Chapter 8
LEVI
“And that’s a wrap!” Tom loudly proclaims.
Fuck. Finally. This shit should’ve been done four hours ago.
I stroll off the set and place my hand in Tom’s. “We’re gonna miss you, Levi.”
After a firm shake, I kindly state, “I’m gonna miss you guys too. Being on this show for the last couple of years was like being a part of a family. I’m grateful.”
Tom folds his arms firmly across his chest. “You were…an incredible addition to this show.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that. And I also appreciate you convincing the network to keep a spot open for me just in case my next movie flops.”
No. Kadence doesn’t know about it yet. I just signed the finalized contracts earlier this week. Filming the season finale of Lawless Lives has been very unforgiving with my time. I’ve barely had the seconds it takes to shake after taking a piss let alone have a real conversation with my girlfriend. But that changes today. Or at least it changes today for a few weeks…
Tom brushes off my joke with a hearty laugh. “It’s gonna be great, Levi. Whatever it is. You’ve got real talent. The type of talent that could take a garbage concept with an ex porn director and airhead co-star and have it make the Oscar nomination list. Hell, you already won an Emmy.”
Hm? No. I don’t brag about that….The trophy sits in the upstairs library next to the ones I used to win for surfing. Like my favorite sport, I don’t do it for recognition. I do it because I enjoy the hell out of it.
There isn’t time to counter the compliment. A crew member calls him over and he bids me one more good luck before hustling the direction he’s being summoned.
As soon as I spin on my heels to begin a swift walk to my car, I bump into Miranda who is lingering uncomfortably close.
How long has she been standing here?
“Last day on set. You know what that means.”
“Dinner and drinks with the entire cast.”
“Wanna give me a ride?”
The less than subtle attempt at being seductive forces me to clench my jaw to prevent from saying something assholish. “I would, but I’m not going.”
“What!?” She shrieks.
“I have plans.”
That I am running extremely late for.
“What do you mean you have plans?! Why would you make plans? It’s totally tradition for us to all go out, share a few drinks, and reminisce on the season!”
“Which I already did a couple times this week,” I smoothly inform. “You weren’t able to make it.”
What? Of course I did that shit on purpose. The last thing I wanted my final week was to deal with her pouting after being rejected during a drunken attempt to get me into bed. It happened six times during last season and four during this one. I was really saving us all the embarrassment. Well, that and this was the only day my publicist could come through with the favor to impress Kady.
She starts to whine again, but I quickly cut her off. “I really gotta go, Miranda. It was a nice working with you.”
Of course I’m lying. I’m trying to remain professional. Sometimes there isn’t a difference between the two.
“Hopefully we get to do it again very soon.”
A week after never would still be too soon in my opinion.
We engage in a hug that lasts much longer than I care for. Afterward, I basically jog to my car only slowing down enough to pop by wardrobe to tell them I’m keeping the suit.
It looks good, plus it’s saving me time not having to change.
About half way over to Kady’s Sugar by Maroon 5 is rudely interrupted.
“Incoming call from Agent,” specifies the Bluetooth system.
I switch lanes and announce, “Accept.”
“Levi,” Jeremy Lloyd states firmly.
“Hello lovely,” Dee Parker, my publicist greets.
A wave of annoyance attempts to drown me. “And what may I ask has created this unwanted 3 way?”
“Unwanted?” Dee fakes a hurt tone. “Is that anyway to treat the two people who are always good to you?”
“Except when you’re being really bad to me.”
Like the time she made me volunteer to do a charity run earlier this year just to get my picture taken near the prince of some country. Apparently I don’t do enough for my foreign fans.
“Let’s stay focused,” Jeremy demands. “Monday.”
“Is still two days away.”
“But you’ve been briefed?”
“Yes. Believe it or not my assistant can do more than get me coffee.”
He can do a lot more, which is why my life runs like a well-oiled machine and allows for more time on my board than it might if I had to micromanage his responsibilities.
Dee speaks up as I take the exit off the highway. “Fuck it, I’m cutting to the chase, Jeremy.”
“I’d appreciate it,” I mumble.
“We need you to turn on the Levi Stone charm for this meeting. The director is a big believer in his cast having chemistry. We’re talking big. Like every couple he puts on screen has to have that whole Brad and Angelina cheat on my wife spark level of big.”
