Chapter 12
KADENCE
Levi nips harshly on my bottom lip. My mouth expands to release a moan and he slips his tongue inside to seize it.
These have easily been the best three weeks of my life. Not that I need a guy to make me happy or give me a good time. Growing up and many of our post adolescent days have been filled with kick ass moments. Fun trips. Lots of laughs. The thing that makes these last three so special is having Levi to add to it all. We’ve spent time doing simple things like cook outs on the beach with our friends, sometimes his, sometimes mine, sometimes both. I stayed in town and spent Thanksgiving with him and his family. We’ve been binge watching 90’s cop shows in between sex marathons. He’s shown me his favorite beach spots where he watches others surf or water ski while downing the best breakfast tacos I’ve ever had, and I’ve taken him to hole in the wall restaurants for live music and dancing. He’s spent hours curled up at my side watching me work. Watching me create. Admiring me against my orders not to. We’ve given hours to looking over his script, rehearsing his lines, and making plan after plan on how to keep our love this alive. How to keep it from dying during the distance. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I work at convincing myself everything will be fine, I’m still terrified.
His hard cock bumps against me as if asking for my touch.
My hand starts to comply when Adrianna’s voice interrupts. “Don’t you have a room you should be doing that in?”
I pull away and bury my tipsy giggles in his black dress shirt covered chest.
“Jealous?” Levi teases, hands snaking down my backside. “Need me to hook you up with a friend?”
“First of all, I’ve met your friends. Pass.”
Her and Marlz would be awful together. Don’t even consider it a possibility. They have more of a brotherly sisterly vibe to them. They’ve met. They’ve even enjoyed a few smokes together. They’ve also argued and it resulted in her dragging him by the ear out of the bar they were at. No….I didn’t get to see it. Just heard the story. But God I wish I had! It was probably hysterical. Come on….A large guy like Marlz being bullied by a petite thing like Ri? Side splitting funny. Hey, why are you laughing at me like that?
“Second of all, I have no problem getting dick, thank you.”
His hands settled on the curve of my ass at the same time I turn my face towards her.
Levi childishly pokes again. “You sure you don’t need any help? Haven’t seen you date anyone since I’ve been around.”
“And if you’d like to stay around, I suggest you mind your own fucking business,” she sasses before snatching a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and strutting out of the kitchen.
Our annual holiday party is something that, believe it or not, started when we were kids. See, Henley and Hendrix were born on Christmas Day making it practically impossible to have birthday parties with their friends growing up. Hendrix was fine with celebrating his half birthday as a substitute, but Henley hated how far away it was from their actual birthday, so their parents gave into both their requests. They threw a joint birthday party in the summer around June 25th and they threw an additional party the first or second weekend in December. When their parents split, Henley stopped celebrating in the summer the same way Hendrix stopped celebrating in the winter. At some point this bash became a ‘hot event’ among the celebrities who reside in South Haven and eventually grew to be one of the biggest winter parties celebrated across the country during the holiday season. What used to be nothing more than some poorly hung lights, tacky snowman decorations, 90’s playlists, and expensive booze fused with cheap mixers mutated into an elite extravaganza with people practically begging to receive an invitation. Now we wear tight white cocktail dresses instead of ugly sweaters. Now we have bars and bartenders serving only the best and being requested to promote the best. And now we have security scrutinizing for who is going to steal rather than staring each other down about who broke the coffee table. Sometimes I miss the simplicity of the old days. You know, when Henley was popular but still worried about being just a phase. Those were the times I still had faith in the idea not everyone in Hollywood was disingenuous. That was before I gave my heart to one of the trendiest names in the business and had to secretly pray every night he doesn’t shatter it.
Levi’s fingers busy themselves with trying to find their way under the flowy lower half of my white dress despite me shaking my head.
“Ri’s right,” my boyfriend states firmly. “You do have a room here.”
Our eyes meet with matching lustful gazes.
Did I mention we’ve been banging like he’s going off to war instead of a film shoot?
On a hungry growl he lunges his lips forward only to have my head dart away at the last minute, desperate to catch a glimpse of an unexpected sight.
Calen’s hands are wrapped tightly around Lani’s waist from behind. She laughs and leans against him as they continue wandering into the kitchen. “I’m gonna need you to stop grabbing my,” her eyes catch mine, “ahhh!”
