When Life Happened by Jewel E. Ann
Chapter Thirty-Five
Parker slid out of bed early the next morning, wrapping a blanket around her as her heart and stomach did a happy dance together seeing naked Levi on his stomach.
“Shhh.” She ushered Rags back toward the kitchen when he greeted her in the hallway, and then she grabbed her phone to call her mom.
“Hello, I wondered when I’d hear from my rebel daughter again.”
Parker snorted a laugh, plopping down on the blue sofa. “Sure. I’m such a rebel. No tattoos. No piercings. No arrests. Not even a parking ticket. Try again, Mom.”
“So where are you?”
“Levi’s. He has a condo in Scottsdale, right in the middle of a shopping district. Lots of restaurants, art galleries … just a really cool vibe. We had dinner with his parents last night. And the view … Mom, it’s incredible.”
“You don’t sound like my daughter. Who took my daughter? The grumpy one? The one who always had something smart to say?”
Parker chuckled. “What can I say? The desert suits me.”
“And Levi? You’re staying with him?”
Before Parker had a chance to answer, the man who took Janey’s daughter shuffled down the hall in nothing but a pair of black boxers low on his hips, really fucked-up hair, and a life-is-good grin on his scruffy face. Her gaze followed him to the kitchen.
“Yes, I’m staying with Levi.”
He grabbed a glass of water, giving her a quick glance over his shoulder and a wink at the mention of his name.
Parker wet her lips as her eyes continued to roam along his tan, muscled body.
“Is something going on between you two?”
She found her brain thinking, What would Levi say? “Yes. There’s definitely something going on between us.”
Levi leaned against the counter giving her a look that doubled her heart rate.
“Well … when are you coming home? Have you found a job? It’s insanely hot there, isn’t it?” Janey had a tendency to ramble when she got nervous. She was very nervous that her dream of having both of her girls living across the street from her could be ruined by a guy who lived in another part of the country or a job that wasn’t in the Janey-approved radius.
“I just got here. I haven’t had time to look for a job yet.” Within seconds, the aroma of coffee filled the room. Parker took a deep inhale.
“Parker …” Janey sighed.
“How’s Piper?”
“She’s good. Tomorrow they’re putting an offer in on the Westmans’ house.”
She closed her eyes and nodded slowly. “Of course they are.”
“I thought you’d be happy. That means they won’t be staying with you much longer. That means you can come home.”
Grunting a laugh, she opened her eyes to Levi standing in front of her, a mug of coffee in each hand. Parker twisted her lips. She had her phone in one hand, and her other hand held the blanket closed around her naked body. The smile on Levi’s face said he knew that too. He shrugged as he started to pull the mug away. Without a second thought, she let go of the blanket. It fell open. Levi’s eyes took advantage of her predicament.
“I’ll come home when I’m ready.” Parker snapped her fingers.
His eyes shot up to hers, a cocky grin pinned to his face. She gestured for the coffee. He handed it to her then sat on the coffee table in front of her, sipping his coffee with a front row view. Parker drew her knees to her chest. Levi frowned.
“But soon?”
“Tell Dad hi. I have to go. We’ll chat later.”
“Tonight?”
“Maybe. Or tomorrow.”
Janey sighed. “You’re killing me.”
“Love you.” Parker pressed end and tossed her phone aside. “How’s the view?”
Levi sipped his coffee. “Spread your legs just an inch.”
“You do realize this is really hot coffee. I could spill it and have severe burns. You should be fetching a robe for me or holding the blanket over me, but instead you’re wondering what you might see if I spread my legs an inch. What does that say about you?”
He twisted his lips, keeping his eyes low just in case her legs drifted apart. “It says I can’t think straight when you’re not wearing clothes. It says I’m a guy and I want to fuck you so badly right now.”
Parker’s brows shot up.
Levi met her gaze and shrugged. “Anything else would be a lie. This is the point where you throw that hot coffee in my face or slap me and then grab your clothes and stomp out slamming the door behind you.”
Most of his words held sarcasm, but a small part of his tone conveyed pain. He wasn’t insulting her. Levi wanted her, even if his honesty made it sound a little crude.
They continued their stare-off for a few more seconds. Then Parker took another sip of her coffee and spread her legs a generous inch. Levi’s eyes dropped to her legs, and he swallowed hard without taking a sip of his coffee.
“I like this sofa.”
His tongue made a lazy swipe along his lower lip. “Uh-huh.”
