We finished placing our lighting order with Elliot around noon then headed to the Castro for lunch. We people-watched at a table for two with a pitcher of margaritas and nachos. Our conversation was light and breezy. We critiqued the menu, the font, and the disco music playing through the speakers. After a while, we went quiet. I scraped cheese off a nacho and studied him clandestinely. He’d traded his ubiquitous plaid for a plain blue oxford shirt today. There was something oddly sexy about the visible hair on his forearms where he’d rolled back his sleeves. I had to be losing it. Who noticed shit like that?

“Do you miss living in the city?” Levi asked, breaking the lingering silence.

“No. It’s a great place to be a young, gay person, though. For me it was freeing and life-affirming. People liked me here,” I said, lowering my tone in exaggerated amazement. “They encouraged my crazy, and I obliged as best I could. Everyone should have a chance to live fearlessly at least once in their lifetime. You should live here.”

“Me? I’m opening a restaurant an hour away in Napa. How would that be a good idea?”

“True. The commute would be a bother.”

“That’s one way to put it.” Levi nudged my foot under the table and leaned in. “Are you trying to get rid of me, Geord?”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course not. What I am trying to say is that I won’t tie you down. You’re a dashing man in the prime of your life. Be free, my fair friend.”

“Free, fair, friend. Hmm. You’re upset. What’s going on in your head?”

I slumped in my chair in defeat. “I don’t know. I’m conflicted right now. I knew there was a chance we’d run into Elliot. If I had more time, I would have suggested going on a day he wouldn’t be there. Isn’t that horrible?”

“Yes, actually it is. He’s your friend.”

“We ran in the same circles twenty years ago, but we weren’t close friends,” I insisted.

“He broke down, Geordie. He was overcome with grief, and he lost it. And you knew he would, and that’s why you’ve avoided him.”

I pushed my drink aside and buried my head in my hands. “I’d like to disappear, please. Being an adult is terribly tiresome.”

“Hey, look at me.”

“I don’t want to,” I grumbled.

“Geordie…”

“Fine.” I sat up abruptly and pulled my wallet from my bag. I peeled off a few twenty-dollar bills and threw them on top of what was left of the nachos. “You’re right. I avoid Elliot and dozens of others just like him because I can’t take it anymore.”

“Take what?”

“The sadness and grief and constant crying. Every time someone tells me how sorry they are and how sad they feel for me, I want to fucking scream. I don’t want pity, and I don’t want to be sad. I don’t want to be reminded of what I’ve lost, and I don’t want anyone to tell me how old I am. I know I’m fucking old!” I slammed my hand on the table hard enough to rattle the dishes and alert our neighboring tables that a show was about to begin. I stood and grabbed my jacket. “I want to pretend I’m okay. I’m a fabulous actor and I can do this for forty more years if I have to, but I’m so fucking tired of tears.”

“What are you doing?”

“I am making a dramatic exit. Don’t mind me. I know my way around. You stay and—eat chips. I’ll find my way home.” I pointed at the dregs of our snack then slung my bag over my shoulder and sashayed away.

Of course, Levi was right behind me. “Geordie!”

I picked up my pace and hurried for the exit. Levi grabbed my arm just as I stepped onto the sidewalk. I broke free and whirled around with gritted teeth and claws bared. I was ready for a fight. And I wasn’t above starting one with an innocent party. I balled my hands into fists and gestured wildly toward the giant rainbow flag on the corner as the beginnings of a speech about pride, beauty, and the merits of being a badass bitch formulated in my brain. But the words stuck in my throat. I shook my head manically and brushed the back of my hand over my nose.

“I’m okay. I’m okay. It’s going to be okay.” Tears clouded my vision, so I repeated the chant again. And then again.

And then he pulled me into his arms, and I fell apart.

I sobbed big ugly tears as I clung to Levi like a life raft in the middle of the ocean. He didn’t speak. He didn’t move. He held his ground on that patch of sidewalk, silently daring anyone to interrupt my sorrow as he rocked me gently and massaged the back of my neck.

After a few minutes, I regained a modicum of composure and stepped out of his arms. Levi searched his pockets and then pointed at my bag. “You must have a tissue in that thing.”

I nodded and pulled one out. He swiped it from my hand and then tenderly pressed the Kleenex under one eye and then the other. Then he leaned in and kissed me. It was a soft touch of lips, nothing demanding or possessive. I smiled at the sweetness and then blew my nose. Loudly.

“ ’Scuse me. I’m a mess.”

