Jesus Christ. Emily. Why hadn’t he told her how he felt? Why had he let her walk away?
He leapt onto the railing that ran along the bottom floor and reached for the railing on the second floor, pulling himself up. Deaf to the shouts of the firefighters, he raced down the hallway, scanning apartment numbers. He hesitated for a split second in front of apartment number nine, checked the temperature of the door, then twisted the handle.
Locked. “Emily!”
He peered inside the window and didn’t see her. He didn’t see smoke either, thank God. But trace amounts were likely creeping in her apartment and would soon fill it unless the firefighters put out the flames quickly.
Levi kicked the door once. Twice. A loud crack sounded after the third kick. He slammed his booted foot into it a fourth time and the door flew open.
“Emily!” He swept inside, scanning the first bedroom that was small and didn’t fit much more than a desk and chair.
And then she was standing in the hallway, her eyes puffy and red. It looked like she hadn’t slept in days, dark crescents beneath her eyes.
A rush of air eased out of his chest. He moved forward and squeezed her to his body. “You’re okay?”
“What’s going on?” Her voice was muffled against him, and he loosened his hold, but not by much. “I just noticed the smoke and heard the sirens.”
He didn’t answer, simply threw her over his shoulder, and hauled her out of the apartment and past the firefighters on their way up the stairs.
“Levi Cade!” the company officer shouted. “After I put this fire out, you’ll be hearing from me.”
Levi stopped in front of Adam’s truck and hesitated, not wanting to let Emily go.
“Levi”—Emily tapped his back—“put me down. You didn’t need to carry me. I could have walked.”
Course she could have. But he’d felt a hell of a lot better being in control until he got her out of the burning building. Bad things happened in burning buildings. Roofs collapsed. Cement blocks landed on heads.
He lowered her to the ground, keeping her body close to him. He knew what he needed to do, but for the first time in his life, putting out a fire was the last thing he wanted to do. Still, he should check in with the firefighter in charge. “Will you be all right for a moment?”
“Yes,” she said, but she wrapped her arms around her chest, looking so small.
He’d thrown down his flannel to fight Adam earlier, and now he could kick himself for not having anything to put over her shoulders.
He reached behind the truck’s driver seat and grabbed the blanket Adam kept there, draping it around her. “Don’t go anywhere, okay? I’ll be right back.”
She nodded, and he made his way to the officer. He didn’t want to leave Emily, but he should check in with the crew before they left.
He approached the firefighter in charge. “Need any help?”
Bill, a man Levi had worked with before, shook his head. “It’s been evacuated.” He glanced at the door Levi had kicked in. “We’ll board that up.” He cut Levi a quelling look. “Now get the hell out of here before civilians start thinking they can run into burning buildings.”
Levi didn’t need to be told twice. He headed straight back for Emily and grabbed her, hauling her into his arms. He tucked her head beneath his chin and filled his nose with her sweet floral scent.
His eyes burned, and it wasn’t from the smoke.
He could have lost her. The club wasn’t more important than Emily. Why had he been such a dumb shit?
He’d thought his past with her sister mattered? It didn’t.
That he needed to protect the club—well, he needed to do that, but he could do it and still have Emily at his side. The club and all it entailed was messy, but so what? Life was messy, and Emily didn’t seem to mind helping him fix the mess. She seemed to relish it. So what the hell had been his problem?
He might be capable of putting out fires—physical or otherwise—but none of it mattered unless he had Emily. “I was an idiot. I think—I think I was afraid of losing another person I cared about. I’m sorry for everything.”
He felt her swallow. “You’re sure?”
He looked down at her and kissed her nose. “I prioritized my work, my stupid past—which should be left in the past—over you. Running into a burning building was always easier. Taking over a business I knew nothing about annoyed me more than anything. But risking myself on you terrified me. You weren’t a part of the plan, but plans can go to hell. I know that as well as anyone. I don’t care about any of it anymore. Not if I don’t have you. I’m willing to take a risk on us, but do you still want me? I wouldn’t blame you if you’ve changed your mind.”
Her chest jerked on a choked laugh. “You are a stubborn mule. Of course I still want you, but I can’t do this unless you’re all in.”
He wrapped his arms around her until his fingertips touched the sides of her hips and she was fully encased in his embrace. “I’m all in.”
She lightly shivered and nuzzled in closer. “How in the world did you know about the fire, anyway? For the record, I smelled the smoke and was about to walk out, perfectly safe.”
“Wasn’t taking chances,” he mumbled into her hair. “I heard about the fire from a police scanner. I listen in from time to time. Old habit.”
Raising one hand to the back of her head, he looked down at her. “There will always be fires to put out. It’s the one inside my chest that burns for you that I don’t want to get rid of. I’d like it to simmer good and long.” He dropped his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply.
She pulled back, gasping for air. “I’ll have you know, I haven’t brushed my teeth.”
“You taste sweet to me.” He kissed her cheekbone and tried to go in for another one on the lips.
She frowned halfheartedly. “Must be all those Oreos I ate trying to convince myself that I’d be able to forget you.”