My objection is instant. “I’m not cheating on my fucking girlfriend, Dee.”
“No one is telling you to cheat on your girlfriend,” Jeremy inserts.
“That might sound better if it was coming from someone who was actually faithful to their wife,” Dee jabs.
“We’re warning you,” Jeremy continues through what I imagine are gritted teeth, “that you two need to get along effortlessly before you ever step foot on set. Francesco is a brilliant director but has no issues about firing actors he doesn’t feel mesh or occasionally pulling the plug on films if the chemistry fizzles. If he can’t feel a connection between the two of you before the cameras ever start rolling, they never will.”
His words leave an uncomfortable feeling wedged in my chest.
“Do you understand?”
“Yeah.”
“I spoke with Kyla, Lynn’s publicist, and she has assured me her client loves Lawless Lives and is a huge fan of yours,” Dee adds. “So…exploit that.”
Jeremy jumps on the chance to back her up. “Exploit the shit out of that.”
“Make her love you like your next meal depends on it because it just might.”
Not really picking up on the confidence vibes from either of them. This is worse than when I was younger and learning how to stay on my board for the first time.
“This movie has the potential to take you to a new level. Grab the attention and impress some very powerful people. Don’t fuck it up,” Jeremy huffs.
“Got it.”
“Good,” Dee snips.
I take the left into Kady’s driveway, giving the guard a hello wave to let me enter.
He nods, hits the button, and returns to whatever it was that had his focus.
“I’m gonna go and try to enjoy my weekend now. Thanks again, Dee, for the tickets.”
“You remember the deal?”
A crooked smile crosses my lips. “Yeah. I have to take a few photos and am forbidden from doing any singing or other spectacles in public without your permission.”
She was thoroughly livid when a video of me singing karaoke popped up on YouTube. Wasn’t exactly the type of public attention she approved of. Then the photos and videos from Spike’s started appearing all across social media and her squawking soared to seagull level of intolerable. You know before Kadence I was always the client she gushed over having to fret the least about. Now I’m right underneath Preston Wyatt who seems to have a spread done on him every other week. The media is having a hard time coping with the fact one of Hollywood’s favorite action heroes is gay.
Jeremy clears his throat. “Act professional, Levi. At all times.”
“You’re not just an actor. You’re a brand,” Dee scolds.
“Behave like it.”
The call is ended without waiting for my rebuttal.
It may be hard to believe, but that was them being kind. I may not care for the way they treat me like a child determined to swim out into the middle of the ocean during a level five hurricane, but they’re damn good at what they do. Jeremy yanked me out of gum commercials and plunked me in supporting roles with well-known actors. Dee got me a haircut, a good teeth cleaning, and a date with a starlet who turned my name into a reputation after one candlelight dinner. Acting is a lot like playing sports. The best players have the best coaches and trainers helping them. Those two heartless money sucking demons are mine.
Determined to put Monday’s meeting momentarily in the back of my mind, I kill the engine, and hustle over to Kady’s front door.
Adrianna opens it wide and folds her arms across her gray sports bra covered chest. “Well don’t you look handsome?”
I give her a small wink.
“You totally look ready for your First Communion.”
She snickers with no regard to my glaring. “Fifty bucks says Kady will love it.”
“She’d have to see it in order to love it.”
“Which she’s about to.”
The shake of her head confuses me.
Adrianna unapologetically announces, “She’s beyond pissed at you.”
Damn it. I was afraid of this….
“We’re talking so pissed she told us and I quote, ‘On the unlikely chance Levi remembers where I live and has the balls to come to the door, open it, and then slam the damn thing in his fucking face’.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah….She’s reallllllly a bitch when her feelings are hurt.”
Guilt grabs me forcefully by the throat.
“Then again if my supposed boyfriend started treating me like a piece of gum he had forgotten on the bottom of his dress shoes, I might be a little pissed off too.”
In a strained voice, I state, “I swear I’m here to make it up to her.”
An unconvinced expression appears on her tanned complexion.
“I’ve got this amazing surprise planned for her tonight. I’m gonna take her somewhere she’s gonna fucking love, Adrianna.”
There’s no response.
“We’re talking really fucking love. And absolutely deserves. Not only because I’ve been a bit unavailable lately, but because we both know how hard she works and how rarely she gets to enjoy a night out.”