“You’re beautiful,” he countered.

Something in his tone stopped me. I bit my bottom lip and sniffed. “This is beautiful? Oh Levi, you can do so much better than this.”

He set his hand on my hip and pulled me out of the way of faster-moving pedestrians. “I don’t want better. I want you.”

I regarded him for a moment then leaned against the stucco façade and made a production of stuffing the tissue back into my bag. “Why?”

“You’re a fighter. I like that about you. Even when you think you’ve got nothing left to give, you don’t give up.” Levi flattened his back against the building then ran his finger down the row of buttons on my jacket. “Your eyeliner is smudged, your hair is a mess, and your collar is crooked. I know you want to laugh it off and joke about needing a spa day, but I can’t help thinking you look like a warrior. A queer gladiator. The fiercest of the fierce. You’ve been in battle for almost four years, baby. It’s no wonder you’re tired. Sit down a while and rest.”

My breath hitched. The sentiment was so lovely; I wanted to cry all over again. I let out an amused huff instead. “It’s far too dirty. I can’t sit here.”

“Then lean on me, Geord. Let me hold you.”

Tears sprang to my eyes again. I swallowed around them as I laid my head on his shoulder. I had no concept of time. We might have stood there for a minute or an hour. The city bustled and moved around us. I was irritated that I couldn’t shake the melancholy and enjoy my adopted home, but I needed this more. And I was grateful he somehow knew it.

I kissed his cheek and pulled back to look at him. “Thank you. Just so you know…I wasn’t crying over Mike just then.”

“I know. I think you’re ready to live again. But you’re frustrated, and you feel guilty, and you aren’t sure how to gracefully exit one scene so you can move to the next.”

I gaped at him in wonder and slowly nodded.

“Yes. That’s it exactly. You know, when he died, I wanted to die too. I would have happily welcomed the Grim Reaper. ‘The door is open, honey. Take me with you!’ ” I affected in a campy tone. “But I don’t feel that way anymore. I may be on this planet for a while still, and I don’t want to miss a thing. Look at this place. Look at that glorious rainbow flag across the street. Look at those beautiful queers holding hands, raising their voices, and fighting for equality. I don’t want to say, ‘I used to be like them.’ I’m too damn amazing to be a has-been, for fuck’s sake. And I don’t want to miss out on the best things about life. Like sex.”

Levi barked a quick laugh then pulled me against him and tilted his pelvis suggestively. “Oh, yeah?”

“Mmmhmm. And I’m good at it,” I purred.

“I know.”

“Like Olympic medalist level good.”

“We can’t let all that talent go to waste.”

Levi grabbed my ass and licked the seam of my lips. I slid my tongue alongside his and hummed into the connection. We kissed in broad daylight, swaying like trees on a crowded city sidewalk. The slow buildup was heady. His hands moved up and down my back and in my hair. Some semblance of propriety kept me from grinding myself against his obvious erection.

I broke for air and bit his bottom lip. “We can’t do this here.”

He pulled back with a groan. “I can’t believe we’re an hour from home. My dick is so hard, I might pass out on the way back. Maybe we should get a hotel room.”

“That’s not necessary. We can go to my house.”

Levi frowned. “Okay, but that’s—”

“I have a place here. It’s far nicer than a hotel. Come with me.”

Twenty minutes later, Levi parked in front of my house in Russian Hill. The gorgeous three-storied Spanish revival was located on one of the steepest hills in the city with awe-inspiring views of the Bay. Every time I stood at the massive iron gate leading to the main entrance, I wanted to pinch myself. It didn’t seem real that this was mine. I felt that way about my cottage at the winery sometimes too, but this place was special. It was like a fairy-tale castle perched high above a magical kingdom. It was a quiet sanctuary in a vibrant rainbow-loving city. For a poor Mexican American kid from East LA, it was like a dream.

I hurried to the gate and punched in the code. The fog was rolling in, covering everything in a fine layer of mist. It was easily ten degrees cooler here than in the Castro, I mused as I fished my keys from my bag.

“Is this for real?” Levi asked, glancing up at the ornate door.

“Of course.” I twisted the key in the lock then pushed the door open with a flourish. “Welcome.”

Levi’s jaw dropped when he stepped into the entry. He set his hands on his hips and turned in a slow circle to take in his surroundings. The formal living area with its breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz was visible from this vantage point. His sharp gaze seemed to take in the silk draperies framing the floor-to-ceiling windows, the museum-quality art, and the opulent but tasteful furnishings. It was rather marvelous if I did say so myself, and I could tell he agreed.

