CHAPTER THREE
Levi Holden was bone tired. Waking up in his king-sized bed in the luxury hotel room, it took a few minutes for him to catch his bearings. Eyes gritty and head foggy, he lay there breathing deeply as his brain caught up with his current surroundings. He hadn't taken a nap in years. Eight years, to be exact. Ever since his little girl was born. He'd almost forgotten what it was like.
His daughter Jessica was back at home in Virginia with her grandmother. He'd wanted to bring her with him, but he knew this trip was not the best one for her to come and experience the old city. That would have to be another trip at another time. He missed her, though, and would have to make sure he called her this afternoon to check in on her. He'd promised to tell her all about the trip and take lots of pictures of Bridgette's dress.
Laughing a little as he thought of his little girl, he thanked the stars above she was nothing like her mother. His ex-wife had been a piece of work and the best thing she'd ever done for him was give birth to their beautiful little girl.
Two years after their daughter's birth, she'd walked away from them, thoughtless about the damage she was doing to her own child. It was right after he'd caught her fucking another man in their bed.
Honestly, he'd been more pissed off that he'd have to buy a new mattress than with her leaving. The fact that he now had a reason to get rid of her cheating ass had him dancing a fucking jig down the hallway. Now post-divorce, she did the obligatory weekends and summer break visits with their daughter, but Levi tried his best to limit her influence.
Sitting up in the bed, he looked over at his phone and saw he'd missed a few messages. Glancing at who was trying to reach him, he realized Heath and Patrick were blowing up his phone. His two buddies were also in town for the wedding and were trying to head out for some drinking. He was positive they would blame him for holding up the party.
They'd all been to New Orleans many times before, but this visit wasn't about them. It was about Bridgette and attending her wedding.
Heath was Bridgette's cousin, but they'd all grown up together in Olney, Maryland. From the time the boys were old enough to crawl, their families had been friends. Gathering together for backyard barbeques and holiday dinners for years, there was no way he wouldn't be here to support his friend Bridgette. She was the pesky little sister he'd never had, and he was happy she'd found such happiness.
A few hours later, Levi met up with the guys in the hotel lobby and they exited the hotel, looking for something to get into. They had a couple of days until the wedding festivities, and he and his buddies were ready for some fun.
"Are we hitting the strip clubs tonight?" Patrick asked. If there was a strip club within a fifty-mile radius, his friend was sure to find it. Levi was surprised his friend's head wasn't on a permanent swivel with all the semi-naked flesh surrounding them.
Levi looked over at Patrick and shook his head. "Man, is that all you think about?"
"Yup," his friend said with a laugh. "But first, I need a damn drink. Who's ready for a hurricane?"
"I know I am," Heath said with a deep sigh. "Work's been shit lately. The case I'm working on is killing me. This weekend couldn't have come soon enough."
Patrick turned to look at him and smiled. "You know what they say about weddings. It's the best place to meet lonely, single women."
Heath gave him a sideways glance. "Who says that?"
"Everybody does. Come on, man. We're single, we're in New Orleans, and the world is our oyster. I'm ready to celebrate."
Levi laughed at his buddy. "I'm here for Bridgette and her wedding. I'm not looking for anything more than that this weekend."
Giving him a sly look, Heath pushed a little. "Isn't Theresa going to be here this weekend?"
"So what?" Levi wasn't going to think about the woman who never left his thoughts for very long. Theresa Davis was the one woman he'd never been able to get past.
And if his past actions were an indication, he never would. They'd been playing this game for more than two years, and neither seemed to be able to move on from the other.
When they'd first hooked up, it was after a night of partying and fun with the entire group of friends at a beach house in Delaware. They'd both drank a little too much and the attraction had been undeniable. Then again, it had been there all along. They'd been fighting the sexual tension for a while and everyone around them knew it, too.
That night had been one of the best in his life, but when they'd woken up the next morning, the harsh light of day had prompted them both to walk away. Not for long, though.
For some reason, they couldn't leave each other alone. More times than he'd care to admit, the two of them had reached out to each other when they were lonely. Well, it was the reason he gave himself, but he knew loneliness wasn't the only thing holding them together.
He'd spent the last two years chasing every woman he could to get Theresa out of his head. The other women never lasted long. No matter how hard he tried, everywhere he turned, there she was. His dick wouldn't get hard for anyone else. He'd never admit it to her, but he'd tried his damnedest to fuck other women; he could never manage to seal the deal.
Their bodies could never compare to hers. He'd be kissing them, and he'd think about the softness of HER lips, ruining the kiss with the other women. Whenever they laughed too loud at his corny jokes, he'd become annoyed. Theresa would have told him to stop being so silly, shaking her head at his pathetic attempts to be funny. Something would always make the others come up short when he compared them to her. After a while, he'd stopped trying.
Even now, in a place where he should be focused on forgetting her and enjoying himself, all he could think about was if he could arrange for them to spend some time together this weekend. Bridgette's wedding was only a part of this weekend. He was sure there would be a little quiet time when he'd be able to get her alone.
