CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
LEVI
Steele, Ash with baby Wren, Calloway, Moore, Taylor and… Gigi? Why would Gigi be with them? Actually, fuck that. Why are any of them here?
I glance over my shoulder to make sure Scarlett is decent before I climb out of the tub grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my waist to help conceal my hard on along the way.
Making my way over to the intruders, I fake a smile. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Just thought we’d pay you guys a visit. You know, to make sure you haven't killed each other yet.” Gigi says, smirking with her arms crossed and her hip cocked. Yep, this is going to be fun.
I feel Scarlett sidle up beside me, hanging just slightly behind.
Gigi lets out a little squeal, startling us all. She pushes me out of the way to get to Scarlett, pulling her into a tight hug. “So, you’re the woman who’s been mending my brother.”
An awkward laugh spills out of Scarlett. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess that’s me.”
Gigi smiles widely. “Well, I’m Gigi and it’s an honour meet you. I hope you’ve been putting him in his place.
Scarlett smirks, glancing at me before back to Gigi. “I’d say he’s definitely been put in his place.”
I roll my eyes. She fucking wishes.
I clap my hands together twice to bring the attention back to me. “How long are you guys staying for then?”
“Just a few days, man.” Calloway says, and lord fucking give me patience. I just got Scarlett where I wanted her and this lot have to come in and fuck it all up, disrupting us.
Scarlett pushes through us all making her way to the door. Without looking back, she says, “Come on, guys. Let’s assign rooms before we figure out what we’ll do for dinner.”
Gigi jogs up to Scar where the pair start to giggle and whisper between them. Yep, this is my nightmare.
Calloway and Steele follow close behind them, but Ash stays behind looking at me with a strange expression on his face.
I let out a nervous laugh. “What?” I ask as I start to walk inside, following the group.
Ash just shakes his head at me before coming inside as well and find the others upstairs. Scarlett shows everyone to their rooms before we head back downstairs to figure out what to have for dinner.
I move to the pantry looking at what we have. “What does everyone feel like?”
Scarlett squeezes in beside me, rifling around before pulling out a box with some taco shells. She arches a brow at me. “Mexican night?”
“Whatever you want, Quinn.” I mutter, trying not to think about our proximity and the effect she has on me – not to mention what just happened in the hot tub barely half an hour ago.
I tip my head back, willing myself to have some kind of patience when it comes to her. It’s proving harder than expected.
“Tacos?” I hear Scarlett call out behind me and the boys cheer their agreements.
…
All the ingredients are laid out on the dining table - bowls of shredded lettuce, grated cheese, grilled steak, salsa, and a whole lot of variations of hot sauce.
Scarlett brings through some charred tortillas and some heated taco shells and sets them on the table.
The guys and Gigi are already sitting around the table.
Gigi moves to grab Scarlett’s elbow, guiding her to the seat between us. I tense slightly when her arm brushes my shoulder as she takes a seat.
I take a deep breath before standing slightly to start plating. Calloway does the same, reaching out to grab a few tacos. I slap his hand away. “The girls eat first.” I say, giving him a pointed look.
He sighs, leaning back in his seat, I nudge Scarlett, picking up her plate.
“What do you feel like?” I mumble, aware of everyone at the table staring at us.
Scarlett looks up at me with a shy smile. “Oh, I’m not fussy. I’ll just take a bit of everything.”
I narrow my eyes at her before filling her plate, giving her one soft taco and one hard taco to start. I plate for Gigi next.
I nod at Calloway, and he jumps up starting to load up his plate, the other boys following suit. Glancing to Scar, I see her eyes have widened slightly at the amount of food the boys are piling onto their plate – which is why I made sure she got her food first.
Once we all have our food and drinks, we toast before settling into a comfortable silence with everyone eating.
I’m careful to chew with my mouth closed and eat as silently as possible. The last thing I want is to be scolded by Scarlett with these guys in company. I love them, but they’d never let me live it down.
Steele reaches across the table for the hot sauce, pouring a healthy serving over his taco. Enough to make my eyes widen in shock. He’s going to die.
