Chapter Sixteen – Levi
Levi
I stared up at the ceiling, listening to Emeline’s soft breathing next to me. I closed my eyes and tried for the hundredth time to figure out what in the hell had happened. I’d never experienced sex like that before. Not with anyone, including Caroline.
No, “sex” wasn’t the word to describe what had happened between me and Emeline. It was so much more.
And I hadn’t worn a fucking condom. Twice.
I scrubbed a hand down my face and exhaled.
These feelings were confusing. Not to mention, they scared the shit out of me.
I wasn’t expecting to feel…so much. Yes, it was Emeline, and there’s been something there between us since I moved back to River Falls, but I’d never paid that much attention to it, assuming it was just a deep friendship.
“Fuck,” I whispered before slowly sitting up. I swung my legs off the bed and looked at my clothes on the floor.
Get up. Get dressed. And leave.
I willed myself to listen to my head, but something was keeping me rooted in the spot. A soft noise came from behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, my heart tripped as I took in the sight of Emeline sleeping. She had her hand tucked under her cheek. She looked so beautiful.
Can this really be happening? Was I even daring to think of getting into another relationship when the last one had been such an utter disaster? And it wasn’t even over.
Even now, I fought the urge to reach out and touch her. My sleeping beauty.
Facing forward, I stood and made my way across Emeline’s bedroom and into her bathroom.
I quietly shut the door and turned the water on low, then splashed my face a few times.
When I looked in the mirror, I saw a version of myself I hadn’t seen in a very long time.
I didn’t look tired. My eyes weren’t filled with sadness.
But…was I ready to dive into a serious relationship? My therapist in Denver would most likely tell me to take things slow.
My heart was telling me that Emeline was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I should just go with it.
Since that very first kiss, she’d been all I could think about. I’d woken up every day since, excited about two things: seeing Rhett and Emeline.
I closed my eyes and cursed to myself. When I opened them again, I shook my head.
“What the fuck do I do?”
Drawing in a deep breath, I slowly let it out and left the bathroom. The sight of Emeline in that bed suddenly made everything crystal clear to me.
Crawling onto the mattress, I softly kissed her on the forehead. She sighed and opened her eyes. When she saw me, a brilliant smile appeared on her face.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“Hey.”
“Is everything okay?” she asked, sitting up.
My eyes searched her face, and I smiled. “Everything is amazing.”
She let out a giggle when I pulled her back down and moved over. Kissing her gently, I whispered against her lips, “Perfectly amazing.”
Then I made love to her for the third time.
I woke up to the smell of bacon and coffee.
It took me half a second to realize where I was.
The memory of last night came flooding back, and I couldn’t help but smile.
After stretching, I got out of bed and made my way to the bathroom.
Emeline was clearly a neat freak because I’d never seen a bathroom so clean and organized.
I hadn’t noticed it late last night during my mini panic attack.
After using the restroom, I splashed my face with cold water and washed my hands.
“Levi?”
“In here.”
I turned to see Emeline leaning against the bathroom doorjamb, looking cute as hell in my T-shirt. It barely covered anything. My dick instantly went hard.
Moaning, I said, “Please tell me you have nothing on underneath that.”
She grinned. “Okay, I have nothing on underneath this.”
Moving toward her, I put my hands on her hips and drew her to me. “I haven’t brushed my teeth, for obvious reasons.”
“I have a brand-new toothbrush in the top right drawer. After you’re done, breakfast is ready.”
“Breakfast?” I asked. “You’re spoiling me.”
She winked. “Oh, trust me, I want something in return.”
“Do you?” I asked. “What would that be?”
Her cheeks turned bright red as she chewed on her lower lip. I reached up and pulled it free. “Don’t bruise that beautiful mouth of yours. Tell me what you want.”
“For you to…” She closed her eyes and shook her head. With a nervous laugh, she said, “I can’t say it.”
Cupping her cheeks in my hands, I bent slightly to look her in the eye. “Tell me, Em.”
A sigh escaped her mouth. “I love it when you call me Em. I always have.”
I swept my thumb over her lip. “Do you want me to taste you…Em?”
Her eyes closed, and for a moment, I swore she swayed on her feet before she whispered, “Yes.”
“Is something on the stove?”
Her eyes snapped open. “What?”
“Are you cooking something right now?”
She shook her head. “No, not now. I made scrambled eggs and bacon.”
I smiled. “Perfect. They can be heated up in the microwave.”
