“So what do I do, Levi? The whole church thinks I’ve been having an affair — with you, I might add. That can’t make you feel good. They think I left Jack for you. The pastor even said something about… oh my word.”
“Oh, yeah, I already made that connection. Jack must have implied that Chase was my son, rather than his.”
“And you’re not upset? Levi, in one week he has destroyed my reputation and taken you down with me.” I exhaled heavily.
“Abby, let’s think about this for a moment. Jack did this to upset you, and what is happening?”
“I’m upset,” I mumbled.
“Me too, but Abby, you’re worth the minor upset. If at the end I get you, then I’ll gladly walk this road. People might question me, gossip about you, and turn a cold shoulder, but in the end, whose opinion matters?”
“God’s.”
“Exactly, and He will see us through this. Don’t get me wrong. We’re not just going to sit here and take it, but when we move it will be God directing our steps, not fear or anger.”
“You’re right but… Ahhg!” I groaned and laid my forehead on Levi’s warm, hard chest.
“I know, love. I want to strangle him too. Slowly.” He whispered in my ear before chuckling softly and kissing my ear teasingly.
My skin erupted in goose bumps, and I shivered with delight as his tongue licked my earlobe before pulling on it gently with his teeth. My hold around his waist tightened, and he laughed gently in my hair as he moved to kiss my head once more.
“If I start something now, I won’t want to end, and I’m sure those boys are getting hungry.”
“I know, I know.” I mumbled looking up into his mischievous and twinkling eyes. He kissed my nose and turned me around.
“Go and get the wild ones and I’ll set the table.” He spoke gently. As I walked away he patted my bum, and I turned and gasped, surprised. His devilish wink made me warm all over. I winked back and left to gather the boys.
****
The afternoon passed with effortless relaxation. The conversation before lunch was never rehashed, and I was grateful. The last thing I wanted was to be reminded of what I should worry about when I was being held tightly in Levi’s arms as we watched a movie. The boys were down for the night, and the credits were rolling.
“I need to go, I should go, but honestly, Abby, I really don’t want to move.”
I glanced over at him, and his eyes were closed and his breathing was deep.
“I’d offer you the couch but it wouldn’t exactly look good, especially with the rumors…”
Levi chuckled. The sound was masculine and alluring. “Abby, if I stayed here I wouldn’t have the self-control needed to stay on the couch. You’d wake up with me in your bed. And that is why I need to leave now.” He reluctantly rose from the couch and pulled me up with him.
“Levi, thank you. There’s nothing I want more than for you to stay. For me to wake up in your arms but never once have you pressured me.”
“I don’t want to go against what God has for us, Abby, by falling in to sin. I love you but also respect you too much to degrade what God’s saved for marriage. But believe me, Abby, if I have any say in the matter, I won’t have to wait for much longer.” He bent down to kiss me before I could question his words.
With Levi one kiss was never enough, it was like feeding an addiction. The more he gave me, the more I wanted, the more my body demanded. With each tease of his tongue and caress of his fingers, my body responded. I loved how he groaned when I pulled his hair softly and ran my fingers down his arms. His lips melted within mine in such a way that I fought to control any rational thought.
Levi broke away suddenly and pressed his forehead against mine. The labored breathing we shared seemed loud in the quiet house.
“Abby, my family is getting together on Wednesday night, can you come with me?”
I smiled before answering, taking in the perfect curve of his lips. “I’d love to.”
Levi grinned back and ran his fingers gently up and down my arms sending tingles through my body.
“Good. I’ll pick you and the boys up at five. Will that work?”
“Perfectly,” I murmured against his lips before I brushed them softly.
Immediately Levi took control of the kiss, teasing my senses and pulling me into a world where only we existed. Over and over his lips caressed and tugged at mine while his arms banded around me pulling me deeper into his tight embrace. His aftershave scented his skin, and the shadow of his beard brushed across my face making my flesh tender, but I didn’t care. Just as I was forgetting what morals I had, Levi pulled away abruptly.