“Careful, Ben,” Gigi warns. “Last time you had hot sauce, you couldn’t feel your face for hours.”
Steele rolls his eyes. “I can handle it.” He mumbles, as he rolls the soft taco.
Ash leans back in his seat, crossing his arms looking unimpressed. “Are we forgetting what happened last time?”
Last time Steele tried hot sauce was at a food truck in downtown Seattle.
Within seconds after taking his first bite, his face had turned the deepest shade of red possible.
He had sweat pouring down his temples soaking his shirt.
He was practically gasping for air. I don’t know how that experience alone wouldn’t completely turn him off.
“I’m a changed man, you guys.” Steele quips before taking a huge bite out of the taco.
Gigi leans back in her seat, eyes narrowing at Steele. “Uh-huh. Famous last words.”
Steele freezes, squeezing his eyes shut. Here we fucking go. He starts coughing uncontrollably, slapping his hand down on the table. Swallowing his food, he begins to wheeze.
“Yep, here’s the meltdown.” Calloway mutters with a small grin on his face as he slaps Steele’s back a couple of times, no one really paying any attention – this isn’t the first time.
“Is he good?” Scarlett asks, looking around the room.
“Yeah, Quinn. He’s alright.” I smirk as I lean back, draping one arm across the back of her chair in a way which I hope comes off as casual. When really, I just want a way to be closer to her.
Ash catches my eye, his eyebrows pulled together contemplating me. I wave him off, trying to get him off my case.
Gigi, who I didn’t realise had left the room, comes back in with some milk for Steele who now has tears running down his blotchy red face.
Steele snatches the glass from Gigi, downing the milk in one gulp. “I-I’m fine.” He manages to grit out.
“Sure you are, buddy.” Calloway remarks, shaking his head before returning to his own food.
Finishing up the food, Scarlett stands to clear the table before I stop her. I nod towards Steele who picks up on it and stands, stacking the dishes.
“I’ll help.” Gigi offers, following Steele into the kitchen.
“How do you guys feel about taking the boat out tomorrow? I feel like we could all use a lake day.” Scar flashes them a grin, looking delighted at the prospect. I wipe my hand down my face to cover my own smile.
I look around at the boys to see them all smiling before I catch Ash’s eye only for him to wink at me – that can’t be good.
“Yeah, we should definitely take the boat out. Do you have any skis or a wakeboard? I’d pay good money to see Carter eat shit again.” I’m going to fucking kill him.
In my peripheral, I see Scarlett turn to me with a smirk on those full lips.
Here we go again. “Oh, now I have to hear this.” She turns back to Ash with a beaming, hopeful smile.
She looks so relaxed – so beautiful, surrounded by my friends.
She’s fit right in like she has been a part of us for years, and I kind of wish she had been.
I try my luck, shaking my head subtly at Ash, willing him not to tell this god-awful story, but of course he just acted like he didn’t see it. Dick.
“I’m sure you know Carter, Cocky as shit, decided he would try and one up us all by using only one ski.
” Scarlett nods along with a growing grin.
“Well, he did it, he got up and had been making it look easy for about two minutes, and we were all in shock, impressed even. That is until we hit a few small waves from another passing boat. Before he even realised it, the front tip of his ski caught a wave, and Carter was flying through the air, landing face first into the water with possibly the loudest slap I’ve ever heard.
” He struggles getting the next words out between his laughter.
“And to top it all off, throughout the whole five seconds of the ordeal, Carter let out the loudest and most high-pitched scream known to mankind. Man, what a day that was. Carter has conveniently offered to drive the boat ever since.”
Scarlett’s giggles spill into laughter, gasping for air as everyone details the story. I don’t even care about the embarrassment anymore because it made Scarlett laugh like that, and fuck, if it isn’t the best thing I’ve ever heard.
I reach for my drink, feeling my shoulder pinch slightly, my breath hitching before I can stop it. I was hoping Scarlett wouldn’t notice, but I could never be that lucky, of course.
