Leveled: A Novella (Saints of Denver #0.5)(65)

Shit on a stick. Now you’ve done it!

The look on his face told me he was about to do something brash. So I did the only thing I could think of.

Standing as quick as I could, I took the two steps to the edge of the bed and threw myself off it in haste. Before Lev could think about what was happening, my body collided with his midair and he wrapped his arms around me, holding me up, almost too tightly. My arms went around his neck and my legs wrapped high around his waist. I squeezed him tight.

He was still mad. “Mina, let go of me. Please.”

“Never,” I whispered.

It must have been the right thing to say at the time, because his strong arms loosened around me, holding me lightly, and he turned his head to rest his lips at my temple, one hand moving down slowly to cup my left ass cheek.

I couldn’t believe what I was about to say. “Your brother loves you, Lev. He might have a shitty way of showing it, but he does. Otherwise, he wouldn’t bother to do what he did.” I paused before adding on a squeeze, “I would kill to have a family that loves me. Don’t be angry with him, sweetie. He’s just looking out for you.”

That soothed the raging beast. He carried me over to the bed and, without extracting me from him, lay down on his back, taking me down with him. He looked up at the high ceiling and breathed in deep, uttering on an exhale, “I’m sorry about what you saw.”

Resting my chin on his chest, I spoke quietly, “Are you happy doing things like that?”

He thought about it a moment, his voice austere when he replied, “I don’t feel when I do things like that.”

It was such a sad answer that my heart ached for him. Turning my head to the side, I whispered, “You scared me tonight.”

“I’m sorry.”

So many apologies from this man. I wondered if he was sorry, or if it was just something to say to fill the void.

I lifted my face once more to search his face and pondered out loud, “Do you think you’d have told me if I didn’t find out the way I did?”

His heated eyes averted, he shook his head. At least he was honest.

“Why can’t you look at me, sweetie?”

Another shake of the head. His arms tightened around my back. What he said next broke my heart.

His voice hushed, he stated honestly, “I don’t know what I’d do if I saw disappointment there.”

My eyes shut and I squeezed them tight, holding in the tears I so badly wanted to shed. My lips lowered to his chest and I kissed him there, right over his heart.

I wasn’t going to get the answers I needed. Not tonight, and not from Lev.

I would have to go elsewhere.




Waking in the morning with a hot mouth on your breast, growling into the soft flesh, suckling hard, was indeed a fine way to be roused.

My good morning came out something like, “God, yes, honey. Suck harder,” as my arms cinched around the back of his head, pulling him closer.

Where did my pajamas go?

He removed his mouth, grinding his erection into my hip, and asked, “It’s over?”

I went blank. It was over already?

Well that was quick.

Sad face.

I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. But then he asked again, clearer this time, “Your period, baby. Is it over?”

Oh!

You’re such a dick.

I almost snorted, but I was too busy panting and running my fingers through Lev’s sleep-mussed hair. “Yes, it’s over.”

The light spotting had ended three days ago, thank the Lord above.

His thumbs hooked into the waist of my silky white panties. They were yanked down with a harsh tug and I helped by kicking them off my ankles. He knelt above me. The light sunshine coming through the cracks between the curtains helped me see Lev’s cock jutting up and out of the waistband of his boxers.

He was as ready as I was.

He gazed down at me, taking in the sight of my nude body for the very first time. I was glad Nas had talked me into getting another bikini wax the week before. Although I kept myself neatly trimmed, I refused to go hairless. I just didn’t like it. And, right now, I was grateful for it. It kept me from feeling overly exposed as Lev’s eyes slowly trailed every inch of me.

It was making me anxious. I needed contact. Reaching up, I gently ran my hands down his arms, and when our hands brushed, he entwined our fingers, bringing my hands to his lips, pressing slow, precise kisses to my knuckles.

His hands released mine and then he was on top of me. We were caught in an embrace, and we were kissing.

These kisses were not wild or passionate or lustful. They were the warm, gentle, lazy kind. The dangerous kind. The kind that made me wonder why we couldn’t do this forever. Be this way forever. Be each other’s forever.

I had hope that it was possible.

His lips trailed my jaw, down to my neck, stopped to greet the valley between my breasts, and then skimmed my stomach, pausing just below my bellybutton to breathe warmly at the quivering flesh there.

The tip of his nose marked the journey down lower still, and then his hands were on my hips, squeezing as he buried his nose into the soft hair of my sex.

I swallowed hard. My eyes were wide open. The apples of my cheeks burning hot. I panted lightly.

He wasn’t going there…was he?

This was all so sudden. I didn’t have time to chose a sexy pose to present myself. I didn’t even know if I was ready for this. It was so much more intimate than intercourse. There was no hiding when you had a face all up in your love glove.