Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
LEVI
The way Andy looked at me wasn’t the way someone looked at their hookup. That was something I for sure knew, but before I could analyze the confused emotion in his eyes that looked suspiciously like what I’d been feeling for him, Andy rocked his hips again.
He went slow at first, thrusting experimentally until he changed his angle and hit that bundle of nerves that set fire through my skin.
“Is it here?” he whispered, lips pressed against my cheek as he went on his knees and pushed my legs higher against my body.
Then he went to town, ramming inside of me like he was on a mission to make me cum. Well, he didn’t have to work too hard, because the man forced my orgasm out of me.
I was already so high on the emotions that all it took was another hard thrust against my prostate and his sweet lips swallowing my moans of pleasure.
Andy wasn’t far behind either. His hips shook off rhythm, all wild and desperate. His forehead landed on my shoulder, and with another thrust, he stilled and shot into the condom.
As he calmed down from his orgasm, Andy licked and nibbled at the base of my collarbone. I swept his bangs out of the way so I could see his face and raised an eyebrow at him.
“What? It’s a sexy collarbone,” he muttered and turned his head away from me and continued his licking and biting.
I laughed and flipped us over until I was on top. Andy yelped at the action, and his dick slipped out of me as well, but the sudden loss of him was worth being able to snuggle into his arms.
Andy wrapped his hands around me, holding me safe, and with no complaint. It was very different from what I was used to in my past relationships.
I didn’t know if it was a thing with older men to not like cuddling or if I just had really shitty luck, but it was like they had an aversion to snuggling, or maybe it was just snuggling with me .
I liked how Andy didn’t avoid it or push to sleep separately after sex. In fact, I had a feeling he liked sleeping together almost as much as I did.
I’d come home late the other night and Andy had already fallen asleep. I’d planned on sleeping in my own room that night, so I didn’t disturb him, but I’d found Andy already curled up in my bed when I got out of the shower. He was such a sleepy thing, eyes not even opening as he wrapped all his limbs around me like how he had the morning we’d met.
I smiled at the memory, thankful that I’d gone home with Andy that night. I knew Andy didn’t believe our Doves to be anything but fiction, but I liked to think they had a hand in our encounter.
Hell, we even met at the Dove’s Fountain , after all! If that wasn’t a sign, then I didn’t know what was .
There was also the fact that I’d never felt this comfortable with anyone else either. Things with Andy were… easy . And that was refreshing when my past dating experiences were anything but.
Andy liked to say that I needed to find someone who deserved me, and with each passing day in his arms, it was hard not to think he was that person for me. I liked him more than any casual arrangement allowed, and that was the thing.
None of this felt casual.
I might not be an expert at the whole dating thing, but all these nights with Andy, then sneaking kisses at work or finding time to have our lunch together, listening to each other’s problems, and just being there .
We might not be putting a label on anything, but this felt more like being in a relationship than all my past ones combined.
And sure, I might not have the best track record. I fell a little too easily into a relationship, putting my all into making things work, but that didn’t mean what I felt for Andy wasn’t real and intense.
I wanted to fight for this cozy spark I knew would grow if we cherished and nurtured it. I just hoped that, unlike all the other men, Andy was willing to pick me too.
The next couple of days slipped through my fingers as I tried to figure out the best way to bring this up with Andy. We hadn’t been any less intimate—in fact, it felt the opposite.
Making out in the kitchen stockroom when things were slow at the B&B had always been a thing, but it usually never went past that. Now, I found myself pressed to the wall, and Andy on his knees for me, working me up until I was spilling into his eager mouth.
I was so lost in the pleasure that even after he fixed up my clothes and brushed back my hair, I still felt weak in my knees. Meanwhile, Andy looked completely unaffected as he told me about the couple who’d come in for breakfast that morning.
It was something about them being food bloggers and complimenting Andy’s cooking. My head was still foggy, and I didn’t catch most of it, but the way Andy lit up as he spoke was burned into my mind.
I pulled him in, then kissed him, slowly and gently. I savored his taste mixed with a hint of my essence, and I tried to engrave his lips into my soul.
“What was that?” he asked, and I could feel his smile against me.
You make me feel so much. I think I’m falling in love with you. You’re amazing, so gosh dang beautiful that I wish I was the only one for you .
“Nothing,” was what came out instead. “Just a thank you for being you.”
Andy pulled back just enough to look at me. There was a softness in his eye that I’d never seen before, but by god did I want to see more of it.
“Thank you for being you too,” he replied and kissed me so sweetly it had my toes curling.
It took almost everything in me to put myself together enough to return to work. Andy needed to start prepping for the lunch service, and I had some inventory I needed to do.
The B&B was completely booked for the rest of the year, which was a nice change of pace since we were usually slow around Thanksgiving time before picking up again for the winter rush. So I needed to make sure we were stocked with more than enough supplies. In the middle of sorting and organizing old sheets to be donated, Dad found me.
“Hey, son. Got a minute?”
I folded the duvet cover that had faded after many cycles in the wash and nodded. “Hey, Bàba . What’s up? ”
“Andy has a proposal for the B&B about expanding the kitchen. Your pops and I want you to hear him out and make the final decision.”
My hand paused as I turned to face him. Ever since I’d started working at the B&B full time, my dads had always included me in making decisions for the B&B since I would take over one day, but this was the first time they wanted me to take full and complete charge of something.
At first, I started panicking, thinking they might know what was happening between Andy and me, but if that was the case, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to exclude me, so I wasn’t biased?
Dad must have seen the surprise on my face because he chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder. “You give everything you have to the B&B, and we think you’re ready. Your pops and I think it’s time for us to take a step back. We’ll still be here to help, but we know you’ll take care of this place.”