I peeled off my jacket and set it on the bench near the sweeping staircase along with my bag. Then I moved to his side and laced my fingers with his. “I’ll give you a tour later. Come upstairs, darling.”

He paused on the bottom stair and opened his mouth in a comically wide “O.” “Holy shit. Look at that chandelier. This place is unreal.”

“Yes, it’s lovely but—hang on.” I hopped off the stair, plucked my bag off the bench and grinned at him.

“What’s in the bag?”

“Condoms, lube…a twelve-inch dildo.”

Levi laughed then licked his lips and hooked his fingers in my belt loop and tugged me closer. “You’re like a walking pharmacy.”

“It’s good to be prepared.” My breath hitched when he unbuckled my belt and then slowly unzipped my trousers. I may have whimpered when he stroked me through my briefs too.

“You never know when you’re going to need lube for that dildo,” he teased.

“I don’t have a dildo. I mean…I do. My collection is impressive actually, but—not in my bag.”

Levi slipped his fingers under the elastic of my briefs and closed his fist around my aching cock. “That’s too bad. I’d love to see you play with your toys.”

“Let me play with yours instead. Not on the stairs. This way.”

I held his hand as we climbed the stairs then led him down a wide hallway toward the master suite. I didn’t stop to wonder if I should choose a different room. I’d gone to a lot of effort to make this mine again, and there was no reason not to invite him in. I unbuttoned my shirt as I moved through the doorway then pulled it over my head. I could feel Levi behind me, eyeing the space as he kicked off his shoes and dealt with his own buttons. I wondered if he was listening for ghosts. I smiled at the fanciful thought and went perfectly still for a moment.

“Are you all right?” Levi asked. He ran his fingers down my spine as he nuzzled my neck and licked a trail along my jaw.

“Yes.” I pushed his shirt off his shoulders then reached for his belt.

“Good. Is it okay to be in here?”

I stilled my fingers and met his gaze. “Yes. I want to be here with you.”

Levi lifted my hands to his lips and kissed my knuckles. Then he nipped playfully at my bottom lip before crashing his mouth over mine in a possessive kiss that went from sweet to hungry in seconds flat. Our tongues twisted and danced in a frenzy, leaving us breathless and panting for more.

“Get naked,” he commanded.

I quickly obeyed then pulled back the white duvet and sat on the edge of the mattress to watch Levi undress. He was so beautiful…and fit. With his broad shoulders, trim waist, muscular thighs, and the perfect amount of fur on his toned chest, it was easy to tell he’d been an athlete. In other words, my complete opposite. I looked like a hairless Chihuahua next to him.

“Don’t let this go to your head, but you’re super sexy,” I commented idly.

Levi stepped out of his jeans and underwear then shot a devilish grin at me before sauntering to stand between my legs.

“Super sexy,” he repeated, cradling my face lovingly. “Are you nervous, baby?”

“I’m not. Well, maybe I am a little bit, but I think that’s normal.”

“We’ll go slow, and we can stop whenever you want. If you have second thoughts at all, I can—”

“I won’t. I want you.”

He brushed his thumb over my bottom lip and lifted my chin. “Say my name.”

I knew what he meant immediately. This wasn’t an idle request or a silly attempt at humor. Quoting a Destiny’s Child song wasn’t really Levi’s style anyway. No, this was something else.

“I want you, Levi. Only you.”

He bent to kiss me softly at first before deepening the connection. The switch from sweet to sensual was intoxicating. I moaned appreciatively at the subtle show of dominance before hooking my arms over his shoulders and pulling him on top of me. Levi yanked my hands above my head and captured my mouth again. He rocked his hips, sliding his rigid shaft against mine. There was nothing hurried or frantic in our quest for friction. We took our time and let the rhythm slowly build with twisting tongues and roving hands.

Levi shifted his weight and rolled me sideways. I lay back on my pillow and hiked my legs around his waist. Then I raked my nails down his back and lifted my hips. Our combined precum provided a natural lubricant for the steady, sweet glide of slick skin. We fit each other well. We were still learning, yet we seemed to know instinctively how to move and where to touch to make each other crazy. So when I slipped my hand between us and gripped our cocks, I wasn’t surprised Levi upped the tempo.

“Fuck, you feel good, baby,” he purred, licking the column of my neck and then biting my shoulder.

“Mmm. You’re gonna make me come if you—”

“No. Not yet.”

