10. Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER 10
~STARLA~
“ F uck me,” I mumble as I page through my Instagram. I’m in Levi’s bed, the sheet wrapped around my naked body. I can hear Levi in the shower, blissfully unaware of the social media shitstorm that I’m watching.
There are videos of the whole scene—from different angles, of course. The comments below them range from whoa, what a bitch! The waitress just wanted a photo! to why don’t people leave celebrities alone when they’re trying to live a normal life?
There are more still photos, some zooming in on Levi.
“What in the hell?” I read the caption on one of the pictures.
Does anyone know who the tall drink of water is? I don’t recognize him. Is he famous?
And the comments…
He’s not famous. I did a Google image search, and it looks like he’s a cop in Seattle.
Love his salt and pepper hair!
What does Starla want to do with an old dude? She’s way too good for that. Hell, I’d fuck her.
In your dreams, asshole.
Maybe he’s her bodyguard?
Oh, that could be.
“What are you scowling at?” Levi asks as he walks into the bedroom, naked as the day he was born. My eyes feast on him, taking in lean muscle and smooth, tan skin. He’s hot as hell, and anyone who thinks differently can bite me.
“This turned into a social media mess,” I reply. “I’m surprised the publicity team hasn’t started texting me yet.”
“It can’t be that big of a deal,” he says as he slips on a clean pair of boxer briefs. “That chick was out of line.”
“Photos and videos spin things,” I mutter. “And it pisses me off that they’ve dragged you into this.”
I whip the covers off and reach for my clothes, yanking them on in jerking motions.
I’m so damn pissed.
And who the hell am I to think that I can have any kind of normal relationship, with Levi or anyone else? This will always happen. The media and fans will twist it to be something ugly.
“Starla.”
“I think maybe I should go home. I’ll call an Uber.”
“Hold on.”
“No, it’s better this way.” I shake my head as I slip my feet into my shoes. “It’s just not going to work out between us, Levi, and I was silly to think that it might. It’s not fair to do this to either of us. To open us up to gossip and scrutiny. You didn’t ask for this.”
“Stop moving.”
His voice is hard, catching my attention, and my gaze swings to his. He’s pissed off. His jaw is clenched, his hands balled into fists.
“What the fuck, Starla? I’m not a child. I’m capable of making my own life choices, and if being in a relationship with a ridiculously famous woman is one of those choices, well, it’s mine to make.”
“I just think?—”
“I said stop,” he snaps, and I blink at him in surprise. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I shouldn’t want to be with you, but it has nothing to do with what strangers are saying about us on platforms I don’t give a rat’s ass about, and everything to do with the fact that you suddenly seem to think I’m a child that needs protecting. I’m not a child.”
“I know you’re not.”
“The other night, after one of the worst days I’ve had on the force, you sought me out and comforted me. You said there would be rough days, and you’re right. Well, same goes, sweetheart. That’s just life.”
He walks to me. Slowly. Deliberately.
“Now, we’re going to get you back out of all these clothes. But the first thing you need to take off is your insecurities. If we’re in this together, we’re in it. Together. Whether I’ve had a rough day at work, or you have. Or anything else that comes up.”
I stare up at him in wonder as he peels my clothes off, and when I’m standing naked before him—both physically and emotionally—he picks me up and takes me to the bed, laying me down gently on the soft linens.
“You’re amazing,” he whispers, kissing over my shoulders and up my neck to my lips. “Stunning. Smart. Kind.”
“I’m not always kind.”
“Liar.” He bites my lip, then kisses my chin and works his way down to one breast. “You’re kind and sweet. And when it’s just you and me, it doesn’t matter if ten million people know your face or want to know about your life.”
“I have twenty-five million followers,” I say, sassing him.
He cocks a brow. “None of them are here. It’s just you and me.”
His hand blazes a trail down my belly to my core.
“You don’t belong to them.” He slips two fingers inside me, sending my hips up off the bed. “You belong to me. ”
My eyes find his as his fingers work me over, and his lips latch around a nipple.
“Who gives a shit what anyone else thinks?” he says when he lets go of my flesh with a loud pop.