I gleefully giggle. “Well hello.”
Lani attempts to remove Calen’s grasp, but he refuses and retorts, “Hey!”
Levi tosses his best friend a nod. “Havin’ fun?”
Calen chuckles, drops his chin onto Lani’s bare shoulder, and replies, “The most I’ve had in years.”
His sentimental confession causes me to coo yet Lani’s face seems angrier than ever.
She’s definitely more of a private person….
With genuine excitement in my voice I ask, “How long hav-”
“Not right now,” Lani declares instantly. “Not having that discussion.”
My eyebrows draw together in confusion. “Wait. Does everyone else know?”
She shakes her head slowly.
“But they will be the end of tonight.” Calen winks.
She grunts her disgust, pushes out of his hold, and marches away towards the dessert station.
Yes, we have a dessert station, not just a table. And if you get a chance to go over there, I recommend dipping treats in the white fudge fountain. I dipped Levi’s finger in some to lick it off and immediately wished it was something actually edible. The great food we get catered definitely falls on the pro side of these parties now being this huge.
Once the pair is out of sight, I lock eyes with Levi. “Did you know?”
“Yeah.”
My hands fall to my hips. “And you didn’t tell me?!”
“I basically signed a verbal NDA swearing to keep it quiet.”
“Wha…”
“Besides what’s going on between them has nothing to do with me, so it’s not like it was my place to say anything.” My mouth moves to argue when his hand curls around the nape of my neck to tug me back into him. “However, I don’t want you to ever keep quiet.…” He steals a swipe of my bottom lip. “I always wanna hear you screaming, babe. I want the whole goddamn world to hear my name off these lips.”
A soft whimper from me slips into the air. Our parted mouths start to press together when someone gasps, “Oh my God, Levi!?”
Damn it! We definitely need to get to my room….
His frustrated grumble is short lived. “Lynn?!”
Not the ho ho ho I wanted to deal with tonight.
He pulls his body away from mine to give the beautiful brunette a big hug.
This is the first time I’m seeing her in more than a picture. As much as I hate to state this out loud, she’s much more stunning up close. Fit. Toned. A hint of natural beauty and missing the obvious proof of an addiction to coke or diet pills in her pursuit to be a big deal in the business. To make matters worse, she is perfect for him on paper. Remember the way the world used to love Brad and Jennifer in the early days? Yeah. That’s what they would be like together. Practically perfect. Believe me. I’ve put in the mental hours comparing their personality resumes. They would work almost a little too well….
When the two of them part, Levi doesn’t return to my side, forcing me to bite my tongue to prevent from mouthing off.
Being a little tipsy in this situation is not going to be a good thing.
Lynn pushes her hair behind her ear. “What are you doin’ here? I thought you were taking this weekend to spend time with your girlfriend?”
The word stumbles him back to me, though I don’t make the effort to touch him. “I am. My girlfriend lives here. This is their annual party.”
“Whoa! You didn’t tell me you’re dating Twinley!”
“Henley,” he corrects for me. “And I’m not. I’m dating one of her best friends.” Levi peers down at me with a sweet smile. “Kadence, this is Lynn, my co-star.” He turns the grin her direction. “Lynn, this is the woman I can’t live without.”
Adoration over his declaration twists the corners of my lip the right direction. I extend my hand towards her. “Nice to meet you.”
She gives me the shortest shake possible. “And you.”
Are you sensing a bit of a cold shoulder or did someone turn the A/C up in this room?
Lynn redirects the conversation to one that can’t include me. “Did you hear about the most recent script changes they’re trying to make?”
He shakes his head.
“Francesco is adamant apparently about drawing out all three sex scenes.”
It’s deck the halls, right? Not deck the co-star?
“According to the emails, his vision is for the sexual chemistry of our characters to be the beautiful contrast to the crimes we commit. He has this whole Bonnie and Clyde vision and expects our love for one another to be the brightness in this dark story.”
Out of the corner of my eye I notice an unusual twitch on his face.
What’s that about? Is he excited to be fucking her on film? Does the idea of adding more romance to what I was under the impression was a weird new age heist movie make him happy? Am I being paranoid? I’m being paranoid, aren’t I? Solution suggestions? Let’s make a list! What should we put at the top? More liquor? Yes! More liquor. No more items needed on said list.
