Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
ALLIE
TIME WARP
I was in a time warp, and I couldn’t get close enough. My mind was thrashing like a boat on out-of-control waves; I didn’t want what I wanted. It was a dark, primal desire that I knew could never truly be quenched.
I was jittery with a spinning head as I realized he was tasting me like someone who’d been living on Ramen and was suddenly served filet mignon.
His fingers slid through my hair as we pressed together.
His body heat wrapped around me like a blanket leaving my brain oozy, and I wanted more and more and more.
For years I’d fought the memories of Levi. But under the surface I’d craved the man who could be both a gentleman and the beast that would hold me by my wrists and take what he wanted.
His hand traveled to my neck and his thumb glided over my collar bone. A low groan went from his mouth to mine and was fuel being poured on the fire that was me as I pulled him closer. My thighs were trembling as his lips trailed down my neck to the sensitive area below my ear.
Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh…
My common sense was being drowned by the sensations firing through every cell in my body. My legs were the consistency of water as I held onto his shoulders as falling down was something I did often.
I don’t know what force overtook my body and beat my brain into submission, but the next thing I knew my fingers had slid under his shirt and the heat of his skin burned my fingertips in the best possible way. A low rumble went from his mouth to mine before his hands slid down and held my bottom.
His taste and touch brought it back like the recovering heroin addict being served up a platter of the one thing that could destroy her after providing the high that only it could.
As he caged me against the wall in the storage closet, I knew we were on a speeding train that would be impossible to stop. Could anything stop this?
“Hello?”
It turns out the church receptionist could derail it in an instant.
There was a knock, and I ran my hands over my hair after pushing Levi away. “Shit, what should I do?”
He stepped back, pulled his shirt down, and flashed a grin. “I say never make eye contact while eating a banana.”
“What?”
“I thought you were seeking general advice.” His dirty grin slugged me. “Maybe say hello?”
“Hi!” It came out as a screechy little scream. “The door locked, and the keys are in my purse out there.”
“I see them.”
As the door opened, I jumped away from Levi. A second later the lady’s head tilted as her eyes bounced between the tall handsome man and me. My cheeks caught on fire.
“Thank you so much.” I quickly grabbed a box containing ornaments.
“Now we can start decorating for the Christmas wedding. There’s nothing like a Christmas wedding, am I right or am I right?
” I threw my shoulders back and walked out of the storage closet as if my entire world hadn’t just been rocked to the core.
We silently got two Christmas trees assembled and set one on each side of the altar before I pulled out boxes of white lights.
Levi reached down and grabbed a box. “You okay?”
“Quit, Levi.”
“I am unable to quit as I am currently too legit.”
Eye roll. “That can’t happen again.” I looked at that handsome face knowing I was going to pay a price for being close to him again.
“But you—”
“I know I kissed you. But it can’t happen twice.”
“Okay, not twice.” He raised a questioning eyebrow. “Maybe five times?”
“Shut up, please.”
“Let’s calm down. This isn’t a big deal. We can forget it and move on.” He gave a dip of his chin. “See? I can be the voice of reason.”
My blood pressure ticked up. “If I’m ever in a situation where you’re the voice of reason, then we are in a very bad place.”
“Ouch.”
I took a cleansing breath trying to lasso my brain which seemed to still be in the storage room.
“It just can’t happen again. Everything about you is in the past and that’s where I want it.
” There we go. I’m a grown ass woman taking control and making brave decisions; silence, saying no, and walking away.
“But—”
I flashed my strongest smile. “No buts.”
He opened the box and nodded slowly before giving me a wink. “Got it.”
He hit a button on his phone and We Wish You a Merry Christmas filled the room.
We remained silent, and I was proud of achieving my first wise decision in recent times.
As I focused on the decorating task at hand, I looked over to see him with a big red ornament hanging from each ear, green little ribbons tied into his hair, and a red velvet rope with bells on it wrapped around his waist.
A laugh popped out at the same time he held up a finger and started galloping around the tree with his dinging bells ringing out.
Why did he have to be so handsome, charming, funny, adorable, tall, and handsome? Did I say that twice?
And dangerous to every part of me. I tried to grasp at the wise decisions again, but they seemed to have vaporized into thin air.
For my next trick I will dazzle you with the illusion that I have my shit together.