She hums her agreement. “Are you prepared to beg for forgiveness like a Dru Hill song?”
Thankful to have her guard starting to crumble, I quickly nod.
“We’re talkin’ knees on the floor, high pitched pleading, baby baby baby kinda begging. Is someone of your stature even capable of that?”
“Prepare the piano.”
Adrianna smirks and takes a step backward. “I didn’t let you in.”
I tap my index finger to my lips indicating I’ll keep the secret.
And so will you….
On my way to Kady’s room, which is on the opposite end of the mansion from the front door, I check the time, mumble to myself about expediting the apology, and let out a quiet prayer she’s willing to forgive a lot faster than the feeling in the pit of my stomach is telling me she will.
The surprise isn’t exactly the type we should be late to.
Slowly, I open her door just enough to steal a glimpse of her. She’s sitting at her desk, hair in a messy bun, foot tucked underneath her round butt that’s barely being covered by a pair of sleep shorts, and completely focused on her computer screen.
Damn I forgot how undeniably sexy she is. Especially like this. No makeup. No pricey outfits. No care or concern whether or not her ‘flaws’ are covered. I fucking love her like this. It’s one reason I’m always so desperate to have her in my bed first thing in the morning. This is the kinda look women only let you see when they trust you. When they care about you….
I step inside and quietly close the door behind me. However, the tiny click is enough to grab her attention.
Her glare is immediate. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“Good evening to you too, babe.”
Kady flashes me her middle finger.
She was nicer to me than this when I hit her in the face with a door…that’s all I’m saying.
“How the hell did you get in?”
“Did I forget to mention breaking and entering is also one of my many MacGyver like skills?”
“Did I forget to mention calling the cops is one of mine?”
The challenge in her eyes doesn’t shake me until she reaches for her cell phone.
“Wait. Wait. Wait,” my words rush to stop her. “I was kidding!”
“I wasn’t.”
A silent stalemate threatens the situation, and I let out a heavy sigh. “I know you’re pissed, Kady…but is there any chance you can ream me out in the car instead? There’s somewhere really special I’ve planned to take you and-”
“Are you fucking joking?!” She launches onto her feet and begins to stomp towards me. “You barely return my calls, send me one-line texts, cancel on me four times like I’m some sort of callback audition you’re not really sure you want and then you just expect me to ride off into the sunset with you at your beck and call?” Kady stops while there’s still too much space between us. “Fuck. You.”
I try to push past the pain enveloping my lungs, “Kadence-”
“Fuck you,” she repeats even harsher than before. “This shit is also why I don’t date actors. You all have this habit of behaving like your time is more valuable, like my life should revolve around yours. Well, trending topic alert. It doesn’t. It won’t. I absolutely fucking refuse.”
And that little fact only adds to the reasons I’m crazy about her. She has her own life. Her own agenda. An agenda I keep fighting tooth and nail to stay on. Neglecting her hasn’t been because I’m trying to twist her into becoming dependent on me or obsessed. It’s just a hazard of the job sometimes. I swear. If she’ll let me get a word in…or at the very least stop cussing at me long enough to listen, I’ll explain that to her.
“Kadence-”
“No.”
“I-”
“Not listening, Levi. Why don’t you get the hell out of my room and go take whoever it is you’ve been giving all my time with you to these past couple of weeks to whatever it is you have planned.”
Bafflement creases my brow. “Excuse me?”
She stubbornly folds her arms across her Chicago the Broadway Musical tank top covered chest.
“You think I’ve been busy cheating on you?”
The glower deepens.
Rage ripples throughout my system. “Fuck you.”
Her jaw plummets to the ground.
Pick yours up. Don’t act like it’s fair for her to say it when she’s pissed, but not okay for me when I am. Double standards like that aren’t okay.
I grumble, “Now you’re not the only one pissed off.”
She moves her mouth to speak, but fails.
“Cheating? Really? What gave it away? The bags under my eyes from working fourteen hours a day that I can barely hide under the makeup I’m forced to wear or the fact I stole a three-thousand-dollar suit from the show I just finished shooting because I didn’t have time to change? And you know why I didn’t have time change, Kadence? Because the only thing on my mind was getting the hell over here, kissing the shit out of you, apologizing for work demanding all my time, and whisking you away to somewhere I know you’ll appreciate.”
