by Aly Martinez
He didn’t answer me, but his hand disappeared as he began searching the ground for his jeans.
I sat up and took his dick in my hand, stilling him by stroking it from base to tip. “No condom, Sam.”
“We need to be safe—shiiiit.” He groaned when I leaned down and laved my tongue over the metal barbell. He threaded his fingers into my hair as I swirled my tongue around the rim of his head and over the salty bead of pre-cum that had formed at the tip.
Peeking up through my lashes, I repeated, “No condom.”
“We can’t,” he complained, but he did it while giving up on the search for his wallet and prowling after me as I scooted up the bed.
“I’ve been on birth control since I was seventeen,” I said while he silently removed my bra. “I’m clean and I’m assuming you are too. Now, fuck me bare. Please.”
His eyes flared wide, but that was the only warning I received. Kneeling between my legs, he slammed inside me. Sex with Sam was always that way.
Needy.
Fast.
Rough.
Incredible.
But, without a barrier between us and with love radiating from his eyes, it was so much more.
It was the end of uncertainty.
And the beginning of us.
For over an hour, Sam alternated between fast and hard, and slow and steady. Whispered “I love yous” echoed between us as he pushed me to the edge more times than I could count, but each time, just before I was able to step off, he’d shift gears. Finally, with a sheen of sweat covering both of our bodies, Sam planted himself to the hilt and emptied inside me as I came crying his name.
No matter how overwhelming my life was from that point forward, there was no way I’d ever be willing to give up those moments with Sam.
I couldn’t change for him. I understood that.
I was making my life a priority for myself.
But, if I got to live it with him at my side, it was an easy choice to make.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sam
LEVEE AND I decided to leave that next morning to head back to San Francisco, and I was already having doubts about bringing her home. I definitely wanted her with me, but it felt all kinds of wrong to take her away from the help I so desperately wanted—needed—her to receive. But, as we drove to the airport with her smiling and laughing beside me, it was easy to pretend that I could handle it.
Maybe I was Spiderman for Levee.
Or maybe I was just setting myself up for my biggest failure yet.
With the exception of a few people stopping Levee for an autograph or a photo, we made it out of Maine virtually unnoticed. However, that wasn’t at all the case when we landed in California. We had taken the same flight, snuggling in first class like newlyweds, but when our plane had landed, we’d gone our separate ways. Levee wasn’t ready for the media attention yet, and as frustrating as it was, I was willing to do anything to keep her stress level as low as possible. Sucking in a deep breath, I begrudgingly walked past her as a large group of people started snapping pictures and calling her name the moment she exited the security area.
Henry’s head of security, Carter, had arranged for two bodyguards to meet her when we landed. I’d only made it a few yards away before my attention was drawn back to the commotion. Nerves settled in my gut as my feet became rooted to the ground. I had yet to truly experience Levee’s celebrity status up close, but my heart raced as a sea of people swarmed around the woman I was irrevocably in love with. It was an unbelievably miserable thirty seconds before she emerged sandwiched between the two giant men.
With a stoic expression and a pair of shades covering her amazing eyes, she looked more like the woman I’d first met than she had in a long time, but the oddest thing happened. Seeing her like that felt wrong. No matter how nostalgic it made me.
Deep down, she’d always be my Designer Shoes, but now, she was also my Levee—the strong and brave woman I was planning to never let go.
Even in a crowd full of people, her gaze instinctively found mine. Tipping her glasses up, she smiled and winked as they hustled her toward a waiting limo. I shouldn’t have done it, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I could have kept it in. Crossing my arms over my chest, I returned her smile, mouthing, “I love you.”
She didn’t respond with words, but her cheeks blushed, giving me all the answer I needed.
After pulling a pair of shades from my backpack, I dropped them over my eyes and walked anonymously to my Jeep in long-term parking.