A confused expression crossed her face. “I don’t think they’re cold yet.”
I picked her up, eliciting a small screech from her. I took the few steps back to the bed and sat her on the side. She was, indeed, not wearing anything under my shirt.
“Spread your legs open for me, Em.”
She swallowed hard and did as I said. I dropped to my knees on the floor, letting out a low groan before I buried my face between her legs.
Emeline’s hands flew to my hair, and she started squirming on the bed. Her small moans of pleasure nearly drove me insane. I licked and sucked as I cupped her ass and lifted her to meet my mouth. Her hands went from my hair to the sheets, where she gripped them tight.
When she exploded, her entire body trembled as she screamed out my name. The taste of her against my tongue was the most intense turn-on I’d ever experienced.
She started to crawl backward, away from me, when I didn’t stop. “I can’t take any more!” she cried out.
I crawled after her, and pushed inside her in one hard thrust.
“Oh my God!”
I could feel her coming again around my cock, and it was all I could do not to follow her immediately.
I wanted more. I wanted to see how many times I could make Emeline fall apart.
I lifted her leg and put it over my shoulder, moving fast and hard.
When I reached between our bodies and found her clit, she exploded again.
“Levi! Oh God. I’m coming again!”
I came so fucking hard, I saw stars for a moment. I slowed my rhythm and soon collapsed on top of Emeline, breathing as if I’d run a fucking marathon.
Slowly, I pulled out of her and fell to her side, still panting.
“Holy mother…that was…oh my gosh!”
I looked at Emeline. Her face was rosy, and she looked exactly like she’d just been thoroughly fucked.
Emeline rolled over and rested her head on her hand. “That was worth the wait.”
Laughing, I pulled her on top of me. She rolled her hips against my still-hard dick.
“I can’t. I’m exhausted. You have to remember, Em, I’m older than you.”
Her face beamed when she smiled. “I’m starving now! Let me go clean up really quickly. I’ll bring you a washcloth.”
“How about we go take a shower?”
“Together?”
I nodded and sat up, wrapping my arms around her.
“But breakfast—”
“Can be heated up.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck. “This will be another first.”
“Come on,” I said as I tapped her ass. “Let’s go shower. I’m hungry myself.”
Emeline and I walked back up to the camp together. Parents would be arriving soon to pick up the kids.
“I hate this part.”
“The saying goodbye?”
She nodded. “It’s always so bittersweet, but this year is different.”
“How so?”
Emeline let out a long sigh. “I met with my mother, Caden, and uncles yesterday morning. We’re going to reduce the number of camps to one next summer. It’s a good thing, really.”
“That’s a great thing.”
Turning to me, she smiled. “I was worried at first when you suggested the clinics, but after talking to Caden and Gatlin, I can see how beneficial that would be for the ranch. I even agreed about the dude ranch idea.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “What did Caden think about a bunch of city slickers invading the ranch?”
She laughed. “Caden thinks people would love it, and my parents agree. The one who wasn’t onboard was Gatlin. He doesn’t like the idea of having to teach people to be cowboys.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I can see that from him. You’d be getting some free labor, though, if you truly put them to work.”
“Which is what Caden wants to do.”
We stood in silence for a moment before Emeline exhaled once again. “Guess there’s no putting this off. Time to make the rounds.”
“What can I do to help?”
“You could help load up the vans. Sometimes the staff at River Haven can’t send many people over to help.
They’ll have a few vans, and the kids’ items will be stored in the very back.
And some of the kids won’t have both parents here to pick them up since they can’t afford to take time off work.
You’ll see a lot of carpooling and such. ”
“I’m on luggage duty then.” I leaned down and brushed a kiss against her lips. “I’ll try not to think too much about last night. And this morning.”
Her cheeks instantly turned a beautiful shade of pink. “I can’t make that same promise. It seems to be the only thing I can think about.”
I winked.
“Daddy! Emeline!”
We both turned to see Rhett running toward us. I bent down and caught him just in time. Standing up, I couldn’t help but smile back at my son, and it wasn’t because he’d called me daddy for the first time in a week. It was because of his own smile.
“Ms. Lilibeth put me in charge of helping with the kids’ bags!”
“Would you look at that. Ms. Emeline did the same with me!”
Rhett giggled, then gave me a once-over. “How come you’re dressed the same as yesterday?”
I glanced down, and only then realized I’d never gone home to change. When I looked at Emeline, she was covering her smile.