Top Notch (Man on Top Book 1)

by Nicole Richard

  The thought of seeing Levi bare-chested, his body warm and dripping with sweat, muscles hard and flexed, fueled me forward. The quick one-two cracking sounds pulled my steps faster toward the door.

  “Whatever It Takes” by Imagine Dragons, his walk-up song, vocalized through the surround sound while the music video played on one of the three large flat-screens mounted on the wall. When my eyes landed on his naked back, my breath hitched, and luckily he couldn’t hear it over the loud music.

  Smack dab in the middle of the room, wearing nothing but a pair of navy mesh shorts and white tape on his hands, Levi grunted as he worked the bag over. A man turned machine, driving his body harder with each punch he threw. His undulating movements were filled with grace and control. If it was aggression he was looking to release, he took it out on the heavy bag hanging from the ceiling.

  Three sharp jabs in sync with the lyrics, he hissed, baring his teeth. His right leg sliced high through the air in a fast sweep, his shin whacking the leather, and when his foot touched ground again, he used his fist to hit it twice more, followed by his elbow.

  My body woke, coveting every sinful desire.

  Just one look and I wanted him.

  The track stopped, and he stood hunched with his hands on his strong thighs drawing in deep breaths. Sensing my presence, he looked over his shoulder, and when our eyes connected, I felt the intensity. My heart started beating faster. My skin burned hot, and my toes curled against the cool hardwood floor.

  With a smug grin, he lifted a brow. Slowly standing to his full height, he rested his hands on his hips, his breathing slowly coming back to normal.

  Assuming the song was programmed to replay, it started again and in that short time, my body craved his with one singular thought in mind. But all I could formulate over the parched feeling in my mouth was, “I love this song.”

  The muscle in his neck flexed.

  “And I love your eyes and what they’re telling me right now,” he countered, his voice husky and warm, laced with sin, warning me he had the very same unvoiced thought.

  I swallowed hard and worked harder to not stutter, “What are they telling you?”

  He crooked his finger slowly, calling me closer, and my feet answered, bringing me to him. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, sliding his finger under my chin, tilting it until his eyes pierced mine.

  “Your eyes are dilated to the deepest shade of blue I’ve ever seen.” He paused for a few seconds. “In turn, they’re telling me how much you want me to take you up against that wall.” He jutted his chin to the wall behind me and began walking us backward, adding, “Just how bad you want to be fucked.”

  I couldn’t protest. He was undoubtedly correct. He held the power to obliterate me.

  And I welcomed it.

  Another step and my back bumped against the wall. I reached up, my palms landing on his bare, sweaty chest, bracing myself from being crushed between his hard body and the wall. It took some effort with the dizzying lust quickly consuming me.

  “Are you done with your work?” He licked his lips and I mimicked his movement, stealing a much needed breath.

  “I am,” I answered, pausing to get a good look at how determined and hot he looked. “Am I interrupting?”

  He shook his head slowly, nostrils flaring as he drank me in from my eyes to my chest, his hard glare blazed with an intense heat. “Even if you were, it’d be a welcome interruption.”

  Widening his stance, he pressed his forearms against the wall above my head, crowding me. Every part of my body buzzed with anticipation, screaming for him to touch me, to crush his mouth to mine and kiss me, to fuck me every way he knew how.

  I needed him like a person needed air to survive.

  Surrounded by his heady and intoxicating scent, I reached low for the elastic of his gym shorts, tugging him closer to me. What I wasn’t prepared for was the crest of his dick to brush against my knuckles. Or the thick bead of liquid that had seeped out of his slit to be warm and enticing.

  In his clutches, I turned into a crazed sex fiend, desire encompassing my entire being.

  He grunted and dropped his forehead to mine, whispering, “Angel, let me in.” He licked my lips. His tongue licked the roof of my mouth, and then he playfully bit and pulled at my bottom lip.

  Greedy for him, I slipped my hand into his shorts and gripped his hot length. I rubbed the drop around his crown with my thumb, moving to stroke him from root to tip.

