Breaking the Habit: The Breaking Series #4

by Leigh, Ember

  She could barely find her voice to speak. “I’m just…gonna come…like…so fast if you keep doing that.”

  A mischievous smile tugged at his lips, and he lowered his chin. “Oh yeah?”

  She nodded, crying out as he thrust inside her again. His filling her was nothing short of perfection. She saw stars—actual freaking stars—whenever his cock was crammed inside her. Sex had never felt like this with anyone else. But with Levi, it was the perfect combination of fun and sexy and spine-tingling and epic.

  “That’s sorta the goal,” Levi said, his voice sounding strained. “See how fast I can make you come.” He grunted as he pulled out of her, then used the swollen tip of his cock to nudge at her clit. She made some unattractive noise, a combination of a squeal and a shout, and then he buried himself inside her again.

  “Fuuuuuck,” Riley moaned. She could tell he was close too—the beads of sweat at his brow, the way he kept licking his lips, as if mentally preventing the orgasm from taking over. Their one night in his bed, fucking over and over again, had taught her a lot about him already. And she liked every bit of him.

  “Wait.” Levi loosened his grip on her and tugged at her T-shirt with one hand, urging it up. Riley tried to get it over her head, but got her arm stuck in the process.

  “Help,” she croaked, her arm jammed upward trying to wriggle out.

  It took Levi a few attempts to extract her from the shirt. His cock pulsed inside her during the pause. Once the T-shirt cleared her head, a breath of relief whooshed out of her.

  “That was scary,” she murmured as Levi’s lips found the roundness of her cleavage. He tugged down her bra cups a second later and lavished attention over each breast.

  “Everybody gets stuck in their clothes sometimes,” Levi said, his voice a million miles away.

  “It was because of your cock,” she said, head lolling backwards as his tongue danced over the pebbled tips of her breasts.

  “Mmmmm.” Levi rocked against her again, and this time, the pleasure churned hot and fast, like a threat. Her orgasm was threatening her with its intensity and its nearness, and holy hell, all she wanted to do was unravel around his steel heat.

  Levi’s teeth nicked her collarbone again. She wasn’t going to last much longer. The look that seared between them said it all. This wasn’t only hot, it was life-changing somehow, and Riley couldn’t understand why, or what it meant, other than she needed to ride this wave as far as she could.

  Levi eased himself out and then he braced her for another thrust. He drilled so deep, filling her so completely, that the stars came back and she fell over the edge. Not in a whoosh but in a glorious trickling, as if the orgasm itself had started bone-deep and bled outward, slowly filling every crevice with its liquid heat.

  Her whole body went rigid while the pleasure made its decisive steps through her. Levi’s gaze burned on her as he thrust into her one last time, grinding his hips against hers as his abs jerked with his own release.

  Riley collapsed forward, unable to do anything other than be a limp noodle. Levi’s arms encircled her, and everything around her ceased. All she could see and hear was contentment. The low buzz of being sated. The tang of Levi’s sweat and his cologne, something like vetiver and cedar.

  He didn’t pull out of her right away. She didn’t want him to. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested there. Lost in the world of Levi.

  She didn’t know how long they stayed like that. Levi started humming at one point, and that brought her back to earth.

  “Did you fall asleep?” Levi asked once she’d tilted her chin up to look at him.

  “Mmmgh.”

  “I know—it was that good.”

  “Nnngh.”

  Levi shifted, and his limp cock slipped out of her. It made her sad. Was it possible to want to be filled by someone’s organ permanently? That was a weird thing to be filed under “Bizarre and Unsettling Thoughts.” Which she definitely should not share.

  “Can you just, like, always be inside me?” she blurted a moment later.

  Levi paused, narrowing his eyes slightly.

  Fuck. This was sex brain. No filter. Pure openness. And a dangerous side effect of great sex. Now, Levi had wiggled his way closer to her heart, which was not the point of all this. This was about sexual satisfaction. Nothing more. It couldn’t be anything more.