Levi slid down my chest, pausing to suck one nipple and then the other before making his way south. He nudged the tip of my cock with his nose and kissed it. I snickered at the silly gesture and pointed at the lube and condom I’d pulled from my bag and set on my nightstand earlier. He kissed his way back up my torso and blew a raspberry on my neck before leaning over to grab the supplies. I watched through hooded eyelids as he uncapped the bottle and poured lube on his fingers. He held up his hand and gave me a faux-serious look.

“What are you doing?” I propped myself on my elbows to see what the holdup was.

“I’m just going to explain how this works. You’re going to feel something cool at first. Then I’m going to stick my—”

“No,” I said, chuckling at his antics. “Don’t make me laugh.”

He swallowed hard then squinted. “I’m nervous. I’ve done this a million times but—”

“A million?”

“Okay. Slight exaggeration. A lot. But I don’t want to fuck this up. I want you to feel good. No. I want you to feel extraordinary.”

I blinked and nodded. “I do. And I promise you I’m okay. Don’t be nervous, Levi. You’re safe with me too.”

He crashed his mouth over mine and kissed me breathless. Then he sat back and got to work. He massaged the sensitive skin around my entrance and stroked my cock with his free hand, twisting his wrist the way I liked it. I held his gaze when he set a single digit over my hole and pushed. He bent his head and licked me from base to tip and back again, pausing to alternately suck my balls and the head of my dick as he finger-fucked me. When I sighed his name, he smiled up at me and kissed the inside of my thigh.

“You want more?” He didn’t wait for my response. He added a second finger and swallowed me whole.

“Yes. So good,” I sighed, lifting my hips to meet his talented mouth and ride his fingers at the same time.

I threw my head back on the pillow and writhed under my lover. I leaned on my elbow and reached for the condom. I opened it quickly and then set my hand on his forehead in warning.

“Stop. I need you now. Please.”

Levi released my cock and eased his fingers away. When he sat back to give me room, I scrambled to my knees and rolled the latex onto his shaft. I added lube and then gestured for him to lie back before I straddled his thighs and lined his cock at my hole and inched my way down. He rubbed the sides of my legs and ran his hands over my ass soothingly as I slowly moved. He was thick, and it hurt more than I wanted to admit at first. And then it didn’t. I rolled my hips to test my readiness and shivered as pleasure chased away the pain.

“Geord…move, baby. Just a little.”

I gave him a lopsided smile and complied. Fuck, he felt amazing. I splayed my hands flat on his chest and rose on my heels then lowered myself again. I rocked back and forth and side to side. My skin tingled, and every nerve ending went on instant alert. I’m back in the driver’s seat, I thought with a satisfied smirk as I braced my hands on the intricate, dark wood headboard and let my hips fly.

Levi grunted his approval and let me set the pace. I was an expert at topping from the bottom. I’d always been aware of what I liked in bed, and I was sure to ask for it. Or take it. I wondered how far he’d let me push him and what he’d let me get away with. Levi didn’t seem like the type of lover to give up control for long. I sat up tall and then reached behind me and pulled my ass cheeks apart and rode him in earnest. My cock bounced on his stomach as I built up speed. Maybe it was slightly twisted, but I fucking loved it when he talked dirty to me, urging me to ride him faster and harder. And when he smacked my ass and then gripped my cock and jacked me as I moved, I went a little crazy.

“Fuck yes! More,” I groaned.

“Kiss me, baby. C’mere.” He cupped the back of my neck and pulled me over him then drove his tongue between my lips.

The maneuver messed with my rhythm, but before I could regain control, Levi rolled me onto my back and took over without breaking the connection. He kissed me hard as he thrust in and out, pistoning his hips and moving like thunder. The erotic sounds of sweaty bodies colliding, intermixed with creaking bedsprings and sensual grunts, permeated the room. I arched my back and wrapped my legs higher still just as the first hint of orgasm hit me.

I broke the kiss and shoved my hand between us. “I’m gonna—”

“Come for me, baby. I’ve got you. Come now.”

I cried out as wave after wave of pleasure slammed into me and then pulled me under. And Levi was right behind me. He gathered me close and fucked me relentlessly and then fell apart. I was ultra-aware of the contrast of feeling safe and thoroughly ravaged at the same time. The balance was absolute perfection. As I lay underneath my lover’s trembling body, I couldn’t help feeling as though my powers had been restored. I felt whole and right and completely at peace.