* * *
As we got closer to the house, my mind put on its mental armor to fight Levi as I was suddenly a ball of stress. If stress brings on weight loss, I should be invisible by morning.
I jumped when his phone started screaming Warning; an idiot is calling you.
“Sorry.” He grabbed the phone. “I changed my ringtone, you like?”
“Sure, if you’re a thirteen-year-old dude.”
He chuckled and put it to his ear. “Yo.”
I looked out the window as my super-sonic ears thought they heard a female voice.
“That’s fine.” Pause. “Nothing, just out of town for a bit.”
Nothing? Was he asked what he was doing and wrote off the entire storage closet situation as nothing?
He pulled onto the long driveway. “That works. Ciao.”
Wow. A reminder that he had a life. He’d lived years in another country where he did stuff every day with what appeared to be many people, Things that had nothing to do with me.
A weird irritation entered my body like a shot because Levi was messing everything up.
He was messing me up. Sure, I kissed him first, but I didn’t want his presence, and I needed him to go.
This was too hard. It took years for me to get my life back together, and I wouldn’t let that all go for a kiss. Nope, I was done.
As a matter of fact, he was kind of a jerk.
He was the one who crushed me. And now Levi Dawson had the audacity to use his hotness to try to get some action while in Colorado?
How dare he? He crushed me, left me, and never ever reached out again.
Not once. Who does that? Only a cold-hearted bastard, that’s who.
He just wants to get his kicks. Well, not happening!
Suddenly another car pulled up beside us, and I hopped out to see a man in jeans and a black jacket. “I have your grocery order.”
“Who ordered them?” I tried to ignore Levi and his orgasmic cologne as he stepped beside me.
“Lexi Golden.”
“Whoa.” Levi scrunched his nose. “Her name still gives me instant heart burn. Maybe I should go into the forest and search for portals to other dimensions in case needed upon her arrival.”
“Solid plan, Levi.” I looked back to the man. “I can help you with the groceries.”
Levi stepped away from me. “I’ll get them. You go inside.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” Who did he think he was? “Don’t tell me to go inside.”
The delivery driver’s brow lifted as Levi flashed me a smile. “Yes, dear.”
Fire shot through me. “Don’t call me that.”
Levi picked up a bag and nodded with a hint of amusement. “I’m joking, Langley.” He whispered to the man, “Old ball n chain’s getting cranky.”
“You shut up.” The delivery driver narrowed his eyes at me. “We are not together.”
Levi huffed out a single laugh. “Well, we just made out in a storage closet for twenty minutes, so whatever.”
I stomped my foot. “And now I hate you again.” How was I going to survive this effing week?
Levi picked up another bag and gave me a cocky chin nod. “Sure, you do.”
He could see through me.
As I watched him enter the house, I knew I could not.
Not now. I would either kill him or rip off my shirt and do a dance for him in the kitchen.
I couldn’t trust him or his dark motives, and I sure as shit couldn’t trust my dumbass self.
Uuuggghhh. Instead of entering the house, I just reached inside the front door, tossed off my shoes, pulled on my boots, and walked around to the back of the house.
I avoided the turkey infested forest to my right and headed down toward the frozen lake behind the house. For December in Colorado, it felt pretty warm, so I tromped through the snow that glistened like one thousand rhinestones under the sun.
The silence of the land was a vacation for my ears, and I knew it would help me wrap my head around how to ensure I steer clear of the green eyed monster.
I had to be strong and would ignore Levi. He remembered the effect he had on me, but it would go no further. Inhale. Exhale.
While I tried to forget the eyes that paralyzed me, I realized this was a ten out of ten Vrbo.
There was a bench next to the frozen water, and I took a seat and absorbed the view in front of me which belonged in a Christmas movie.
Fire pit with logs beside me, trees sprinkled with snow, and the mountains in the distance were breathtaking.
If it wasn’t for Levi this would be the perfect Christmas in Colorado.
Beside me was a large wooden box with a lid. I peeked inside to see kerosene, long matches, and more wood. Nice.
While I couldn’t recall ever lighting a bonfire before, it felt right. I poured on some of the magical fluid, tossed a match, and boom, this gal made fire.
I lifted a lid of another box right next to the lake to see many pairs of ice skates in various sizes. Well, slap my ass and call me Larry, I did not know I’d be learning to ice skate today.
These activities would keep my mind away from the hottie in the house.