  “Fuck, angel,” he breathed out, lazily pumping his hips while grasping for any control he had left. “Just like that. Stroke me.”

  I smiled. The power all mine.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Levi

  I reached for my gym bag, and when I pulled a condom out, she didn’t bat an eye. Good girl. I was surprised I remembered I had a couple of ’em stashed in there.

  Rowan had already started to undress, and when I looked back up, my eyes locked on her nipples. Two stiff rosy points that made my tongue shoot out, and I bit on my bottom lip, wanting to lick and suck on them.

  “Where were we?” Her voice came out sultry and warm. She tucked her hand in my waistband again, this time taking my shorts with her as her back slid down the wall. Eyes on the prize, she wrapped both hands around my cock, stroking up and down in greedy measured movements. Then she tilted her head back, her hooded sapphire eyes wild and hungry.

  “Angel,” I grunted, kicking my shorts to the side and she swallowed me whole. The smile at the corners of her mouth telling me she was enjoying every fucking second that she sucked me off. “Fuck,” I hissed, losing my goddamned mind, sliding in and out of her warm, wet mouth wanting to feel the head of my dick at the back of her throat.

  She grabbed my hips, and I laced my fingers through her silky hair, taking part in guiding her motion. My head fell back, the sensations overtaking me.

  Gliding her hands around to my ass, she dug her nails in, making me almost lose it.

  But I wasn’t coming in her mouth.

  “Angel, you wet?”

  “Um hmm,” she hummed, still smiling even though her mouth was full.

  “Good.” I pulled my cock from her lips and yanked her up. I crashed my mouth on hers while I fumbled with the condom wrapper and sheathed myself in record time.

  After she frantically shoved her shorts and panties to the floor, I forced out in a husky rasp, “Wrap your legs around me.”

  She did. Her back bumped the wall, my dick slipped in, and I let out a deep sigh. Home. I took a moment to bask in the feel of how warm and soaked her pussy felt, and how this time it welcomed me without much resistance. Gripping my cock and moaning loudly above the music, she let her head fall back against the wall, her eyes shut, her mouth open.

  She was a sight. Simply beautiful.

  Need and desire escalated until I was on the verge of shattering. I wanted her on levels I never thought possible. Things I never imagined. Plain and simple, I wanted her.

  I moved slowly at first, savoring every gratifying second. My hands were gripping her thighs, ensuring my dick hit her G-spot. Each time I pulled out only to the tip, she whined, begging and pleading for more, for every last inch.

  “Levi,” she breathed, her hands clutching my biceps, heels digging in my ass, anchoring her to me. “I need more. Give me more.” She rocked her hips against me, her pussy clenching my cock.

  “I’ll give you more,” I mumbled and secured her to me by banding my arm around her waist. Without breaking contact, I moved to the weight bench, laid her down, and gripped the seat above her head. Being on top was my favorite, control and possessiveness granted. “Feet flat on the floor,” I ordered, settling myself between her thighs. “Look at me.” My heart did this funny flutter thing as our eyes connected and locked.

  I drove in hard—to the hilt.

  “Fuck!” She sucked her top lip and then the bottom between her teeth.

  With each thrust of my hips, her legs spread wider and wider until she
was almost split in two. She reached for my waist, moaning and whimpering, her nails digging deeper, leaving their mark.

  “Fuck. You drive me mad.” I gained momentum with each drive of my hips as she cried out, clawing at me, her teeth sinking deep into her bottom lip, pulling in deep breaths through her nose, her back arching high off the bench. She was absolutely, undeniably fucking gorgeous, my sensual angel with her halo of blonde waves spilling over the side. The most beautiful thing I’d ever witnessed, her coming undone—by my cock.

  Never in all my thirty years had I experienced anything like this. Felt anything remotely similar to the way Rowan made me feel. She worked her way into my life without even trying and the consequences that should have me rethinking having her stay were moot. I couldn’t give a shit in that moment. What mattered to me more was how she was unknowingly filling in a few of the blanks.

  I’m never going to make it out of this unscathed.

  But then, did I want to?