  “I’m thinking about logistics,” Levi finally said, his gaze drifting away. “Like, I’m sure I could be inside you while you edit your pictures, but it’s gonna make competing a little hard.”

  Riley giggled, burying her face in his chest again. “I’m such a nerd.”

  “Yeah, you are.” Levi nuzzled the side of her face, brushing his lips against her neck. “And I like it.”

  His words hung in the air as he tugged up his underwear and then his shorts. He helped her slide her panties back on, followed by the overalls. His touch was gentle, almost loving. This wasn’t like any other multi-night stand she’d had before.

  This felt a lot like something more.

  But now wasn’t the time to overthink things. She wanted to enjoy it. Once she was dressed, she slid off the workstation, only to find her knees made of glass. She wobbled for a few steps before grabbing at Levi’s arm.

  “You fucked the balance out of me,” she said.

  “Won’t be the last time,” Levi said with a wink. “I promise.”

  Warmth spread through her. Words like that, falling off Levi’s tongue…it made her giddy. Like she wanted to romp through open fields and make flower crowns and climb on top of ladders and scream until her throat went raw.

  “Come here.” She walked carefully out into the studio, snatching up her camera along the way. She jerked her chin toward the backdrop. In times like these—sated, giddy, open, and raw—it was best to make art. “Let’s take some pictures.”

  Levi had a certain saunter in his step. Something that Riley liked to think came from her. The glow of an amazing orgasm. He slid onto the stool and crossed his arms, smirking over at her expectantly.

  “Not nudes, right?”

  She took a couple test shots, checking out the white balance, and shook her head. “Not the nudes.”

  “That’s okay.” Something heartbreaking came over his face. Both tender and mischievous. “I’ll like whatever you come up with better.”

  Riley directed him through a couple poses while she played with the exposure and time lapse settings on the tripod. She had a specific image in mind for her project. And part of her wanted to memorialize this unlikely union between the two of them. No matter how it ended up. No matter what came of it. Levi had allowed her to open up slightly again, after the worst betrayal of her life.

  And that was worth noting.

  Riley lined up the shot. “I’m leaving tomorrow, you know.”

  She caught the moment when his expression turned dark. “Leaving for where?”

  “Vacation.” She snapped some more pictures as his brows drew together. “I had it on your schedule. My family’s going to Baja California.”

  Levi looked up at her with an interesting swirl of emotions—caught somewhere between ready to tell a joke and crushed by the news. Her skin did that thing that told her this shot right here was the money one. Click click click.

  “For how long?” he asked.

  “Ten days.” She stood, examining the screen of the camera. She’d nailed it.

  “Almost two weeks?” Levi asked, incredulous.

  “Just over one week,” she rephrased, sending him a smile. She walked over to him, kissing his forehead. “Don’t worry. You’ll survive without me.”

  He hooked her by the waist, bringing her between his legs. The honeyed truth in his gaze stole her voice, and all she could do was look at him.

  “Survive, maybe. But I’ll be thinking about you every night until you’re back.”

  Riley’s throat tightened, and she tried to brush off the implication behind his words. Part of her was desperate to
cling to his words and ride them like a dragon into the smoky plumes of sort-of-fated outcome—look, this means he likes you, you two are together now, what if he’s the one?

  She hated the fact that any of those thoughts entered her brain space. This needed to be a hookup and nothing more. After all, he was probably only going to miss her because of the sex. Not because of her. If Riley had learned anything in life, it was that pussy ruled all, and men couldn’t give a fuck about emotions.

  She wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking Levi was any different.

  Even so, the truth of Levi’s words hit her like a brick.

  Because she’d be thinking about him every one of those ten days too. No matter how hard she tried not to.

  It was already a done deal.

  Chapter 20

  LEVI: OK you’re late.

  RILEY: Late for what?

  LEVI: It’s day 10. You home or what?

  Levi had messaged Riley every day of her ten-day vacation. Most days he kept it simple—a well-timed joke to make her smile—but really, he was counting the freaking minutes until he got the okay to go to her house.

  She had to feel it too. She’d been there for what they shared. It wasn’t like either of them could walk away from that.

