“When will you be here?”
Levi takes his eyes from the road for a beat to look at me, and I shake my head. “You can go,” I say softly.
“Is that Ellie?” Shay chuckles. “Are you with Ellie? Is she really staying at your house? Am I interrupting something romantic? Sorry, Levi. I never mean to be a cock blocker. It just comes naturally.”
“I’m gonna pass tonight,” he says, ignoring her questions. “I’ll see everyone tomorrow.”
“You can bring her! Come on, Levi.”
“It’s been a long day, and tomorrow will be another one,” he says, cutting his eyes to me again. “Remember that before you have another beer, okay?”
“Party pooper,” Shay mutters.
“See you tomorrow, Shayleigh. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
He ends the call as he pulls into his driveway, pressing the button on his visor to open his garage door.
I feel like an ass. “You can go. Just because I don’t want to doesn’t mean you need to miss it.”
He shakes his head and pulls into the garage. “If I walked into that bar, it would give Shay an excuse to have another beer. That’s the last thing she needs before tomorrow.”
I cringe. “It’s a family weekend, and you’re stuck with me because you think it’s your job to play bodyguard.”
He cuts the engine and studies me for a beat, his dark gaze piercing in the car’s low dome light. “I can honestly say playing bodyguard was the furthest thing from my mind.” He shakes his head. “In fact, seeing you all wet in your bra and panties might have entirely wiped my brain of anything but lust. I’m surprised I remembered how to drive.”
Butterflies go wild in my stomach, but I try to laugh. “Now you need another cold shower?”
“Nah, I didn’t care for that. Anyway, someone told me real men take hot showers and jack off.”
My breath leaves me in a rush at that image, but he’s already climbing out of the car and heading into the house. I practically chase after him, closing the door behind me as I step into the hallway. “Need someone to wash your back?”
Levi pauses in front of the alarm panel before punching in the numbers to disarm it. When he turns to me and speaks again, his voice is lower, and all the teasing from his earlier tone is gone. “We rushed this last time and then you pushed me away.” His gaze drops to my mouth and his nostrils flare. “You’re so fucking tempting, Ellie, but I want more than sex, and until you remember more, I’m not sure either of us can trust your decision to give it to me.”
Saturday, October 27th
I slept alone. On purpose.
It was awful.
The first night here, I was truly too afraid to sleep by myself, and that made me go to Levi, but last night was different. After my encounter in the woods, maybe fear should have had me tossing and turning in my sheets, but all it did was reinforce my instinct to protect Colton.
Instead, I was restless from the ache between my legs, and the memory of the night at the lake with Levi played on loop in my brain. Lust and hot memories left no room in my brain for fear of the faceless boogeyman who assaulted me in my own home.
I’m at the kitchen table, sipping my second cup of coffee, when Levi strolls into the room, and I nearly drop my mug at the sight of him. He’s shirtless in low-slung jeans that reveal the defined muscles of his stomach and the delicious V of his hipbones. If I could get pre-injury Ellie in a room alone, I’d read her the riot act for walking away from him.
“All the guys are meeting at Brayden’s to get ready and do some pictures before heading over to the park for the ceremony.” Levi grabs his wallet off the counter and shoves it in his pocket. The movement pushes his jeans down another inch.
I want to lick those muscles. To unbutton his jeans and follow that path of hair from his navel all the way down. My thighs clench at the thought.
“You should come with,” he says, oblivious to the X-rated fantasy reel playing in my head. “Mom would love to see you, and then you could ride with me to the wedding and reception.”
I blink, trying to bring my brain back to the moment. “Ride . . . you?”
“With me?” Levi tilts his head to the side and grins as my cheeks heat. “I wouldn’t mind you riding me either, but that might be a little awkward with all my family there.”
“So says the man who didn’t want me in his shower,” I mutter, narrowing my eyes playfully.
He crosses the kitchen to stand beside me at the table. Gently, he takes my chin in his hand and lowers his mouth to mine. His kiss is slow and coaxing—a soft press of lips, then a minty exploration of tongue that lights my skin on fire and makes me squeeze my thighs together. He sucks my bottom lip between his teeth, and when he pulls back, his eyes are dark and hungry. “You’re wrong about that,” he says, his voice husky. “I wanted you there more than you can imagine. I’m just trying to do the right thing here.”
My heart’s racing, and I take a deep breath to calm it. “That helps my fussy ego at least.”
He skims his thumb over my lips. “Your ego has nothing to worry about.” He steps away from me. “How’d you sleep? You could’ve stayed in my bed. I would’ve behaved myself.”
I fold my arms. “Obviously I didn’t doubt that, or I’d have crawled between your sheets. Naked.”
He squeezes his eyes shut. “You’re killing me. You know that?”
“Alas, I had total confidence in your self-control, so I stayed on my side of the house and saved us both a case of blue balls.”
“Speak for yourself,” he mutters, heading to the coffee pot. “So, about today—will you come with me to Brayden’s?”
“I don’t want to intrude. I’d just be in the way.”
“Nonsense. There’s room for everyone.”
“I appreciate you sharing your family credo with me, but I really don’t feel comfortable hanging around while you all do your official wedding stuff.”
“Then go spend the day with the girls.” He pours himself a cup of coffee before turning back to me. “You could help them with their hair and makeup or whatever.”
“And spend my day with homewrecker Molly? Hard pass, but thanks.”
He frowns. “I already told you about that.”
I arch a brow. “That when I went back to Colton I believed he’d been faithful? Yeah. I remember you sharing that with me. I’m just not trusting the judgment of the pregnant and scared Ellie.”
He studies me for a long beat, and something changes in his eyes—a warmth gone cool. “Right.”
Shit. “Pregnant Ellie” slept with Levi. “I mean with decisions regarding Colton,” I say quickly.
He doesn’t press. “Molly said he didn’t cheat on you. I believe her.”
“Good for you.”
He looks away, and I can tell there’s more he wants to say about this, but he doesn’t.
“I’m really fine here. What’s the point in a fancy security system if you never get to use it?”
He studies me for a long time, his face growing more and more serious. “I’m more concerned you’ll start looking for those paintings while I’m gone.”
“Oh, so the truth comes out.”
“I don’t want you playing PI without me by your side.” He drags a hand through his hair. “Hell, I don’t want you playing PI at all, but I’ll lose my mind if I think you’re pursuing this on your own.”
I slide back from the table and join him by the counter to look at the clock. It’s just after nine. “I think I can behave myself for a few hours.”
He scratches his chest, drawing my eyes down past his broad shoulders and over his pecs, which makes me drop my gaze even lower to the ridges of muscle across his stomach. “Ellie,” he growls.
“What?” I try to sound innocent, but I haven’t managed to get my eyes off his abs, so I’m not sure I’m successful.