  “Baby,” I groaned, needing to get out of my head and enjoy the ride, to fuck her hard and come inside her sweet pussy.

  She whimpered in response, and I kept driving into her. The need to be buried deep had become overwhelming. I could feel my balls draw up, a new sheen of sweat on my body, and a tingle up my spine. I was so close to shooting my load. More like bursting.

  She locked her hands around my neck, pulling me lower until our eyes locked. “Kiss me,” floated past her lips.

  “My pleasure,” I mumbled into her mouth as our tongues sought each other’s out, tangling hard and soft until there was no resistance.

  Kissing her with a fierce desperation, I couldn’t—I didn’t want to—hold on any longer. My lips made their way to a nipple and I bit the rosy peak with a bit of force. I sucked harder while lifting my hips so my dick would rub her clit with each thrust.

  “Oh, fuck, Levi!” Rowan screamed, her eyes closing, succumbing to the pleasure and all because of my cock. “I’m coming. I’m coming.” Her chants were feral between deep breaths.

  “That’s it, baby. Give it to me.” I pumped harder—faster. “Fucking, give it to me, Rowan,” I gritted through clenched teeth, making sure she milked my cock for all it was worth before grunting and fucking her to my own release.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Rowan

  We missed the game.

  Go figure.

  Not that I was too torn up about it, especially since our reasons were valid, and ones I’d no way argue against. But the night wasn’t completely forgotten. We did make it to the bar to meet up with our friends.

  Spencer had barely beaten us there, nabbing a stall in front while Levi parked in the back and we met up with him and Gabby at the front entrance. The first thing I did was hug my sister. “I’m glad you came.” I held her at arm’s length. “You sure you’re going to be okay?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine. After a drink or two, that is.”

  Gabby had called a while after my initial text and shared some not so great news. The invite couldn’t have come at a better time.

  Her last boyfriend, who was currently locked up in federal prison for illegal distribution of controlled substances, had called to tell her he was granted early release thanks to his good behavior and was trying to wiggle his way back in and see her.

  What a crock of shit. That asshole dragged Gabby through the Georgia clay, trying to pin her for his crimes. And now there was a strong possibility that he might be getting out. Unbelievable.

  I gave my sister a reassuring hand squeeze and then introduced her to Levi. “Levi, this is my sister, Gabriella. Gabby, this is Levi.”

  “It’s nice to finally meet you.” Her smile was genuine as she held her hand out. “Well, officially, that is.”

  “Pleasure’s all mine,” he replied.

  I didn’t need to offer any introduction to Spencer.

  “Hey, man, thanks again for inviting us.” Spencer fist-bumped Levi, and they ushered Gabby and me into the sports bar.

  “No thanks needed. Just glad you guys could join us.”

  Like any Saturday night the Bucks have a home game, the joint was packed wall-to-wall, diehard fans always there to support the Atlanta Bucks.

  Levi led us to their usual section where the guys had somehow managed to arrive before we did, and if he felt apprehensive introducing me to his friends, he didn’t show it.

  Me, on the other hand . . . I wasn’t confident that I wouldn’t trip over my own two feet. It wasn’t like I had no idea who his friends were. For goodness’ sake, they were my stepfather’s players. And that served as a reminder that I still needed to have a chat with Greg.

  Stopping midway, a fan clapped Levi’s shoulder. “Not the same without you, Montgomery.”

  “I’ll be back before you know it,” he replied confidently.

  The fan smiled and replied, “Good to hear,” nodded, and was on his way.

  We continued making our way over to the guys. Trevor was talking to what looked like a fan, Chase was talking to one of the Bucks Beauties, and I couldn’t help but notice the baseball Annies surrounding the area like vultures; a stunning blonde already had her talons deep in the Bucks pitcher.

  Levi brushed his lips across my cheek and over to my ear, then whispered, “So do you always sing in the shower?” He nudged my shoulder, his lips twitching with amusement.

  Caught off guard, a confused giggle slipped. “What?”

  “I’m just curious. Twice now you’ve showered at my place and you had music playing.”

