Chapter 7
Finley
My sister showed up twenty minutes ago. Right after I got out of the shower to wash the smell of sex off me. She took one look at the apartment and her lip curled slightly before she masked her disappointment that I don’t live in the ritzy end of a big city. I love my sister, don’t get me wrong, but we’re so completely opposite most people who don’t know us are shocked to hear we’re siblings.
Where I’m athletic, dark hair, tan easily and love nature, she’s pale, light reddish blonde hair, dark (sometimes soulless) eyes and the straightest back I’ve ever seen on anyone when she sits down.
It’s like we were raised in two separate houses.
Kat didn’t always used to be like this. College ruined her, in my opinion. I enjoyed my college years. Going to the Ivy League bullshit school she did turned her into a fifty year old money hungry woman at the ripe age of twenty five. Now that she’s nearing thirty? Ha!
I’d like to think my sister’s still in there somewhere and I’d love to think she’s salvageable.
“Who are you texting over there?” she speaks up after being nose deep in that laptop for the last ten minutes. Yep. She’s been here twenty minutes and half of that has been working.
“No one,” I mutter, sliding the phone into my pocket trying to figure out how to reply to Levi’s last text. His crazy ex is on her way here? Just perfect.
“You were grinning like an idiot staring at that phone. Don’t tell me no one. I’m a lawyer, I have my ways of finding out.” She looks at me pointedly and I feel sorry for all those poor unsuspecting people she battles in the courtroom. Beast is a good way to describe my sister at work.
“Just a friend. He sent me a funny meme.” I bite my nail and glance back at my phone after pulling it out to see if he sent anything else.
“He, huh?” she closes her laptop and wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Little sister’s got a boyfriend already?”
My stomach plummets and I just want to tell her yes, I do! But I can’t make the words come out.
“Just a friend” I say. God, what if that’s all we are? He said he wants me as long as he can have me. No one else. But that was before my sister showed up randomly. That was before his ex-girlfriend shoved her way back into his life.
I have to talk to him.
“I need to run out,” I blurt, heading for my shoes with insecurity boiling to the surface.
“What?” Kat laughs annoyed. “I just got here, Finley.”
I spin and give her that same laugh.
“And you’re working.” I raise my eyebrows and cross my arms in front of me. “I’m happy you’re here, Kat. But I have a life I can’t stop just because of it. Obviously you can’t either, so when I get back you’re going to explain why you’re here when you obviously have work to get done.” Her face falls and I grab my purse before heading out the front door, closing it behind me.
I get in my car, because if she’s watching me I don’t want a beeline shot to Levi. I round the block and pull in front of the house two doors down from him in the opposite direction and hop out, slamming my door as I jog to the front door. There’s a white explorer out front and my stomach drops that maybe I’m too late. Maybe she’s here and he’s decided breaking up with her was a bad idea.
Knocking hard, I steel myself for possibly meeting this crazy woman.
“Yeah?” A guy I’ve never met before answers the door and I remember him saying he lives here with five others.
“Levi here?” I shift and try not to let my nerves show. The man’s lips lift slightly and he nods, opening the door wider.
“Come on in.” He steps aside to let me in. “I’m Anders.” He smiles at me and it registers that he’s handsome as all hell, but I’m on a mission for Levi.
“Finley,” I say, looking around. “Is he available?”
“Oh yeah, just this way.” He grins slyly and walks down the hallway, stopping in front of the bathroom door. “He’s showering. You can wait in his room if you want.” He nods across the hall and I smile.
“Thanks.” I head into his room, closing the door behind me and wait on his bed getting lost in the view. He’s got the best damn view I’ve ever seen. The teals and blues of the ocean reflect on his white walls and somehow even the room smells like a beach should. Fresh. Clean. Bright. Not like a guys’ room at all.
The door cracks open and I hear Levi joking with someone down the hall.
“Right!” he yells. “Fuck you, too!”
“She’ll be here soon, princess!” Anders yells back.
“I’m locking my damn door. Don’t let her in.” Levi curses and I grin at their banter and sit up, biting my lip nervously as I wait for him to realize I’m in here. He walks in, a towel slung low on his hips and I briefly forget why I’m here. My eyes hold on to that ‘v’ that turns my brain to mush and makes my lady bits tingle. “Finley?” he blurts, slamming the door behind him. My eyes fly to his and I try to grin.
