Page 13

“W hen do you work next?” Levi toyed with the silver ring on Sara’s pinkie.

It was just before daybreak, but light was beginning to filter in through the balcony door glass.

“Next shift is Monday.” Her voice was smokey and low and sent his dick throbbing.

“So, you have the weekend off?” He rolled to his side, facing her.

“I do.” Sara gave him a soft smile and he felt his chest tighten.

He touched one finger to her lips and traced their lushness. He wanted her again.

He had zero rational thought when it came to Sara. He gazed at her across the small distance, her sleep-mussed hair, her lovely big eyes, and her mouth.

When he was near her, he became out of fucking control.

Take last night, for instance. He had only wanted to talk with her. He had wanted to just look at her, but that plan had flown right out of his head the minute he saw her gazing at him from her balcony. All thought was lost when he spotted the path up the side of the house.

With only one goal in mind, he had scaled the side of the house as if it were monkey bars at the park.

He needed to kiss her like he needed air to breathe. With her nipples poking against her pajama blouse with desire for him, how could he have possibly stayed away? He knew in his gut that she wanted him just as fiercely as he wanted her.

The bruises on her legs and thighs turned his stomach sick…those fucking blemishes still sparked cold fear and anger.

He suddenly had trouble focusing on anything past killing the men who had touched her.

But he stayed still. She was cupping his face with her soft hands. And the main reason he didn’t bolt from the bed and go after her attackers that instant was because…he didn’t want to leave her.

He hadn’t had enough of her. He craved her. He wanted to spend one whole day with her before he let the shit of the world take back over.

“Let’s get out of here,” he croaked.

He didn’t need to say it twice.

Sara launched from the bed with a quick smile, her laughter floating in the air, and Levi followed her into the shower.

Much later, they emerged and dressed, he in his clothes from last night and she in blue jeans and a silky top with sneakers.

“Go out that way.” She shoved him toward the balcony doors.

“Why?” He caught the edge of the door and gazed at her.

Her lips pouted. “Because I promised Mandy I wouldn’t bring home strange men.”

“Strange?” he huffed with a chuckle. “Technically, you didn’t bring me home.” He felt the need to point out, but she was pushing him again and he caved.

Launching over the railing, Levi dropped to the ground below and gave her a cocky salute. She laughed from above and disappeared inside.

Several minutes later, she emerged from the house and he caught her close, kissed her lips, and linked their hands.

They ended up at the beach with him wearing his tux from last night and her in blue jeans.

They made it in time to watch the tail end of the sunrise shooting orange across the Pacific Ocean.

He carried his shoes in one hand and her sneakers in the other. She stopped to roll up the bottoms of his tux pants before folding her own jean bottoms. From there, she ran to the ocean to wander in the waves.

Tucking her shoes beneath one arm, he caught her hand and linked their fingers.

“Do you have family?” Sara asked out of the blue.

“I do,” he nodded. “Parents and siblings.”

She cocked her head, her eyes alight with curiosity, and while he didn’t want to share about his family, he didn’t want to see that light extinguished. He wasn’t one for sharing, but for her, he made an exception.

“I’m not what my parents want me to be.”

“Oh?” She looked him up and down. “Too much muscle?”

He shook his head with a grin when she giggled.

“Among other things,” he said.

She tugged away from his hand, and he reluctantly released her. The slight wind molded the silky cream-colored blouse to her breasts and curvy form, and her long hair whipped around her head, flowing over her shoulders.

She was a vision, and he couldn’t look away.

“What other things?” She spun in the small crest of water that slid up the sandy surface.

“A bodyguard.”

Something in her eyes flashed, and he wondered about it before she turned away and threw her arms up high. The sun glinted off her dark hair, pulling red fire from some of the strands, and he steeled himself to keep from reaching for her.

“And your siblings?”

“Twin brothers.” He smiled when she gaped.

“You have twins in your family.”

“Yup,” he drawled with a wry smile.

She appeared to like that idea and smiled at him. Reaching his free hand out to her, she danced over and linked their fingers. He drew her to him and kissed her lips. Instantly, the kiss deepened and she pulled back breathless, his own harsh breathing swallowed by the crashing waves.

“What about you?” he asked even though he already knew the answer.

“My parents, grandparents, and you know Shane.” She gazed away from him and toward the water. “We’re adopted.”

“I heard.”

“How?” She frowned at him.

“Lily told me,” he lied.

He’d actually found out via her father, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to open up that can of worms right now. Not when they were getting along so well. He suspected that she’d be disappointed in him if she knew her family had paid for him to find her. And even though he’d given the money back, it wouldn’t change the facts.

He wracked his brain for something normal to say. “I also know you have a hair salon. Which, by the way, I was going to stop by and get my hair cut.”

“When?”

“In February.”

She gazed at his trimmed hair and cropped beard. “Where’d you end up?”

“Economy clips,” he said with a grin.

She giggled and pulled free from him. “You do look a bit ratty.”

“Hey!” he grumbled and lunged after her.

Chasing her down the beach, he realized she was fast. Faster than he’d anticipated, and he had to run flat out to catch her. He dropped their shoes and grabbed her around the waist, bringing her to a stop by swinging her around and around.

When he placed her on her feet, he kissed her again.

“Hungry?” she murmured against his mouth.

“Depends on what,” he growled, nibbling at her lips.

“Food, silly.” She laughed and slapped a hand at his chest.

“Yeah, I’m starving,” he admitted, and after putting on their shoes, they made their way up the beach.

He tucked her into his rental SUV. He was grateful Nash had dropped it off and swapped out the limo last night.

They headed down the coast looking for a place to eat, and Sara chatted about the bar she worked at and he asked her if she’d ever do hair again.

“Maybe someday.”

“That’s good. You’re really talented.”

“Thanks.”

They ended up in a breakfast place that sat not far from the beach, and she ate pancakes and sausage.

He ordered a breakfast steak and kept the conversation light. Asking about her time at college.

It seemed far safer than asking her about her dreams.

Because if those dreams included him, he wasn’t sure what to say.

He enjoyed spending time with her, of that there was no doubt.

But he couldn’t give her a happily ever after.

Not with the type of work he did.

She was better off with someone more… safe.

And the thought of Sara with someone else left a bitter taste.

That was probably the moment he started thinking of a life beyond what it was now.

A life with Sara.

And once he wondered what that would look like, he couldn’t get it out of his head.