Chapter Seven
T hat same evening Levi was back in his den listening to music when his phone went off, letting him know someone was at the door. He wasn’t expecting anyone but thought it might be Zack or Travis wanting to play a game of pool. Except they’d both be busy with their women, unless Tobi was working.
He opened the door. Dana stood on his doorstep. He’d last seen her dripping wet and mad as hell. But now… wow was all he could think.
She wore a long-sleeved, short black dress with a low-cut square neckline. It was tight and fitted, and it hugged every one of her mouthwatering curves. Her legs went on forever, ending in a sexy pair of barely there strappy black sandals. He stared at her, unmoving. She’s trying to kill me.
“Are you going to let me in?” she asked.
He stood back and let her walk in, his gaze riveted to her backside. Damn, she really was trying to kill him. “I see you survived your dip in the pool.”
“Yes, but I almost couldn’t get out of those jeans. It’s really difficult to peel wet jeans off your body. ”
Yeah, killing him dead.
“What’s going on, Dana? Why are you here?”
“We need to talk. About work.”
He leaned against the staircase railing and crossed his arms over his chest. “Darlin’ that dress is not made for talking, or business either.”
“This old thing?” she asked innocently. “It’s just something I threw on. I’m going out after we get through here.”
He felt a flash of pure jealousy when he realized what she meant. “Where? With who?” he demanded. Hell, she could start a riot dressed like that. Not that her dress wasn’t perfectly acceptable. But, sweet Jesus, it made a man’s hands—his hands, anyway—itch to get her out of it.
“Why do you want to know?”
She’d done something to her eyes to make them look slumberous and sexy and her lips were painted red. Which, for some reason, didn’t clash with her hair. All that glorious dark red hair was free and falling around her face, to her shoulders. Soft, shiny, silky. He wanted to plunge his hands into it and mess it up while kissing her senseless. “You have a date,” he said grimly. “It’s Nathan, isn’t it? You’re going out with him again. For real this time.”
“And if I am?”
He shrugged as if it didn’t matter, when what he wanted was to carry her off to his bedroom and make love to her until neither of them could move. As if it didn’t matter that just that afternoon she’d kissed him mindless .
“As a matter of fact, I don’t happen to have a date. I was going out by myself.”
“In that dress? Are you freaking kidding me?”
“What’s wrong with my dress?”
“Nothing, if you don’t mind every man you see wanting to rip it off of you.”
She dimpled. “Was that supposed to be a compliment?”
“No, just an observation.” She looked annoyed, he was pleased to see.
“Are you going to keep me standing in the foyer? I have something to show you.”
Levi realized she had some papers rolled up in her hand. He’d been far too conscious of the rest of her to look at her hand. “Come on,” he said, heading to his den. “Minerva, lights on full,” he said as they entered. The lights flicked on.
“Minerva?” Dana asked.
“What can I do for you?” Minerva asked.
“Go to sleep, Minerva.”
“Yes, Levi,” she answered in a sultry voice.
“She needed a name. It seemed appropriate.” It came from a Robert A. Heinlein book he’d read a long time ago.
“How long did it take you to get her to sound like that?”
He grinned. “A while.”
“Where can I spread these out?”
“There.” He motioned to a large table he used for everything from eating to an extra poker table if he needed it.
Dana spread out the plans. “As you can see, these are for the kitchen and the bathroom in your den. They’re still preliminary, and can easily be adapted. I’m sure you’ll want some changes, since we haven’t talked a lot specifically about the kitchen.”
Levi knew her work was good. He’d been very impressed with the remodeling plans for Asher’s rooms. The kitchen was just as innovative, and the accessibility changes flowed right into the character of the old house.
Dana began explaining her modifications, and also pointing out things he might want to change. Eventually she wound down and stopped talking.
“Damn,” he said finally.
“You don’t like them.” She sounded disappointed.
“Not like them? These are great, Dana. You should know that.”
“Well, I hoped so but you can’t tell how a client will react sometimes. I’m glad you like them.”
“Has Harlan seen them?”
“Not the changes for the kitchen.” She paused and added, “I wanted your okay before I proceeded with the 3-D plans. I’ll send those to you and Harlan when I’m through.”
“How long do you think that will take?”
“A few days. They’re not as elaborate as Asher’s quarters so it shouldn’t take nearly as long.”
“Harlan won’t be able to get to the kitchen for a while, anyway. They’ve still got plenty to do with the rest of the house. So we’re back burnering the kitchen. ”
“All right. Then I won’t hurry.” She gathered up the plans, rolled them up and slipped a rubber band around them.
“Is that all you needed?”
“What else could I need?”
Levi reached out and caressed her cheek. Dana sucked in a breath. He ran his hand down her arm, then back up to her shoulder. Their gazes locked, he put his hand on her waist and tugged her closer. “I’m hoping the same thing I need.”
She swallowed but didn’t speak. He put his mouth on the pulse at the base of her throat, feeling it speed up as he kissed it. “Tell the truth, Dana.” He made his way up her neck to her jawline, trailing hot kisses as he did. “These plans weren’t the only reason you came over.”
“No. They weren’t.”
“You came over to seduce me, didn’t you?” His arms wrapped around her, pulled her closer. “And you’re doing a damn fine job of it.”
“I—um—I hoped it would be mutual.”
“You have to know it is.”
She put her hands on his shoulders to hold him away. “I tried to resist this. To resist you. Why can’t I?”
