Chapter Nineteen
Levi
“Well, I don’t think we have to worry about making anything Facebook official,” Tris mutters as she walks back inside, joining me in the kitchen.
I raise a brow.
“That was Rory.”
“Ah,” I say, understanding dawning on me. “Other than you and Ainsley, her best friend is Billy.”
“Which means not only will my friends know soon,” she starts.
“But so will the fire department and probably the rest of Turtle Bay,” I finish, nodding my head and opening my arms for her to fold into.
She looks up at me with a smile and chuckles, but I don’t miss how it sounds shaky at the end. “Is that okay with you?”
She still sounds unsure, like she’s worried I’m going to change my mind.
“I’m in this,” I tell her, kissing her forehead.
She leans her head into my chest as I hold her in my arms. I didn’t think we’d get here.
I didn’t think after what happened between us, our argument earlier this week, that either of us was going to be able to put it all aside, but when I woke up with her still in my arms this morning, I knew there’s no way I’m going back.
I spent the entire week reflecting on how I’ve stopped living since Krystal died.
How I’ve let mourning over the loss of her stop me from embracing what’s right in front of me.
I’ll always miss her, but I almost missed this, and even though I don’t know where a relationship with Tris may lead, I know that there isn’t anyone better for me now than her.
She pushes back. Calls me on my shit. Stands her ground like she’s daring me to try and move her.
She’s stubborn enough to go toe-to-toe with me, and strong enough not to flinch.
My fingers trace slowly along her spine, mapping every rise and fall of her body beneath my hands. Her breath evens out, and I feel a deep satisfaction in how completely she lets herself rest. Her head turns back and forth as she finally notices the pots on the stove.
“You’re cooking?” she asks, surprised.
“Yeah, I figured we needed sustenance after all our extracurricular activity,” I tease, enjoying myself as her cheeks turn red. “And I like cup-of-noodles as much as the next guy, but I figured real food would be best.”
“Hey, what’s wrong with cup-of-noodles?” She crosses her arms in mock offense.
“Nothing. In fact, the raccoons around here are real fans of it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Maybe one day I’ll tell you,” I reply with a laugh, stirring the sauce in the pan. “Here, taste this.”
She drags her tongue over her lips after tasting the spoon, and just like that, my hunger shifts to something else entirely.
“Mmm,” she moans, a sound I’ve seared into my memory and will never get enough of. “That’s delicious! You made that?”
I just had her, for the first time, and already it feels like I can’t get enough.
Her moans, her heat, the way she trembled under me, it’s burned into me, a reminder of what it feels like to want, to need, to be alive with someone again.
I crave it all over, every gasp, every shiver, every whisper of her name.
I turn off the burners. The pork tenderloin and herb sauce I re-heated will have to wait.
“Mhm.” I place the lid over the pan to keep it hot and take the spoon from her hands.
“Wait, what? What are you doing? I want to eat that. I’m hungry.” She looks longingly at the pan, but my mouth is only watering for one thing.
I lift her by the hips, and a quick yelp escapes her as I place her bare ass down onto the kitchen island.
“I want an appetizer first,” I explain, my voice dropping as I spread her legs wide so she’s fully on display for me. “Fucking perfect.”
Her mouth gapes open. “Levi.”
She barely gets my name out of her mouth before mine is on her. The taste of her explodes in my mouth, and I drink her up, lapping and licking, not wasting a single drop. Her body responds to me instantly, and before I know it, she’s riding my fingers and clenching around them.
“Not yet, baby,” I say, removing my mouth from her, eliciting a gasp. I pull my hard cock from my pants and slide it into her.
Her greedy pussy swallows me whole, and after a few more pumps, we both climax. Her moans fill the room as my cock pulses, and I spill into her.
Pulling out slowly, I grab some paper towels and run them under warm water before tending to her. Carefully, I help her down from the island, placing her feet on the floor. Her eyes are glazed over, still coming down from the euphoria. I grin, knowing I’m the one who put her there.
“Go sit at the table.” I lift her chin and kiss her lips. “I’ll make us plates.”
She blinks, her lips quirking up slightly. “So bossy.”
“This might be the best meal I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot of expensive dishes.” Tris drags her last piece of pork across the garlic herb sauce, picking up every drop before placing it in her mouth.
I watch as she chews, savoring the flavor.
I enjoy spending time with her like this.