“I don’t like them saying horrible things about you.”
I gasp as he presses the pad of his thumb against my clit.
“They can’t hurt me.” He watches me with hot brown eyes as I climb higher and higher, riding the delicious wave of an impending orgasm.
But before I get there, Levi reaches for a condom, slides it on, and sinks inside me until he’s buried balls-deep. And then he stops. We’re both gasping for breath, staring at each other intently.
“ They can’t hurt me. You’re mine, Starla. You’ve been mine for a long time. Maybe forever. It just took me more than forty years to find you.”
Tears spring to my eyes. My God, where did this amazing man come from?
“So all we have to worry about is what’s happening right here, between us. Fuck the rest of them.”
I press on his shoulder, and he rolls, switching our position. I’m riding him now and grinding down on him with every stroke, sending electricity through every nerve ending of my body. Being with Levi is so different from being with anyone else.
Anyone.
It’s like this is where I was supposed to be all along.
“Same,” I whisper as I lean down and press my lips to his. “We belong to each other. And you’re right, I’m too damn old to give a shit about what everyone else thinks about my love life. I’m happy. And if you’re happy too, that’s all that matters.”
He grins and wraps his arms around me, holding me tightly as he kisses and fucks the hell out of me, not just tipping me over the edge, but pushing me with everything he’s got.
I bear down, contracting around him as the orgasm consumes me. I’ve never felt anything this intense in my life.
I hear Levi moan, long and loud as he surrenders to his own release.
I don’t want to move. I want to lie on top of him forever, soaking in his warmth, his breath, everything.
He calms me and speaks truth into me in a way no one ever has. No one’s ever bothered to try.
“What is it?” His hand glides up and down my spine.
“I’m just happy.” I sigh and kiss his jaw. “Like, this happiness might be illegal.”
“I won’t arrest you.” He kisses my cheek before rolling us to our sides as he smiles in that mischievous way he does. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t use the handcuffs on you.”
“Can we do that next?”
He laughs and pulls me to him. “Easy, girl. Let me recover from last time first.”
“Well, hurry up.”
“I had no idea that police departments had such nice facilities.”
We’re standing in the middle of a gym at his work, and Levi is squatting more weight than I’ve ever seen on a bar at one time.
He’s so damn strong.
“It’s easier to come here to work out before or after work.” He’s sweating as he sets the bar back on the rack. “While I rest, you can do leg presses. Come here.”
He leads me to a machine and gets me ready to go, then watches me carefully as I complete three sets of ten presses, upping the weight with each set.
My legs are strong, but I feel the strain.
While I rest, he goes back to squats. And so the next hour goes, alternating between sets, with him taking a turn, and then watching me closely as I take mine.
He’s actually super sexy when his hand finds my ass as he leads me from each piece of machinery.
“I don’t usually lift weights,” I admit as I stretch out my legs. “I do a ton of cardio and yoga, but I don’t always have the equipment or time to do weights.”
“You should,” he says as he sets his dumbbells down and smiles at me. “It’ll help your cardio, as well.”
“Your arms are so damn hot when they’re full of blood.”
I bite my lip, looking Levi up and down, and then run to him, hopping up into his arms and wrapping my legs around his hips. He catches me easily.
“Stay where you are.” He reaches for his phone, turns on the camera, and points it to the mirror, taking a picture of us. I don’t smile for the camera. Instead, I kiss his cheek as he looks at the lens.
“I want a copy.”
“Yeah?”
“Of course.”
“Then you’d better do another set of leg presses.”
“You’re a hard-ass.”
He laughs and walks to the machine. “You’re the one who wanted to come with me today, sweetheart. Let’s do this.”
For the love of all that’s holy, I’m so sore.
It’s been twenty-four hours since we left the gym, and every muscle in my legs and ass is screaming in pain. I can barely walk. I had to climb the stairs to my bedroom about an hour ago, and I thought I was going to die.
But now, I’m standing in the downstairs bathroom, staring at the toilet. I can’t do this. There is no way in hell I can sit down. My legs are like a baby’s. Weak. Pathetic.
“This is going to suck,” I groan.