“Surprise!” I scrunch my nose and giggle, standing from the bed and walking over to him.
“What’re you doing here, Squirt?” His arms wrap around me and he chuckles. “Where’s your sister?”
“Back at my place working.” I pull back and rest my hands on his pecs. “I needed to see you.” My eyebrows furrow briefly before wrapping my arms around his waist again and resting my head on his chest. He smells fresh. Clean. The water droplets on his chest press against me and I take a deep breath, inhaling the crisp scent of Levi right after a shower. God, he smells good. I should back up and give the man space but I don’t. I can’t.
He holds me tight for what feels like forever before pulling back and bringing his hand to my cheek.
“You never replied. I thought you were pissed,” he whispers.
I shake my head.
“Scared is more like it. This is all so new and fresh…even if it doesn’t feel like it. I guess with everything going on I just realized how easy it would be for you to walk away.”
His eyebrows push together and his eyes lock onto mine. Both hands brace around my face. I almost get lost in the blue swirl, shining at me like I’m the most important thing in his life.
God, I want that to be true.
“I’ve wanted you for as long as I can remember. Yeah, this might be a new situation for the two of us…” he sighs and shakes his head. “But I’ve spent the majority of my life wanting you. These feelings I have aren’t new, Finley. Why the hell would I give up now that I finally have you?”
My lips curve up into a bright smile.
“The majority of your life, huh?”
“Absolutely.” He kisses me softly and when he deepens the kiss I whimper in his arms, loving how aroused he gets just from a kiss.
Growling then letting out a curse, he pulls back and pushes his forehead to mine.
“I can’t stop Miranda from coming here, Finley,” he whispers. “I wish I could. But I don’t know what her problem is. I can promise you there’s nothing to worry about.”
I sigh.
“I hate this whole situation.” I admit.
“We’ll just have to sneak around more.” He moans and lifts me, letting his towel fall and I gasp when he spins me against the door. “I kind of like the thrill of the possibility of getting caught.” He grins into the kiss as his lips slam to mine.
“Yo!” Someone pounds on the door and Levi growls, dropping his head to my shoulder but I can’t stop giggling. “Put some clothes on. You have a visitor!”
“Pence, seriously,” Levi growls and steps back, running his hand through his hair.
“I should probably go, huh?”
“Yeah. Fuck.” Shaking his head, he wraps his arms around me again. “I really don’t want you to. But Miranda’s unpredictable and I’d hate to send you back to home with a black eye.”
“Hey, I could probably take her.” I pretend to be offended but he’s right. I’m scrappy and couldn’t land a swing if I tried.
Which I never have.
With a laugh he taps my nose and nods to the back door that’s attached to the porch. “Want to sneak out?”
“So much sneaking.” I roll my eyes and giggle when he slaps my ass as I step out onto the porch.
“I’ll see you soon. I promise.” He pushes his lips to mine, his hand holding my chin still as he brushes his lips against me. Anders pounds on his door again and yells that company is here…still…and Levi groans. “Wish me luck.”
“Same.” I don’t want to pull away but I do and I skip down the steps, taking the long way back to my car and the even longer way home.
When I walk into my apartment it doesn’t look like my sister’s moved from her spot at the table. She glances up at me then right back down to her notes on her laptop, waving her fingers at me before she starts talking to someone.
Oh. Her phone. She’s on a business call in my living room.
The childish side of me wants to blare the radio…because it’s my house and I can do what I want. But instead I walk by her, use the ice machine on the fridge to grab some crushed ice for my water, then walk past her again on the way to my bedroom. Making sure to very blatantly ignore her as I go.
I turn on Netflix and start to count down the minutes before she goes home. I’m good with her visiting to have fun. Coming down last minute with no notice and sitting here acting like I’m a burden to her work environment is not the way I want her to visit.
***
“Finley?” I hear my sister’s whisper and feel her nudging me. Groaning, I slap her away and curl back into my blankets. I don’t know what time it was when I finally fell asleep but for the love of God do not wake me up in the middle of the night. “Fin!” she barks and I shoot up in bed, just missing hitting our faces together.