His face grew serious. “Don’t forget me.”
She gently touched the scar above his eye. “Don’t push me away. You need to hear me.”
He tucked his head near her neck. “I always heard you. Just wasn’t listening to my gut. But I won’t make that mistake again.” He squeezed her a little. “Give me a chance?”
She sighed. “I suppose. Those Oreos were going to be the death of me. At least now I can stop eating them to feel better.”
“You can still eat them. Just eat them at my house. In my bed.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
They drove straight to Levi’s place, and Adam was standing outside the house when they arrived. He shook his head, which Emily assumed had something to do with Levi driving his truck.
They exited the vehicle and Levi tossed his brother the keys, giving him a swift nod.
No words had been said on the way to his place, but Levi had held her hand the entire way, his thumb rubbing soft circles over the back of it.
Adam took off in his truck as she and Levi entered the house.
He shut the door and picked her up beneath her butt.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He was looking at her as though she were beautiful, when she’d never looked so bad in her life. Certainly not in front of him. He kissed her lips lightly and carried her toward the back of the house, a million thoughts spilling from his heated gaze. Naughty thoughts…if she was reading it right.
A shiver of excitement slid down her spine. “I should probably go back to my place. Get my purse. My phone…” she said, suddenly nervous as he opened the door to his bedroom.
Were they really doing this? After he’d hurt her so deeply?
He kissed her softly. “First of all, you have no front door. I kicked the last one in. The firefighters are boarding up the hole. Second, your fire alarm wasn’t going off when I arrived, which means that place you’re renting really isn’t safe, if the fire wasn’t a big enough clue. Lastly, you won’t need your purse or phone for twenty-four to forty-eight hours anyway.”
“Because.” He squeezed her ass. “I plan to keep you”—he gave Grace a gentle nudge so she wouldn’t enter the room—“very”—he closed the door with his foot and tossed her on the bed—“busy.”
Levi followed her onto the mattress and leaned over, covering part of her body, his large hand cradling her face. And then his lips were on her mouth, coaxing and unraveling her.
He lifted his head and brushed her chin with his thumb. “I could have lost you.”
“From the fire?” She shook her head. “They so had that under control.”
“Maybe, but I also could have lost you because I was an idiot, making other things a priority and trying to protect myself.”
She ran her fingers through his soft hair. “You came around. That’s what’s important.” She gave him a saucy smile to lighten the mood. “What will you do with me now?”
His mouth cocked back with wicked intent. “For starters,” he said, then sat back and yanked off her sweatpants in one smooth move, “taking these things off.”
“You didn’t remove my shoes!” She looked like a dork in her undies and canvas sneakers.
He smirked and worked on the laces of her tennies, carefully untying them, then tossed each one over his shoulder, watching her as he did. He jerked his chin up. “You won’t be needing that sweatshirt anymore. How about you strip it off?”
“But I’ll get cold.” She was holding back a smile, mostly because she loved this side of him. The confident, lusty side he’d restrained, the tease.
“Can’t have that.” Levi pounced on her and she let out a yelp. He smiled as he grabbed the bottom of her sweatshirt, tickled her waist, then lifted the clothing over her head.
His gaze fixed on her chest, and his nostrils flared. “No bra?”
“I was exercising,” she said indignantly. “Which normally would require a bra, but I was indoors…and I might still be wearing what I slept in last night.”
Levi’s hand was already palming her, his mouth finding its way to her nipple. “Mmm. You should never wear a bra around me. At least not at my home.”
“Does that mean I’ll be coming here again? Or are you going to pull away after this time too?” She didn’t want to break the mood, but she needed to know.
He stilled and looked in her eyes. “I want you.”
She swallowed. His blue gaze was more sincere than she’d ever seen it. “You’ve said that before.”
“Not just in my bed. I want you in my life.” He frowned and grabbed her hands, raising them lightly above her head. “From the moment you walked into my office, I knew you were trouble. You were going to tempt me and complicate my life. What I didn’t realize was that you’d make every waking moment so much better. I’d be lucky to have you as my girlfriend. If you’ll still have me.”
His girlfriend. She wanted, but… “You hurt me.”
His jaw tensed and his eyes grew pained. “I was…trying to do everything right, and it came out all wrong.”
“Not everything. You’re doing better now. And you’re doing a great job running Club Tahoe, though you don’t give yourself enough credit.”
“Working at the club isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” He released one of her hands and pushed a lock of hair off her face. “Though I’ve realized since you’ve been sick”—he gave her a knowing look, because obviously she’d been hiding and not actually sick—“that it’s all crap if you’re not around. I don’t care if you work at Club Tahoe, but I want you in my life. You’re nicer than me, more thoughtful, and you make me want to be a better man. And I can’t keep my eyes off you.” He kissed her chin. “You also call me out on my shit, which I find amusing because no one else except my brothers does that.”
She was smiling until he reached that last point. “Speaking of calling you out on your shit, you need to repair things with Hunt. He made a mistake when he was eighteen. He didn’t mean to hurt you. I think he genuinely cared for Lisa. How smart were you at that age when it came to women?”
