Chapter 26 Levi
Levi
As we drive out to the farm, I’m nervous as fuck. I really hope Kelcie falls in love with the place like I did.
Her phone begins to ring, and she quickly digs it out of her handbag. “Oh, it’s Jordan!” I listen as she answers, “Hi. Thanks for calling back.”
I realize she’s put Jordan on speaker when I hear him say, “How are things between you and Levi? Did you get to talk to him?”
“Yes. Everything is good between us,” she answers. “Levi reminded me about Christmas. We’re still coming through to you, right?”
“Hell yes,” Jordan replies.
“But we’ll only drive through on Christmas Eve. I already took over your house for three weeks, so we won’t visit for a week like we initially spoke about.”
“I understand.”
It’s only then that I realize Kelcie never told Jordan he’s on speaker, and he probably has no idea I’m listening in on the call. It tells me Kelcie isn’t worried that Jordan will say anything bad about me, and it goes to show what good people they are.
“Hi, Jordan,” I greet him.
“Oh, hey. How are you?”
“Much better now that your sister has forgiven me.”
Jordan lets out a chuckle. “You struck gold with her, but please be gentle with her heart.”
I glance at Kelcie, who’s grinning from ear to ear. “I’ll treasure her.”
“Are we good?” I ask him.
“Yeah. It was a shitty thing you did, but I don’t hold it against you for being related to that bastard.”
More tension eases from my body. “Thanks, Jordan.”
“So I’ll see you on Wednesday?”
“Yes. Is there anything we can bring?” I ask.
“Just yourselves and empty stomachs because Natalie is planning to cook up a storm.”
“Yummy.” Kelcie glances around the area, then says, “We have to go. See you soon.”
They end the call as I turn off the main street. While I steer the truck up the dirt road leading to the farmhouse, I keep stealing glances at Kelcie so I don’t miss her reaction to seeing the farm.
I love the emotions flitting over her face, everything from amazement to excitement. “Oh my God, Levi. It’s beautiful out here.”
The two-story farmhouse comes into sight, and Kelcie’s chin begins to quiver. “Our home.”
The two simple words wrap tightly around my heart, and I’m filled with a sense of belonging because this place will be the first home I’ve ever had, and I’ll share it with the woman I love. It won’t just be a soulless house like the other places I’ve lived.
I bring the truck to a stop and chuckle when Kelcie can’t get out fast enough. I climb out and watch as Lick sets off over the snow-covered yard.
Just as I turn my attention back to Kelcie, she lets out a happy shriek and launches herself at me. “It’s perfect!”
I catch her while laughter escapes me, and holding her tight, I twirl her in a circle before I set her down on her feet. “Yeah? You like our farm?”
“I want to see all of it. God, there’s so much space.” Kelcie pulls away from me and looks over the yard in the direction of the lake.
“Come,” I say as I take hold of her hand. I lead her toward the line of trees and watch her reaction as the lake comes into view.
“Holy crap. We have our own lake,” she breathes, then her eyes light up with more excitement. “We can ice-skate!”
“I might fall on my ass and break something, but I’m willing to give it a try for you,” I joke as we look at the frozen surface. We’re quiet for a little while, then I say, “The day I put in an offer to purchase, I stood here for hours wondering if I’d ever see you again.”
“Levi,” she whispers as she turns to face me. “Of course you would’ve seen me again. I wouldn’t have ghosted you.”
The pain I felt while I was separated from Kelcie flickers through my chest. “I didn’t know that at the time, though.”
Her eyebrows draw together, and she moves closer until our bodies touch. Lifting her gloved hands, she frames my jaw and locks eyes with me. “No matter what happens, I won’t leave you unless you explicitly tell me to.” She makes the same promise to me that I made to her over Thanksgiving.
“I really needed to hear those words,” I murmur, my entire soul letting out a sigh of relief. “And I will never tell you to leave. You’re kinda stuck with me forever.”
Her mouth curves up, and she gives me a quick kiss before she pulls back. “Show me our house.”
“Remember it’s a work in progress,” I remind her as we walk hand in hand to the farmhouse.
Lick lets out happy barks as she zooms all over the place, loving the open space.
“She’s so cute,” Kelcie chuckles. “We’re going to have to bathe her when she’s done playing in the snow.”
“I gave her a bath two days ago, so we can just dry her off when she comes inside,” I reply as we take the stairs up to the front door. “I want to build a wraparound porch.”
“That’s a lot of work, Levi,” Kelcie says. “Are you going to hire help?”
I shake my head. “I don’t want a stranger touching our house.” I glance at her as I pull the keys out of my pocket. “Sorry, I know it sounds weird.”
Kelcie rubs a hand up and down my back while I unlock the door. “I understand, and it’s not weird.”
When we step into the house, my eyes are glued to her face. Her lips part, and I watch as she falls in love with our home.
Thank God.
She slowly moves forward, her gaze sweeping over the living room. I had the movers bring my furniture from the house in Verona, but everything is covered with plastic sheets to protect it from dust.
She keeps quiet as she walks through the room toward the kitchen.