  He had a whole list of excuses ready if she tried to postpone things. Oh, Levi was ready. And he was hungry.

  Her ten-day trip put a wrench in his plans to sex as much as possible during his off days. Now that the match was under two weeks away, he’d gone back into lockdown mode. No sex, no alcohol, no sugar, no nothing. Just protein shakes and protein meals and as much water as a human being could feasibly ingest.

  Which meant he needed to keep his hands off her…to some extent. He could get her off. But he couldn’t get off.

  Probably the smart thing to do would be avoid her altogether, but he wasn’t a saint. No, he was pure lusting man, and he’d dance with the devil despite the risk it presented.

  RILEY: Are you spying on me? Pulling in my driveway now. Thought you’d be here by now.

  Levi’s smile hurt his cheeks. He stumbled as he headed from the kitchen toward his bedroom to get ready.

  “Gage, I’m gonna head out tonight!” Levi shouted as he went into his room. He rummaged through his closet for a few minutes, his belly knotted with excitement. Good thing Riley wasn’t here to see him. She’d totally call him out on how much of an excited teenager he was being.

  “Say hi to your girlfriend for me!” Gage’s voice drifted in from the living room. Levi smirked. He still hadn’t corrected Gage about the terminology. He would someday—when he figured out what the hell Riley was doing in his life and what words he’d use to gently explain it to Gage. Because he couldn’t call it what it was—exquisite fucking.

  Levi wasn’t in the market for anything else. But Riley made him wonder.

  “I’m calling Tammy, so she’ll be coming over soon,” Levi barked out as he inspected a few options. Riley seemed to have a thing for his plain tees. He picked a charcoal gray shirt and some dark khaki shorts. He left his hair down, spritzed on some cologne, and pulled on his trendiest sneakers. Riley ready.

  “You want to get back into your chair?” Levi had laid Gage out on the couch to watch a movie after dinner.

  “I’m good here for now,” Gage said, reaching out to hit Levi as he passed by.

  “You sure? Tammy might not get here for a half hour.”

  Gage heaved an abnormally long sigh. “Yes, Levi. I’m sure.”

  “Okay.” Levi ruffled Gage’s hair. “Just checking. You’re my baby brother, and you are soooo cute and special.” Levi hopped over the back of the couch and tormented Gage by pinching at his cheeks. Gage burst into laughter, fending off Levi’s affection attack.

  “Stop it,” Gage groaned.

  “You might be sixteen, but you’re still my precious Gagey,” Levi teased, snatching up the nearby blanket. “Oh my god, do you know what it’s time for?”

  “Noooo!” Gage protested, unable to fight the grin.

  “GAGE-ER-ITO,” Levi shouted, and then he wrapped Gage up in the blanket until he was trapped and practically crying with laughter.

  “You…can’t…” Another round of laughter consumed him. “That’s not fair!”

  “What’s the password?” Levi demanded, sitting gently on top of him so he couldn’t wriggle free.

  “I don’t know!” Gage shouted.

  “Yes, you do. Now what’s the password?”

  “SOUR CREAM!”

  Levi hopped off Gage and unrolled him while Gage collapsed with laughter.

  “Great. I’m ready to go now—see you later, bro.”

  Levi was all smiles as he left his apartment, Gage’s receding laughs still echoing in his head. Making his brother laugh like that on the daily—it was the only thing he needed to accomplish. Ensuring that Gage enjoyed life as much as possible.

  Levi made a pitstop at a bodega on his way to Riley’s house, a store where he knew they had a secretly awesome selection of craft beers. He picked up a creative six pack—not that he’d be indulging, of course—and went on his way to face down the mother of all temptations.

  Showing up with beer and not drinking was one thing.

  Being within inches of Riley and not taking things to their natural conclusion—that was an entirely different type of challenge.

  Riley answered the front door on the first knock; maybe she’d been lurking and waiting for him.

  She gasped when she saw the six pack. “You brought fun beer?”

  She pulled him inside, pushing up onto her toes to kiss him on the cheek as the door swung shut behind him.

