Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Mateo
Fireflies winked at me as I stood in Levi’s backyard—waiting. I craned my head back, looking up at the stars and feeling nerves hit me in full force.
I was really here. I was really doing this. I wasn’t even sure it’d go anywhere.
The screen door snapped shut and I turned as Levi came out. He’d put on a soft stonewashed gray T-shirt and jeans. I wanted to take them right back off.
Levi held my gaze as he took a sip. “Want to sit with me?”
“Sure,” I said. “Why not?”
He groaned. “That joke is killing me.”
“It never gets old,” I teased as I bounded up the steps to his porch.
He sat down on the porch swing, sliding all the way to the right. I hesitated for a moment and then decided—fuck it. I was going to join him. I sat down on the left side, an awkward amount of space between us.
Selfishly, I wished we were sitting hip to hip. Holding hands even. Something aside from dancing around whatever this feeling was.
What was I even doing? The tension between us was so thick I could cut it with a knife. A fire burning so hot, I felt the need to douse us with a hose.
“Can I be honest?” I asked him.
Levi drew in a sharp breath, keeping his gaze on the backyard even though there was nothing interesting there except for dead grass and some rocks. Occasionally, a firefly would blink at us, so maybe that’s what he was looking at.
Or maybe he just couldn’t look at me.
“Yes,” he finally said. “I’d like for you to be.”
Nerves fired up in my belly. I felt like I was going to throw up.
It didn’t matter how easy it was to flirt, telling someone the truth like this always made me anxious.
“I want you. I’ve wanted you since I saw you standing outside Avery’s gallery.
I think you’re hot. I think you’re interesting.
And I feel like there’s something here.”
He was silent for a moment, his muscles tense. I swallowed hard, wondering if I was misreading everything. What if he actually wasn’t into men? What if there hadn't been any vibes between us, and I’d just been making it up?
Oh god. That would be awful.
I didn’t even want to think about the fact that I was flirting with my best friend’s other best friend and his sister. If Austin ever found out, I wasn’t sure he’d forgive me.
Then again, it wasn’t any of his business. We were all adults.
Still . . .
Levi cleared his throat. “What about Avery?”
“I want her too. I suspect you do as well.”
I caught a hint of amusement in his half smile. Light shined on the side of his face from the backdoor, shadows swallowing the rest of him.
“When you flirt with me, it makes my heart stop,” he whispered.
“I hope in a good way,” I murmured, clutching my drink. “And not in a ‘I want to punch this guy’ way.”
Levi didn’t say anything. But, his hand slowly moved across the wooden slats of the swing, closing the gap between the two of us until his fingers entangled with mine.
Was it silly to feel this excited about holding someone’s hand? Maybe. But Levi’s hand was large and rough and full of so much strength and gentleness at the same time, and I was melting into a puddle on the inside.
“It’s in a good way,” he whispered. “I’m bisexual too, Mateo. Well, I mean, I’m assuming—”
“Yes,” I breathed out. “I am. And you are.”
He nodded. “Yes. But I’m not very good at stuff like this. I mean, maybe in the bedroom. At least that’s what I’ve heard. But with relationships and romance, I’m bad. So I don’t think I can promise anything more than a physical connection, especially if I leave in a few weeks.”
My chest squeezed. While I wasn’t looking for a promise of forever, I did like Levi beyond the physical attraction.
But, I wasn’t going to walk away from a chance to be with him in whatever way I could.
“I understand,” I said. “Although, I doubt you’re bad at relationships.”
“My track record disagrees. Also, to be clear, I want Avery too. But her brothers would murder me. You too, probably. And all three of us together? I think Austin would have a heart attack.”
“Avery and I have been dancing around each other for years, but we decided to give this a chance as of last week. You kind of walked in on us finally giving things a chance. And over the last week, we’ve been texting and talking and planning.
Honestly, your arrival was what made me finally do something.
But we’re keeping things secret from everyone but June and Evie, because they’re Avery’s best friends and we don’t want to hide from them. Plus, they’ll keep their mouths shut.”
He let out a soft hum. “I have to wonder why they got so over-protective.”
“Who? Her brothers?”
“Yeah. Austin has kept a lot from me over the years, so I feel like I’m missing information.”
“I know part of the reason why,” I said vaguely. “But it’s not my story to tell. All I will say is that she dated someone that used to be friends with Dallas and Austin, and he hurt her.”
Levi’s grip tightened. “Physically?”
“I’m not entirely sure.” Even I didn’t know everything. “I think it was more mental manipulation. But no one has told me the whole story, and I’ve never pried.”
“Mental abuse can be just as bad.”
“It can be in a lot of ways.” I swallowed the flame in my chest. The idea of anyone harming Avery made me want to commit homicide.
“I think Austin and Dallas watched her break apart. Then their dad passed away literally on their drive home, and she moved back here, and since then—they do everything they can to protect her. I get it. I really do. And I’ve sat on the sidelines just telling myself I could never have her. ”
“I’d never want to hurt her.”
“Me neither.”
“I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to get involved then.”
“The thing is, Levi—we’re all adults. If you want her and she wants you, then there’s no reason not to go after that feeling.”
“You better not say ‘why not’ to me right now.”
I chuckled, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “All I’m saying is that Avery is worth taking the chance on. And as someone who’s waited two years to start showing her how much I care for her—don’t wait.”
Levi hummed, finally turning his head to look at me. I met his gaze and everything in the world seemed to slow.