I didn’t chuckle with him.
“I…” I didn’t know what to say. We’d had many conversations about me taking the reins at the B&B, but I never imagined they’d spring this on me like this, with me standing in the middle of our linen closet surrounded by black trash bags filled with donations.
Dad laughed again, then gently pulled my arm to guide me out of the closet. “Andy’s waiting in the office right now to give the proposal, and we know you’ll make the best decision for Fated Encounters.”
That had my mouth hanging open again. I was just starting to accept that they were going to let me take charge of the restaurant idea Andy had, but I didn’t think he meant right this second .
I was still processing by the time Dad led me through the lobby and to the tiny office behind the reception desk. The room was mostly used for admin work or the rare in-person interviews we got. Currently, Andy was sitting in the leather chair facing the desk. He turned around and looked as shocked as I probably felt when he saw me.
Before I could say anything, the door behind me closed, leaving only Andy and me inside the room.
“What are you doing here, Levi?” Andy took a step toward me and held out his hand as if he wanted to wrap me up in his arms. My body moved closer too, as if automatically seeking him out, but Andy dropped his hand before we could touch. He looked behind me at the door with a nervous expression.
We hadn’t been particularly safe about not getting caught while messing around at the B&B, but even I agreed we should probably be a bit more professional here in the office.
I cleared my throat and walked around the desk to sit across from Andy. “I’m here to listen to your proposal,” I replied with my hands clasped in front of me on the desk. I probably looked very professional at that moment, if I said so myself.
Andy returned to his seat and looked at me with confusion. It was clear what his expression meant. He was wondering why I was here instead of my dads.
“I’m also one of your bosses, remember?” I reminded him.
“I know,” he said softly. “Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting you.” He looked at his lap and played with his hand. After a moment, he looked up again. “I know you want to do what’s best for the B&B but…”
My heart beat loudly in my chest. Was he going to use our relationship to get what he wanted? I didn’t think he was that kind of guy, but Andy had worked hard on this proposal for the past few months.
He hadn’t told me in detail what he had planned. Just something about wanting to open the restaurant up to the public, but he was pretty secretive about everything else. If he was so invested in this idea, would he do everything possible to make sure the idea got the go-ahead?
My fingernails pressed into my skin as he continued speaking, “I hope you won’t let what this thing is between us sway your decision. I only want you to approve of this proposal if you think this plan is ready to be implemented. If not, I’ll redo the proposal as many times as needed until it is.”
I loosened my fingers. This was the Andy I’d grown to adore over the course of his stay here. He didn’t take the easy way out or try to find shortcuts. He charged toward his goal with steady determination and the belief that he’d accomplish everything he set out to do.
My hand itched to reach out to grab his. But he was keeping things professional, so I needed to as well. I smiled, and with a nod, I replied, “I promise. In here, I’m your boss and the caretaker of Fated Encounters B&B, and nothing more.”
Andy sighed with relief, then returned my smile. I gestured for him to start his presentation, and he handed me the packet of papers for me to review. As I looked through the pages, Andy explained his plans in detail. I was surprised at the amount of research he’d put into this. I figured the packet would only contain logistics of how he planned on implementing the restaurant and the menu, but it also contained data on the restaurants in town.
Apparently, he’d found time to speak with some employees from dining establishments all over town, found an area of necessity within the industry, and used that information to predict the probability of success for this plan. There were charts and business lingo that made my head spin.
“My best friend, Casey, helped me sort out some of the more technical side of the data. He’s a food critic and has eaten at hundreds of fine dining establishments, and I can proudly say this idea has his seal of approval,” he said, looking proud but also sheepish somehow.
“Wow,” I said as I absorbed everything he’d presented. Andy was thoroughly prepared to make this venture real and had even canvased the employment market for the influx of staff we’d need to make this happen. He’d already talked to a few high schoolers who were eager to get a part-time job and could start as soon as possible, and he’d talked to Julie about going full time for the holiday season.
“You say you also want to do special events during the holidays and give those in the community who don’t have anyone to celebrate with a place to go?” I asked. I was very interested in this idea. The B&B stayed open during the holidays, and we usually did something small for them, but nothing on a grand scale like Andy was suggesting.
He nodded. “I found that most places in town aren’t open during Thanksgiving or Christmas, which is fair, since they deserved to spend the holidays with their families.” He leaned in closer and put a hand by his mouth like he was telling me a secret. “I spoke to some of the town gossips and learned that there’s a group of people who don’t have family living in the area and usually spend the holidays alone. I think holiday events would not only bring in money for the B&B, and it would establish the place even more as a pillar in the community.” He paused, looking a bit shy as he looked at me. “And I think it’ll be a wonderful thing to bring people together with food during a time when those who are alone feel the loneliest.”
Fuck, this man was just too wonderful.
The way he glowed as he spoke about this project showed just how passionate he was about feeding people. He cared about people even if he tried to deny it. And there was one thing that was very clear: he loved cooking.
I’d been under the delusion that if I showed Andy how perfect we were together, I’d be able to convince him we were perfect here in Wintertown. But after hearing about this plan, this tiny part of his bigger goal, I knew it wouldn’t be fair to him. I couldn’t ask him to give up his dreams in New York to stay here with me, just like how I couldn’t ever leave the B&B and Wintertown behind.
Besides, we’d never discussed the specifics of our relationship aside from agreeing that we wouldn’t talk about it. So maybe the glimpses of affection I saw in those tender moments were all in my head and didn’t mean anything at all.
Andy had a home to return to, and I was lucky enough to have him for the short time he was here.
I just had to remember that.