“I love you, Abby. And that is why I’m leaving now. Goodnight,” he whispered and walked out the door, leaving me grinning and breathless.
Chapter Sixteen
Tonight I would meet Levi’s family for the first time. As the day moved through the hours, I began to prepare Chase and Javan for the evening. Once they were set, I walked to my closet and tried to determine what I should wear.
My room looked like a hurricane had invaded by the time I was finished, but I loved what I was wearing. A few twists of my iron, a lot of deodorant, a few strokes of mascara, and I declared myself ready. The sound of a car door shutting had me scrambling for jackets for the boys. Levi knocked before entering the house.
“Hello? I’m just coming in. I hope that’s all right.”
“Please do, it saves me a trip to the door. I unlocked it just a few minutes ago so you could. Come on back. I’m trying to wrestle a little boy into a coat.” I called as I zipped Chase into his jacket. He tried to run away, but I grabbed him in time and plopped him onto my lap so that I could fasten his shoes.
“Hi there,” Levi called with a joyful grin at the sight of me dressing the boys while they tried to worm themselves away.
“Hi back,” I spoke with a grin before I finished buttoning up Javan’s coat. Chase rushed over to Levi with his arms outstretched. Levi quickly swung him up into a hug and kissed the soft baby curls on the top of his head. Chase laid his head on Levi’s chest and put his fingers in his mouth, a look of total contentment spreading over his face.
“Me, me, me!” Javan called jumping at Levi’s feet. Levi pulled him up with one arm and held him as well. Javan grinned at Levi before playing with the buttons on Levi’s coat. They were shiny and distracting.
“You look so very beautiful.” Levi spoke reverently as I stood up, smoothing my skirt and placing my feet in my shoes.
“Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself.” I winked.
“Let’s get going before I call my family to cancel and keep you all here with me. I’m not fond of sharing.” Levi winked back and we headed out the door. Levi buckled Chase in while I got Javan buckled into his own car seat. I went around to the front of the car, but Levi held out his hand.
“Do you mind if I drive?”
“Sure.” I dropped the keys in his palm and walked over to the passenger side. It was nice to just sit and relax while someone else drove. After a few minutes, we pulled into a ranch style home with a vineyard on both sides. The house was decorated with antique farming equipment and wine barrels.
The driveway was full of various cars, and I began to wonder just how large this gathering was. Levi carried Chase in one arm and held my hand with his other. Javan held tightly to my fingers. The sound of music and laughter reached our ears though we were still outside. Seems like quite the party…
Before we even knocked an older woman with kind eyes and a huge grin opened the door.
“Levi! You’re here!” She reached out and hugged him tightly around his waist so as to not squish Chase. The moment she stepped back she looked at Chase and smiled in a grandmotherly way.
“And who is this, perhaps… Chase?” She grinned at him, and Chase smiled shyly before burying his face in Levi’s chest. Javan, not wanting to be forgotten, jumped up and down till she acknowledged him.
“I’m Javan!” He
stated, pointing to his chest. She reached out to shake his hand, and Javan eagerly grasped hers.
“I’m Martha.” She spoke with a twinkle in her eye.
“Is this your house?”
“Why, yes it is.”
“Do you have toys?” Javan asked with a serious tone. My blush warmed my cheeks at his question but, judging by Martha’s quick laugh, his inquiry was welcome.
“I think I do. Would you like to come with me and find out?”
“Oh yes! May I, Mom?” Javan glanced up imploring me.
“Of course, baby.” I nodded.
Javan began to pull Martha into her home.
“Hold on, sweetheart, I need to meet your mom.” She spoke gently and Javan stopped. “Hi, Abby, I’m Martha and I’m very pleased you could come today.”
Her words were so heartfelt and sincere that I was immediately at ease. I held out my hand, but she pulled me into a tight hug. “We were so happy to hear that Levi had found you, you have no idea.” She whispered into my ear before releasing me. Levi must have heard because he blushed a deep rose color. I’d have to ask him about it later.
“Come in, come in!”
