10. Levi
10 LEVI
I'd spent every day for the past few weeks with Rob. We worked together, we slept together, and now that Easter Fest had arrived, we spent the in-between hours together too. It was a lot for two people who hadn't technically defined what the hell they were doing, but I didn't mind. I usually avoided spending too much time with a woman because it gave them ideas about things I didn't want them having ideas about, but with Rob, I couldn't get enough time with her.
I wasn't an expert in love, but I knew that I was falling for her. She was all the things I never thought existed in one woman, and for now, she was mine.
I waited for Rob on the sidewalk at the entrance of the park, and I felt her before I saw her through the crowd. The air around me crackled and grew thick, and when a group of elderly men parted, there she was, looking as beautiful as she always did. "You look...like an Easter egg." What the hell was I thinking? That wasn't exactly a compliment.
But Rob leaned her forehead on my arm and laughed. "Thanks, that's what I was going for."
"Are you feeling better today?"
"Yes and no. The sickness comes and goes, right now it's gone, so let's see if we can win basket-making, yeah?"
I nodded. "Never made a basket before in my life, but I'm down to try."
"That's good enough." We signed in for the contest and sat at a table loaded with more craft supplies than I'd ever seen outside a craft store. "You start with the grass," she instructed, pointing at the green construction paper. "Make small, springy blades."
"Yes, ma'am."
She suppressed a shiver. "I like that. A lot."
A deep chuckle escaped. "Noted." The whistle blew, and we got started. "What are you doing?" Rob's hands moved fast, as if she'd done this before.
"I'm making a basket. Start with construction paper and glue yarn to it. Trust me."
"I do." We worked well together.
She looked up from the basket and grinned. "How about I make us dinner on your next night off?"
My brows shot up. "You're going to cook for me?"
"Yeah. I can follow instructions as well as anybody else. Unless you'd rather go out?"
I shrugged. "Only if you want to stay in because you don't want to be seen with me." It was a genuine fear I had, but I hated how I felt after saying the words. "Sorry."
"Don't be," she smiled. "I love spending time with you, Levi. Things are just so good right now that I'm afraid the real world will intervene and screw it up."
I sighed and reached for her hand. "I get it, I do. And I'd love to have a beautiful woman cooking me a meal."
Her shoulders relaxed. "Then I'll start looking up recipes." She got back to work, decorating the basket and then making eggs while I worked on cutting construction-paper bunny ears. "I think we're done. How does it look?"
I pulled the basket closer and inspected it seriously. "Who knew you had such a talent for arts and crafts?"
"You'd be surprised how many times you have to improvise during photo shoots, runway shows, and even red-carpet events. Oh, and I grew up in this town that turned every detail of a holiday into a competition."
She was so damn cute. "You're a shark. It's adorable."
"Did you just call me adorable?"
I nodded. "An adorable shark. Is that a problem?"
"Nobody ever calls me adorable. I kind of like it." She flashed a gorgeous grin that I felt all the way down to my toes. "All done," she called out with a smile.
"Now what?"
"Now, we wait." Her brows wiggled, and she licked her lips. "Bet we have time to sneak off and make out before they announce a winner."
"You don't have to ask me twice." Anytime I could put my lips on Rob was a good time. The woman kissed like she did everything else—with her whole heart and enough passion to fuel a jet.
"Great, come on!" It turned out we didn't have to go far, slipping into a crowd of trees a few hundred feet away. Rob backed into a tree and pulled me close, kissing me as if we hadn't kissed in months. Her fingers speared through my hair, and she moaned into my mouth with a sense of urgency I hadn't experienced in a long time, if ever. The way she held me and touched me, as if I was precious to her.
It gave me hope.
My hands slid down and gripped her ass, bringing her body flush against mine. "I can't get enough of you, Rob."
She giggled. "It's a good thing you don't have to." She nibbled my bottom lip until I growled and gripped her tighter. "Levi," she moaned. "How about after—" she began, but I cut her off.
"Yes." I couldn't get enough of her, and I didn't want to.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!" The mayor's voice boomed across the park.
"We should get back," I told her, taking her hand in mine as we walked back.
"And here come the lovebirds, I mean our winning team now," Mayor Stevens smiled at us, and Rob stopped.
"What? We won?"
"You won," she said through a laugh.
"We won, Levi! We won!" She jumped up and down excitedly, dotting my cheeks with kisses. "We won. You must be my good luck charm."
Her smile was bright enough to stop my heart. "I'll be your charm anytime." This woman was going to be the end of me and the life I thought I wanted. I just knew it.
"Be careful what you ask for." She laughed and kissed me again. "We...won." Her smile faded, and she stumbled backward, a frown darkening her beautiful features. "Levi, I don't feel so good."
"What's wrong?" I asked, lunging forward as her legs buckled, catching her before she could hit the ground. "Rob, wake up, babe. Rob!" My heart stopped in my chest at the sight of her pale and unconscious in my arms.
"I'll call an ambulance," someone volunteered.
I wasn't about to wait. This was a small town, and the ambulance served half a dozen towns, so I scooped Rob into my arms and ran to my truck.
"Wait!"
I looked up at the sound of the unfamiliar voice and found a blonde rushing toward us. "I'm Hailey."
"The cool chick." Rob had told me all about her.
She smiled and nodded. "Formerly, anyway. Here's her purse."
"Thanks. Can you call Kayla and let her know I'm bringing her to the hospital?"
"Yep. Go."
"Thanks." I started the engine and broke every traffic law in town to get her to the hospital.
Kayla was outside waiting, and relief swamped me. "What happened?"
"Not sure. She's been feeling rundown, and then she just passed out in my arms."
Kayla smiled. "Good thing you were there."
"Scared the hell out of me, but sure." I followed her to an exam room and laid Rob down.
"Let me run a few tests, and I'll come get you when I learn something." There was sympathy in her eyes and also pleading.
I wanted to argue, but I wanted her to fix Rob more. "I'll be in the lobby."
"Thank you, Kayla."
She gave my shoulder a supportive squeeze. "She'll be okay."
I hoped she was right, because Rob meant more to me than anyone knew.
Even her.