  I did. In fact, I almost always did.

  “It helps me to decompress all the technical jargon in my head at the end of the day. To unwind, I guess it sort of became a habit.”

  “I understand habits.”

  “Um hmm,” I answered, glad that he got it—that he got me—as I did him with his quirky habit of needing to fill a room with noise or constantly be surrounded by others. It was understandable.

  “Save that shit for the bedroom,” Hatch accosted from a few feet away, warming my cheeks. We closed the short distance, and Hatch clapped Levi’s back as they shook hands. The cunning smile on Hatch’s lips told me all I needed to know about the Bucks star pitcher and just what kind of player he prided himself on being.

  Not caring in the least, and after congratulating his teammates on the night’s win, Levi went straight into introductions.

  “Guys, I’d like for you to meet some friends of mine. This is Rowan.” He casually slid his arm across the top of my shoulders, subtly pulling me into his side, an obvious territorial move, which I shamelessly liked. “Her sister, Gabriella, and Spencer; remember Cy’s Natalie?” The guys nodded. “She and Spencer are cousins.”

  The guys did that handshake back clap thing they did in greeting, offering their names. Gabby shook hands with Chase and Trevor, and when Hatch introduced himself, I couldn’t help but notice how his hand lingered in hers. Or the way he pronounced her name, taking such care as the four syllables rolled off his tongue and floated past his lips. For those who watched carefully, it was obvious that Hatch was taken by Gabby.

  The four of us filed in as two Bucks Beauties didn’t waste any time in delivering drinks. Once beers were spread around, Spencer raised his bottle and we followed. “To a well-deserved win. You guys kicked ass tonight.”

  I assumed he checked the score online, or maybe even watched the game on television. The Bucks were on fire tonight, the ending score against Miami was thirteen to five.

  “Thanks, man.”

  “Appreciate it.”

  “Thanks, dude.”

  The trio of players offered their thanks and my eyes shifted to Levi, his smile a mixture of pride and melancholy, which was understandable, considering he wasn’t a participant in the night’s win. But his glumness didn’t last too long.

  “So.” Hatch pointed the mouth of his bottle between Gabby and me. “Are you ladies Bucks fans?” Hatch’s attention lingered on Gabby before he turned it solely on me. “
Or just this old buck here?” He backhanded Levi’s shoulder and then held his bottle to his lips, fighting off his smirk.

  “Old buck my ass,” Levi countered lightheartedly.

  “Well, you are the oldest.” Chase fist-bumped Hatch and the table erupted in laughter, all at Levi’s expense. The same jovial laughter Kelsey and I heard the night Levi and I first met.

  “By a few months,” he reminded and then pointed his finger between the three of them. “You assholes aren’t that far behind.” The look on his face said he was relaxed and glad to be back, surrounded by the people he was most comfortable with.

  “Still older.” Chase made his point. “But really, that is kind of a dumb question, considering Greg’s their stepfather.” Chase looked at me. “Aren’t you under strict obligation to root for us?” He smirked.

  I shrugged casually as the guilt started to set in. When Levi and I had first met, he asked if I had a favorite team, and I might have told him I didn’t. But with all due respect, how did you tell a major league ballplayer that you rooted for one of their rivals and not your home state?

  You didn’t, that’s what.

  And dammit, when my eyes cut to Spencer, sending him a telepathic message to help me out and save me from embarrassment, I didn’t expect his smug grin. The one that confirmed he knew what I was thinking. Or more like who I was rooting for. Jerk! Regardless of his temporary residence early on in San Diego, he had kept his loyalty to his home state.

  I gave Spencer a subtle shake of my head, along with the evil eye, warning him to tread carefully, ready to mouth my demand to not go there. If my legs were longer, I would have kicked him under the table. But thankfully, Spencer came to his senses and intervened.

  “So when are you back on the field?”

  “Wednesday.” Excitement and relief filled Levi’s voice. He casually leaned back, resting his arm across the back of my chair while absently wrapping a loose strand of my hair around his finger, cloaking me in goose bumps and tingles.