“I’m clean,” Levi said, swallowing hard. “I swear I haven’t been with anyone else since we…”
“Okay.” I nodded, refusing to let this be the reason either of us pulled away.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I need to go clean up. You good if I just...” I motioned to the bathroom.
Levi’s eyes darted to the door and back to me. He looked ready to bolt.
“I’d really like it if you were here when I came back,” I added, feeling emotion wrap around my throat.
He didn’t reply, his expression an indecipherable mask.
I waited another couple of seconds and when it was apparent he wasn’t going to answer me, I slipped quietly into the bathroom, and cleaned up. Afterwards, I splashed some water on my face. My skin was flushed, my eyes bright with desire. I looked thoroughly fucked, felt it too, a delicious ache between my legs.
I’d broken my promise. I was no longer treading dangerous shores with Levi, I was swimming in deep waters without a life raft.
I knew the pitfalls of loving an addict. I couldn’t fix Zephyr and deep down, I knew I couldn’t fix Levi. But I also knew I couldn’t continue working with the band and fighting the simmering connection between us.
It was either walk away and go cold turkey or throw caution to the wind and hope my heart was strong enough to survive.
When I returned to the room, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of Levi laid out on the bed. His hooded eyes found mine.
“You stayed,” I whispered.
“I never was very good at making the right decisions.”
“You wanted to leave?” Sitting on the bed, I folded my legs in front of me and gazed down at him. He’d pulled off his t-shirt and left his jeans unbuttoned, a trail of dark hair disappearing inside.
“Will you hate me if I say yes?”
“I’d rather you be honest with me than lie.” Even if it did hurt to hear him say the words.
“I didn’t want to leave you.” He wrapped a hand around my ankle. “I wanted to escape the way you make me feel.”
“How do I make you feel, Levi?”
“Like I can’t breathe,” he admitted. “But at the same time, I’ve never been more alive. It’s as weird as fuck. I want to drown in you, honeybee. Drown in you and never come up for air.”
“And that worries you?”
He nodded. “You could be my new favorite addiction.”
His honesty was like a gunshot to my heart. I’d danced this dance before.
“Tell me about him.”
“Who?” I frowned, surprised by Levi’s question.
“Don’t play dumb, Bee. I know you better than that. The guy, the... ex, who hurt you.”
“His name was Zephyr.”
“God, I really fucking hate that name.”
I threw my head back, laughing until my cheeks hurt.
“What was he like?”
My eyes slid back to Levi’s. “A free spirit. He didn’t conform to the rules. I guess you could say he was a bit of a rebel.”
“You have a type.” Levi grinned, but I saw the flash of jealousy in his eyes.
“My mom always said I had a thing for fixing broken things.”
“You mean she’s gone?”
I nodded, emotion clogging my throat. “She died when I was fifteen.”
“Shit, Bee, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay; it was a long time ago.”
“So it’s just you and your dad?”
I grimaced. “Well, he’s alive, if that’s what you mean.”
“He got you this job, right?”
“Have you been digging for dirt on me?” My brow lifted.
“I may have asked around.” Levi smirked, his hand creeping higher along my calf. His touch was hypnotic. Magical and dangerous.
“Levi...” I didn’t know if I was warning him or begging him for more.
“Yeah, Intern?”
God, he made it sound so dirty. Like I was the student, and he was the teacher, and he was going to enjoy every single second of our lessons in seduction.
He hooked my legs and crawled over me, pressing me flat into the mattress.
“I thought we were talking,” I said, fighting a smile.
“We were. But the time for talking is over, Bee.” He slid his hands between our bodies and grasped himself, working his length inside me. I gasped, my sensitive walls rippling around him.
“Fuck, Phoebe,” he groaned. “You feel incredible.” Levi rocked forward a little, making us both cry out. “Hold on,” he whispered against my lips, slowly increasing his pace.
It was deeper like this, more intense. Every bump of his pelvis against mine sent sparks of pleasure shooting through me.
Levi kissed me, slow deep licks that mirrored the way he fucked me. It felt good, really good.
It felt a lot like making love.
Levi
Phoebe slept soundly in the crook of my arm. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d done this. If ever. Usually, I was too wasted or high to cuddle, passing out the second it was over, leaving my bedmate to fend for herself.
But not Phoebe.
This was the second time I’d woken up with her in my arms, and the second time I hadn’t wanted to run.
She transfixed me. Captured my attention in a way no girl ever had. And the more I learned about her, the more I wanted to know. I was like a puppy desperate for any scraps I could get.
“Hey,” she said, her voice thick with sleep. “What time is it?”
“Early,” I replied.
Phoebe pushed up onto her elbow and gazed down at me. “You’re still here.”
“I am. It would seem you tired me out, Bee.”
She smiled before leaning up and brushing her lips over mine. “I think you’ve got that muddled around.”
I cupped the back of her neck, anchoring her to me. Kissing Phoebe was fucking delicious, and I already knew I’d never get enough. I could feel her snaking into my chest and weaving herself into my DNA.
“What?” She eased back to look me in the eye.
“I’m addicted to you, Bee.”
“Levi...”
“What? It’s true. I already want more.” And more... and more.
I wanted to lose myself in her completely. Fuck her so deep she forgot where I ended and she began. I wanted us to meld together and become one.
I wanted... God, I wanted so many things. Things I couldn’t tell her for fear that she would run.
I was a complicated guy; my emotions ran on a higher wavelength than most. I was either bouncing off the walls or in a heap on the ground, clawing my way through every minute of the day.
“We talked about me,” she said around a small yawn. “I want to know about you.”
My spine stiffened as she trailed a hand up my stomach, tracing my abs. I caught her wrist, bringing her fingers to my lips and kissing their tips. “What do you want to know?”
“Everything.” Phoebe smiled again but I didn’t return it, a pit of dread swarming my stomach. “But I’ll take whatever you want to tell me.”
My shoulders relaxed a little. She wasn’t going to push. But she wasn’t going to let me off the hook either. Did I really want to do this? Let someone in after all these years of keeping people out?