“Fuck, Kat!” I yell. “It’s the middle of the night!”
“Yeah. And some goons out on the beach think now’s a fantastic time for a beach bonfire.” She plops on my bed. “They’re loud.”
“So put a pillow over your ears.” I lie back down and she groans and lies next to me, restricting my blankets from moving to where I need them.
“Can’t you call the cops or something?”
Laughing harshly, I tighten my fists at my side and squeeze my eyes shut.
“Kat. It’s a public space. They aren’t hurting anything. Did you not learn to sleep through party noise in college?”
“I didn’t party in college, you know this.” She scoffs. “Just make it stop. Or let me sleep in here.”
I had no intentions on getting involved. Nope. I wasn’t going to intervene in this battle. She can fight her own.
But when she curls into my bed I lose my shit.
“Get up,” I blurt, throwing off the covers and storming to the living room. She runs after me like she’s scared we’re going to get in trouble and I pause, wondering what the hell is wrong with her. Yanking open the patio door, I step outside and the muggy Florida air hits me.
Who the hell would want a bonfire in this weather?
I hear the laughing and see the fire in the barrel a few houses down. Right behind Levi’s house…
“Shit,” I mutter, watching the crowd of people around the fire, all seemingly drinking and happy as can be at two a.m. I wonder if he’s in the group. Why, of all nights, would they pick tonight to do something like this? Maybe it’s not them…
“Pence!” I hear yelled into the night and I know that voice. And that name. Rolling my eyes, I lean over the banister and find it in me to yell at them, when in all reality I just want to join them.
“Can’t a girl get some sleep around here?” I yell, backing off so they can’t see me almost fall over the railing. My sister’s standing behind me and when we hear them all cackle I roll my eyes.
If this were any other night I’d be out there with them. I wouldn’t care. But it’s not any other night. It’s a night that my sister’s here and I have to play the part of annoyed civilian or I’ll give way too much away.
“Just call the cops,” she murmurs, arms crossed in front of her. I pause and glare at her.
“I’m not calling the cops on them.” I rush back inside but before I can slam the door and give up my bed for the night to my sister, I hear a girl yell into the night and I freeze.
Fury. Anger. Jealousy.
I want to walk out there and slap the bitchy, whiny tone from this girl’s voice.
“Let’s go, Levi!” she yells at the top of her lungs. “The house is empty, baby!”
My throat tightens and my eyes burn with rage. Baby? No one calls him baby but me! I spin to rush out the front door and go give her a piece of my mind but I catch the look on my sister’s face and my joints lock up. She heard it too. She hasn’t mentioned him, though…so maybe she doesn’t know he lives so close.
Either way, I can’t go out there now. Because she’ll follow. And it’s two in the morning. Definitely not the time for this conversation.
“You want to sleep in my bed?” I whisper, closing the patio door tight and she looks over at me. The look of confusion and hurt that I briefly saw streak across her face is gone.
“I’ll be okay out here.” She smiles. “I’m sorry for putting you through that. Rude kids.” With a roll of her eyes she moves back to the couch. I can still vividly hear the laughter and screaming so I groan and grab her blanket.
“Let’s go. I’ll turn on a movie and we’ll fall asleep like we used to back in the day.”
Smiling up at me, I see the sister I grew up with inside the façade of the business woman she’s turned herself into.
With as much of an inconvenience it is having her here at this very moment, maybe it’s exactly what she needed.
***
“You remember Levi?” My sister’s words cut through the silence in the kitchen as I make us bacon and eggs and I almost drop the spatula. I slept like shit last night while she snored away, not budging from her spot on top of the covers. Who sleeps on top of the covers? My coffee pot isn’t making the sweet delicacy fast enough and if I have to hear her on the phone with one more client already this morning I’m going to lose my shit.
“Yep.” I chirp probably too loud then, with shaky hands, pour myself another cup of coffee, contemplating whether or not to tell her the truth right off the bat.
“He lives here.”
I pause, trying to gauge my reaction and make sure it’s not too shocked but not too nonchalant. Wow, it’s hard acting. Damn good thing I never wanted to be an actress.
“Really?” I don’t turn around because I think my cheeks are burning. And not out of guilt, but only because thinking about him sends need straight between my legs and turns my thoughts dirtier than a gutter after a storm.