“I want to knock out that wall so it’s all open plan,” I mention. I stay a few steps behind Kelcie. “And I’m thinking of replacing everything with mahogany cupboards. We can put a dark marble slab on the island and counters.”
“It will look beautiful,” she whispers, emotion tightening her voice. She trails her fingertips over the worn wood, then she asks, “Can I make the cupboard doors?”
Remembering she used to whittle and she hasn’t done it since the attack, I realize what a big moment this is for Kelcie.
I move closer to her and place my hand on her lower back. “Of course you can. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll order everything.”
She shakes her head. “I have a contact who always supplied me with the best quality wood. I’ll use them.”
We head up the stairs, and as we walk from room to room, Kelcie takes her time to look at every nook and cranny. When we reach the main bedroom, she gasps.
Looking at the walk-in closet where I’ve put up shelves, drawers, and hanging space for clothes, she says, “God, Levi. Did you do all this?”
“Do you like it?” I ask. “I can change it if you want to add or remove something.”
Her head snaps to me. “Don’t you dare change a thing. I love it.” She gives me a teasing look. “So this row of shelves is yours, and the rest of the closet is mine, right?”
I let out a chuckle and follow her to the en suite bathroom. She scrunches her nose at the strong smell of glue, mortar, and paint.
“I finished this yesterday. The smell will fade soon.”
Kelcie trails her fingers over the counter and tiles. “You’re so talented. It looks like it was done by a professional.” She shoots me a look of warning. “Take the compliment.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I reply playfully. “Thank you.”
She grips hold of my hand and pulls me into the shower. We both fit comfortably, and there’s plenty of space to move around.
Kelcie wags her eyebrows at me. “The things I plan to do to you in this shower should scare you.”
The corner of my mouth lifts. “Yeah? Like what?”
She reaches for my jeans and pops the button before she pulls down the zipper, then she purrs, “I think it’s better if I show you.”
Fuck. That’s one hell of a turn-on.
As she pushes the fabric down my thighs, I harden at the speed of light. Her fingers wrap around my cock as she presses a kiss to my neck, and then my woman moves down to her knees.
I never allowed my ex to give me a blow job, so this is a new experience for me.
Actually, everything with Kelcie is new.
I stare down at the love of my life and watch her lips wrap around me. The pleasure is instant, and my lips part on a harsh breath.
I slap one hand against the tiled wall, and with my other, I cradle the back of Kelcie’s head.
Her tongue swirls around my shaft as if she’s licking a fucking lollipop, and then she sucks me hard, and her cheeks hollow out.
“Fuck,” I groan, the erotic sight of Kelcie going to town on my dick and the pleasure she’s making me experience pushing me closer to the edge. “I’m going to come,” I warn her, heavy breaths rushing from me.
Her fist tightens around my base, and she sucks harder, her head bobbing and tears forming in her eyes.
The orgasm hits so hard, I sway on my feet and stop breathing altogether. My fist tightens in her hair as I ride the wave of pure ecstasy while I get to watch her swallow every drop of my release.
When Kelcie frees my cock from her mouth and climbs to her feet, I slump back against the tiles and try to catch my breath. My eyes don’t leave her as I fix my jeans and pull up the zipper.
“How did I do for my first time?” she asks.
Knowing I’m the only man she’s sucked off fills me with overwhelming satisfaction. “You blew my mind, baby.”
A happy grin spreads over her face.
I move closer and press a soft kiss to her mouth before saying, “Like I said, you’re a damn miracle, and those lips of yours are the gates to heaven.”
Kelcie beams at my praise as we leave the bathroom, and when we’re back in the living room, I quickly get the fireplace going to warm up the place.
As if she has a sixth sense, Lick comes in from outside, and I shut the door behind her to keep the cold out. I walk to the coffee table, and picking up her towel, which I dropped there yesterday, I hand it to Kelcie. “Wanna dry her while I fix us something for lunch?”
“We have food here?” my woman asks as she sits down beside Lick, who’s made herself comfortable in front of the fire.
“Yes. I spend most of my days here and only go back to the motel to shower and sleep.”
“As soon as the smell of the fresh paint fades, I think we can move in,” Kelcie mentions while she rubs the towel over Lick’s fur.
“There will be a lot of dust and noise while we renovate,” I remind her. “But I love how eager you are to live here.”
“I can’t wait. It’s the best Christmas present ever.”
I put together a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches and grab two bottles of water before joining Kelcie on the floor.
While we eat, I tell her, “Tish, the realtor who sold me this place, has a cousin who breeds mini–Highland cows. He’s up in Montana. I’ve reached out to him, and he said he’ll have calves early spring.”
Kelcie just took a bite of bread, and with her mouth full, she begins to bounce right where she’s sitting while her face lights up like the Fourth of July. Once she’s swallowed, she exclaims, “Mini cows! How many can we get? Oh my God!”
Laughing, I enjoy every second of her happiness. “As many as we can fit onto two hundred and fifty acres. He also breeds goats and miniature horses, so keep some space for those.”
Kelcie squeals, and abandoning her sandwich, she practically throws herself at me, kissing me with so much love, it warms every part of my body and soul.