Sadness slinks onto her face, but she remains silent.
“This is the longest and the hardest I’ve worked at a relationship in years. Why would I throw it away now?!”
“I-”
“Better yet, who the fuck would I throw it away for?!”
“I don’t know, Levi!” She screams, insecurity swirling in her tone. “A new actress you met! A rising rock star! Another internationally known supermodel?!”
“Fuck supermodels! I have you!”
A stunned look takes over her emotional expression.
Can’t believe we’re going to spend what should’ve been a fun evening fighting about how faithful I am. Should I have just gone to the stupid cast thing?
Hearing a small sniffle smothers out the anger still seething. “Kadence….”
“What?”
“I haven’t been the best boyfriend these last couple of weeks, not because someone else has taken your place, babe, though let’s just take a second to be completely honest and admit no one could ever take your place.” My back braces itself against the door. “I’ve been working almost nonstop. We were shooting the season finale. It was a longer episode. It also required a few re-shoots. Promotional photos. Closing cast dinners and drinks. Not to mention I had to meet with my agent and publicist about upcoming projects.”
Relief finally starts to make its presence in her eyes.
“All the time I couldn’t spend talking to you or being with you, was spent working or napping.” The end of the sentence is said in a lighter manner. “I need to know why you have such a hard time believing me, babe. And I don’t wanna hear any of the ‘I know what actors are like’ bullshit. I wanna know why you have a hard time believing me. What have I done to make you think I’d ever hurt you like that?”
She surrenders her feelings in a meek tone. “I don’t know….We fooled around that night on the beach, but never had sex when we got back to your place. You know you say it’s fine we’re not sleeping together yet. You say we’ll go my speed, that as long as we’re both satisfied, it doesn’t matter if it takes us a few months or a year to get to that point, but then the next thing I know you’re blowing me off. The very next day you’re not answering my calls. Then you start canceling dates. Your texts are short and far from sweet. It doesn’t take a genius to deduce you’re probably getting something better and easier elsewhere.”
Completely dumbfounded, I croak, “Are you really worried you’re not...enough in that department?”
“Of course I am! You’ve been with hundreds of women and I’ve done what we did like six times. Tops.”
Now doesn’t seem like the time to call bullshit, but I want to. She’s head of the class if you get what I’m saying and most women in my experience who are that good spent many many hours studying.
In one swift motion, my body is pressed against her, hands folding together on the small of her back. “Babe, you’re more than enough in that department. Believe me. I can’t even think about you for too long without popping a hard on. It’s become a major problem.”
She tries to deny her smile the chance show.
“I’m serious. Can’t even stare at the picture of us I made the background on my phone for too long without needing a moment alone.”
Kadence shakes her head at the same time she giggles.
“I meant what I said, Kady. I’m happy. I’m satisfied. And I care more about keeping you in my life than I do about getting my dick touched.”
A sweet expression sweeps her face.
“Now, how about you let me make up a shitty couple of weeks with my surprise? It’s really good.”
“Fine,” she quietly caves. “But you bring me straight home afterward. I’m not spending the night with you.”
We’ll see….
I give her a playful wink and she pushes me away, a small smile being displayed.
Kadence starts towards her ensuite bathroom and I question, “Any chance you can hurry?
Her scowl’s instant reappearance causes me to shudder.
“Kidding.”
I wasn’t, but shhh.
“Can you wear a cocktail dress, please? It’s that type of place.”
She doesn’t agree. She merely hums, smirks, and shuts the bathroom door leaving me to wait alone.
God, I hope we make it on time. Should I be constructing a backup plan?
After a swift change into a lacy off the shoulder black dress that has me praying she spends the night so I can peal if off of her, I rush us to the heart of downtown as quick as possible.
I pull up to the valet option located on the side of the building at the same time Kadence asks, “Isn’t this the South Haven Theatre?”
An older male opens her door while another comes around to give me a ticket. “It is.”
“This is the big one,” she continues to analyze. “The one where they only put on the big performances. The ballets. The Operas. The Tony Award winning musicals.”
Nodding slowly, I wait for the realization to hit her. The moment it does she screams and flies into my arms.
“Oh my God!”
Grateful to have her shouting in a good way rather than on the verge of breaking up with me, I embrace her tightly, and let a grin grow wildly across my face.
“Oh my God!”