“Yeah. He’s doing work down here with the roofing company his dad owns.”
“Cool. We should hang out with him.” The words flow out of my lips before I know what I’m actually suggesting and when I glance back at her there’s a smile on her face that makes me uneasy.
“I was kind of hoping I could get a hold of him. We left things so weird last time we hung out.” She scrunches her nose and my stomach twists.
“Weird? How?” Trying to keep my voice and hands calm as I carry her the plate and talk about my boyfriend like he’s a stranger is not the easiest. And then she lets out this awkward laugh groan thing and I know exactly what she’s about to tell me before the words leave her lips.
Fuck.
“We just…” She shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s Levi.” She sighs. God, I know that feeling. “He’s always been there and I never really saw him, you know? But I do now…and I’m terrified to say something to him about it.” Sitting up straight in my seat, I’ve lost my appetite and all I want to do is throw myself off my balcony.
“You’ve loved him a while haven’t you?” I whisper, swallowing down the tears.
“I don’t know if it’s love,” she says quickly and for some reason I feel slightly better about the situation. Somehow. “I just…” She shrugs and I smile at her, feeling like the lines are cracking my face.
How the hell am I going to make it out of this without hurting my sister? I could always break it off with him, but I don’t feel right throwing away my happiness because of her. She wouldn’t do it for me. Never has in the past.
“Well, call him,” I chirp too loudly again, hopping up from my spot.
“You’re not eating?” she questions and I flip around to look at my plate still full of food.
“My stomach’s off. I’m taking a shower.” With trembling hands, I grab my phone and bolt to the bathroom, locking the door behind me.
Me: Code. Red. I just figured out why my sister’s here.
I hit send and sit on the side of the tub, throwing my head into my hands. It should be easy. I could have just said ‘Hey Kat, I ran into Levi a while back and since then I’ve kind of fallen pretty hard for him. Truth be told I’ve liked him for years and we were both too chicken to do anything back then because we didn’t want to hurt you. But we’re adults now and I hope you can see our happiness isn’t worth throwing away friendships over.’
Sounds perfect right? Ha! I wish it were that easy. But it’s not. My phone chimes and I glance down at the screen.
Levi: Me too
He attaches a screenshot of the texts she’s sent him over the last twelve hours and my eyes almost bug out of my head. Seven texts, all seemingly not responded to, range from I miss you to we need to talk to Meet me at this address today.
Today.
Me: She definitely didn’t come here for me. She’s here for you, Levi. And not in the friendship way.
Levi: We’ll figure this out, Squirt.
I try to think positive but there aren’t many positive things to look at today. My boyfriend’s in the same house as his ex-girlfriend who thinks they’re still together and my sister’s in love with my boyfriend.
Perfect situation.
Me: How was the bonfire last night?
I hit send and turn on the shower, stripping my clothes off and waiting for the steam to overtake the bathroom. Glancing down at my phone, I see his response and grin.
Levi: Some crazy cat lady screamed at us in the middle of the night. And I slept in King’s bed because Miranda won’t leave my room. Dude snuggles like no other.
I let out a laugh and my hand flies to my mouth. I don’t know this King character but if his name fits his personality I’m already terrified of him.
Me: Sounds thrilling. This crazy cat lady is getting in the shower
Levi: Pics or it didn’t happen
I smirk and take a quick selfie, not showing him near enough of what he wants and toss my phone on the counter before hopping in the shower. I need to figure this out. I want Levi in my life but I don’t want to lose my sister in the process.
***
I text Alexa on our way here, letting her know the details of everything that’s happened this weekend. She replied with one of those gif’s of Michael Jackson eating popcorn then a few laughing faces. I like having her as a friend and feel good that I can have someone to talk to who knows the whole story and doesn’t judge me.
“He said he’d meet us here,” Kat says, shuffling her feet nervously. She’s wearing heels and a tight black skirt that shows off her small curves with a blouse our mother would wear. I almost feel bad for the girl. She’s not ugly by any means. And when presented properly she could be hot as hell. But her sense of style is null and void. Stuffy. Unfortunate.
“He’ll be here,” I rub her arm. “What if he has a girlfriend, Kat?”