The house smelled like rosemary, chicken, and apple pie. My stomach growled in response, earning me a grin from Levi. I elbowed him in the ribs. Martha left to take Javan to the toy box in the other room and then came and helped make introductions. Levi’s father was the first to come up and shake my hand. Henry looked like a character from Leave it to Beaver, with his pipe sticking out of his mouth and the sweet scent of tobacco surrounding him. Martha and Henry took turns introducing their other children who were able to make it. Quite a few were out of town, but Martha showed me their pictures on the wall. Shortly after the introductions, Martha informed me that I was the reason for the gathering. I shot Levi a glare. He had some explaining to do later. He returned my glare with a wide smile.
Dinner was delicious, and Chase and Javan were thrilled with all the older children who wanted to play with them. Soon after dinner, only Levi, Martha, Henry, and I stayed around the table to talk.
“We were so thrilled to hear all about you from Levi!” Martha gushed as she took a sip of her coffee.
“Well, I’m thrilled to meet you. Levi has told me so many stories, it’s nice to put faces with names.” I replied honestly.
“Your children are darling. It’s so great to have little ones around here again. My youngest is fourteen, and I miss the baby and toddler stage.”
“It’s a special time, but I’m also looking forward to when I can sit down with them and play games and that sort of thing.”
“Each stage has its delights and drawbacks.” Martha rolled her eyes with a grin as she set her cup down.
“So tell me about your family, Abby.” Henry spoke up, puffing his pipe.
He was the tall silent type, but he readily smiled, which wasn’t what I expected from his austere demeanor. His warm personality put me at ease as I spoke about my family.
We discussed how Levi and I met, where I went to school, the boys, and various other topics. I kept waiting for them to ask about Jack or the divorce. Surely they were curious…
As I was helping clear the table, I heard a squeal and the door slam shut.
“Anthony!” Martha gasped, and I placed the dishes in the sink before poking my head out to see what had caused the commotion.
“Hi’ya, Ma.” A blonder version of Levi hugged Martha and grinned at Henry.
“It’s good to see you, son! We didn’t know you’d be here!” Henry wrapped his arms around both his wife and son, holding them close. The moment was intimate, so I gave them privacy and went to find Levi. He was helping Javan pick up the toys. How much deeper could I fall for that man?
“Hi.” I beamed, leaning against the door jamb and watching the men work.
“Hi.” Levi chuckled.
“Hi, Mom,” Javan spoke without looking up, his focus was on picking up.
“Someone just got here, his name is Anthony?”
“Tony’s here?” Levi’s eyes were wide, and his expression broke into a large smile.
“I guess. He looks like a blond version of you?” I offered.
“No way! This is great! C’mon.” Levi grabbed Javan and pulled me out to the front room where Tony was sitting on the sofa surrounded by his family.
“Tony! Man! I didn’t think you’d make it!” Levi set Javan down and hugged Tony, slapping him on the back, hard. Tony did the same and grinned back, their faces so similar yet distinctly different.
“Let me introduce you to Abby.” Levi gestured to me and I walked forward, holding out my hand.
“It’s great to meet the woman behind taming my big brother. Way to go, Abby.” He passed my hand and pulled me into a tight hug. The air whooshed out of my lungs, and I tentatively patted his back before he released me, grinning hugely.
“Where are the kids? Javan and Chase right?” Tony was looking around before he saw Chase on Martha’s lap and Javan hiding behind Levi. As soon as Tony bent down to say ‘hi,’ Javan walked around and shook his hand. Chase kept his fingers in his mouth for the introduction, but he grinned over them.
“I thought you said you wouldn’t be able to make it!”
“Well, I wasn’t, but I got off early. My last appointment canceled, so I was able to drop in. I gotta leave in the morning, I have an early jump but I’ll make it.”
“Jump?” I asked, curious.
“Oh yeah, my brother here is a skydiving instructor.”
