Chapter Seven
TOMI
I sit back and watch Xander with Levi.
He’s so great with him.
I’ve always been apprehensive over the idea of having a man in my life because he’d have to accept Levi. Not only does Xander accept him, they’re almost getting along better than Xander and I are right now. I giggle, watching them battle each other on Levi’s favorite video game, Fortnite. Xander, of course, has no idea what he’s doing, but he’s putting the effort in, and that’s all that matters with Levi. He knows if you are genuine or faking it. He’s a hell of a lot smarter than people give him credit for. It’s what irks me about the life he’s been dealt. His brain is so powerful, and he can do so much. It’s just the limitations his body and mind have put on him that are sometimes debilitating.
Don’t get me wrong, I love him how he is, but there are times I wish he could walk in public and not be ridiculed by the stupid little teeny boppers who laugh at him for his clothing choices or for the way he walks with a slight waddle. People can be such assholes. I’m glad that somehow Levi rises above it all, though. For him, his life’s nothing but rays of sunshine and puppies. He’s happy and content, but I just don’t know how long his bliss is going to last. His routine is structured. When it gets pulled out of whack, he starts to crumble. It’s what I’m terrified about the most. My brother falling apart to the point I can’t help him.
What if I lost Levi, too?
My chest squeezes. I fight back tears.
“Oh, you got me again! How do you keep doing that?” Xander interrupts me. I welcome the intrusion as I glance over to the two great guys on the sofa.
“Easy. You suck at this,” Levi replies, making Xander bump into his side, which causes Levi to snicker at him.
That’s rare since Levi doesn’t like new people touching him at all.
I move forward, resting my hands on the sofa and Levi’s shoulders. “Right, c’mon, big guy, time for bed. You have school tomorrow.”
He groans. “Just one more game?”
“You want to wake up asleep?” I ask him the same thing I always do when he won’t go to bed.
Xander raises his brow as Levi audibly mumbles under his breath, “I’ve told you this a million times, Tomi, if you wake up, you can’t be asleep when you’re awake.”
“Exactly. Because you go to bed on time.” I wave my hands through the air then point toward his room. “Now go.”
Levi groans, slowly getting up off the sofa, then he turns back to face Xander. “You’re cool, Xander, come play again. But don’t bring those donuts.”
Xander smiles wide. “Sure thing, buddy. Sleep well.”
He grumbles, thumping his feet toward his room, but then turns back again. “Xander?”
Xander peers over the back of the sofa. “Yeah?”
“You’re my friend.”
My entire body melts as Xander’s face softens. “Yeah, Levi… I’m your friend.”
Levi turns, striding off to his room as Xander stands and walks over to me. My heart races so damn hard I’m having trouble holding myself together while he saunters to me, all broody, sexy, and fucking perfect. He takes my hand in his, those damn sparks shoot straight from his fingers to my clit, making it throb as he leads me over to the dining table.
Letting out a sigh, I stare at him in utter awe. “You’re so good with him.”
His face lights. “He’s a great kid.”
The fact Xander is so damn good with Levi means everything to me. I never thought I’d find someone who could accept Levi and me as a package.
Xander’s kind of a catch.
Slowly, Xander scoops out a spoonful of practically melted ice cream, a glint in his eyes letting me know he has something on his mind. The gooey ice cream sits delicately on the spoon as his eyes meet mine, his free hand moves under the spoon as he brings it up to my face. I know what he’s doing, and I open my mouth to take the delicious treat. He slides it into my mouth as his eyes meet mine. His intense sapphire blues lock right onto my very soul, and as the cold hits my tongue, a shudder runs down my spine, making all my senses come alive. The energy pulsing through the room swirls around us as my breathing rushes while I continue to stare at him.
I’ve never had anyone feed me before.
I’m not a baby, but this is kind of erotic.
The lust in his eyes has me on edge.
I inch closer to him, needing to be as near to him as possible as I swallow the delicious ice cream. His eyes focus in on my lips.
