by KL Donn
Picking Hayes up, Levi carried her to his room. His hands and mouth still roaming freely along her body as they crashed onto the bed.
Moans the only sound in the room.
Their passion the only scent surrounding them.
“Come for me, Hayes.” His words were the master of her body as he removed her shirt, unclipping her bra and tossing the articles both to the floor. The rest of her clothes soon followed. She was self-conscious as he sat back, fully clothed, staring at her body. If not for the coveted power of his stare, she might have tried to cover up. There was no censure, no disgust to behold. Just longing and lust. All of it for her. “The things I want to do to you.”
His words were deep, more of a growl than a voice. The muscles in his arms vibrated from the force with which he had to keep from dominating her.
“Levi?”
His gaze slowly slid up her body to connect with her eyes. This was a man hanging on by a thread, and Hayes knew in that instant she wanted to give him everything of herself she could.
She wanted to be his.
“Touch me,” her words were barely above a whisper, “please.”
She didn’t comprehend what she was asking of him. Levi was barely containing himself. The need consuming him for her was a force he was having trouble holding off.
“If I start this with you, Hayes, I won’t be able to stop.” He warned her, loosely gripping his shirt.
Her gaze travelled the length of his body as every inch of muscle was exposed. “I don’t want you to,” she murmured, reaching up to touch his chest and gently running a finger over a new bruise from his fight.
Her words were the only permission he needed as he stood from the bed to rid himself of his shorts. His heart was pounding as she continued to watch his every move, looking hypnotized as he crawled over top of her.
“Hayes,” he said softly, needing her to understand his choice. “Sugar, look at me.” His voice lowered an octave at the command. “You and me, we’re forever. There won’t ever be anyone else. You understand?” She nodded. “I’m not using a condom. I will never use a condom. Ain’t nothing ever getting between us.”
Her gaze cleared slightly at his words. “I’m on the pill.”
Her light voice the only permission he needed.
His iron grip on her knees became tender as he pulled them apart, making room to root himself inside of her. The scars running along one side of her body didn’t deter him from his desire; they only made him want her more. They represented her strength and resilience in the face of life’s obstacles. She was a fighter, a survivor.
After he was done showing Hayes how much she was a part of him, she would be his in every way known to man. “You’re so damn beautiful.” Levi’s words were whispered with all the devotion he felt for her.
“Your eyes,” she murmured, tracing them, “they glow with your passion.” As her hand slid down to his chest, he was helpless but to watch and listen. “I feel everything with you, Levi. I see it all.” Her hand continued to slide down to where he held himself away from her. Away from pounding her through the floor and straight into the sweetest hell in history. “We’re it.” He was a goner when her hand softly wrapped around his aching cock.
“Hands up, legs wide, sugar. You’re mine.” It was the only warning Levi gave her as he lined himself up to her dripping pussy. Her pleasure soaked him as he slowly pushed into her tightness.
“God-motherfucking-dammit all to hell,” he groaned as he reached her innocence. “You were saving yourself for me, weren’t you?” His hands gripped her waist so tightly, he knew there would be bruises on her pale flesh, but he couldn’t do a fucking thing to help it.
His body was prepared to fly apart at the knowledge that she was pure and all fucking his. Her thighs spread wider for him as her hands flexed on his biceps. “I’m all yours, Levi.”
Every primal urge he had overtook his body at her words. Gone was any gentleness he should have had, and in its place, was a beast feeding on her cries for mercy. Her screams of pain fueled his drive to make her moan with desire.
At her first whimper, his blood pumped so forcefully in his ears that he could hardly hear beyond his breathing. Holy fucking hell did he feel, though. With his eyes closed, he summoned all his other senses, opening to her every moan and cry. She soaked his cock as he pumped in and out of her without grace, and her glorious walls sucked at his dick, leaving him practically immovable. Her thighs gripped tight to his hips as her nails scratched down his back.
“Levi, oh, Levi,” she repeatedly purred in his ear.
“You’re perfection, Hayes.” He was finally able to praise her. “Your tight little pussy fits me like a damn glove. You were made for me, baby.” He sucked on the pulse in her neck, biting lightly as she came in his arms.
The full-body shivers wracking her frame and her cries of ecstasy invoked his own release as his toes dug into the mattress, pushing his cock as far inside of her as he could so they melded into one single form.
“You’re mine, sweetheart,” he murmured one more time before they both relaxed into sleep. Peace following him for once.
Chapter Ten
Love alone is worth the fight.
Waking up with Hayes in his arms was hands down the most memorable moment in Levi’s life. Second, of course, to the way she gave herself over to him. Freely and completely. Seeing Hayes come undone for him was beautiful. Awe-inspiring. Her trust astounded him.
Wanting to do something special for her, he slipped from bed to make her breakfast. He knew she didn’t normally eat much more than a muffin, so he went all out. Gave her a real feast. He planned on showing her that he wanted more from their relationship as well. She’d wanted last night to be about them getting to know each other, and they’d gotten carried away. Not that he regretted it. Being surrounded by her as she experienced the greatest high in the universe was something for him to pound his chest over.