Coming back to the present, he realized they'd stopped in front of their favorite watering hole. A feeling of being watched came over him and he turned his head to look around, trying to see if he could pinpoint where the feeling was coming from. A street sign caught his eye: Madame Sophie- Tarot Readings and More. He'd never been interested in tarot readings before, but curiosity got the best of him today.
"Hey, I'll be back. Grab a table," he called out to his friends as he crossed the street.
"Where you goin'?" Heath yelled out.
"I'm going to get myself a little magic," he said with a laugh.
Walking over to the shop, he noticed an old lady standing off to the side, looking out the window at him. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, her gaze turned to him. He took her in as she stood there smiling at him.
Dressed in a long red maxi-skirt, with strappy leather sandals on her feet, the woman stared at him as he stood there awkwardly. She was wearing a form-fitting royal blue blouse that hugged her full-figured form. Strands of silver and gold graced her neck and her hair was pulled into an intricate knot on top of her head. It was the outfit of a younger woman, but on her it worked well.
"I thought you'd never arrive."
Shocked by her words, he had no idea how to respond. "Um, yeah. I saw the shop and wanted to look around."
"Hmmm. Well, welcome to my shop. Are you interested in something specific? A trinket? A souvenir?" Pausing for a second, she seemed to stare right through him. "I see. I think there's something else you need."
Skeptical now and wondering why the hell he'd come into this shop in the first place, he took a step back. "Yeah, I don't think so. Maybe I'll just look around and see what I can find."
"What you need is not in here," she countered.
Laughing at her odd way of speaking, Levi decided to play along. "What is it you believe I need?"
"That's a question only you can answer. I think you already know. You're just too afraid to go after it. To go after her."
With a bark of laughter, he crossed his arms over his chest. "Who the hell is her?" Heart beating fast, his brain scrambled to reconcile just what the hell was happening. Who is this lady?
"Do you know what you want? If you had to choose today, could you make the choice?" she asked, her shrewd eyes boring into him. He felt as if she were looking into his soul and he didn't like the feeling one bit.
"Since I have no idea what you're talking about, I think I'll ignore that question. I'm not sure why I came in here, but maybe it's time for me to leave." Backing up slowly, he was hell-bent on getting the hell out of here before she said something else. Goosebumps had risen along his skin as she continued to ask him questions and say things to him that didn't make any damn sense.
"Take heed. This weekend, you'll find what you're looking for. Now the question is, are you brave enough to grab hold. Can you forget the past and move toward your future?" she asked with a soft smile.
Levi chose not to answer. He continued walking to the front door of the establishment. The need to escape was becoming overwhelming. He wasn't afraid.
No, it was more than that.
He'd never experienced this before, but it felt as if she were peering into the deepest parts of him and he didn't like it.
And what was all this talk about finding his future?
Giving her one last lingering look, he stepped out of the shop and into the warm air outside.
Taking a few deep breaths, he didn't even care that some of the smells hitting his senses were less than pleasant. His mind started to clear, and the goosebumps smoothed out. The sounds of Bourbon Street reached his ears and he blinked, as if coming out of a trance. Looking at his watch, he realized it had been standing in one spot for more than ten minutes.
Walking back across the street to meet his friends, he tried to put the old lady's words out of his mind. She didn't know what she was talking about, and he was surprised he'd given her this much leeway.
Voodoo and magic weren't his thing, and he sure as shit didn't believe in people who could see the future. Damn, he needed a drink. Calling out to the bartender, he ordered the traditional New Orleans hurricane drink, committed to the idea of getting drunk off his ass and forgetting all about that old lady.
Arriving back to the hotel an hour later, Levi had only shared two drinks with his friends before saying his goodbyes. On any other day, he'd be right there with them having fun, but he felt out of sorts. He wasn't going to admit the old woman's words had stuck with him, but they did.
Plus, it was time for him to call his daughter and see how she was doing. Once at the hotel, he went into the dining area and grabbed a seat at a table next to the bar. Pulling out his telephone, he dialed his mother's number.
Jessica answered...she must have been waiting for him.
"Hi Daddy," her sweet voice said into the phone.
"Hey sweetheart. How did you know it was me?"
"I saw your number and Grandma said I could pick it up. We went to the carnival today. Did you know there was a place with these crazy mirrors that make your head look like a balloon?" her words came out at a rapid-fire pace. Her laughter was infectious, and he couldn't help but smile at her innocence.
"I think I do remember something like that. Did you have fun?" he asked as he leaned back and settled in for the conversation.
"I did. You have to take me again, okay?" She pressed him in a way only kids could.
"Okay, I will."
"Daddy, have you seen Theresa yet? I want her to send me a picture in her pretty dress."
Laughing at his daughter's attention span, Levi settled in his seat as the waiter approached him. "Not yet, but when I do, I'll make sure she knows."
Fifteen minutes later, his ear was warm, and his face hurt from laughing and smiling so much. His little girl could always lift his spirits.