“Then he has a girlfriend and I’ll wish them the best of luck. I just want to clear the air. See if there’s anything there that could have been or could still be. You know?” She rubs her hands together nervously in front of her and I smile.
I wish I could believe her, but the minute she finds out the girlfriend Levi is so infatuated with is really her little sister I’m sure she won’t feel that zen about it.
“That’s a good mindset.” I pat her shoulder and see his car pull into the parking lot of the Japanese restaurant she picked for lunch. A restaurant that is way out of my price range so I’ve never even considered eating here. My sister’s paying today so I don’t have to worry about it. And I may even get a glass of wine just to add to the bill I don’t have to pay.
When Levi’s passenger door pops open my stomach plummets that he brought the ex-girlfriend with him, but when I see Anders step out I smile in relief.
“Who’s that?” Kat asks. I don’t want to give away that I know him because giving that away would give away that I know Levi is here so I shrug.
“No clue,” I mutter, nervousness rolling through my stomach like rocks on a ship.
Shit, I hope Levi gave Anders the rundown of this situation. He could possibly kill this whole plan before we even have it set in stone.
“Hey,” Levi says, going to hug Kat first then he hugs me and I breathe in his scent, missing him even though it’s only been a few hours. His hug lingers longer than it did with my sister but I force myself to pull back and look over at Anders nervously.
Please don’t give it away.
“I’m Anders,” he says to me, his hand jutting out with a knowing smile on his face. Relief flushes over me and I take his hand in mine, noticing finally how many muscles this man has. Like he spends his life at the gym. And his hand?
Massive.
“Finley. Nice to meet you.” I smile sweetly and pull my hand back, watching Anders move to Kat. He’s suave. Sweet. And that smile. Bright white and tanned skin. Brilliantly handsome. Damn. But when I glance at the way he’s looking at my sister, then look over at Levi who’s standing there smirking, I know what his plan is.
And I love it.
“You guys want to grab some grub?” Levi clasps his hands together and leads us into the restaurant, following me through the door and his hand grabs my ass before dropping it without a word or a second glance my way. I gasp and my knees tremble, knowing the game he plans on playing today.
When we take our seats I manage to end up next to him without even trying. Anders is on the other side of my sister, talking her ear off. She keeps looking at Levi but she’s talking to Anders like she’s enjoying the conversation.
Strange.
I look at Levi who’s ordering us all an appetizer and waters and wonder how he looks so calm about this. I’m a nervous wreck!
“So, Kat” he says, getting my sister’s attention. “You wanted to talk about something?”
I poke at my napkin with my fork, feeling like a child that shouldn’t be listening to her parents talking.
“Oh,” my sister whispers, then looks at me and shakes her head. “No. It’s fine. We can talk another time. I’m just so happy to see you!” She rubs his hair and scrunches her nose. “This needs a cut.”
“Hey, I like my hair,” Levi mumbles and I smile.
“Me too,” I blurt, so nervous I don’t realize that I sounded like I was swooning until Anders’s eyes hit mine wide and I clear my throat. “I mean. It’s nice. Anders, tell us about yourself. Do you work with Levi?”
He starts telling us his life story and my sister’s looking at him like he hung the moon and suddenly wants nothing to do with talking to Levi about whatever it is she came here for.
Anders goes on talking, taking over the conversation at the table while Levi’s hand pushes over to my thigh and I tense. With wide eyes, my gaze hits his relaxed glance.
“So little miss Finley. Why didn’t I know you lived here?” A raised eyebrow looks back at me and I try to push through the panic that his fingers are walking their way higher on my thigh. I’m wearing shorts so there’s only so far he can go, but right now if my sister were to see this she may actually die.
“I work for the Parks Department in the Everglades. Doing the boat tours.”
“No shit!” Anders barks mid-conversation with my sister. “I’ve always wanted to do one of those!”
“Same,” my sister says, smiling. “Maybe you can take us on one this week while I’m here?”
“Well I do work every day this week and late Wednesday evening. Maybe you guys can drop by for a private guided tour.” The last thing I want to do is push what I love so much on people who don’t get it, but having the chance to show Levi what I do at work every day would be awesome.