* * *
The night before, Levee had spent two hours arguing on the phone with Henry after she’d informed him that she wasn’t going back to the rehab center. He was worried. And I couldn’t say that I didn’t share his fears, but he’d finally relented when Levee had assured us both that she could continue therapy at home. The idea of having her all to myself during her self-imposed break definitely made it easier for me to accept. It also didn’t hurt that, the minute her bag hit the floor in my bedroom, she was on the phone, scheduling doctor appointments for the rest of the month.
I secretly texted Henry to let him know she was following through with her end of the arrangement. And I guessed he was relieved, even though his only reply was to ask for naked pictures. I sent him an image of a tribe of naked men I’d found on National Geographic online. It wasn’t like he’d been specific or anything. He didn’t find it nearly as funny as I did, responding with a picture of a puppy puking. An amazing and unlikely friendship was born out of those first few messages.
Levee had refused to speak to Devon in Maine. He’d called numerous times and had even gone so far as to show up at the hotel we had been staying at attempting to explain. Levee wouldn’t even tell him our room number. She pretended to be mad, but when her eyes watered every time she ended his call, I could tell she was more hurt than anything else. I, on the other hand, was pissed enough for both of us. I figured she’d want to talk to him eventually, and I hoped that I’d have a chance to cool off by then. I couldn’t imagine that a brawl with Devon would end well for me.
We’d barely been back at my house for two hours, but we had already broken my bed in —twice. Levee was still naked and curled into my side when my phone started ringing with an unidentified call. She hadn’t gone back to pick up her belongings from the center, and until her new cell was delivered the following day, she was using mine as her sole source of communication. I didn’t even bother answering before passing it in her direction.
“Hello?” she said, propping it against her ear so she could continue teasing her nails over my stomach.
I was gliding a hand over her ass when she suddenly sat upright.
“Uh, who is this?” Her gaze flipped down at mine accusingly as she said, “That’s funny because I thought I was Sam’s girlfriend.”
I dove for the phone, but Levee jumped out of my reach, sending me crashing off the end of the bed. Only one woman would use a blocked number to call me, knowing good and damn well I wouldn’t pick up if I saw her name pop up on my phone.
Confirming my suspicions, Levee said, “How long have you and Sam been together, Lexi?”
“Levee, give me the phone.” I pushed up to my feet, but she ducked under my arm and headed to my kitchen.
Oh, this is going to be bad.
Lexi was in-fucking-sane, especially if she thought I was seeing someone new. I couldn’t even imagine the amount of bullshit she was firing at Levee.
“What a prick!” Levee yelled from the other room as I hurriedly tugged a pair of boxers on and following her.
Shit shit shit.
“He told me he loved me,” Levee whined as I cautiously made my way towards her.
Fuck my life.
The moment I rounded the corner, I found Levee in my discarded T-shirt that hadn’t even made it to the bedroom when we’d gotten home. She was bent over, searching the refrigerator with the phone stuck to her ear. Placing her hand over the speaker, she whispered, “Do you hav
e any beer?”
My mouth fell open as she casually went back to talking to Lexi, whimpering, “I can’t believe he would do this to me.”
“Ummm…bottom drawer,” I mumbled, dumbstruck.
She tossed me a wink and pulled out two before passing me one. She clinked the neck of her beer against mine and then tipped it to her lips. I watched in a weird combination of astonishment and confusion.
Shit. Maybe Levee is insane too.
Placing my bottle on the counter, I closed the distance and attempted to take the phone from her hand. Levee laughed, backing away.
“Stop,” she mouthed.
“She’s not my girlfriend. I swear—” I explained, but she silenced me with a finger over my lips.
Pulling the phone from her ear, she pressed the speaker button and dropped it on the counter. Lexi was talking a million miles a minute and using present tense in reference to our relationship.
I opened my mouth to object when Levee covered it with her palm and wrapped her other arm around my waist, sliding it down into the back of my boxers. Raking her teeth over my earlobe, she whispered, “Is she the one your mom called a bitch?”