Placing the phone face down on the table, he picked up his drink and took a sip as he looked around the room. Just as he finished, he turned his head and there she was.
Theresa.
She walked into the room as if his mind had conjured her up. His first thought was the old woman from the voodoo shop. How could she have known about his inner turmoil?
Everything in him wanted to claim Theresa and make her his, but she was so damn stubborn. The last time they'd spent any time together, he'd broken down and asked her why she kept pushing him away.
"You're a player, Levi. That's not what I need or want in my life."
"I'm single," he snapped back.
Shrugging at him, her next words hit him where it hurt. "I don't like to share. You, on the other hand, have never understood the meaning of the word monogamous."
She seemed angry, but he had no idea why she was acting upset. If anyone should be frustrated, it should be him. He was the one being accused of acting like a playboy. Of somehow lying to her, when he'd been upfront with her from the very beginning.
"We both knew what we were getting into. Let's not lie to each other now. You know we're good together. When you scream my name as I'm fucking you, there's nothing else in the world you want more. You're the best I've had, and I want you as often as I can have you."
Looking at her, he knew if looks could kill, he'd be writing on the floor screaming in agony.
"Is that all I am to you? A piece of ass?" The words were forced out from between her clenched teeth.
Surprised by the level of anger coming from her, he paused before answering, even though he knew he had to be truthful. "Let's not call this something it's not. You don't want love and I sure as hell don't want it either. We're having fun. We both know it and agreed to it. Don't make it something more than it is."
Thinking back on that fateful day, he'd known he fucked up the moment the words came out of his mouth. It wasn't that he'd been dishonest, because he meant what he said. Love was not in the cards for him after his ex-wife showed her true colors all those years ago.
But he could admit what he had with Theresa wasn't anything like he'd expected. She was the one woman he'd wanted to spend more than just one night with. That hadn't happened to him with anyone else. She was...different.
What was between them was more than good sex--okay, great sex. He knew this, but wasn't ready to come clean to her. He didn't know how to say the words since he'd fucked up so bad that first time she'd asked the question.
They knew each other as friends and had a lot more in common than how good they were in bed together.
Thinking back on his words that night, he knew what he'd said to her had been unfair. The last thing he would ever think of her was that she was a piece of ass. The thought had never crossed his mind. But he'd opened his mouth and inserted his big-ass foot.
When she'd met Jessica a while back, his daughter had connected to Theresa quicker than she had with anyone else. It had been more than a year ago, at a group event held at Bridgette's parent's home. There was more than fifty people there, all friends and family of some sort.
Some of the adults had paired up with the kids for some fun and games. Theresa had been Jessica's choice that day, and Levi had to find some other kid to help. He was a bit shocked when his daughter told him she wanted to choose her own partner and was gonna give her dad a break for the day. It had been only the two of them for so long, he'd been a little hurt at first, but he tried not to make too much of a fuss.
When he noticed who she'd selected as her partner, he'd smiled.
If Jessica was going to pick anyone other than him, he was glad she'd chosen Theresa. Neither of them had thought to introduce her to his daughter, since their relationship was less than traditional. The fact that Jessica had gravitated toward her on her own made him very happy.
For hours after they left the gathering, the only thing his daughter could seem to talk about was how funny, beautiful, and smart Theresa was.
Now it was a regular occurrence for her to greet Theresa with hugs and smiles whenever they were in the same vicinity. If only he could push her to see how much she meant to him. Neither of them wanted to get hurt again--he knew that--but without taking a fucking chance, they'd never know if there was something special.
Watching her as she walked around the seating area looking for a place to settle down, he was tempted to call out to her. Spending time with her was bound to get them in trouble. And trouble for them meant long hours in a bed, naked and sweating, as they fucked each other's brains out.
Theresa had been on his mind since he'd arrived in the city earlier today. He knew he wanted to see her and wondered if there was a way to convince her they deserved to have some fun this weekend. There was no way he'd be in a hotel with her so close by, and not be balls-deep in her at least half the time.
But more than that, he needed to understand this unwavering need to be with her. Around her.
Desire for her coursed through his body as his mind conjured up the last time he lay between her legs. His dick thickened in his pants as he recalled the slick wetness of her channel squeezing around him while she came on his dick over and over again. He needed to be inside her. Soon. Even if he had to fight her tooth and nail about it, he would make sure they were together this weekend.
He was feeling slightly off-kilter after his adventure with the tarot reader earlier today. Levi didn't quite know what to think about Theresa showing up right as his mind was coming to grips with what he really wanted.
Watching her as she navigated through the large room, he knew she had no idea how fucking beautiful she was. Looking around the room, he could see the other men in the room had no such problem. His hackles raised as he wanted to tell them to back the fuck off. She was his.
But she wasn't.
And that's the part that had him fucked up.
The old woman's words came back to haunt him. Maybe he needed to decide what he truly wanted. Or had he already made a choice, but was too chickenshit to make a move?