The boys keep talking as she shifts to face me. “You okay?” Her voice is soft as she reaches to place a hand on my knee, her touch soothing me.
“Yeah.” I cough, not wanting to get into this. “Yeah, I’m good, Quinn.”
She doesn’t look convinced but doesn’t push and thank fuck for that.
Deciding I need a bit of space, I stand making Scarlett’s hand fall from my leg. I feel her gaze following me as I leave the room.
I head into the bathroom, closing the door with a soft click as I move to the sink, gripping the edge and taking a few deep breaths.
This injury is getting really tough to manage, and I don’t know what to do about it.
Especially when that fucking delicious brunette in the other room is all I can think about.
I’m massaging my shoulder, trying to loosen the muscle when I hear a soft knock on the door, before it’s pushed open revealing Scarlett.
She closes the door behind her and leans her ass back against it, crossing her arms over her chest which pushes her breasts up.
God, she looks so good. I feel the blood starting to rush south and I grit my teeth trying to will it away.
Of course those guys had to show up right when we were heading the direction I wanted.
I shake off those thoughts as I splash my face with some water before I turn, resting back against the counter.
“When are you going to stop pretending, Carter?”
I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Pretending what, Quinn?” I shake my head at her.
She tilts her head as she looks at me, the intensity in her gaze unmistakable.
“I still can’t seem to figure you out, Levi.” She murmurs, her gaze softening as she takes me in. It makes me feel as though she really sees me.
I close the distance between us, backing her against the door. My hands find her hips using her proximity to ground me.
She pulls her pillowy bottom lip between her teeth and peers up at me through those dark lashes. I’m so fucked.
I place my forehead against hers, closing my eyes as I breathe her in - the jasmine scent soothing me.
“What do you want to know, Scarlett?” I whisper.
She ponders for a second before responding. “How are you really dealing with this shoulder injury? Emotionally, I mean. I know we spoke about this a couple of days ago, but tell me what’s going through that pretty little head of yours, Lev.”
My heart stutters at the nickname, though I sigh, tipping my head back to try to ground myself. Talking about this stuff isn’t all that easy for me. But if I want a shot in hell with Scarlett, I need to be a little more open.
Bringing my palm up to her cheek, I keep my voice soft as I start to speak.
“I just keep waiting to feel like I’m ready to play.
To feel confident in my body again. I know that because I’m quiet, it’s misconstrued that I don’t care.
” Scarlett’s breath hitches slightly but she doesn't interrupt me, willing me on. “I care a lot. Sometimes I just don’t know how to deal with things appropriately. I keep it all internalised. There’s been a lot to work through with this injury, obviously.
And I expected it to be tough, but I didn’t expect the mental toll it would take on me too.
I don’t think I’ve ever had to fight so hard to stay afloat, you know? ”
Scarlett slides her fingers into my hair, the other hand moving to caress my shoulder, the tension leaving my shoulder immediately. “That all sounds really heavy, Levi.” She murmurs, pulling back so our eyes meet. “Like I said, let me bear some of that weight for you now. Help me help you.”
Her response was just… perfect. I’ve never felt so seen. Treated with tender respect. The way she just hears me rather than forcing me to open up, she just listens to what I have to say in the moment and she’s perfect for that. Perfect for me. I shake that thought away as quick as it came.
“I’m not going anywhere, Levi. You have me now.”
I swallow, my gaze flicking down to her lips before back to her emerald, green eyes. I tighten my fists at my side. Her hand slides to cup my jaw as I lean toward her, feeling as her breath hitches.
A loud bang sounds as I jump away from Scarlett just as a sweaty Steele comes stumbling into the bathroom, turning on the shower.
I meet Scarlett’s eyes as both our lips pull into a grin. “More of that hot sauce, Benny?” I tease, knowing how much he hates being called that.
“Fuck off, Carter.” He grumbles, before stripping down to his underwear and jumping in the shower.
I sigh, trying to will myself not to get too mad by the distraction. He might have saved us from making a mistake, though, I already know Scarlett would be worth any sacrifice.