When she finally pulls back, I’m able to see the excitement has reached her gaze.
There isn’t a damn thing more beautiful than this.
“Do I need to remind you there’s no screaming inside?” Her clutch free hand takes my arm. “I’m already in trouble for doing karaoke. My publicists will kill me if I get kicked out of a Broadway Musical.”
Kady presents me with a beam so bright it blurs my vision.
I’d do anything to see her smile like this every day. I’ll fucking quit my job and move us up to New York so she can see this shit as often as possible. I’ll miss living on the beach and surfing every day, but her everlasting happiness would be so fucking worth it.
Once I’ve given the man our tickets, we step inside the busy theater lobby to see people standing around sipping cocktails in evening wear and impatiently waiting for the doors to open.
I stop us beside the display poster near the thick wooden doors that lead out to the main entrance. “Originally, I had reservations for us to take a limo ride, have dinner on the roof top of Raising The Steaks, and then a drink here before the show.”
Another round of glee appears in her expression.
“But...as you can see…I was barely able to even make this part.”
“We are now seating!” An usher announces loudly.
“Before we go find our seats….I have to pay for the tickets.”
“You haven’t paid yet?”
“Technically no.” I give my jacket a quick adjustment. “Gotta slip outside and let the vultures circle for a minute.” Her lips begin to part when I add, “We took the side entrance so at least you could keep a fraction of your privacy.”
Kadence gives my tie a tug and our lips press together.
Appeasement envelops me for the first time all day.
She pulls back before I have the chance to allow my tongue to coax hers into a meeting. “You’re amazing.”
I give her a lopsided grin. “Well, that beats the hell out of hearing I’m an asshole.”
“You’re that too.”
Don’t agree with her.
“Two minutes and we can head in alright?”
Kady nods her understanding, and I leave her lingering next to the informative displays set up to highlight the cast.
While I’m expecting a handful of photographers to be waiting outside, I’m stunned when there’s enough to rival a movie premier.
Fuck.
“There’s Levi Stone!” Someone announces, instantly causing all of the cameras to shift my direction.
A photo worthy grin plasters itself on my face like someone hit a light switch. My posture instantly shifts to perfect. My hands slide into my pants pockets at the same moment my head gives its signature tilt.
The starving scavengers snap up as many pictures as possible, well aware of the terse timeframe. Some throw out questions about my presence being linked to an actress I’m supposedly dating in the cast. Others having not heard that particular rumor inquire about who I actually brought as my date and beg for me to bring her out.
I respond to no one.
Kady’s been on the internet enough without wanting to add to it. There’s speculation and reports of sightings since we started dating, but her identity is still somewhat a mystery. Until she’s ready to go public, I don’t mind having her all to myself in the shadows. Another great thing about dating her. She prefers low key dates. Local spots where paparazzi aren’t slipping hundreds of dollars to the hostesses in order to get a text about a celebrity trying to dine in peace.
My hand slides out of my pocket and lifts into the air. “Enjoy your evening.”
During my stroll away from the limelight, I shoot Dee a quick text.
Me: Paid in full.
As soon as I step foot back into the lobby, Kady crosses over to me. She gives me a long incredulous stare before playfully pointing out, “Seems like they didn’t leave any scratches when trying to pry your eyes out….”
“There’s actually a cut on my lip.”
Her face leans a little closer and I capture her mouth with mine. Like before we keep the kiss short. Sweet. And just on this side of publicly appropriate.
Did I mention they have a strict no photos in the theater policy, which includes the lobby? All I’m saying is if a kiss were to escalate it probably wouldn’t land us on the front cover of a trashy tabloid thanks to that little rule.
We start walking towards the hall where the usher is checking tickets and directing patrons.
“So, I know how you paid for these tickets, but how the hell did you even get them in the first place? Hairspray has been sold out for months.”
I shoot her a cocky wink. “It's good to know people.”
Kadence doesn’t hesitate to gag.
On a small chortle, I sigh, “I love when you make that face at me.”
She glances away to prevent from grinning.
The usher checks our tickets and instructs, “End of the hall. Please remember the use of cell phones is not permitted. The device needs to be turned off and out of sight upon the house’s warning calling.”
“Warning call?”
“They flash the house lights three times,” Kadence informs. “It indicates to the usher’s it’s time to shut the doors.”