“What about us?” he asked.
“Well, I told you I want you.”
“And if I said I want you too?”
My heart slammed against my ribcage. “I’d ask what are we still doing holding hands on your back porch?”
“And then I’d get up and lead you to my bedroom.”
“And I’d get on my knees and suck your cock.”
Levi pulled my hand toward his lap. My palm smoothed over the denim, and his hard cock strained against his zipper. Jesus Christ, he was fucking huge.
“Maybe we should kiss first,” he said.
“Maybe we should.”
We put our drinks down on the porch. Then, he dragged me forward. The porch swing squeaked beneath us as he pulled me into his lap, lifting me with an ease that made my head spin. It wasn’t like I was a light guy, but the way he manhandled me made me feel like a goddamn princess.
And I fucking liked it. Even knowing that I was going to dominate him, I liked it.
No, I loved it.
My knees settled on either side of his hips.
My cock hardened, rubbing against the outline of his erection as I rocked my body against his.
His fingers knotted in my short curls and he tugged my mouth to his.
His mouth was hot and needy, but so was mine.
Our kiss was rough. Hungry. Desperate to satiate this thirst I’d had for the hockey player ever since he dusted our town with his expensive unworn boots.
“Fuck,” he grunted.
Fuck was right. I drew back, holding his gaze for a second. Something unspoken passed between us and in one easy motion, my legs wrapped around his waist as he stood up, holding me to him as he carried me through the backdoor.
It slammed behind us, echoing through the house as he shoved me against the wall. Our kisses consumed us, every part of my body on fire for him.
“I hope you have lube and condoms,” I gasped.
“I do. Thank fucking god.” He paused for a moment, cocking his head. “Am I fucking you or are you fucking me?
I raised a brow. “Do you want me to fuck you, Levi?”
He swallowed hard enough his throat bobbed. Pink blossomed in his cheeks, turning his face scarlet.
“We can do both,” I offered. “I got all night. I’m off the clock unless Whynot catches on fire.”
Levi grinned, and I realized it was maybe the first time I’d seen him truly smile. There was nothing fake about it. And dammit, he was fucking gorgeous when he smiled.
I cupped his jaw, running my fingers through his beard. “Carry me to your bed. Now.”
“So you’re the demanding one.”
“I sure am,” I said. “But I’ll take care of you.”
With that promise in mind, heat warmed his gaze and he held me close, taking me through the dining room, down the hall, and straight to his bedroom. I reached behind him to flip on the light as he kicked the door shut behind us.
“I’ll turn on a lamp,” he grumbled.
“Not a big light guy?” I teased.
He tossed me onto the bed and I laughed, leaning over to turn on the lamp as he flipped the switch off again.
“I hate big lights,” he said. “And this one is especially egregious. All the lights in my apartment back in Minnesota are a certain kind that don’t feel like god is staring down at you when they’re turned on.”
I snorted as I sat up, ripping my shirt off as I watched him. I hadn’t even thought about the fact that his home was somewhere else. “I forget you have an apartment.”
“Yeah,” he said. “Right around the corner from where we practice, so I just walk to work.”
“So your life revolves around hockey.”
“It did.” He tugged his shirt overhead, revealing a muscled set of shoulders and chest, along with abs that had softened slightly over the last few weeks. “Not anymore, though.”
My smile softened and I tilted my head, regarding him thoughtfully.
He held my gaze as he tugged on his belt buckle, standing at the edge of the bed and watching me.
The metal clinked as he took it off, the leather zipping against the denim as he tossed it to the floor.
Before he could undo the top button, I held up my hand, sitting forward.
“I’m doing that,” I said.
His hand stilled as I moved to the edge of the bed.
I sat with my thighs straddling either side of him and tilted my head back.
I loved looking into his eyes as my fingers tugged at the cool button, snapping his jeans open.
I slowly undid the zipper, only pulling my gaze from his to look at this cock.
He was so unbelievably hard. I tugged his jeans down, taking his briefs with them until his cock sprang free.
Holy shit. My mind ran blank as I stared at his cock. He was thick and long, veins bulging along the shaft. I took in the sight of his balls, the V of his hips, the magnificence of him.
Levi was one of the sexiest men I’d ever seen. Certainly the sexiest man I’d ever been with.
Sucking his cock was going to be difficult.
But I liked a challenge.
“If I’m too much—”
“Don’t even go there,” I interrupted. “You have a damn fine cock.”
I looked up, and the man was blushing. Blushing.
“I’m going to suck you until you’re begging for more,” I promised. “And then I’m going to fuck you until you’re screaming my name.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but words died as I closed my hand around him, guiding the tip to my mouth. The salty taste of precum hit my tongue and my own body responded.
Feeling the weight of his cock in my mouth as I took him deeper turned me on in a primal way.
Levi’s groan was music to my ears. His breath hitched as I took him deeper, all the way until the head of his cock hit the back of my throat. I closed my hand around the base of his shaft, stroking him slowly as I found a rhythm that had his hips bucking with need.
“Fuck,” he grunted. “Mateo.”
Oh yeah. Hearing him rasp my name like that? Every nerve in my body lit up with lust.
I pulled my mouth off his cock right as his movements became hurried. He blew out a breath as I closed my hand firmly around his cock, his gaze locking with mine.
“You’re going to be a good boy for me, aren’t you?” I asked.
“Yes.”
His answer came without hesitation.
“Please,” he whispered. “Please fuck me. Please.”