  “To celebrate you being back,” Levi explained, snagging her at the waist so she fell flush against him. He swayed back and forth, coaxing another kiss from her, then another. His cock stiffened immediately. He was in trouble. “After a month away.”

  “Ten days,” she corrected.

  “You missed so many amazing photo opportunities,” Levi teased. “You probably shouldn’t leave like that again.”

  Her smile was infectious. He wasn’t exaggerating. The ten days had felt more like a month. And he’d missed looking into her pretty brown eyes more than he’d expected.

  “I’ll be sure to never schedule another vacation again,” Riley said, feigning seriousness.

  “Did you at least have fun?” He already knew she did. They’d texted every day. She’d even sent him a sexy oceanside selfie that included a nip slip.

  “Yeah.” She sighed. “My family was my family, but it wasn’t all bad.”

  Levi’s chest tightened. Better to steer away from family talk. It usually didn’t end well.

  Nikki appeared at the end of the hallway, an eyebrow arched severely. “Are you two ever going to move away from the front door or what?”

  Riley hung from Levi’s neck like a little monkey as she twisted her neck to look at her roommate. “We’re talking!”

  “Uh huh.” Nikki tutted and moved along.

  “Let’s go up to my room,” Riley suggested. She took the six pack from him. “Which one do you want to drink?”

  “I’m not gonna have any.” He followed her into the kitchen, where she stored the beers in the fridge. “They’re for you. And Nikki, of course.”

  Nikki crooned, “Aww…” from the living room.

  When Riley still looked confused, Levi added, “The next match is less than two weeks away. I can’t have alcohol.”

  She paused before she opened the bottle. “Then I won’t have one either.”

  The solidarity was touching. “I don’t care if you drink, Ri. I swear.”

  “Nah, I don’t want one.” She brushed past him, leading him by the hand back down the hallway and up the stairs. Her bedroom was quiet and cool, bed neatly made. But that was about the only neat thing about her space. The walls were crowded with frames and postcards. Exotic lampshades filled the corners of the room, the golden glow from each one ethereal, almost haunting.
Clothes lined the floor in precise piles, as if she’d started to organize and then just stopped.

  “Your room is so artsy,” Levi said, looking around as Riley pushed him toward the bed. She climbed on top of him, immediately straddling him. “It’s kind of the opposite of mine.”

  She laughed, pausing to look around. “You’re right.”

  Opposites attract. The phrase seared through him, but it didn’t seem right to bring that up. Damn near everything about her attracted him. But to what end? That was the type of shit couples always said. And Levi wasn’t looking for long-term.

  Because he had a life that he didn’t want to fuck with. His routine was nice. Between his intense fighting schedule, raising a teenager, and partying his face off whenever he could, he had enough on his plate. Adding a girlfriend didn’t seem smart.

  Except since their cataclysmic night in her studio, Levi hadn’t even felt the urge to go out and let off steam like he was used to doing. Honestly, it felt like he’d let it all out already. Like Riley had somehow purged him.

  But not just the sex. Hanging out with her provided a release valve, too.

  It didn’t make sense, but he didn’t feel the need to probe any further. All he knew was that he wanted Riley and he had her.

  End of story.

  “What happens in our rooms isn’t opposite though,” Riley murmured, sinking on top of him. He ran his palms up over her thighs, sucking at his teeth as her pussy rested right on top of his cock.

  “Actually…” he deflated a little. “I think it will be.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can’t have sex.”

  Her brows drew together. “I don’t get the joke.”

  “It’s not a joke. I mean, I’m less than two weeks out from the match. I’m not allowed to get off.”

  Her expression flattened as the news circulated through her. “Oh…so you can’t…oh.”

  He jerked his head into a nod, running his fingertips along her jawline. Riley was perfect. Or the closest to perfection he’d ever seen. Her left eye was bigger than her right—he’d noticed that already. She had a tiny scar in her right eyebrow, maybe something left over from childhood. And sometimes, when she was caught off guard, she’d blink a million times. An excessive amount of blinking.