His impressed smile creates an uncomfortable taste of envy in my mouth. “Supporter of the theater arts?”
“Since birth.”
The man starts to speak again when I snatch my tickets out of his hand. “Thanks for the directions. Enjoy your evening.”
My arm snakes around Kady’s waist, and I move the two of us along.
Her voice vibrates with humor. “He was just being friendly.”
I give her a sarcastic sneer. “He was just flirting.”
“If that’s flirting then the guy at the grocery store has been trying to sleep with me for years.”
Shaking my head, I mumble, “I don’t doubt that.”
Kady snickers again. “Levi, I’m not nearly as attractive as you’re convinced I am.”
Steps away from our entrance, I stop, spin my body to face hers, and state. “No. You’re not nearly as unattractive as you’ve convinced yourself you are. No. You’re not fake here,” my fingers trail the side of her face. “Or here.” They lightly graze the top of her chest. “Or here.” I allow my touch to skim her stomach. “And no, you don’t spend thousands of dollars getting your hair dyed every week or starving yourself to fit into the tiniest dress. But that doesn’t mean you’re not sexy as fuck, Kadence. Think about it like this…in a city where everyone is desperate to be someone they’re not to impress someone who probably doesn’t care, you proudly walk around with a smile that can’t be purchased, in clothes that allow your body to show its curves, and confidence that’s natural, not groomed.” My hand grips her hip. “You have what most men want and your aloofness to it, only adds to the appeal. So, trust me when I say he was flirting.”
Her hand toys with the end of my tie. “Trust me when I say he was wasting his time….”
Our mouths gravitate together once again except this time our tongues engage in a momentary tryst. I give hers a hard press and the action receives the sweetest whimper. Hopeful to hear the sound again, I repeat the forceful push while tugging her closer. Kadence gives the clothing in her clutches a harsher pull forcing me to fight every primitive instinct to pin her against the wall.
Not usually this…reckless with women, but what can I say? There’s just something about her that shuts down my ability to act sensibly.
An overdramatic throat clearing is what parts us.
She suddenly pulls back, glances around me, and catches her laughter in her hand.
I grab a glimpse of a frowning older woman holding the hand of what I assume is her granddaughter. The woman gives us a disappointed shake of the head, and I mouth my apology.
My face turns back to Kady’s. “Didn’t I tell you my publicist would kill me if I got kicked out of this thing?”
Her devious smile I can’t get enough of reappears. “Yes, but we’re not actually in the theater yet.”
“Then how about we get there before we get into more trouble?” I lower my voice at the same time I lean in closer. “The kind of trouble where we miss the entire show because you’re stuck screaming my name in the bathroom.”
A small redness tints her cheeks. “I’m not a screamer.”
“You will be.”
Temptation floods her brown gaze to the point she has to pull herself out of my arms to prevent succumbing. Our fingertips wind together and we return to walking towards our final destination.
**
Musicals have never been on the automatic date list. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I don’t respect the art. I do. I absolutely fucking do, but there’s something about sitting in an auditorium for four hours listening to people sing their lines as opposed to say them that just isn’t my thing. Kind of like people who prefer wakeboarding to regular surfing. Everyone has what gives them a better high on the water and how you ingest your entertainment is the same shit. However, now that I’ve watched Kadence quietly mouth along to every song, and damn near every line, I have a new appreciation for them. The amount of pure joy that radiated off of her, hell, that’s still radiating, is intoxicating.
Kadence continues bouncing along to the opening song of the soundtrack she turned on the moment we sat in my car.
No need to point out how pussy whipped I am for letting this happen just minutes after watching the entire thing live.
“Can you put the microphone down for a minute and tell me if you wanna grab dinner before I take you home?”
She lowers the cell phone she had been crooning into. “We’re not going back to your place?”
I try not to smirk. “We can.”
As if our earlier argument never happened, she continues, “Wanna just get something delivered then? Wouldn’t that be easier than trying to squeeze in somewhere?” Once I nod, she exclaims, “Oh we could grab tacos from Tikki Tikki Rikki Tacos! I’ve been craving the ones with avocado sauce and purple cabbage all week!”
My foot hits the brakes again, cringing at the downtown traffic we’re stuck in. I toss my attention her direction. “Hope you’re not starving because it’s gonna be awhile.”
Kady’s phoneless hand lands on my thigh. “Good thing I kinda really like you right now.”
