Six Levi
Emerging from the water, I wipe my hands down my face, trying to regain some semblance of composure. I see Sunny laughing, her eyes practically twinkling with amusement like she’s got some kind of secret weapon aimed directly at me. Before I can even think of my next move, she splashes me, sending water right into my face. I wipe my eyes, unable to keep the grin from spreading,
“Careful, sugar,”
I say, trying to sound like I’m in control of the situation.
Spoiler alert: I absolutely am not.
She moves towards me, and now we’re close. Too close. Dangerously close. The air between us crackles, and not the fun kind of crackling, like popcorn or a cozy campfire—no, this is the-you’re about to make a bad decision-kind of crackling.
I catch her gaze flick down to my lips for a split second.
Oh fuck. Nope. No. We are not going there. Abort mission.
But my brain is already doing the exact opposite of aborting because now I’m wondering if she’s thinking the same things I am.
Okay, shes probably not thinking the exact same things that I am. But it could be close.
Before I can lose the internal war raging in my head, Bodhi splashes into the water again like an overexcited seal, and the spell breaks.
Thank you, Bodhi.
Sunny moves back, both of us breathing hard, and it’s like my body doesn’t know how to handle the distance. She’s a drug—one I’ve never tried but can’t stop craving, her pull so strong it’s like every nerve in my body is screaming at me to close the gap, to have her, to taste what I’ve been denying myself.
“Looks like you’re buying the first round, Sun!”
Bodhi shouts, grinning as he swims past.
“Yeah, yeah,”
she replies, rolling her eyes playfully, “I’ll make sure to get you the fanciest drink on the menu.”
Hmm…that’s weird. I want her to buy me the fanciest drink on the menu, not Bodhi.
And before you say anything, I am not jealous!
Noah, Bodhi, and Knox start tossing each other around in the water like kids on a sugar high, each splash and shout echoing around the lake.
Sunny’s watching with a mix of amusement and curiosity, her eyes darting between the chaos and me. I can see her smile, and it makes my chest tighten. I’m trying to keep my focus on the guys, but it’s becoming harder with her so close.
“Alright, folks,”
Bodhi announces, “Next challenge: synchronized splashing!”
“You’re joking!”
I shout back, barely containing my laughter. “What is this, water ballet?”
“It’s gonna be epic!”
Noah adds.
Before I can even protest, Bodhi and Noah start splashing in unison, sending waves of water in all directions. Knox and Hunter join in, and soon enough, it’s a full-blown water fight. The guys are flailing around, arms and legs everywhere, and it’s impossible to not get caught up in the mayhem.
Sunny’s close enough that the splashes start hitting her, and I see her trying to dodge the water, laughing as she does.
“No way you’re escaping this,”
I shout, grinning as I swim closer to her. She locks eye’s with me and shrieks in mock horror.
“Levi, no, no, no!”
she calls out, but it’s too late. I’ve already splashed her, and the water hits her full force, making her laugh even harder.
“Just having some fun, Sunshine,”
I chuckle, trying to keep my voice steady even though I’m screaming on the inside.
Fuck, she makes it so hard to focus.
Sunny retaliates, sending a splash right back at me. We’re now caught in our own little water fight amid the chaos, and it feels strangely intimate.
Bodhi, noticing our little scuffle, decides to up the ante. He swims over and grabs me in a headlock, pulling me into the fray. “Levi’s been too serious today! Let’s get him!”
“Oh, you’re asking for it now,”
I laugh as I try to wriggle free. But as I’m wrestling with Bodhi, I stumble, accidentally knocking into Sunny, who’s trying to escape the splashing madness.
We both go under the water, and when we come up, we’re face-to-face. Her hair is plastered to her cheeks, and her eyes are wide with surprise and amusement. I’m so close I can see every detail of her expression, and it’s making my heart race. What happened to distance, Levi?
“Hey,”
I say, trying to sound casual, but my voice comes out more like a growl.
“Hi,”
she replies, her voice low, but with a teasing hint. Her eyes move down to my lips, and suddenly, my pulse pounds in my ears, drowning out every rational thought. We’re so close—so close I could lean down, tilt my head just enough, and feel her soft, warm lips on mine. I can practically imagine it—her breath hitching, the way she’d melt against me. My chest tightens, my body leaning forward almost on instinct, every cell screaming at me to close the space. It would be so easy, too easy, and that’s the problem. Because once I start, I know I won’t be able to stop.
Before I can say anything else, Colton swims by, doing some ridiculous impression of Bodhi that makes everyone laugh. I like it when he lets loose.
Sunny’s attention shifts to him, and she starts giggling, the sweet sound sending a shockwave through me.
I use this opportunity to swim to get out of the lake, grateful for the distance between me and Sunny. She’s a walking distraction—world-class, Olympic-level. Those blue eyes? Trouble. That laugh? Pure, unfiltered chaos. And don’t even get me started on that attitude. I’d like to teach that smart mouth of hers a lesson-Nope. Not going there.