“Really?” Hmm… the wheels in my head spun quickly. Willi would melt. She had always dreamt of skydiving. She already had bungee jumped a dozen times. A guy who jumped for a living? Be still her beating heart…
“Yeah, I love it. My mom here thinks I’m going out to my death each time, but I keep comin’ back.” He winked at his mom, and I could tell Martha was amused but not entirely. There was truth behind his words. But what mother would want her son to do something dangerous?
We left soon after because Chase began to fall asleep on Martha’s lap. She didn’t want to let him go, but knew it was for the best. The goodbyes included promises to come back again soon, and I hoped we would. As we drove back, both Chase and Javan fell asleep, leaving Levi and me in peace and quiet. Levi reached over and grasped my hand, interlacing his fingers within my own.
“Thank you for tonight. It was amazing. My parents loved you, and my mom will now cheerfully kill me if I screw this up.” He grinned in the darkness, the green light of the dashboard illuminating his features.
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” I teased back. “I was happy to meet them, although…” I twisted in my seat so that I was facing him fully. “I would have liked to have known that the whole get-together was all because of me.”
“So it wouldn’t have freaked you out?” Levi asked with amusement.
“Well, of course it would have, but—“
“That’s why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d be fine and that you’d love them, they’d love you, and I’d leave with a death threat from my parents. We’re good.”
I giggled at his dramatic take on things.
“Thank you, Levi, it was a great night.”
“I think my mom wants to steal Chase and Javan.”
“She sure fell in love with them, didn’t she?”
“I knew she would. She’s been praying for grandchildren for a while now.”
“She’ll make a wonderful grandma someday.”
“Yes, she will.”
The warming spring air surrounded us as we each carried a sleeping boy into the house. Levi left me with a lingering kiss and a promise to call in the morning. The dusty pickup thundered to life, and I waved goodbye, already missing him. It was hard to imagine I hadn’t known about him more than two months ago. I had forgotten how great love could really be.
Chapter Seventeen
The phone rang, waking me out of a deep sleep. Chase had decided to wake up th
e neighborhood during the night with savage wailing, keeping me awake walking him till three a.m. Teething was not for the faint of heart, for the mom or child.
“Hello?” My voice was gravelly, and I desperately hoped it was my mom, or sister, even a random stranger.
“Hello, beautiful, rough night?” Levi’s voice rumbled through the receiver, and I wanted to melt into the covers. A girl could get used to hearing his voice first thing in the morning.
“Um, yeah.” I managed before I yawned.
“Well hop into your bunny slippers and open the door. I‘ve got something that will cheer you up.”
“You’re here?” Immediately I was up, throwing on a sweatshirt and wrapping my medusa-hair into a messy bun at the back of my head. As I walked to the door, I wiped under my eyes to remove any lingering mascara streaks and paused. My mouth tasted nasty, so I backtracked to the bathroom and tore open the tube of toothpaste and squirted a dab onto my tongue. I winced at the powerful mint taste but knew it would be a vast improvement over my morning breath. Levi was leaning against the doorjamb looking fresh, awake, and gorgeous; everything I was not. Yet as he took in my undoubtedly sleepy expression and tossed together sweats, he grinned and kissed my forehead, using one arm to pull me into a hug.
“Here.” Levi handed me a cup that smelled like vanilla heaven.
“I love you.” I spoke reverently as I inhaled the steam. “And you’re not so bad either.” I quipped, glancing at Levi with a sleepy grin before I took a sip. Best wake up ever.
Levi chucked and rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, thanks.”
“You’re very welcome. Come in.” I motioned inside.
“Where are the boys?” Levi asked, looking around.
“Oh, they’re not awake yet.” A giggle echoed and I grinned. “Well they weren’t…” I added, walking toward their room, Levi chuckling behind me.
“Weevi!”
Javan shouted as he bounded out of bed. The child never did anything halfway; he was either sound asleep or running at full speed. Javan hurled himself at Levi and was tossed in the air and caught. His laughter warmed my heart. Chase shouted impatiently from his room, and I went to get him as well. He was standing up in his crib, bouncing and waving his hands.
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