Whistling on his way down to the kitchen, he was shocked by the fresh scent of coffee that assaulted him. Stepping into the room, he took in the sight of his mother humming softly to herself, and it made him nervous.
“Ma?” he questioned, fully entering the room and half-hoping Hayes stayed asleep. She didn’t know that his fighting was a secret, and since he wasn’t ready to tell his family about it, he didn’t want her to spill the beans.
“Hello, sweetheart.” His mother beamed at him as she spun around.
“What are you doing here, Ma?”
Handing him a cup like it was her own home, she replied, “I haven’t seen you in over a week, Levi, so I thought I’d stop by.”
He had to force himself not to look behind him and give his company away. “Now’s not really a good time.”
She ignored him. “I was thinking of throwing an engagement party for Lennox and Sophia in the next couple of weeks. What do you think?” There was something in her eyes.
“Sure, Ma. Whatever you want.” He’d agree to nearly anything at that moment.
“You don’t have some hussy here, do you?” She sounded pissed at the idea.
“Not a hussy, ma’am,” a soft voice said from behind him.
His head hung as Hayes entered the room, and his mother eyed her skeptically. Her shock at seeing a woman in his home was quickly masked.
Holding his arm out for Hayes, he turned his head briefly to notice that she was in nothing but his t-shirt. His groan of appreciation was torn from him before he could force it back down.
“Levi,” his mother hissed.
Once Hayes was in his arms, he introduced them, hoping against everything in his world that they would hit it off. “Ma, this is Hayes. Sugar, this is my mother, Lorraine.”
Hayes remained glued to his side as she spoke. “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.”
His mother, the only woman who meant anything to him before now, remained the quietest he’d ever seen her. Her gaze travelled up and down Hayes like a bug under a microscope.
“Ma,” he prompted.
“How old are you, Hayes?” Not what he was expecting.
His girl looked up to him briefly before answering. “Eighteen, ma’am.”
Lorraine’s penetrating gaze flew daggers at him as she scolded him. “She’s barely an adult, Levi!”
“I’m going to go get dressed.” Hayes’ whispered words were full of hurt, so he let her go.
With hands on his hips, he had to count backwards from ten, so he didn’t blow up. “Ma,” he warned, “Hayes is an adult. In more ways than you could understand.”
“Is she even out of high school?”
He had to remember that he’d reacted nearly the same way when they first met. “She graduates in a couple weeks.”
“Levi!”
“Ma.” His voice held a warning. Hayes was his, there was nothing and no one that could change his mind on that.
“What am I supposed to think, son? She’s in high school. You’re a grown man.” He understood the struggle she was having. “She can’t possibly be mature enough for anything serious, and she’s too young for you to screw around with like that.”
“You don’t know her like I do, Ma, so I’m going to let that go. But Hayes isn’t going anywhere.”
Before he could say more, his girl walked into the kitchen.
“Sorry,” she muttered, not meeting anyone’s gaze. “Lys will be here in a few minutes. I’ll let you two talk.” She wouldn’t even come in the fucking room, and that angered him.
“Hayes.” His voice was commanding as she looked up at him, and what he saw in her gaze broke his damn heart. Walking over to her, his hands moved straight to her dishevelled hair, pulling her body into his as he took her mouth in a sweet kiss.
He could feel the struggle she was going through with accepting his affections in front of the woman who kept insisting she was a child. Nipping her bottom lip, she finally melted into his embrace, and her hands settled on his chest, flexing as he deepened the kiss.
Pulling back, both out of breath, he whispered to her, “I’ll be at your house at four.” She looked torn. “I’ll be there, Hayes, and so help me if you aren’t. I’ll hunt your sweet ass down.”
“Okay.” She turned to walk away at the sound of a horn out front, but manners insisted she say goodbye to the other woman in the room. “It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Hogan.” She was gone before his mother could reply.
Shifting towards her, he raised a brow as she watched Hayes leave his home. “Dammit,” she muttered, “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“I know, Ma.”
“It’s just after everything your brother and Sophia went through, I worry about you boys. More about you than anyone else.”
“Why more me?” He had a feeling he knew exactly why.
“You’re so secretive lately. You’re hardly ever around, and when you are, you’re covered in cuts and bruises.” She paused. “I just don’t know what to think anymore.”
Shit.
Striding over to her, he pulled her into his arms and assured her. “I’ll tell soon, Ma. I promise. I haven’t been ready to, but I think I’m almost there.”
“Because of Hayes?”
“Yeah.”
Taking a deep breath, she backed away. “I’d like to meet her over again. Do it right this time, and not be one of those evil mothers. Will you bring her by for dinner this week?”
“I’d really like that.” Kissing his mother’s cheek, she forced him to eat the breakfast he hadn’t realized she made, and then she was gone. Leaving him to get to the gym for an intense workout with Casper before heading to Hayes.
As soon as Hayes headed downstairs, she regretted it. She didn’t want to hear his mother convince him they couldn’t be together. Seeing the disdain on the woman’s face when she’d entered the kitchen was hard to deal with. Especially after the night she and Levi had spent together.