“Are you okay in there?” Levi starts to open the door, but I lean over and slam it shut.
“I’m fine.”
“I heard you moan. Are you sick?”
I roll my eyes and blow a strand of hair out of my eyes. “No, I’m not sick. I’m sore. And I don’t know how I’m going to sit down to use the bathroom.”
He chuckles, and I begin to plan his demise.
He’s a sadist. That’s the only explanation for working me so hard that I can barely move.
“So glad you find this funny!”
“Let me in, and I’ll help you sit down.”
“Not a chance in hell. We have not been seeing each other long enough for you to join me in the bathroom. I can do it. Go away.”
“I can stay out here in case you need me.”
“Go away,” I repeat, and then listen for his footsteps leading away from the door. I turn back to the toilet and sigh. “This is going to suck. But I have to pee so bad. ”
So I lift my sundress, pull my panties down, and hold onto the vanity as I lower myself down.
About halfway, I have to just fall. Let all the muscles go and fall. Because it’s agony otherwise.
I do my business, and when I’m done, standing up isn’t nearly as bad as lowering down. Thank God.
Once I’ve washed up, I open the door and shriek at Levi.
“I told you to leave!”
“I had to stay in case you fell.” He hooks a piece of hair behind my ear. “You’re so cute when you’re sore.”
“Eff that.” I push past him to the kitchen. “My ass hurts, Levi. Muscles I didn’t know I had are sore.”
“Okay, let’s do this.” He lifts me easily and carries me up the stairs, through the bedroom to the bathroom.
“I don’t have to use the bathroom anymore.”
Without a word, he fills the tub with hot water, and after he digs around under the sink, he finds some Epsom salts and pours a generous amount into the water.
He turns to help me take off my clothes, but I shake my head.
“I can do this.”
When I’m naked, and the tub is full, Levi helps me down into the water, and I let out a long, grateful sigh.
“Oh, this feels nice.”
“Soak for about twenty minutes,” he says. “Do you want some tea?”
“Yes, please.”
He nods and hurries out of the room, and I sit back and let the water and salts do their job. I feel better already.
My live shows are incredibly physical. I fly on wires and do aerial work. I dance my ass off. But none of that has ever made me feel this sore.
I move my legs up and down, stretching my calves in the hot water. Before long, Levi returns with a steaming mug.
“How’s it going?”
“It’s nice,” I admit and take the tea. “My legs feel better already.”
“Good. We’ll put you in another bath like this before bed. You should be much better by tomorrow.”
“I hope so. I want to go to the studio tomorrow.”
“Does that mean you don’t want to go with me to the gym again in the morning?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Hell, no. No way. You hurt me there.”
“It’s good for you.”
“Nope. I’d rather let Jax throw me on my ass.”
“That doesn’t sound fun to me either.”
“At least I can sit on the toilet unassisted the next day,” I say with a laugh. “But I will admit, I’m not as in shape as I thought I was.”
“You’re in excellent shape. It’s a different kind of shape. It’s okay that you’re not a muscle head.”
“Hey, you didn’t send me our picture.”
“Oh, right.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket and taps the screen. “Sent.”
“Can I see it?”
He turns the screen to me, and I smile. “You’re so handsome. And buff. Look at those arms holding me up.”
“You’re just with me for my strong arms.”
“All the better for you to hold me with.”
“So I should continue working out?”
“Yes, please.”
“So noted.” He laughs and stands to leave the bathroom.
“Wait. How am I going to get out of here?”
“That sore, huh?”
“It hurts my pride to admit it, but yes.”
“Come on.” He holds his hand out for mine, and then pulls me to my feet, his eyes pinned to my body as he watches the water sluice down my torso.
“Like what you see?”
Without answering, he lifts me over his shoulder and carries me to the bedroom, not concerned in the least about the trail of water he’s leaving behind us.
“You’re getting everything wet!”
“I’m only interested in getting you wet.” He tosses me on the bed and starts stripping out of his own clothes. “Let’s see if we can rub those muscles and make them better.”
“Wrong muscles, loverboy.”
“Let’s just try anyway.”