The urge to milk her happiness for as long as possible collides with the perfect segue to tell her the other reason I’ve been MIA all week.
Swallowing my personal objection, I sigh, “You may not when I tell where else I’ve been this week.”
Her eyes narrow, and she snatches her touch away. “You said-”
“I wasn’t out with another woman,” I practically growl. “I was signing the final paperwork for the next movie I’m shooting in a few weeks. That’s why I was meeting with my agent and publicist. I was also being prepped on the pre-production schedule, which starts next week with stage combat classes, diving lessons, wardrobe fittings, living accommodations, and meetings with my fellow cast members.” Traffic begins to move, redirecting my focus to the road. “We’ll be filming in Coconut Bay for four and a half to five months.”
There’s a long, strained stretch of silence before Kadence manages to croak, “That’s like....”
We stop at another red light, and our eyes meet.
It’s obvious she’s not capable of finishing the sentence, so I take over. “About a two-hour plane ride or about eight hours if you drive.” Unsure if I see appreciation for having those figures ready or disheartenment, I push past the anxiety building between us. “I don’t know about you, Kady, but I wanna keep what we have going. I wanna do the calls and the texts and the video chats and the visits as often as fucking possible. I wanna get the stupid food photos chicks send when they wish you were eating with them. I wanna go into town and buy you one of those tacky touristy shirts and make my assistant spend the extra eighty bucks to make sure you get it the very next day.”
The corner of her lip curls.
“I wanna do all those thing, and I’m praying to God you do too-”
“I do,” she whispers.
“Then I’m really going to need you to trust me more.”
“Trust has to be earned, Levi.”
“And I may not have earned all of it, but I’ve damn sure earned more than you’re letting me have.”
Kadence glances away seconds prior to the light turning green.
For a few moments the two of us linger in grim stillness.
Am I wrong? Should she be overly concerned I’m that much of an asshole? That I’m going to cheat on her every time we’re apart more than a couple of days? Have you even seen me look at another woman in that way since I met her? Because I damn sure can’t recall doing it.
“This relationship is never going to work, Kadence, if you can’t trust me. If you can’t believe me when I say my heart only belongs to one woman and that woman is you.”
Her hand slides back onto my thigh and every ounce of tension vanishes. While I expect there to be an argument or demand for more reassurance, there isn’t. Instead, her thumb simply begins to softly stroke the area it landed. “How long do we have before I need to try to squeeze into your suitcase?”
I lightly laugh, cover her hand with mine, and accelerate onto the highway. “About three weeks. But don’t forget, I have some pre-production shit I have to do during it.”
“Will you be able to make time for us?”
“As much fucking time as possible, babe.”
“Starting tonight?”
My cock thickens, and I quickly try to command it to stop.
She wasn’t implying sex. She was….Well….Honestly, I don’t what she was trying to convey, but it damn sure wasn’t that.
Kady glides her hand across my dick and gives it a hard squeeze.
Holy shit, was she?
I grab a brief glimpse of her mixed expression yet decide against replying.
Fuck…I’ll explain to her once we’re settled at my house with a safe distance between the two of us that just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean we’ve gotta have sex. And when I say safe distance, I mean from the other side of the room, with my eyes shut so my dick can’t be distracted by how fucking sexy she looks. Letting your dick do your heavy decision making is how we as men get in the most fucking trouble….
The rest of our drive is only filled with music and heavy, staggered breathing. Kady recants any previous notions about being hungry for anything other than me.
Is the deadline for my departure acting like an aphrodisiac?
She guides me slowly by the hand up the stairs for my bedroom. I let her. I let her take the lead, have the control over our speed just as I promised from the beginning I would. Our bodies gravitate towards the king size bed and the mixture of hunger unforgivingly clashes against honor.
I need to be the good guy here….I need to be the hero. She’s already convinced I’m just another Hollywood asshole….
Kady slinks down onto the navy comforter, tosses her clutch onto the nightstand, slides the top half of her dress down, and leans back invitingly onto her palms.
My mouth instantly begins to water.
She tilts her head in her infamous challenging way, but the hint of doubt still lingering in her eyes keeps my feet planted where they are.
“We don’t have to do this tonight, Kadence. The first time shouldn’t be out of some false sense of obligation. It should be-”
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” she bluntly blurts out.