“So last night was good.”
Levi chuckled, dragging the pad of his finger along his lip as he nodded slowly.
“I should go exploring today. Check out the area. Do you have a good bus system?”
His eyes lifted to hers. She grinned.
“I have a car,” he said as if his mind were stumbling out of a daze. A naked Parker daze.
“I’m not taking your car. What if you need it?”
“I have a spare.”
“A spare car?”
“Yeah.” He took another sip of his coffee.
“One person needs two cars?”
“Yes. In case I need to loan one to you.”
“Liar.”
He grinned behind his mug. “Yes, I’m lying and not that well. I have two just because I can. There. I said it. Totally self-indulgent. Living in excess while people are starving.”
She snapped her knees together. “I think I liked you better when I thought the boutique hotel was a splurge that you’d have to pay off over several months.”
Levi’s eyes locked on her legs, lips pressed tightly like he showed up to his favorite restaurant just as the sign flipped to closed.
“I’m pretty giving.” His enthusiasm hit ten percent at best.
“Look at me and elaborate, please.”
“I don’t like to brag.” He shrugged.
Parker brushed her lips along the rim of the mug. “I’m all for humbleness, but right now I think you need to brag, just a little, to redeem yourself in my eyes.”
“I fund a few scholarships for kids wanting to go into the arts. I’ve designed buildings like libraries and community centers and also paid for part of their construction. Then just the normal stuff—veterans’ programs, donations to charities for autism, clean water initiatives in third-world countries. Stuff like that.”
“Stuff like that, huh? That’s some good stuff, Levi.”
He stared into his coffee. “I suppose.”
“Well, my charitable contributions consist of volunteering to prepare and serve meals to the less fortunate over the holidays. I donate most all of my old stuff to Goodwill or The Salvation Army instead of selling it, and I give blood. Oh … and I always buy Girl Scout cookies. But … I think you have me beat.”
He set his coffee aside and hers too. Then he kneeled in front of the sofa, palmed her ass, and pulled her to the edge of the couch. She wrapped her legs around his waist and draped her arms over his shoulders.
“I think you’re amazing.”
“Thank you. I think you are too.” She teased the back of his hair. “Especially now that you’ve redeemed your humanity.”
A small grin tugged at his lips. “I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered over her lips. “And by here, I mean in my condo. Not walking the streets in the rain after midnight.”
Parker’s hands went straight for his messy hair. “It wasn’t raining when I left.” She kissed one corner of his mouth. “It sorta came out of nowhere.” She kissed the other corner of his mouth.
Levi bit her lower lip, dragging it through his teeth, and then kissed it. “That’s how I feel about you. And now that you’re here, I’m going to go out of my fucking mind if you leave me in the middle of the night like that again.”
“Are you being bossy with me?”
“No. I’m just looking out for you. And now that your mom knows you’re staying with me, I feel even more obligated to make sure you don’t drown in a monsoon or get mugged in the middle of the night. And not answering your phone didn’t help my situation.”
She grimaced. “It died.”
“Mmm, I see.” He glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen clock. “I have a little bit of work to catch up on. We should get showered.”
“We?”
Levi stood with her wrapped around him. “Yes, we.” Wearing a playful grin, he carried her to his shower, turned on the water with one hand, then shimmied out of his boxers without letting her feet touch the ground.
She giggled when he stepped into the steamy walk-in shower with jets shooting at them in all directions. He consumed her with a kiss, deep and unhurried, as he pressed her back to the wall. After long minutes of exploring her mouth, Levi pulled back and peered at her with hooded eyes. He guided the head of his cock to her opening and slid in a fraction.
“Feel that?”
She nodded, still breathless from the kiss.
“How does it feel?” He guided her hips down another inch.
Parker closed her eyes and moaned. “Warm … and …”
“And what?”
Pressing her hand to her chest, she opened her eyes and waited for him to look at her. “Can I say something?”
He nodded, eyes narrowed a fraction as drops of water clung to his eyelashes.
“How I feel about you, it hurts in here.”
The slightest flinch flashed across his face. Then he pressed his lips to her hand. “I’m going to take the pain away … you’ll see.”
He plunged into her the rest of the way.
“Levi …”
“How does it feel?” He kissed her neck.
“Levi …”
Gripping her hips, he set the pace.
“Like a drug,” she whispered just before her mouth crashed to his, catching the ultimate wave of addiction.