“I don’t know. Probably for the same reason I can’t resist you.” Levi picked her up and set her on the table, then stepped in between her legs. He had to shove her dress up to do it since it was too tight to give her room to spread her legs. “Some people you never get over.” He kissed her and said, “I’ve never gotten over you, Dana.”
She wound her arms around his neck and looked at him solemnly. “I can’t get over you either. Even though I’ve tried. So many times. And I just…can’t.”
Levi was hard, aching, and the feel of her rubbing against him in her barely-there panties was driving him mad. He kissed her, plunged his tongue inside her mouth, taking possession of it as he wanted to do to her body. He cupped her breast with one hand and when she moaned and thrust her breast more firmly into his hand, he plunged both hands inside her neckline into her bra, and lifted out her bare breasts.
“Oh, my God,” she breathed, her hands clutching his back. “I’ve missed this so much.”
He bent to capture one of her nipples, to suck it, play with it, circle his tongue around the aureole. He drew back to see her nipple gleaming from his mouth and moved to the other one. Dana rubbed his shaft through his jeans. It was a miracle he didn’t go off right then and there. Levi stepped back, hooked his hands in her panties and drew them down her legs and off, stuffing them in his pocket.
“I don’t have a condom,” she said. “Do you?”
“Don’t need one. Yet. Lie back,” he told her huskily.
He put his hands beneath her hips and lifted her sex to meet his mouth. He felt her hands in his hair, heard her making sexy little moans and whimpers. He took his time, pushing her higher, almost to the edge, higher still, teasing her until she came, screaming his name.
*
“Oh, my God,” Dana said when she could breathe. “I can’t move.”
“Don’t worry,” Levi said. “I can.” He scooped her up into his arms and walked out of the room and down the hallway.
“Where are we going?” Still dazed, she could hardly think.
“To my bedroom.”
“I can walk.” Maybe.
“I like carrying you.”
There didn’t seem to be much to say after that, so Dana occupied herself by kissing his neck and sliding her hands beneath his T-shirt before pushing it up his chest. “Take this off.”
He stopped partway up the stairs and laughed. “So impatient.”
“Do you know how long it’s been since we made love?”
He kissed her, long and slow. “I know exactly.”
He walked into his bedroom and over to the bed, setting her on her feet beside it. She turned her back to him so he could unzip her dress. He parted the fabric, pushed it off her shoulders and kissed her nape before helping her out of the dress. She was left wearing nothing but her black, lacy push- up bra, Levi having dispensed with her panties some time ago. Dana reached behind her back, undid her bra and tossed it aside.
“Why are you wearing so many clothes?” she asked him.
He smiled and yanked his shirt off over his head. Unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and pushed them down his legs along with his boxers.
Dana wrapped her hand around his shaft, smiling at his immediate response. He’d been aroused to begin with but she felt powerful making him even more so.
Levi groaned and took her hand, pulling it away. “I won’t last through two minutes of your hands on me.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, then fell backward with her onto the bed.
Dana felt every inch of his body, warm and hard against hers. Levi slid his hand over her butt and pressed her closer, pulling her head down with his other hand to kiss her. His tongue swept inside her mouth, probing, tantalizing.
“I want you so much,” Levi said against her mouth.
“I want you too. Inside me. Now.”
He rolled them over, then slid off of her and stood beside the bed looking down at her. “I’ve been dreaming of seeing you here. In my bed. Every night since you came back to Whiskey River.” Then he turned and went into his bathroom. When he came back, he was holding a box of condoms and frowning at it.
“What’s wrong? ”
“They have an expiration date. Do condoms really expire?”
Dana rose up on her elbow. “Not for a long time if they’re kept in a cool place out of the sun or in extreme heat. Why, how old are they?”
“I bought them nine months ago, but they’re obviously older than that.” He pulled one out and tossed the box on the bedside table.
“Nine months? You’ve had the same box since—”
“Since the last time we made love.”
Dana sat up in bed and stared at him. “Does this mean there haven’t been many women since we were together?”
“Dana, there haven’t been any women since I was with you.”
“None? You—you’ve been celibate since we were together all those months ago?”
“Yes.” He lay down on the bed beside her.
“Why?” she whispered.
“I didn’t want anyone else.”
“Oh, Levi.” She put her hand on his cheek and laughed.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because I haven’t been with anyone since you, either.”
Levi turned his head and kissed her palm. “Good,” he murmured, his breath warm against her hand.
He ripped open the packet, then when he saw her watching him, handed her the condom. She smiled and rolled it down slowly over his hard shaft, stroking him as she did so. He pushed her onto her back, gently, and parted her legs, playing with her swollen flesh. She thrust up her hips, seeking more contact.
He slid a finger inside her, then two, pushing them in and out, his thumb playing with her most sensitive part until she was writhing and moaning. “Levi, now. I want you now.”
And then he was there, his welcome weight pushing her deeper into the mattress, his cock probing until he slid home in a deep thrust. She gasped, adjusting to him and then he kissed her, still buried inside her.
Dana arched her back as he began to move, meeting each of his thrusts, wrapping her legs tightly around his hips, her hands clutching his butt, pulling him even closer. Her orgasm built until she thought she’d die. Finally, on the verge of screaming, she came so hard she felt as if she’d burst into a thousand pieces, her cry lost when he kissed her mouth. Seconds later, Levi said her name and with one last driving push, exploded deep inside her.