Levi snorted, the guilt evident in his expression.
“Exactly. It’s been years, and Hunt needs you. You need each other, especially after the loss of your father. You’ve punished him long enough.”
He let out a long sigh. “I’ll make an effort.”
She leaned up and kissed his lips softly.
“Does this mean you’ll give me another chance?”
She squeezed his broad shoulders, feeling him up through his shirt. “I suppose. But if you see Oreos around, let that be a clue that you’ve screwed up. And stop being so stubborn and actually listen to me from now on.”
“I have been listening, I’ve just chosen to ignore what you said.”
She smacked him on the arm and he let out a deep chuckle.
“Until now, that is. I never said I was perfect.” He pecked her stiff lips that, no matter how hard she tried to keep them firm, softened under his touch. “I’ve fallen for you. Pretty sure I fell a little in love with you when you busted my balls on the golf course. More after you busted my brothers’ balls at the Shin party. I fell completely in love when I found you asleep on my couch with Grace, but I didn’t want to acknowledge it. I thought if I ignored my feelings, they’d go away and I wouldn’t lose you. But the truth is, that was the surest way to lose you. This wasn’t planned and there are no rules, just a deep feeling in my chest that you’re meant for me.”
She brought his mouth to hers and kissed him hard, pushing his head up just as quickly. “You promise you’re not going to change your mind? Because I will bust more than your balls if you play that game again.”
He chuckled and grabbed her ass. “I’m sure. I’m a true guy.”
“I know you are. I’ve known all along, but you are a tough nut to crack when you’ve set your mind on a different course.”
“Did you just compare me to something a squirrel eats?”
“Yes, I did. What are you going to do about it?”
He leaned up. “For starters, you’re topless—and thank God for that—but I think we should even the score.” He slipped off his shirt and flattened his chest to hers. “Hmm, I’m beginning to see why Grace made you her new pillow. I could fall asleep like this every night.”
She rapped the top of his head lightly with her knuckles. “Only sleep?”
That was not what she had in mind.
She felt his smile against her breast. He was kneading the other with his palm. “After.”
“After?” There was a smile in her voice.
Levi lifted one of her legs, fitting his hips between her thighs. “After I make love to you on the bed. And the couch.” He reached around her bottom, and slid his fingertips along the tender flesh of her thigh and the crease of her leg.
Her breathing grew unsteady. “That sounds fine…though the bench was a nice adventure.”
He dipped his head, running his lips along her collarbone and finding one of her breasts with his mouth. “Are you an adventuresome girl?”
Her face heated. “I didn’t think so, but…I think there’s a lot I’d enjoy with you.”
His fingers slid beneath her panties. “Let’s find out.” He teased her soft flesh, circling his thumb over the spot that was aching for his touch, while his finger slid inside her. And then his hand was gone.
Emily opened her eyes—apparently she’d closed them at some point. He was sitting back, scanning her body.
She lifted up onto her elbows. “What’s wrong?”
“I want better access.” He carefully slid her panties down her legs, tossing them off to the side, then grabbed her hand and pulled her up. Her thighs stretched wide over his lap until she was straddling him. He grabbed her hips and tilted her forward, bringing her breasts to his mouth. “Much better.”
Her hands fluttered to his shoulders. “Wait. What about your jeans?”
His lips paused on her nipple, giving it o
ne last kiss before he lifted up with her in his arms just long enough to shove his jeans down and free himself, all the while looking into her eyes. “Okay?”
“Yes,” she said breathily, and reached for the part of him jutting toward her, hot against her belly.
His mouth was on hers as she guided him to her entrance and then she was sinking onto him.
Levi’s finger found her center again, and he rubbed the bundle of nerves there, making her hot and achy, her body sliding faster on him.
“I can’t last,” she said, “I’m going to—to…”
“You don’t have to last. This is only the first course.” His lips wrapped around her nipple and he flicked it with his tongue.
Her climax hit her hard—pent up as she was these last few days with the fear of having lost him. Of having to get over the man she loved so much.
Her body convulsed, pleasure spilling over her in long waves, and a moan erupted from her throat.
When she caught her breath, Levi thrust up, shaking with desire. He clung to her, his chest rising and falling as spasms jerked his body.
His breathing evened out and she slumped back onto the bed, Levi following her down. He lay partway on top of her and half on the mattress, his face burred against the side of her face and hair. Her view was of an extremely hot, half-bared ass. It didn’t get much better than that.
He grabbed her breast and kissed her temple. “Don’t forget. You’re mine for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Longer, if I have my way.”
The man hadn’t even taken his pants all the way off and he was thinking of round two?
Lord save her.
She was in love. Her heart was so full she didn’t think there was space for anything more. And the best part? Levi loved her too. She’d always felt it, but now she’d heard it from his lips.
There was nothing better than being loved by Levi Cade.
Chapter Thirty
Levi had returned to wearing his business clothes to work, much as he loathed it. Emily enjoyed removing them, and there was no way he’d come between his woman and her pleasure.
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