“And they sent out the updated shoot schedule for our first week. They’re postponing almost all our ocean time because of the unexpected drop in the water temperatures, so we’ll be spending a good portion of our first week filming the bedroom scenes.”
“I need a drink,” I mumble and prepare to walk off when Levi’s hand stops me.
“One sec, babe, and I’ll come with you.”
My lips press together to prevent telling him what I really need is space.
“Damn. I wanted to spend the first week diving. I wonder if there’s any chance we can convince them we’ll be fine in those waters. I mean, we’ve both probably swam in colder.”
“Almost definitely.”
Believe it or not the idea of them being diving buddies is way worse than them being drinking ones. You know the buzz you get from alcohol? He gets a more intense one from the water. If he has the choice to go out for a drink or go out for a surf, surfing always wins. He’ll settle for wind surfing or even a swim if possible. Hm? Oh no. I’ve become quite acquainted with his outdoor patio. The view of him from there is sexy as shit.
Lynn adds an unnecessarily giggle, “Both in and out of suits, right?”
“Right,” he quickly concurs.
Impatience expands itself along my shoulders. “You two keep talking about work. I’m gonna go grab a drink from the bar outside.”
“No. We’ll go together, babe.” Levi’s hand reaches for mine again. “I’m gonna go enjoy what’s left of my weekend with my girl. You enjoy your time here with….” His head tilts in question. “Wait. Who did you come with?”
Yes. Who needs to fall onto the ‘never gets another invite’ list?
“Terry Mueller. We’re old friends from high school.”
There’s unmistakable giddiness in his voice. “Terry Mueller like the basketball player?!”
Lynn tosses her head back on a what I believe to be a flirtatious laugh. “Fan?”
“Hellcat ‘til I die,” he announces loudly. “Everyone in my family is a fan.”
“Mine too.”
“Born and raised?”
She makes some sort of morphed claw and pumps it into the air. Levi grins widely at the same time he repeats the action.
Am I invisible? Can you see me?
After sharing another laugh, Lynn questions me, “What about you, Kadence? Are you a fan?”
I shake my head. “I don’t really like sports.”
“What about your parents?” Levi swiftly asks. “Either of them Hellcats fans?”
“My dad hates sports and the only one my mother gives a shit about is gymnastics. Fairly certain she only cares about that because it occasionally reminds her of outrageous choreography she used to do when she was younger.”
His head cocks in curiosity. “Those sound like stories I definitely wanna hear.”
Lynn interjects before I have a chance to reply. “Hey, do you want me to introduce you to Terry?”
“That would be…fucking amazing.” He drops his hopeful gaze down to me. “Do you mind, babe? Can we swing over there first and then grab a drink?”
“Why don’t you two go?” I fake a supportive tone. “I’ll get a drink, and you can come find me afterwards.”
Levi swiftly presses his lips against mine, however he doesn’t let them linger for too long. “You’re incredible.”
And he’s an idiot….
Lynn leads them one way while I split the opposite direction.
Outside, I loiter near the bar unsure if drowning my irritation in expensive alcohol is the best decision. I allow the internal war to continue only declaring a victor when my eyes drift back inside the mansion just in time to see Levi and Lynn share another laugh.
I stomp over to the cute bartender. “Tequila.”
“With?”
“A shot glass.”
He nods his compliance. “Salt or lime?”
“Nope.”
As soon as it’s in my possession I down it.
The moment I’m finished, he asks, “Would you like another?”
Placing it back down on the table, I demand, “Make it a double.”
The man who is getting more attractive by the minute, pulls out a taller glass, and fills it to the brim. He pushes it my direction and states with a sexy accent, “¡Salud!”
I toss the liquid down my throat and succumb to the seduction of using it to forget how my boyfriend is inside with another woman. To forget the other woman is the same woman he will be naked with in front of a camera in just two days. To forget how they’re a match made in Hollywood heaven and how I’ll soon be staring into the fiery pits of Hollywood Hell.
More booze sound good to you? Nah. I don’t need any more fucking lists to remind me it’s time to drink again.
Adrianna’s hand lands on mine to prevent my next request. “Slow down, mama. We’re not in Mexico. You can drink the water here.”