A relieved breath rushed from my lungs. Levee was, in fact, insane, but at that moment, it was working in my favor. I nodded, and she leaned away long enough to taunt, “Wait, Lexi, was this before or after he got my name tattooed…” She trailed off while inspecting the ink on my torso. Finding an empty space, she finished with, “On his left side.”
“What?” Lexi screamed.
I attempted to stifle a laugh, only barely keeping it packed down because Levee began dragging openmouthed kisses over my neck.
She paused to say, “Yeah, it’s huge. You definitely would’ve noticed it. I can send you a picture later if you’d like?”
My eyebrows popped up in question before she whispered into my ear, “You can Photoshop that, right?”
I shook my head. Then I shrugged and nodded.
I wouldn’t…but I totally could.
After lifting her to sit on the edge of the counter, I nabbed the phone and handed it to Levee. Whispering, I said, “You are an evil, evil woman. I wasn’t sure I could fall in love with you more. But stop giving her more fuel to be a bitch and hang up.” I gently glided my thumb over her peaked nipple, causing her to gasp.
She smiled, placing a lingering kiss on my lips as she took the phone from my hand and blindly pressed the end button. Locking her legs around my hips, she stated, “You really traded up for me. You know that, right?”
I laughed. “Yeah, I know. Although I figured you’d be serving up my balls as sashimi right about now.”
She laughed. “Why? Because you have a crazy ex?” Wrapping her arms around my neck, she nuzzled her cheek against the scruff on my jaw.
“No, because most women would have bought into all of that shit she was spouting.”
She sighed and leaned away to catch my eye. “I trust you, Sam. And, as hard as it may be, you’re going to have to trust me too.”
I twisted my lips in annoyance. “It’s not hard to trust you.”
“It will be when a magazine publishes pictures of me hugging some guy with the headline that he’s my new boyfriend. You would be amazed at the shit they find to publish about me. Every picture snapped, no matter how innocent, is fair game for them to manipulate.”
“Yeah, I heard you were pregnant with Henry’s love child last month. I’ve been waiting for you to tell me,” I teased, rubbing her stomach.
She slapped my hand away. “One baggy shirt and suddenly I’m knocked up by my best friend.” She groaned and then whined, “It was my favorite shirt, too.”
I chuckled, tucking a curl behind her ear. “I trust you, Levee.”
“That’s easy to say now—”
I cut her off by teetering her on the edge of the counter. “It’s easy to say, period. Give me a little credit here.”
Her shoulders fell as she dropped her forehead head against my chest. “I know. It’s just that I’ve never dated someone who wasn’t in the public eye before. I don’t want to lose you over a tabloid headline you pick up at the grocery store.”
“No, I’m not famous, but I’m not stupid either. Let’s make a deal. You deal with my crazy ex for me, and I’ll deal with the entire fucking world for you.”
Her head popped up with a smile. “Wow! That makes me seem really high maintenance.”
I exaggerated a sigh. “You really are. But I promise you, if the world ever becomes too much and I get jealous over pictures of you dry-humping small-cocked Thomas Reigns”—she laughed, slapping my chest—“I promise I’ll talk to you first, okay?”
Her whole body melted into my arms. “I love you, even when TMZ says otherwise.”
I kissed her neck and teased back, “I love you too, Lexi…I mean, Levee.”
She barked a loud laugh. “Hilarious.”
“I thought so.”
“So, why’d you two lovebirds break up anyway? She seems like such a delightful young lady.” Her voice was thick with sarcasm.
Shrugging, I replied, “She was sleeping with her personal trainer. Showed up two hours late to Anne’s funeral because of it.”
Levee’s eyes flared wide, and her mouth gaped for only a second before she shrieked, “That bitch!”
“She’s nice enough, just—”
“Nice enough?” she asked, incredulously. “I’m gonna put a hit out on her!”
“Okay, hold on there, Tony Soprano. No one’s putting a hit on anyone.” I paused. “Just to be clear, you don’t have those kind of connections, right?”