Levi cleaned up in the master bathroom and returned with a warm washcloth for me. He set it on my stomach and chuckled softly when I didn’t move.

“Do you need help?” he asked.

I shook my head and gingerly opened my eyes. “That’s a complicated question. I need water at the moment.”

“I’ll get some.”

“Thank you. Take a right at the bottom of the stairs and you’ll bump into the kitchen. And if you happen to find cereal or crackers in the pantry, would you mind bringing them too? I’m hungry.”

“You’re going to eat crackers in bed?”

I pursed my lips and nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

“Hmph. Be right back.” Levi winked then moved to the doorway buck-ass naked.

I used the bathroom and washed my hands, studiously avoiding my reflection until I reached for a towel. I buried my face in it for a moment before cautiously looking into the mirror. I didn’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t the big-ass smile on my face. I replaced the towel and took a cursory glance around the elegant marble and crystal space. There were no ghosts lurking in the shadows. I was here with my lover. And that was okay.

I moved into the adjoining dressing room and studied my colorful wardrobe. The only color I didn’t see was black. I probably had a stash of wrinkle-free shirts and trousers in my favorite somber hue somewhere in the house, but this collection was…lovely. I pulled a pink floral silk from a hanger and impulsively shrugged it on before moving back into the bedroom.

“Hey. Looking good.” Levi whistled.

“So are you. What did you find?”

“Cinnamon Toast Crunch and water. There was a box of crackers too, but they were stale so here you go. Why don’t you sit at that table by the window, so you don’t get crumbs on the bed?” he suggested, grabbing a pillow and setting it on one of the chairs.

“What’s the pillow for?”

“Your ass.” He flopped on the opposite chair and grinned. He looked positively decadent with his legs open and his spent penis on full display. “So you live here, eh?”

I picked up the remote from the table and pushed a button. The heavy brocade silk curtains opened automatically, revealing another showstopping Bay view. The skies had turned a dark shade of gray, but the ample natural light from the wall of windows and the simple yet sophisticated white decor gave the master suite a light and airy feel no matter what the weather was like in San Francisco.

I sat on the pillowed throne he’d prepared and reached for a water bottle and the cereal. “Sometimes. I haven’t been here in a month or so. Thankfully I never opened this box.”

“You shouldn’t eat that. Let’s get dressed and grab some real food before we head back to Napa.”

“We don’t have to go anywhere. We can stay here for the night if you want.” I popped the bag open and shook a few cinnamon sugar cereal squares onto the table. “Help yourself.”

“That’s junk.” He examined the side of the box and shook his head.

“I thought you liked junk food.”

“Not sugary cereal, though. And this is all sugar.”

“Let me see. Never mind. I don’t have my glasses. Read the ingredients, darling.”

“Whole grain wheat—”

“I told you it was good for you,” I teased.

Levi rolled his eyes. “There’s more.”

“I’m sure there is, but if you must go on, make it sexy. You have a deep, masculine, yummy voice. I want to hear you make cereal a sensual experience.”

This time he threw his head back and laughed.

“Okay.” Levi cleared his throat and cast a lecherous sideways look my way before continuing in an exaggerated low timbre. “Sugar, rice flour, canola oil, fructose, which is another way to say more sugar…maltodextrin—”

“Ohh. What’s that?”

“Nobody knows, Geord. Let’s see, where was I? Dextrose, salt—”

“Oh, stop. Too sexy, Levi, my love.” I fanned myself with my hand in true camp fashion and fluttered my eyelashes. “You’re giving me the vapors.”

“Levi, my love?”

“It slipped.”

“I like it.”

We stared at each other for a moment. This felt dreamy to me. I liked him too much. I couldn’t tell him that but—

“Thank you. That was sublime.”

Levi’s smile morphed into megawatt grin. “It was super fantastic. Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m super fantastic,” I quipped then added in a serious tone, “Thank you for being patient and…kind.”

“Dude, you’re killin’ me,” he snorted. “What we just did was a-fucking-mazing. Words like patient and kind don’t fit. Cool it, or you’re gonna hurt my feelings…and make my balls shrink.”

I snickered then stood and held out my hand. “We can’t have that. Come back to bed with me.”

Levi folded his arms over his chest and huffed. “Finish your snack first. I have a ‘crumbs in bed’ phobia.”

“That sounds serious,” I commented before obeying. “Not so long ago, you were willing to roll around in croissant flakes.”

“Maybe on the floor, but not in bed.” He paused before switching topics. “So…how long have you lived here?”