“You alright, Hayes?” Lys asked from the driver’s side of her car. She hadn’t told her friend why she needed a ride just that it was an emergency.
“Yeah, great.” It was a lie.
“Liar.” Her head turned to look at Lys. “I know you well enough to tell that you’ve done something, and either you regret it or you were hurt.”
“I don’t regret it,” Hayes admitted quietly. She could never regret being with Levi. It was everything she’d wanted it to be and more. He was attentive and possessive. He made her feel on top of the world.
“You had sex with him, didn’t you?” Lys’s question had her squirming in her seat. “You slut! I knew you were going to last night. That man is hot for you!” Lys continued squealing. “Was it good?”
Hayes wasn’t one for gossip but having someone to talk to felt good. “It was…everything.”
“So, what happened?”
“His mom was there this morning.”
“Shit.”
“Pretty much.” They were quiet for a moment while Hayes processed what she wanted to say next. “She made me feel dirty. Like he was using me.”
“Was he?” Her tone was as skeptical as Hayes felt.
“No. But with the way she looked at me…I don’t know. She didn’t even know my name, and it felt like she already hated me.”
“Maybe she’s a momzilla.”
“A what?”
“You know, one of those moms who think no one’s good enough for her boys and will make your life miserable and trash you every chance she gets.” Just great.
“Levi’s older brother is engaged. He’s never said anything about her being mean to her.”
“It’s his mom, why would he? He probably thinks she’s right and perfect.” Lys sounded bitter.
“Is Brett’s mom like that?” She wondered.
“She’s worse. That woman is a first-rate snotty bitch. I hate her. Thank gawd I won’t have to deal with her past graduation.”
“How come?” Brett’s attention to Allegra from a few days ago briefly entered her mind.
“Brett’s not in love with me any more than I am him. He likes to have me around because I piss his parents off,” she explained.
“And you’re okay with that?”
“I guess. Dad hates jocks, so it works both ways. We’ve never really been boyfriend and girlfriend. We just put on a good front to keep people away. He’s more like a best friend than anything. We’ve known each other for too long to mess that up.”
“Oh.” Hayes didn’t know what to say to that.
“Besides, he’s in love with that sophomore. Allegra something. She’s a real sweetheart. Maybe he’ll be able to open her up a bit.”
“I didn’t know you knew about her.”
Lys smiled at her. “Of course, I know. He watches her anytime she’s in the vicinity. Only he doesn’t know I know so let’s keep that between us because once he realizes it, he’ll go after her, and he can’t, or he could be arrested because she’s a year younger than he thinks she is.”
“She is?”
“Yup, she skipped a grade or something. She’s only fifteen. He’s got a couple years before his big ass can lay any claim on her.” Alyssa’s eyes were alight with amusement.
They spent the rest of the ride in quiet as Hayes thought about everything Alyssa had said about Levi’s mom being a momzilla. She had spoken with him about the woman a few times, and Hayes never got the feeling that she was like that. Everything Levi had said about her was centered around how much she loved her community, her boys, and her husband. How excited she was that his older brother, Lennox, was finally settling down and maybe giving her grandkids soon.
“You have free period tomorrow morning, right?” she asked Lys as they parked in front of her house.
“Sure do! I get to sleep in.”
“Will you take me to his shop?”
“Seriously?” Hayes nodded. “Fine. But why?”
“I don’t know. Just feel like I have to.”
“Alright, see you in the morning.”
“Thanks for the
ride!”
Walking up to her house, Hayes worried about what to tell her father. She’d explained to him that she wanted to spend the night with Levi and get to know the man, deepen the feelings they had for each other. She hadn’t planned on them having sex, but in the moment, it felt like the right thing to do. She worried he wouldn’t understand.
“Hey, kiddo.” The man himself walked out from the small garage next to the house.
“Morning, Dad.” She grinned seeing him covered in oil and grease.
“Was that Alyssa dropping you off?”
Shuffling her feet, she dreaded answering. “It was.”
He watched her as she fidgeted. “Did he do something wrong?” The man stepped towards her, on the verge of anger if she said yes.
“Levi is wonderful, Dad.” Her face beamed as she said his name. “His mom was at his house this morning, and I don’t think she likes me.”
“It’s her loss then, honey. Doesn’t tell me why Alyssa drove you home and not him, though.”
“I called her before he had a choice. It seemed like the two of them had a few things to talk about.” Her father thought about her explanation before nodding his head. “What are you working on?”
He seemed surprised by her question.
“Changing the spark plugs and doing an oil change.”
Now her dad wasn’t the most mechanically inclined person in the world, but he’d done these things her entire life. Mostly when he was stressed out about something. So, she offered to help. Something she’d never done before.
“I’d like that, Hayes.” His eyes lit up with joy, and for the first time, she realized just how broken her family had become since her accident and Ryder’s death.
Hugging him, she whispered, “I love you, Daddy,” before pulling back.
“Love you too, kiddo.”
“I’m just going to run in and say hi to Mom and change.”
He nodded before turning back to the garage. She went inside feeling lighter than she had in over a year. Even with how the morning started out, she had hope for the day. Hayes refused to let Levi’s mom’s attitude bring her down.