The joke causes the bartender to chuckle.
She eyeballs him for a brief moment, mentally making a note of some kind.
Most likely to come back and invite him to her room later.
“Excuse us.” Adrianna drags me away from where I was placating myself with top shelf booze to a corner near the door. “You only turn to tequila shots when you’re pissed off.”
“I do not.”
“Should I use the example of Fall Festival sophomore year of college as an example or would you prefer a more recent one like last winter when we all went to that Friday concert and-”
“Fine! Yes! I only drink tequila when I’m pissed.”
“And what has led you to the lime side?”
“Just….” My hands give my wavy hair a ruffle. “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“Oh okay. So these little steps towards Margraritaville have nothing to do with your tonsil hockey partner?”
I can’t stop myself from making a retching motion.
“Uh-huh,” Adrianna says smugly. “That’s what I thought. Where is he?”
“Fangirling.”
She looks intrigued. “Over who?”
“Barry Tueller or Larry Nueller or something like that.”
“Terry Mueller?”
Wagging my finger at her, I nod. “That sounds right.”
Her expression returns to inquisitive. “Why is this an issue?”
“Oh it’s not.” I motion my head their direction. “The vanilla bean bimbo who has an annoyingly impressive track record for successfully stealing my boyfriend’s attention is.”
Adrianna glances over her shoulder just as Lynn gives Levi a playful push.
Mistleho.
“I see.”
“Drink?” A passing waiter offers, and I quickly reach for it.
My best friend doesn’t stop me this time. She grabs one for herself and dismisses him with a polite grin.
Once we’re alone again, she has several sips of champagne in between stealing stares of the situation unfolding inside.
As much as I want to believe it’s harmless, it looks anything but from this distance. The way she keeps moving closer to him….The way she keeps finding what appears to be any excuse to touch him….The way they are acting like a couple hanging out with their everyday basketball buddy….All of this feels wrong. And no matter what my brain tells my heart to believe, it refuses.
Adrianna finally speaks. “I’m gonna give you an early Christmas present, and you’re gonna take it.”
“What?”
She pulls her silky straight black hair to the side of her face so it dangles directly near the parted opening of her white dress. “I’m gonna go in there and run interference. You will then rightfully reclaim your boyfriend’s attention, take him upstairs, and jealousy fuck the shit out of him.”
Even intoxicated that sounds like a terrible plan.
“No.”
“What do you mean no?”
“I mean, no. We shouldn’t be having sex just because I’m a little bit….”
“Jealous?”
“I’m not jealous.”
“Right and I’m not gonna fuck the Cuban bartender at the end of the night.”
Told ya.
“Kady, a little amount of jealousy sex in a relationship is healthy.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Super healthy.”
Tell her that’s bullshit. I mean, yeah it’s been a minute or two since I was in a relationship, but that doesn’t mean the crazy shit she is saying is true.
My mouth moves to object when Lynn’s hand slides slowly down Levi’s arm.
Fuck it. Let’s try it her way. You can thank the tequila for my easily swayed decision.
“What do you need me to do?”
“That a girl.” Adrianna viciously snickers like a master mind. She hands me her glass to hold, readjusts her white backless mini dress to guarantee all the side boob possible is showing, and instructs, “All you need to do is go inside and patiently wait for the sports spell he’s under to be broken. The minute it is, he’ll come looking for you. Make him chase you a bit. It’ll be more fun for the both of you. Promise.”
My best friend snatches her glass out of my hand and struts back inside, the sound of her heels echoing like a war rally cry.
This is definitely one of those times where having a hot best friend works in my favor. Oh….Yes. I do keep a list of those occasions. I’ll make sure to put this one on it. You know. If I can remember it. Starting to wonder if I’m drunker than I initially thought.
I wander around the kitchen, taking the long way around to the position perfect for eavesdropping yet far enough away to pretend I don’t know he’s looking for me.
Adrianna doesn’t hesitate to slide in close to Terry. “You’re Terry Mueller.”
The bald, dark chocolate, large framed basketball player wets his lips. “I am. And you are….”
“What wet dreams are made of, baby, but you can call me Adrianna.”
Don’t look surprised. She’s been saying that type of shit since before she was legal.
Lynn loudly scoffs yet seems too stunned to speak a word.