I propped my elbow on the table and rested my chin on my hand, regarding him thoughtfully. I had a feeling I knew where he was going with this. We were something new, but we were standing on old ground.

“Mike bought this house a good ten years before he met me. I moved in with him a few months after we met, and I fell in love with the place. I wasn’t a gold digger by any means, but I admit there were some lovely perks to falling for a wealthy older man.”

“I don’t want your money, Geordie,” he said softly. “I’m not like that.”

“I know. Like I said, I wasn’t either. A few people warned him away from me. Obviously, Wes wasn’t fond of me in the beginning but Marshall was the worst.”

“Who’s Marshall?”

“An old friend of Mike’s. He hated me. Correction. He still does,” I sighed. “It didn’t matter to me as long as Mike knew I wasn’t after his money. I remember the day he brought me here. I stood on the balcony and looked out the window at the view and thought, ‘Wow, I feel like a real queen.’ I didn’t realize I’d spoken aloud until Mike laughed and said, ‘Welcome home, Your Highness.’ That’s why I like this house. The views are fabulous, and that kitchen is to die for, but it’s more than that. It’s a castle on a hill, and I am the queen. And I don’t mean royalty, although that’s a lovely dream. It’s the first place where I’d been reminded that not only was it okay to be myself, but I had a responsibility to be me. I’d been slowly growing into my own throughout my twenties, but the chapter that began here freed me. I didn’t have to hold back, I didn’t have to prove anything, I could just be myself—if that makes sense.”

Levi nodded but he didn’t speak right away. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts before assembling them into carefully chosen words. “It feels weird to be here. I want to be with you, but sleeping in another man’s bed is…strange.”

“If it makes you feel less ‘strange,’ I redid this room and the one in Napa. I had to. I was literally making myself crazy. I was a wreck after he died. I moved in with Wes because I couldn’t stay in my house or that bed. When Nick came along, I returned home…but not until the master suite was redecorated. New bed, new linens. New everything. I had a harder time going through his clothes. I only did that last year. I kept a few things of course, but I’m learning to let go.”

“I can’t imagine how hard that is. I wish I could help, but I’m conflicted ’cause…I want you so bad it hurts, but I don’t know how to move around a ghost.”

“He’s not here. I am. This isn’t his home anymore. It’s mine.” I set my hand over his. “I’m not the same person I was three and a half years ago. In a way, I’m not the same person I was when I met you. We’re always changing and if we’re lucky, we learn along the way. I hate that he was taken from me, but I’m learning to accept what I cannot change. And I want to learn how to let you in. I just need to go slow.”

Levi lifted our joined hands and kissed mine. “Luckily, I’m very patient.”

I grinned. “And kind.”

“Yeah, well…don’t start spreading rumors.” He stood abruptly and tugged my wrist. “Come on, baby. I thought you wanted to go back to bed.”

“Yes, but only if I can have my cereal,” I teased.

“Nope.” He yanked me into his arms and flipped me over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold; then he dropped me onto the bed and climbed on top of me. “No cereal. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient or don’t know what it is, you shouldn’t put it in your body.”

I busted up laughing and reached for his dick. “And what should I put in my body?”

Levi nipped my chin and lower lip. “That’s painfully corny, but I’ll play along. Me. I want to be inside you. Over and over and over again,” he purred.

I licked the corner of his mouth as I hooked my arms over his shoulders. “Well, we’ve got all weekend. Show me what you got.”

We spent the rest of Saturday and most of Sunday in bed. We ordered Chinese food, opened a bottle of wine, and ate dinner in the kitchen with our feet tangled under the enormous island and talked about current events and cooking shows. The air between us was clear. There were no ghosts in the way. No unspoken words, nothing to hide. It felt perfectly natural to climb the stairs and fall back into bed together, though I admit I was wary of how I’d feel waking up to next to him in the morning. Yes, I wanted it and the multiple orgasms were well worth it, but this was new. And it scared me.

I peeked over my pillow to find Levi watching me. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes were heavy with sleep. He looked sexy as hell, but concerned too, like he was bracing himself for me to freak out. I smiled softly then scooted into his space and rested my head on his shoulder. He caressed my ass and pressed kisses on my forehead, cheek, and lips. When he pushed me on my back and entered me, every push and pull felt like reassurance. Don’t worry. You’re okay. But I was more than okay. I felt free and open in a way I hadn’t in a long time. I wondered if Levi felt it too. It was a clean slate with blue skies and a world of possibility.