Chapter Nine

 

Three Hours Later

 

Katie walked out of her bedroom, hoping that her eyes weren’t as red as they’d been an hour before. She’d hopefully gotten all of her crying out while she’d been in the shower. Or when she’d spent an hour doing her hair, and getting dressed, then another hour doing and redoing her makeup. All of this, she spent weeping and in tears, before she slid her feet into her red pumps, and finally felt strong enough to face Levi once more. Bruce had patiently sat with her through it all. Never judging her. Not huffing or sniffing at her in indignation. He’d even licked her fingers when she’d felt as if she were about to cry again.

He was such an amazing dog.

Now, she felt as if she were ready to see Levi and not collapse at his feet, begging him to give her another chance. At what, she wasn’t exactly sure, they’d never really dated, and other than the passionate encounter they’d had just a few hours before, they’d only been friends, but she would restrain herself from making such a dramatic gesture, and smile.

She smoothed her palms down her thighs, covered by the form-fitting, off-the-shoulder, knee-length, crushed red velvet dress. She’d chosen the dress over the green cocktail dress she’d originally intended to wear to her company’s Christmas party. While the dress was gorgeous and made her blue eyes shine even more, the dress she wore currently made her feel sexy. Desired.

Delicious.

Which was exactly what she needed to feel after Levi’s rejection.

Squaring her shoulders, Katie stepped into her living room, Bruce right at her heels, and stopped at the sight of Levi, dressed in a tuxedo, leaning against her fireplace. His gaze was fixed on the view outside, one hand tucked inside his pocket, the other arm resting at the edge of the blonde wood mantle.

God he is gorgeous.

Katie took him in for a long moment without making a noise. While it would take her a while to accept that she and Levi would never have anything more than mere friendship between them, she decided to take this chance to just admire him. From his dirty blond hair pulled back into a short ponytail at the back of his head, the dark stubble on his cheeks, his broad frame pressing against the material of his tuxedo. His strong jaw, clenching as he ruminated over whatever it was in his mind, stood out starkly against the backdrop of her fireplace. She wanted to cross the room and kiss him, lick his dimpled chin, tear his clothes off his body and beg him to fuck her into the next week.

“Are you just going to stand there and watch me, or shall we go to this party?” Levi’s voice startled her from her leering and she swallowed and nodded.

“Y-yeah. Let’s go,” Katie answered and stepped into the room fully, heading for her entry closet where her coats hung inside.

Turning around when the sound of whining reached her ears, Katie squatted down in front of her dog, Bruce, who knew she was leaving him. She rubbed and scratched behind his ears, smiling as he licked at her chin. She may not have Levi, but she would always have Bruce.

“I’m sorry I have to leave you here, baby,” she murmured softly. “But I promise I won’t be gone for too long. I’m just going to drop in on this party and say hello, then I’ll be right back home. I swear.”

Bruce gave her a puppy smile as if he understood her words, licked her chin once more then walked away to lay down on his soft, blue, cushioned puppy bed next to the fireplace where a blanket waited for him and a small stash of toys. Katie made a move to stand up, looking up in surprise when Levi’s hand came into her line of view to help. She gave him a small smile then turned away to open her closet door. Reaching in she pulled out her long, black peacoat.

She surrendered the garment when Levi wordlessly took it from her and held it open for her to put her arms through. Katie turned her back to Levi as he settled to coat over her bare shoulders. She shivered as his heat warmed the back of her body. While she was sure that she was merely imagining—or dreaming—it, she could have sworn Levi placed the barest of kisses at the back of her neck.

“I like your hair up like that,” he said from behind her, his voice rough and hoarse.

Katie nodded and swallowed the lump which had formed in her throat.

“Thank you,” she whispered in response.

Neither of them moved; sexual tension intensifying between them as Katie and Levi breathed each other in. Katie’s hand shook slightly as she reached back to touch Levi’s thigh. She felt the muscles clench beneath her hand, and feeling emboldened, ran the tips of her fingers up towards his groin. She heard his soft groan when she finally made contact with the… holy shit, how big is he?

Katie didn’t know whether to run in fear or shout in exaltation at the size of Levi’s erection. Happiness did surge through her as she realized that Levi’s physical attraction to her was not a one-time thing. While it wasn’t what she wanted, perhaps she could build on that? They could start off having a purely carnal relationship and slowly but surely, over time, she could get him to fall in love with her and they could have a truly intimate relationship. Then they could get married and have kids and maybe even another dog…

Whoa, Katie! Slow the fuck down, girl, her subconscious roared at her and she inadvertently squeezed Levi’s hard shaft. His answering groan let her know that Levi didn’t mind her momentary lapse. One step at a time. You’ve been in love with him forever. He’s just starting to see you as a woman. Ease him into things.

Just as Katie went to turn around the loud, harsh sound of two cellphones ringing sliced through the air, tearing apart the passionate atmosphere, and destroying the mood. She heard Levi curse behind her and mentally echoed the sentiment, as she reached inside of the red clutch purse she’d placed on the sideboard table to grab her phone. Seeing the name on the screen, Katie groaned then fixing her lips into a fake smile—because those types of things could be heard through the phone—she answered.

