Page 70 of Newcomer
“How about,”—I kiss under his chin—”we have cake,”—I tease his nipples with my hand, and his breath catches as he bites his lower lip—”then we assemble Ava's gift. And then we bring the cake here and make a real mess of these nice sheets.”
I press my lips against his and delight in the way he melts under my touch. His dick is starting to stir again, but I leave it alone for now.
“You have the best ideas,” he says.
My phone rings with the tone I picked for Fletcher.
“Hello?”
“Hey, dude. Just thought I'd let you know Ava wants to stay over with George, and I thought you might want the break since it's your special day and all.”
Levi stares at me, and I sigh. “Thanks, man. If I sleep in the dog house tonight, it's your fault.”
He laughs. “Ava just wants to say good night.”
There's a noise in the background and then a giggle.
“Hi, Daddybug. Hi, Arlo.”
“Hey, Jellybean. You gonna be good for Fletcher?”
“Of course.”
Our eyes meet, and we smile, both knowing exactly the face she's making as she says it.
“Okay then. Have a good time with George,” Levi says.
“I will. Oh…you can build my birthday present because I'm not with you, okay?”
We both snort, and I put the phone against my chest before Levi laughs. I take a deep breath and then bring the phone up to my mouth.
“Thank you, sweetie. That's an excellent idea.”
“I knew it! See, Gigi? They're making my birthday present.” Her excited words carry off into the distance as she clearly leaves the phone behind to tell George her news.
Levi ends the call and wraps his arms around my shoulders. “I'll pretend that I don't know that Fletcher knows it's your birthday, and I didn't, but only because I know I'm so damned lucky to have you in my life. I know you love me with all your heart, but the way that love extends to Ava will always make me love you even more.”
I give him a quick kiss. “You're forgetting that I knew her before I knew you. Maybe I love you because I loved her first.”
“I'll take that every day for the rest of my life,” he says.
“I hope that's a promise.”
He kisses me until we're both breathless. I know it'll be too easy to get carried away, and we'll regret not taking the chance to build Ava's ladybug playhouse, so I break away from him.
“By the way, I think there's something going on between Fletch and Harrison,” I say.
“Harrison, Megan's dad?”
I nod.
“How do they know each other? I've never seen him at school,” Levi says.
“Don’t know. Maybe they met at my classes while waiting for the kids,” I suggest. Not that I ever noticed anything apart from that one time.
Levi smiles. “Hmm, maybe. Sage should change the name of the store from Birchcraft to Witchcraft since the place seems to have some special love powers.”
“Oh yeah? And who did you fall for at Birchcraft?”
He shrugs. “Just this gorgeous, tall, sweet man who made a pair of ladybug wings for my daughter. He kinda stole my heart that day.”
I hold him tight as I get off the bed and carry him to the kitchen for the first serving of birthday cake. With any luck, I'll eat the second serving off him later.
Who'd have known that in some of the most challenging times, I'd also meet the person who will brighten the rest of my life?
Maybe he's right.
Witchcraft, indeed.
* * *