Her walls are down, and so are mine. While eating, we’ve fallen back into the comfortable ease of conversation that’s always come naturally to us when we’re not bantering back and forth or ready to jump down each other’s throats.
Honestly, though, I kind of like our banter. It keeps things interesting.
“What are you smiling about?” she asks, one brow turning down.
“Am I not allowed to smile?” I quip, petting Ellie’s head at my side.
“I don’t know yet.” She grins, standing and bringing our plates to the sink to wash. “I’ll have to get used to seeing you do it and get back to you.”
A deep chuckle escapes me, opening my chest and leaving it feeling lighter. The tension I’ve been carrying, the weight of all I’ve held onto, is easing just enough to let me breathe again.
“As much as I enjoy walking around in nothing but your shirt, I’m going to go and throw on a pair of pants.”
I frown, and she rolls her eyes.
“I have a nice bottle of wine,” she says, tilting her head. “We can sit outside and open it while tossing the ball around for Ellie. Besides... a little fresh air will do us all good.”
I rock my head from side to side, not fully convinced that taking her back to bed wouldn’t be a better use of our time. Now that I’ve had her, I can’t get enough.
“Come on,” she snorts, probably reading my mind. “I’m sure little Miss Ellie agrees.”
Ellie scampers over to her, wagging her tail, and Tris lifts her shoulder, visibly fighting back an I told you so.
“Great, you two are already ganging up on me.” I run a hand through my hair and grimace. “What have I done?” I mutter, half-joking.
Tris chuckles and heads out the door with Ellie.
I catch her voice over my shoulder. “Your dad finally took his head out of his ass.”
“This woman,” I mumble after the door closes behind them, leaving me alone.
I lean back in my seat, finally allowing myself a minute of happiness.
In the back of my mind, there’s still that nagging panic that everything can come crashing down at any second.
The anxiety circles me like I’m prey trapped in a cage, but I push it down until it’s all but snuffed out.
For the first time in months, I have something to smile about, something that’s mine, and I’m not going to let anything take that away from me.
Not again.
“Hey, Levi,” Ainsley says, smiling up at me as she closes up the register for the day. “Tris is in the back grabbin’ them biscuits for Ellie. I’m sure she’ll be right out.”
“Thanks.” I nod, taking in all of the new plants and flowers Ainsley’s spread across the cafe.
It’s only the second week of October, and already she has this place fully embracing fall with sunflowers, mums, and some other flowers I don’t know the names of.
The whole cafe is bathed in warm hues of orange, yellow, and brown.
I can’t even act like I don’t appreciate it because, since the transition from summer to fall, Tris has been bringing pumpkin-spiced lattes to the station.
The crew all gave me shit for how much I like them.
Billy said I’m what the kids call ‘basic.’ Whatever that’s supposed to mean.
But after hearing that, Tris shut everyone up real quick by bringing one for each of them the next time.
They went from making fun of me to singing her praises.
Billy and Mark still fear her, but at least now they like her.
I think Tris secretly gets a kick out of it.
“Levi.” Rory smiles, turning the corner.
“Can I steal Tris for a little bit after work today? I want to check out the new Cozy Pines Publishing that opened down the road, but I don’t want to go by myself because new places freak me out, and I like having a plan, but that’s hard to do when you don’t know what to expect.
I was telling her about the book club that I’m in with my cousin Lucas and his buddies from the Tampa Bay Hawks.
I join them on video calls every Wednesday when they host it, and they’re letting me pick the book for next month.
Tris was thinking about joining as well, and I figured maybe if she helps pick the book, she’ll actually do it. ”
I blink hard, tilting my head down while shaking my head. “Good Lord. Where did you learn to talk without breathing?”
She flashes a sheepish, lopsided grin. “Sorry, I do that sometimes when I have a lot of thoughts that want to come out all at once.” She makes a show of taking a deep, calming breath before she starts again.
“Would you and Tris join me at Cozy Pines Publishing to check out their Indie Authors selection for the book club next month?”
“That question was in there somewhere?” I ask slowly, squinting at her, head tipped slightly, like I’m trying to piece together the puzzle.
“Levi,” she huffs, dropping her head to the side.
I grin so she knows I’m teasing. “Sure, Rory. If that’s what Tris wants to do, that’s what we’ll do.”
“Aw,” she says with a mischievous grin. “So cute. Look who’s already so well trained.”
She giggles as I glare at her. “Smart ass,” I grumble.