I lick the sweetness from my mouth, and I can’t hold back the tension anymore, so I push his spoon aside and thrust my hands into his hair, forcing his mouth to mine. The warmth of his lips against the cold of mine is a sensory overload. I lean into him, my breasts rubbing against his tank top. My hardening nipples pushing up against my bra only make me moan into his mouth.
His hands swoop up, one into my hair, gripping my ponytail, his fingers threading through it tightly as our tongues collide in a flurry of passion.
Our breathing becomes frantic as I shift closer, his other hand sliding down to my ass as he pulls me nearer. I make the move by sliding on top of him, my fingers gripping his hair as I straddle him, kissing Xander like there’s no tomorrow. My clit throbs so damn much as I grind down on him, feeling his hardening cock beneath me through his jeans.
This is becoming heated as we rock together on the chair.
My temperature rises. I want him so bad right now I’m having trouble holding myself together.
Then I faintly hear footsteps in the hall.
My heart leaps into my throat as I dramatically pull back from Xander, my eyes open wide as I pant for breath, backing away from him.
Smoothing out my dress, I turn just in time to see Levi walking in with his sleepy eyes. He’s tired. I clear my throat, knowing we were seconds away from being walked in on by Levi.
Xander subtly rearranges his crotch.
“Can I have some water?” Levi asks, not taking in the room’s awkward tension.
I dart off into the kitchen, trying to catch my breath without saying anything. I race about grabbing Levi a big glass of water, figuring I better help him to bed. I usually always do, but I didn’t tonight. It’s probably why he’s come back out.
“C’mon, let’s get you into bed, all right?” I tell him, handing him his plastic cup.
He waves at Xander as I glance back at him. Xander’s trying to hide his smirk, which actually makes me feel a little better. So, I wink at him, then head down toward Levi’s room.
We walk in, and his night light is on. He sleeps with it every night because he has a problem with shadows and the dark. I’ve never been able to understand why, but I don’t need to understand. I simply accept it, and we deal with it. As he hops into bed, I move around, shutting all the cupboard doors for him. The corners of his mouth turn up at me as I walk over, bending down. He likes to feel like he’s surrounded and enclosed in his bed with a heavy feeling. So, I place his weighted blanket over him, then tuck it right into his sides, tight, as if I’m trapping him in. How he can sleep like that, I have no idea. But it works to keep him calm—most nights. We’ve gotten into a routine, so we stick to it. Unfortunately, tonight, Xander distracted me with his gorgeousness.
Leaning down, I kiss Levi on his head as I walk toward the door. “Night, little brother.”
“Night, big sister.”
I blow him a kiss.
It’s our ritual, then close his door. He likes it closed because he doesn’t like the shadows the hallways make when the moon changes its height. He only likes the light in his room. He’s very particular, and that’s okay.
Taking in a deep breath as I stand outside Levi’s door, I steady my shoulders, then turn to walk back out to find Xander. My whole body is still throbbing from our intense-as-hell kiss. But I let my attraction to him get in the way of my duties as a big sister and caregiver to Levi.
I can’t let that happen again.
I stride into the kitchen to see Xander at the sink, elbow-deep in suds and hot water. I gnaw on my bottom lip as I watch him doing my damn dishes. I raise my brow, impressed with his domestic skills.
This guy continues to astound me.
I can’t help but giggle. “I have a dishwasher, ya know?”
He faces me, a small splotch of suds on his chin. “You do?”
My lips pull in to try and stop myself from laughing when he’s being so fucking nice, but I walk over, open the cabinet door that appears like part of the kitchen cabinetry, and yank it down to reveal the dishwasher.
Xander chuckles. “I like your eye for design.”
Grinning, I shrug. “I kinda like designing things, comes with the flair for art, I suppose.”
A strange expression crosses his face as he tilts his body, continuing to wash the bowls. “Humor me…” he pauses, then continues, “If you could have a tattoo studio with any features, any design aspects you wanted, what would it be?”
Why would he ask that question? I’ll play along. I walk up to him and casually wipe the suds from his face. “If I could have anything I wanted?”