Levi grows an uncomfortable look, takes a step back, and shakes his head. His eyes begin a frantic search for me proving Adrianna’s star struck theory. I eagerly watch his face dancing around the crowd in desperation for a clue, any clue to my disappearance. When his eyes finally land my direction, my smile becomes sexually vindictive, and his glare predatory. Our game of cat and mouse progresses around the clueless party guests. Having the territorial advantage makes slipping in and out of sight effortless, but the need to see the emotions cycling on Levi’s face nearly gets me caught before I’m ready.
Just when his frustration threatens to reach the pinnacle, I veer off towards the security guard protected stairs, and slow down my steps. He cocks a crooked grin clearly aware I’m ready to be caught. Taken. Claimed.
“Miss Allan,” Donald, the member of security who is guarding the stairs from unwanted visitors, greets me. “Going up?”
I lock eyes with Levi who is still stalking me. “Yes please.”
He moves the rope to allow me entrance yet hooks it back with my boyfriend still on the other side.
Levi looks up at me with an overwhelming amount of heat thrumming through his gaze. “Are you going to let me come up too?”
My fingertip drags itself across the top of my tits that are stuffed into my cocktail dress. “Depends.”
His face twitches in desperation. “On.”
“If you’re ready to give me your full,” I dip my eyes down to where I can see his dick growing, “attention.”
Levi’s hand gives the railing he is holding a hard squeeze. “Absolutely.”
With a playful smirk, I turn on my heels and return to strolling up the stairs. I exaggerate every step to make sure his hunger builds. When I’m almost to the top, I call over my shoulder, “Let him up, Donald.”
The sound of his feet rushing after me sparks my own to move faster. Our game returns to active except this time I allow him to periodically capture me. Each time he does, he delivers a different dirty warning of what’s to come. He pushes me against the wall, knocking the frames off center, and darts his tongue between my spread lips. He wedges us in corners and guides his fingers down the crack of my ass. He traps me right in the middle of the open hallway and buries his face between my boobs. We’re barely three steps inside my dark bedroom before he’s bending me over my dresser with the door still slightly ajar.
Levi hastily attempts to rip open a condom. I torment him by lifting up my dress and grinding my bare ass against his still freshly freed cock. The growl that suddenly fills the room is as feral as the condom covered thrust he delivers during it.
I arch back, and he grabs a fist full of my hair. “That enough attention, babe?”
Moaning my argument proves to be pointless.
Apparently, it’s a rhetorical question.
He tightens his grip on my hip while slamming his dick mercilessly through the scorching heat. My pussy weeps its approval, wetness determined to wash away proof he’s ever had another woman in this way. I throw my ass back into each push, creating a pivot of pleasure and pain between the frantic pounding and the savage yanking of my hair. There’s not a shred of absolution in any of his movements. Not an ounce of anything other than pure power. Power over my thoughts. Power over my body. Power over the last sliver of my soul I’m desperately clutching onto.
Levi groans loudly. “This is the only pussy that matters to me.”
His proclamation tempts my orgasm to pour out. I fight the desire on a breathless cry of his name, “Levi….”
Another animalistic groan is grabbed from his chest. “Fucking come for me, Kady.”
My pussy doesn’t delay in fulfilling the demand. I thoughtlessly make the effort to let my face drop forward, but Levi refuses to loosen his hold. On an earth shattering scream, I start shuddering and every bone in my body feels as if it’s breaking from the magnitude. Levi’s own body falters yet he doesn’t stop. Doesn’t join me in falling apart. He pins my heaving front against my dresser and continues to unrelentingly rock. Praise upon praise clashes into pleading for more. Regardless of my mind’s stance on my body’s inability to endure the harsh actions, my pussy refuses to stop pulsating until another orgasm is sundered from me.
Levi’s fingers flex into my back at the same time he grumbles, “You’re mine.”
One final groan is released before his trembles trample mine. Completely splayed out, I shut my eyes, and soak in every possible second of this moment. His heavy breathing. His wobbly legs. His hands that seem incapable of detaching from my skin.
A sweet smile sneaks onto my lips.
I may be his, but in this moment he’s managed to prove he’s mine just as well. Maybe jealousy sex once in a while can be beneficial. Don’t tell Ri I said that. Her ego is inflated enough.