“Wednesday it is,” my sister says, looking at Levi and Anders. Levi’s hand snakes higher up my thigh under the table and gives me a gentle squeeze. I clench my thighs together to calm the need as my sister keeps talking and the act of my utter need makes Levi chuckle low. It doesn’t help. “You have any other friends who would want to come with? Make it a group tour?” My sister’s acting like this is any normal lunch. It’s not. Maybe to her it is, but in reality it’s one of the most difficult lunches I’ve ever had.
Especially when Levi’s hand gently spreads my legs and makes its move for the one place I need him right now.
“I can only fit eight people with us on the boat so it can’t be a huge group.” I gasp then start to cough, trying to cover my shock when he slides his fingers under the hem of my shorts.
“We’ve got guys, yeah.” Levi smiles at my sister and I’m suddenly jealous over that smile not being directed at me. She starts to talk to him about something from when they were kids and he manages to slide my shorts out of the way enough to slide his finger down my core and I grit my teeth, unable to focus on anything but the feeling of his hands on me.
Holy hell.
He shifts in his seat and acts like he’s interested in something across the room but it’s the perfect angle for him to dip his fingers inside me. I cough and grip the table, my nostrils flaring and my pussy burning with need for him. I squirm under his touch and Anders looks over at me and smirks. I clear my throat and grab my water, chugging it down as Levi’s fingers push into me then slide out slowly. He circles my clit, dips into me, and drives me to the edge of orgasm right there at the lunch table. I’m sweating and my ears are ringing by the time I see the waitress approaching the table. When our food is delivered Levi smiles and pulls his hand out without looking at me. I watch him pick up a noodle off his plate, put it in his mouth…then continue to lick his fingers.
The fingers that he just had inside me.
I groan and look over at my sister who’s completely clueless to what he just did.
“Ever heard of a fork?” She raises an eyebrow at him then grabs his fork, handing it to him. He chuckles and takes it, glancing over at me.
“Sometimes things taste better off my fingers.”
My cheeks burn and Anders coughs, bringing the attention back to him and off Levi and my juices on his fingers.
I like this guy.
Lunch doesn’t go as terribly as I thought it would. My sister’s interest in Anders is adorable and completely unexpected but I’ve noticed her watching Levi when he’s not looking and it’s grating on my nerves. The way she talked about Levi was like she’s been stuck on him for years and that’s the reason she hasn’t been able to find anyone else to date. But sitting at this table tonight has shown me a different side of her. She’s laughing and carrying on with Anders like we’re not even here and hiding whatever emotions she has towards Levi. It’s confusing and by the end of lunch I’m buzzed and needing a breather from everything.
“I’m going to use the bathroom,” I say, excusing myself. I’m wound tight as hell due to Levi who thinks it’s okay to tease me and push me to the edge of my comfort zone. Between being able to stare at him freely, remembering what he did to me last night and the way he keeps sneaking touches I’m ready to combust.
“I’m going to get the bill,” Kat says, standing and grabbing her purse to head to the waiter’s station.
I head into the bathroom and turn on the cold water, trying to calm my racing heart. The door flies open and before I can react, Levi’s hands are on me, pushing me against it to hold it closed.
“Did you have to wear these today?” he growls, his hands roaming my ass and playing with the hem of my shorts. “A dress would be so much easier to fuck you fast in.”
His words make me moan and my head falls against the door. His lips connect with my neck and send electric waves through me, heading straight for my pussy.
“You’re going to get us caught,” I pant, needing him inside me. His hand slides up the back of my tank and his mouth pushes against mine, tasting me and feeling my body but not going where I need him to.
“You make me insane, Finley,” he murmurs on my lips. “I can’t seem to control myself with you around.”
“You should try a little harder next time,” I pant out, letting his hand snake around to my front and move to my breast.
“She’s infatuated with Anders now. The guy can play a mean hand.” He chuckles and I smile.
“I think it’s cute.”
“It’s getting her off my case, right?” The smirk he gives me makes his eyes sparkle.
“We should get back out th—” my words are cut off by another deep, passionate kiss. His fist twists in my hair and he deepens the kiss again. I arch against him and he groans, pulling me so tight against his body I can feel his erection. “God, Levi,” I pant, my entire body on fire for this man.
Someone knocks on the door and he grunts.