It's never been this hard to keep my distance. I’ve had plenty of reasons in the past to draw the line with a woman, and it's never been a problem-never crossed my mind to even blur it. But with sunny, it’s like the damn line is barely there at all. Every time I see her, she pulls me in without even trying, and I catch myself watching her when I shouldn’t, thinking about her more than I’d ever admit. I know better. I’m her boss, and this whole thing only works if I keep it professional. But lately, my thoughts have been anything but. She’s everywhere. In the kitchen, in the barn, that laugh of hers echoing in my head long after she’s gone. I’m starting to feel like a fool, fighting against something that just feels so…natural.
As I dry off, I see her walking towards me, water glistening on her skin, and— NOPE.
Definitely not thinking about that. Brain, stop. Look away. Look anywhere else.
I head straight for the cooler, pretending to be on a serious mission. But of course, the cooler’s already empty. Perfect.
Exactly the kind of luck I’m having today.
“I’m going to run back to the house for more beers,”
I shout to the group, hoping no one offers to help. I need a minute to myself. To recover. To stop thinking about Sunny. But before I can even breathe, she pipes up,
“I’ll give you a hand.”
Of course, you will. Sure, why not? What could go wrong?
She throws on her t-shirt—her skin still soaking wet—and jogs toward me. Because apparently, my life is just one big cosmic joke, and I’m the punchline.
We drive back in silence. I’m gripping the wheel like it’s going to fly out of my hands. Sunny tries to make small talk, but all I can manage are one-word answers. I can’t focus around her.
When we finally pull up to the house, I jump out of the truck like it’s on fire.
Gotta go, gotta escape, get the beers, and reset. This is fine. Totally fine. Inside, I yank the fridge door open, letting the cool air hit me like a reality check. Maybe if I stand here long enough, I’ll freeze to death, and this problem will solve itself. I lean against the door, breathing deeply, but no amount of refrigeration is going to cool down the firestorm going on in my head.
Focus on the beer. That’s the mission. Not Sunny. Beer.
But all I can think about is her out there, waiting. The memory of her body pressed against mine in the lake flashes through my mind, and I have to shake my head to clear it. Walking back out, I see Sunny leaning against the truck, her hair now drying in soft waves, looking like a fucking goddess. Great. Just what I needed. Sunny looking even more tempting.
I try to act like nothing’s wrong, but the second her eyes lock onto mine, I feel my steps falter. Smooth. Real smooth. I am a fortress of willpower. Clearly. But there’s something in them—determination, maybe? Curiosity? I can’t tell. I recover quickly, masking my uncertainty with a gruff, “Let’s go.”
desperate to be around other people.
“Why the silent treatment?”
she asks. “Did I do something to annoy you?”
she adds, crossing her arms in a way that pushes— Fuck. Don’t look down there. Don’t even acknowledge it.
Her question hits me harder than I expected though. There’s a vulnerability in her voice, and it makes my chest tighten. I’m torn between the urge to pull her close and the need to push her away. I can’t let her know she’s under my skin. Can’t let her see that every time she’s around, my mind goes to places it shouldn’t.
“Sunny. Let’s go,”
I repeat, but the words sound hollow even to my own ears. I’m about to open the truck door, but she doesn’t move.
“Cut the shit, Levi.”
Well, that was unexpected… what happened to quiet Sunny? Doesn’t matter, I like this version of her as well.
“Watch your mouth, sugar.”
I say, placing a hand on the truck next to her head. “It’s going to get you into trouble.”
She rolls her eyes, “Oh, really? Is that a threat, or a promise?”
The challenge in her voice sends a rush of heat through me. I lean in closer before I can stop myself my face is inches from hers, a smile creeping on my lips, my voice barely above a whisper as I say,
“I don’t think you’d be able to handle it, Sunshine. So, trust me, you don’t wanna find out.”
Abort! Abort! Too close Levi!
Her defiance, her challenge—it’s intoxicating. She isn’t backing down, and I’m caught in this push and pull.
“You clearly don’t know me then, Levi,”
she whispers, and I can see the spark in her eyes. She places her arms by her side, revealing her now see-through t-shirt, caused by her wet bikini. You can make out every curve and outline as her nipples pebble. Her chest rising and falling with each quick breath, I’m so close to losing it. Every instinct is screaming at me to close the distance, to pin her to the truck and taste her lips, to feel her against me.
Her tongue slides out to wet her bottom lip, the sight making my dick twitch. Fuck.
I take a step back, trying to clear the haze.
“Let’s go, Sunny,”
I say, as I walk around to the passenger side and open her door.
And just like that, I’m toast. Completely fried.
RIP, Levi Monroe, died of stupidity and temptation. Almost.
As I walk back to the driver’s side, I take a few deep breaths, trying to steady my racing heart.
Sliding into the seat, I grip the wheel, but the tension starts to ebb away. Sunny’s presence, as distracting as it is, brings a certain lightness to the moment. We drive in silence, the air between us slowly transforming into something more manageable. I can feel her eyes on me, but I keep my focus on the road.