Unsure if I heard her correctly I continue to stare on.
“That’s the real issue here, Levi.” Her body shoots itself back to a complete sitting position. “That’s why I’m worried I’m not good enough in the bedroom for you. That’s why I’m worried about you cheating and leaving. Because you have my heart and I don’t want it to get broken. Falling in love is on my five-year plan. Dealing with heart ache is not.”
I can’t plant my mouth on top of hers fast enough. She welcomes me with parted lips and an equally excited tongue. Both hands latch onto the sides of her neck to keep her from falling backwards. My tongue rolls around and around until it’s convinced her mind is just as dizzy as mine. At that moment and only at that moment, do I stumble backwards, giving us the breathing room we desperately need.
The efforts to still my overworking chest increase. “I need you to know.”
Kadence tries to shake away her daze. “What?”
In a voice, I can barely call my own, I beg, “I need you to know that’s what you’re feeling, babe. I need you to admit it out loud and then let me love you with everything I have.”
She quietly proclaims, “I love you, Levi.”
Damn, I didn’t think I’d ever hear those words again in this way. Damn sure never thought if I did they would come from a woman who I can’t see myself living without. Acting for years to come may be in my future, but Kadence Allen is my future. She’s my sixty-year plan. Getting to be with her until I die is the only guarantee in life I need.
Too much time passes without me retorting. “Are you really not gonna say it back?”
A bold smirk presents itself. “Do I really need to?”
Like I hoped, Kadence rolls her eyes and rises to her feet, irritation gracing her complexion. She attempts to storm past me when she’s caught in my arms. My mouth descends hers, but she pretends to fight against it. Her balled fists pound feebly against my chest, while her tongue submits to every push it’s given. Eventually, she abandons the assault and aggressively shoves my jacket off my shoulders. The action detonates the desire to remove all remaining barriers with celerity. We exile loose articles of clothing and oscillate between nips and sucks on every inch of skin that becomes bared. By the time we’re underneath my sheets and my cock is covered I’m concerned about coming within the first three minutes.
Which is whale shit for the record. This…bizarre must come now syndrome is brand fucking new to me. Even when I first started having sex, which was with Anna, it wasn’t like this. I learned quicker than most how to control when to come. When not to come. How is Kady undoing years upon years of perfected skill?
Her arms tangle around my neck. “Go slow. It’s been…a long time.”
“How long?”
“Couple years.”
A dark groan festers in the back of my throat while the tip of my dick thrusts past her dripping lips, ready to rise to the task of rewriting the number. She immediately bows off the bed, and I groan again at the way her tits crush against me. Inch by inch slips inside loving the way it causes her to gasp for air. Kadence’s tight pussy begins to pulsate the moment I reach the hilt, and my face falls to the crook of her neck on a barbaric growl. It takes every fiber in my body to cease my movements.
“You’re fucking coming already?”
She whimpers weakly.
Her body trembles underneath mine with enough force to tear my own orgasm out of me long before it should be possible. I do everything in my power to distract myself from jumping off the ledge with her. I drag my teeth along her neck, loving the way her racing pulse feels against my tongue. I harshly nip at the skin I’ve made damp, determined to mark her like territory inside and out. She begins digging her heels into my back in encouragement to move and my balls clench in premature surrender. I clamp down ferociously on her neck, grip the outside of her thigh, and begin to pump viciously.
Kadence struggles to call out my name, “L…L…L….”
The lack of completion is such a turn on I have to squeeze my eyes shut to maintain the minor control I have left over my cock. Her hold hardens and her luscious moans transpose into breathless gasps. My greedy grunts sync to the sound of the headboard ruthlessly rocking against the navy colored accent wall. Sweat begins to swim across our skin, and I lap up the salty testament of our shared struggle to keep going. To make our first time last for a life time.
My lips gently brush against her ear. “I love you, Kadence.”
A choked orgasmic sob is the only sound she makes before she comes a second time. Knowing I won’t be able to resist twice, I dive deeper and let the underused muscles constrict around my cock. Relentlessly, they squeeze, choking every last drop of cum out of me. Every section of our bodies shakes. Heaves. Howls for momentary mitigation. Our tongues find one another’s again and anxiously agree this is the beginning of many sleepless nights.
I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of her. And just between you and me? I hope she never gets enough of me either.