“This is torture,” he whispers, pulling back and pushing his hands through his hair. Stopping with his hands on his head, he looks at me and there are no words needed for the look he’s giving me. He’s as miserable keeping this from her as I am.
We both may be in the wrong here, but there currently isn’t a ‘right’ side to be on.
“You guys want to come over for drinks?” Anders asks as we walk out to the parking lot. My sister laughs and nods her head.
“I’m down. I haven’t drank in ages.” She’s opening up more and more the longer she’s here so my thought that maybe this trip is exactly what she needs stands true. I just wish I wasn’t keeping this from her.
“Hey. No puking on the rug tonight,” Levi jokes, laughing.
“I doubt a lady like Kat would ever get puke drunk.” He winks at my sister and Levi barks out a laugh. “But if you do I have a bed that’s more comfortable than yours.”
“Alright, man. She’s like my sister. Don’t look at her like you want to fuck her senseless.” He wraps an arm around Kat’s shoulder and gives the top of her head a hard rub, messing up her hair. She scoffs and pulls out of his arms, fixing her hair.
“I’m not your sister,” she snaps, confusion lacing the perfected face of makeup she spent hours applying today.
“I’m your sister.” I say to her, shrugging.
“Right. So I can honestly say having my best friend fucking my sister is a no go zone. But Levi can’t say that because I’m not his sister.”
Her words slice through the air and the three of us fall silent. My heart’s pounding. Anders’ face falls. And Levi’s jaw is so tight he might actually be crushing those teeth right now.
“So,” Anders speaks up first, thank God. I’m not sure I could talk right now without crying. Her words just did a world of damage I was praying wouldn’t happen. Because after all the lies and sneaking around… I mean, now when we do finally tell her we’re going to look like complete assholes. “Drinks?”
“Sure!” Kat chirps like she didn’t just crush my hopes and dreams and starts walking towards the cars. I pause, looking at Levi whose eyes look as defeated as I feel.
“We’ll figure this out, Squirt,” he whispers quietly before walking off towards them, leaving me standing here alone.
No we won’t. This isn’t going to be pretty. And it’s not going to be easy. But it has to eventually be done. I just know now it’s probably not going to be done this trip.
I have to figure out a way to make her okay with this.
The drive back to his place is silent and I’m sure my sister’s too lost in her thoughts at the moment to realize how lost in mine I am. When we park two houses down from my apartments she makes a noise and I glance over at her. Her eyebrows are pushed together and she’s trying to place the puzzle pieces together.
Please don’t, Kat. Please put the lawyer in you away for now.
“He lives so close…” she mutters then looks over at me and my heart’s in my throat waiting for her to finish her sentence. “That was probably them last night.” The stern look on her face cracks and she busts out laughing, causing me to nervously laugh along with her.
“Oh,” I say, giggling. “Yeah. Probably.” Opening my door, I get out before Kat and glance at Levi who’s smiling and laughing at something Anders said as they climb the front porch steps. I love that smile. And those arms. And… Aw fuck…
“The house is beautiful,” Kat says as she makes it to my side and we walk up together. This feels so weird. So damn weird.
“Yeah.” I don’t know what to say so we follow the boys inside and I go straight for the beer. I can’t love Levi this soon. Can I?
Anders is talking our ears off about work and remodeling the house Levi bought back home. They’ve been roommates for the last five years and he can’t wait to get back and keep working on it. I try listening and acting like I care but my ears start to ring the longer we sit here. He keeps reminding me they only have about a month or so left. And the look my sister keeps flashing back and forth between me and Levi is making me nervous. We’re keeping our distance but Levi’s pushing the limit. He’s always in the same room as me. He follows me to the kitchen when I go to get a new drink. He sits where he can see me and is constantly watching me. It’s hot, but it’s going to get us caught. I was hoping more people would be home tonight but the house is surprisingly empty and it makes me wonder if this place is ever full. Levi said more people lived here but I haven’t seen much of anyone other than this morning.
It dawns on me the longer we sit here that there’s been no trace of Miranda, the ex-girlfriend, anywhere. I want to ask what happened to her but that’d be a dead giveaway so I pull out my phone and shoot Levi a text.
Me: Where’s the ex?