“Rebecca! How are you?”

Rebecca Londstrom, Katie’s direct supervisor, responded with annoying, high giggle.

“Barry, stop it!” Rebecca said breathlessly to someone on the other end. “I have to talk to Katie now.”

Katie rolled her eyes as Rebecca’s blatant attempt to make her jealous by flirting with Bartholomew Winchester, an heir of the Winchester fortune and someone Katie had gone on exactly one date with when he and Rebecca had been on a “break”. Though Katie had repeatedly told Rebecca that she wasn’t interested in Bartholomew in that way, the woman still didn’t get it. Or else, she just didn’t believe Katie. Either way, Rebecca’s actions were more than beginning to piss Katie off. Especially when the woman called and interrupted Katie just as she and Levi were beginning to get much, much closer.

“Was there something you needed, Rebecca?” Katie asked through clenched teeth.

“Oh honey, no. I don’t need anything at all. I was merely calling to see if you were coming to the Christmas party tonight?” Rebecca asked.

Katie inhaled deeply, trying to calm the various and conflicting emotions and thoughts that were colliding within her. Giving herself a mental shake, she smiled again. “Well we were on our way actually. You caught us just as we were about to step out the door,” she answered.

“Oh…” For a moment it almost seemed as if Rebecca was disappointed by Katie’s response, but she rallied quickly and gave a tinkling laugh. “Well do you need a ride, sweetie? We can drop by in our limo to pick you up. I’m sure you and your friend, Cassandra, don’t want to ruin your dresses in your Miata ™.”

Before Katie could respond and point out to Rebecca again that Cassie was not only her best friend and sister-in-law, only, but that she hated to be called Cassandra, her phone was plucked out of her hand. She turned to glare at Levi and he merely smiled at her before pressing the phone against his left ear. “Hello? Hi, whom am I speaking to?” he waited for a response, nodding at Katie with a quirked eyebrow. “Well hello Rebecca, I’ve heard so much about you. I’m looking forward to meeting you this evening. Me? Oh, my name is Levi Stroud, I’m Katie’s boyfriend.”

Katie’s jaw dropped, and her eyes widened as Levi’s fabrication of their relationship. When he simply winked at her, she didn’t know if she felt anger or desire. Both emotions had heat coursing through her veins and trying to discreetly fan her face.

“Who? Oh, Garrett?” Levi laughed boisterously. “Ol’ Gare did me a favor. I work for the government you see, Rebecca. FBI to be exact. And many times, when Katie-bug had an event, function, dinner, or party, I couldn’t make it so Garrett or her sister-in-law and best friend, Cassie, would go in my stead. But,” Levi’s eyes darkened as he stared at Katie and she felt ensnared, trapped, in his gaze. “I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere.”

Was that meant for me? What is he trying to tell me?

Levi nodded at whatever Rebecca was saying on the other end of the call, even as he stepped towards her and gestured towards the front door. Without a word, Katie turned and walked out of the condo. She turned in surprise when she heard the door locking behind her without her pulling out her set of keys. She looked up at Levi and stared in surprise when he jingled a copy of her keys to her condo, and what appeared to be a copy to her Kevin’s home, though with the letter K scratched in the face of it, Katie couldn’t exactly be sure.

She wanted to ask him how, when, and why he’d gotten a copy but realized that him having a set wasn’t the worst thing. Not with him being an FBI agent, and not with her life currently being in danger. She shrugged and turned to head to the elevator in the hallway. She usually took the stairs up to and down from her condo, since she only lived on the second floor, but not in the heels she currently had on. There was no need for her to risk serious injury just to try and impress the special agent she was in love with.

When they stepped outside, Katie turned to head to the parking garage, but stopped when Levi’s hand on her wrist halted her forward momentum.

“I appreciate you offering us a ride, Rebecca. But I want my woman to arrive in style to this party and showing up sharing someone else’s limo just isn’t the way to go about it. We’ll simply meet you there. Goodbye now,” Levi said with a friendly, yet firm note to his words. Once he hung up, he handed Katie back her phone.

“So, where’s your car? Or are we taking mine? Because I’m not sure if you and all of those muscles,” Katie said waving her hand up and down to indicate Levi’s large frame, “will fit.” When Levi didn’t respond, merely smiled and gestured with his chin for her to turn around, Katie shook her head. “I hope you don’t expect me to get on your motorcycle. Not in this dress. I mean I always wanted to ride it when I was younger, but this just isn’t…” her words trailed off when a stretch, black SUV pulled up and stopped in front of them.

“Well? Get in, Gorgeous,” Levi said with a soft chuckle. “Can’t have you be late for the ball.”

Katie swallowed thickly and nodded. She headed for the open door and before she could allow the driver to help her inside, Levi dismissed the man and held out his hand instead. She offered him a tremulous smile and took it.

She wasn’t entirely sure what was going to happen that evening, but it was definitely going to be one she would never forget.