. Wear something sexy, gorgeous.”
I snorted
. “We don’t even know if you’re going to be able to see sexy underwear…”
“Maybe not. But I’m ever hopeful,” he said mischievously.
“Thanks,” I grumbled, feeling a little self-conscious. Even if we’d shared dreams, Levi and I were still on unfamiliar ground. The two lovers I’d had in the past had come on strong in the very beginning, but finished weak in the end.
They’d lost interest, probably because they saw me in lingerie.
I wondered if Levi would feel the same way.
“Tell you what, I’ll just show you what I have in mind. I promise it’ll be worth it,” he said in a sexy baritone.
“If you say so,” I said, unable to separate myself from past disappointments and cynicism.
“Amy, I’m not like other men. I think you know that. You’ve known me for most of my life. I’m not a player. I’m not going to hurt you. Yes, I like sexy lingerie as much as the next man, but all I really want is you. Wear it or don’t wear it. I really don’t care. Let me into your dreams tonight and I’ll show you.”
How in the hell did he always seem to know exactly what I was thinking?
It wasn’t a psychic thing. His abilities didn’t work that way.
We were just so…connected.
“It’s a date then,” I said, regaining my earlier enthusiasm and confidence.
I kicked myself in the ass, and reminded myself that this was Levi, and we knew each other.
I trusted him like no other man I’d ever known.
But it wasn’t easy to completely shake off my apprehensions.
“See you then,” he answered.
We disconnected our call, but I couldn’t help but wonder aloud, “How do you know how to find me in my dreams?”
And while I didn’t physically hear a response, I could’ve sworn I heard Levi in my head saying, “I know, gorgeous. I’ve always known.”
Night finally arrived, and I slipped on a fire-engine red negligee with a misaligned form that fell loosely around my body thanks to an asymmetrical hem. I’d chosen it specifically because of the way that it hugged my breasts but didn’t cling to my thighs and stomach. I wasn’t big on accenting flawed areas.