“No, but I have money! I’m sure I can buy some connections,” she answered in all seriousness.
I fucking love her.
Dipping down, I folded her over my shoulder.
“What kind of person does that? Your sister had just died!” She continued to rant as I carried her back to the bedroom.
“Let it go,” I said, tossing her on the bed.
“I can’t let that go!” she replied, lifting her arms so I could tear the shirt over her head.
“Okay, then don’t. But can you open your legs so I can eat your pussy while you mentally defend my honor?” I smirked, crawling up the bed after her.
“Such a bitch,” she mumbled, dropping her legs open wide.
They were the last audible words I heard from her before my mouth sealed over her clit. A long, garbled moan escaped her throat as her hand snaked into my hair. I’d fucked her twice already, but my cock instantly became hard beneath me.
She writhed against me as I dipped a finger inside her, curling it before twisting the way I’d learned set her ablaze. This time was no different. Circling her hips off the bed, she fisted the back of my hair.
“Roll over,” she ordered.
Levee was like that. As much as I loved licking her pussy, she loved my cock. She was never able to wait long before pleading for it. And, more often than not, I was more than willing to give it to her.
But not this time.
After prying her hand from my hair, I pinned it to the bed at her side. I alternated between sucking and nipping at her clit and thrusting my tongue in and out of her wet opening. Her other hand found my hair as she continued to beg me to roll over. My only response was to pin her other hand to the bed as well.
“Wait, wait, wait.” she said, sitting up even as she ground herself against my mouth. Then she sucked in a deep breath, which she held.
“You want me inside you?” I asked between licks as her whole body coiled in impending release.
“Yes,” she squeaked, still not exhaling.
“Not until you come.” I sucked hard on her swollen nub, flicking it with my tongue.
Falling back to the bed, she cried, “Oh, God!”
Her orgasm sprang to life as her cunt began to pulse against my mouth. That was my cue. Pushing up to my knees, I spread her legs wide and flipped her on her side. Straddling her thigh against the bed and pullin
g the other over my shoulder, I drove inside her harder than ever before. A string of cuss words flew from her mouth as she continued to pulse around me.
Levee and I were in love—there was no doubt about that. But we were still getting to know each other on so many levels.
Not our bodies though. They were sexual soulmates.
Levee ground her hips in a rhythm that she knew could snatch the orgasm from my balls. And I worked her deep, making sure the metal of my barbell found just the spot that would still her merciless hips.
It was a constant give and take of driving each other toward the brink, all while furiously fighting away our own releases.
At some point, one of the two of us would fail. This particular time, I wasn’t too proud to admit that it was me.
“Fuck,” I cursed as my cock shot off wrapped in her tight warmth.
Needing to take her over the edge with me, I dropped my thumb to her clit and rubbed a tight circle as I continued to pump inside her. My orgasm was already shredding me, but the moment her muscles began to clench around me, a whole new wave of ecstasy tightened my balls, leaving me utterly empty in its wake.
But, as my eyes opened and I watched Levee’s lithe body trembling beneath me, I’d never felt more full in my life.
Yes, I was coming down from an unbelievable orgasm with an even-more-so unbelievable woman, but I had no doubt whatsoever that the feeling currently expanding in my chest was the great I’d always been searching for. It was by far the highest high of my life, and even as her body continued to milk me and I softened inside her, I couldn’t even enjoy it.
In my life, after every high came the lowest of lows.
And, while looking down into her sated eyes, which were staring up at me so filled with love that it nearly ached, the fucking pendulum swung all over again.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Levee
I SPENT TWO glorious days lost in Sam before I came back up for air. I wished I could’ve stayed tucked in his bed forever, but he had work to do, and unfortunately, I did too. Really, I didn’t want to do any of it though.
Sure, I needed to return the hundreds of calls I’d ended from Stewart and let him know that I was taking an indefinite hiatus from music. I was positive it wasn’t going to go over well.