His phone chimes from his pocket a moment later and my eyes fly wide open. I didn’t think he’d have it on so loud! I shove my phone into my pocket and try to not look guilty. I watch him read the text and he smirks, giving his head a shake.
“Girlfriend?” my sister asks, crossing her legs and relaxing back into the couch dangerously close to Anders.
“Yeah,” he says, grinning then looking at me before looking back at his phone and typing out his reply. I feel my phone buzz in my pocket but thank God it’s on silent. It’s burning a hole in my pocket not being able to read that message, but it’d be way too dangerous checking it so soon after that.
“I think I’m going to take a walk.” I shoot to my feet.
“I’m good.” Anders relaxes back on the couch and his arm goes to rest behind my sister.
“I could use some fresh air, too,” Levi says, standing from the couch and looking at Kat. “You coming?”
I know he had to invite her so he doesn’t give it away that he wants to hang out with me, but it’s annoying as hell. I want time with him! God, this is hard.
“I think I’m okay. Pretty exhausted.” She smiles at me and shifts on the couch an inch closer to Anders.
“Great.” I chirp, heading for the back door. Levi follows me and the minute the door closes behind us he spins me, his hands on my waist, pushing me against the siding just out of view. His lips slam to mine and I relax slightly.
“Levi,” I whisper, pushing him away and looking back through a nearby window panicked that my sister saw that.
“She’s so infatuated with Anders right now I’ll be surprised if she comes home with you tonight.”
“You think?” I scrunch my nose thinking about my sister having a one-night stand with him. “I don’t think she’s like that.”
“I wouldn’t put it past her. Before lawyer school ruined her funness she used to be a riot.” He laughs and hops off the bottom step then tosses his sandals back to the porch. I grin at him and drop my flip-flops by the steps before joining him on the beach.
“You look beautiful today, Finley.” His hand takes mine as we start to walk and as much as I think I should pull it away in case Kat sees, I don’t. I need this connection with him right now. He’ll be gone soon, so I need to take what I can get.
“Thank you.” I nudge him. “You clean up nicely yourself, too.”
“You sure you didn’t mean to say that to Anders? I saw you eye fucking him earlier.”
I gasp and look at Levi who’s smiling and trying not to laugh.
“I was not eye fucking him!” I laugh, slapping his arm. “I was just shocked, that’s all.”
“Shocked, huh?” He kicks up some sand as we walk.
“Yeah. That someone as hot as you could have equally as good-looking friends. Is there some pact that you guys all have to stay buff and handsome or something?”
“Oh equally, huh?” He laughs a sharp laugh.
“Well, not quite as handsome. But still. Hot.” I laugh. “I mean not my type of hot. He’s not my type,” I stammer and Levi laughs, pulling me closer to his side.
“I’m giving you hell, Squirt. I know your type and I know he’s not it.” He winks at me when I look up at him. After glancing behind us, he whispers, “Come on.” Gripping my hand, he pulls me towards my apartment complex.
“What are you doing?” I hiss, laughing at his urgency.
“What I’ve wanted to do for hours. Do you have a key?”
I grin, shaking my head no.
“You didn’t tell me we were sneaking away to fuck,” I say laughing.
“Fuuuuuuck. Always think that, Squirt. Always. I can’t get enough of you.” He groans, his hands pushing through his hair. “Fine. Here.” He finds the door for the laundry room and slips us inside before locking it behind him. “This will do,” he grunts, pushing me up to sit on one of the dryers and spreading my legs apart. I’m on fire for this man. Needy for him. Absolutely melting at his touch as his lips trail along my skin. He’s able to do things to my body that no one ever has been able to do. It’s scary but so fucking sexy. His hands know what they’re doing to me and the low chuckle that comes out of him when he pushes my shorts down and finds me without any panties on makes me smile and my cheeks burn.
“Shit, Finley,” he groans, sliding his fingers down my wet heat. I moan and squeeze my eyes closed when he dips his fingers inside me. Arching against his hand, he teases me to the brink of orgasm just to back off before I fall off that ledge.
“Fuck me, Levi,” I pant, frantically tugging at his shorts and shoving them down, freeing his erection, he moves quickly to snag a condom from his wallet. He growls and pushes into me in one hard thrust and I let out a scream because he feels so fucking good buried deep inside me.
So good.
Too good.