He nods.
“Well, the welcome area would have a mural, so as soon as you walk in, you’d be excited to be there. It would be classy and arty, maybe of my parents, my sister, and Levi, with cherry blossoms woven into the design. My mom loved them. It was the first tattoo my father gave to her, and it was a running theme between them. He’d always find something with cherry blossoms on it to give to her. I thought it was tacky growing up, now though, I know it was a tough tattoo artist’s way of showing his love.” Xander weakly smiles at me as I continue, letting out a heavy sigh and waving my hand through the air. “I know how sentimental that is, but it would still be artistic. Customers want artsy, not tacky…”
He continues with the dishes, but his face is focused like he’s taking this all in.
“The zones would have a rustic brick facade with a white plaster wall, making each individual section private. It would be a classic look.” I glance up at the ceiling, imagining it in my mind. “Chesterfield couches in the waiting area for people to sit on. The other walls would be painted in a dark, textured finish, giving a sexy feel to it.” Warmth floods through me. “Giant mirrors line the walls, making the space feel bigger and allowing the clients to view their tattoos when done. But not only is there the main space, but there are additional rooms for the clients who don’t like being out in the main room on show. Some like their privacy.”
I take a breath and shift my eyes. “Places for display cabinets… a piercing room, we could even branch out and have a tanning salon…” I exhale. “The possibilities are endless.” I glance at him and slump. “But it’s all a pipe dream, unfortunately. With Alex Scott wanting us out, the idea of expanding is null and void. I doubt I’ll even be there at the end of the month.”
He places a bowl on the sink with a grimace. “This updated version of Hope & Faith Ink sounds incredible.”
I giggle through a snort as I step up, grab a dish towel, and start to dry the dishes like this is the most normal thing for us to be doing. “Doesn’t it just? I’ve wanted to expand the business once it was successful. But it’s nothing more than a fantasy now.”
As he turns back to the dishes, I slump.
Xander leans in against me with a warm smile. “The thing about fantasies is that they can become a reality.”
I let out a sharp laugh. “I don’t need to know which of your fantasies have become reality, sir.”
He grins mischievously as he continues to wash the dishes. “All I’m saying is you’d be great in a Lara Croft costume.”
I burst out laughing and flick him with the dish towel. “If you believe I would go for Croft over Wonder Woman , I’m gonna have to terminate our relationship.”
His eyes widen as he faces me. “Our relationship? We’re in a relationship now?”
I widen my eyes, throwing my hands in the air. “That’s not what I meant.”
He quickly reaches out, grabbing and pulling me in. His body presses against mine as he gazes into my eyes, my arms wrapping around his neck while we stare at each other. The atoms in the air change, altering the chemicals in my body.
He lights a fire inside of me.
I don’t know how.
I don’t know why.
But Xander makes me burn for him so hot I might burst into flames at any second.
He leans in, his lips crashing against mine. One hand smooths across my lower back, pulling my body into his as the other grips my hair tightly, just the way I like. Flinging the dish towel to a place I don’t even know, my hands rush around his neck as I hold him to me, just needing him. Our tongues dance in a harmonious rhythm as we kiss frantically.
My body tingles and throbs as he starts walking me backward. I don’t know where I’m going, but my ass hits the bench behind me as I moan into his mouth while his hands slide under my ass, and he hoists me up. I don’t hesitate, my legs wrapping around his waist, my pussy pressing right against the seam of his jeans, his rock-hard erection pushing into me as I gasp into his mouth.
This is hot, this is intense, and I want every second of it. I have since the moment Xander walked into my shop all that time ago.
He spins, carrying me as he walks. The thing is, he has no idea where to go. So, I giggle into his mouth, steering him. He takes the hall, and I lead him to the last room at the end.
My room.
With our lips frantically locked, he walks me inside, then kicks the door shut with his foot. Energy swarms inside of me, my emotions running havoc as I pull back, gazing into his eyes when he stops at the edge of my bed.
Alone at last.