Levitate (10 page)

I had every intention of leaving. I needed space to wrap my head around why I even ended up here today. As soon as I made it to the living room, the thought of leaving didn’t sit well with me. I push that in the back of my mind. Not going there.

“
Armageddon
?” I ask as I stop on one of the movie channels.

“Hello, it has Ben Affleck in it.”

“And?” I ask. I know where she’s going with this, but I want her to say it. I need to get that easy banter back. My hope is that it will take over the thoughts of what just happened. Slim chance, but worth a shot.

“And he’s hot!” she says as a slight blush covers her face.

“All right then.” I reach down and slip off my boots and settle in, resting them on the coffee table. “You know what sounds good right now?” She doesn’t answer, so I keep talking. “Popcorn.” I turn my head to look at her. She’s watching me.

The expression on her face tells me I’m acting as crazy as I feel. This isn’t me. “You’re right. I’ll make some.” She quickly hops off the couch and sprints to the kitchen.

I hit pause on the remote. I hear her banging around in the kitchen. The smell of freshly popped popcorn floats through the air. I wait a few more minutes and still no Kensington. Getting to my feet, my nose leads me to the kitchen. She’s on her tippy toes reaching for a bowl. I move in behind her and place my hand on her hip while the other reaches over her head and grabs it.

I set the bowl in front of her on the counter, leaning down, placing my lips next to her ear. “You should have told me you needed me.” My words have a double meaning and she knows it. She leans against me, which has me wrapping my arms around her waist. Instead of making a move and taking advantage of her, I just… hold her. She smells amazing and is a perfect fit for my arms.

Not liking where my thoughts are going, I release her and smack her on the ass for good measure. “Movie’s waiting,” I call over my shoulder as I flee to the living room.

I settle into the couch, leaning toward the middle on my elbow, feet again propped up on the table. Kensington walks in holding the bowl filled with popcorn and two bottles of water. She hands me a bottle and sets the bowl in between us on the couch. I wait until she is sitting before hitting play on the remote.

We sit in comfortable silence, eating popcorn and watching the movie. She’s on one side and I’m on the other. I’m cautious to not reach for a handful at the same time as she does. My resolve is thin when it comes to touching her. I want her. My dick wants her. I will have her, just not today. I won’t take her until I can no longer see that fear in her eyes.

She’s timid, constantly fidgeting. She’s moved the pillow on her lap at least twenty times. Her breathing is accelerated and her leg is bouncing up and down with nerves.

It’s taking extreme effort to concentrate on the movie. We’ve almost made it to the end when I hear her sniff. At first, I don’t think much of it, until it happens again. I turn to look at her and see tears rolling down her cheeks. Without thinking, I reach over and wipe the tears away with my thumb. She gives me a watery smile. “I forgot how it ended. I never would have agreed to watch it with you if I had remembered.” She chuckles at herself.

Something in my chest tightens at seeing her tears. No man likes to see a woman cry in his presence, but this is different. I feel… protective of her. Like I could kick Ben and Bruce’s ass for making her cry. Now I want to kick my own ass for even thinking it.

I watch as she offers me another smile through her tears. “Don’t hold it against me,” she says, chuckling.

I have something I would like to hold against her, in her, whatever.

I don’t get the chance to respond as the door to her apartment flies open. In walks Nicole and Bright. Fuck! This is not what I need. This is going to go down one of two ways. He’s going to be pissed that I pursued her or he’s never going to let me live it down that she’s gotten under my skin.

“Hey, you two,” Nicole chirps as if seeing Kensington and I laying around watching television is an everyday occurrence.

“How was the movie?” Kens asks them.

“We didn’t end up watching one. There wasn’t anything we really wanted to see, so we grabbed some ice cream and went to the park.”

I catch Bright’s attention and raise my eyebrows at him in question. He shrugs and grins. He’s so far gone for her.

Bright sits down on the loveseat and pulls Nicole down beside him. “What did you two get into?” he asks.

“Not much. I thought I would keep Kens company while she got caught up on her laundry.” As if we needed the proof, the dryer buzzes. I smirk at Bright. I could tell he didn’t believe me, as he shouldn’t. That’s not why I’m here. Well, it’s not why I came here. Now… well, I’m not sure. All I know is that once I was here in her space, I couldn’t make myself leave.

“DUTY CALLS.” I jump to my feet and head to the laundry room. Saved by the buzzer. I take my time folding and starting a new load. I even put the first load away, stalling as long as possible. Finally, with nothing left but to sit and wait, I join them back in the living room.

“Uh, I just have one more load and I’m caught up,” I say slowly. Why is he asking me that? Brighton asked him, not me.

I get my answer when he turns to Brighton. “Just gonna hang out here, man. You?”

What the…? Did I just hear him right? He’s just going to spend the day here so I can get my laundry done. Seriously? Does he really think hanging around the house is going to get him access to my bed? Okay, yes, there was a moment earlier, but I came to my senses.

“You guys don’t have to hang around on my account,” I try to convince them. It doesn’t really matter because my words fall on deaf ears.

“Let’s order in. You all up for another movie?” This brilliant idea is from my best friend. What the hell is she doing? I try to give her the look, but I fail miserably. She just smiles at me as she pulls out her phone and orders a ton of pizza, breadsticks, and wings for delivery.

“I’m going to go get plates and stuff ready,” I mumble, rising to my feet and fleeing to the kitchen. I’m gathering plates and napkins when Nicole walks in.

“So it sounds like you’ve had an interesting day.” She cuts right to the chase.

“I guess so. He just showed up out of the blue.”

“I would say having a guy who looks like Max show up to hang out so you could do laundry definitely qualifies for an interesting day,” she quips.

“I’m not falling for it. He’s trying to lure me into bed and it’s not going to happen. The sooner he realizes the better.”

Nicole studies me for a long time before answering. “He may want to sleep with you, but he can have anyone he wants. Yet, he’s here with you. Think about that.” She turns and walks out of the room.

I take a seat at the table and rest my head in my hands. I’m fighting an internal battle. I know if Nicole knew the entire story, she would understand why I am like I am. Why I fight so hard against trusting anyone with my heart.

As I battle with myself, I feel a warm hand on my back. I know it’s Maxton without looking up. He kneels down next to me as he continues to stroke my back soothingly. “Kensi, are you all right?” he asks softly. I can hear the concern in his voice. This does nothing to confirm his image of the badass player that he tries to portray.

I lift my head and we’re staring eye to eye. “I don’t know,” I tell him honestly. Neither one of us breaks eye contact. The pull he has on me is too strong. I can’t look away.

Max tucks a loose piece of hair behind my ear, resting his hand on the back of my neck. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” he questions.

“Pizza’s here!” Nicole yells. Maxton continues to hold onto me, waiting patiently.

“We better go eat,” I whisper.

He nods and stands to his full height, pulling me up with him. His arms are around me in an instant and he’s giving me a hug. He drops a kiss on the top of my head right before he releases me. I follow as he leads us back to our friends.

Just like that, Maxton Cooper has once again made me question who he really is. Is he this sweet tender guy that he has shown me so many times? Is he the playboy who will say and do anything to get into my bed? The more time I spend with him, the more I want to know. I want to piece his puzzle together until all the pieces are in their rightful place. I need to see the finished product. He’s the first guy who has ever made me want to invest the effort to find out. There’s just something about Maxton Cooper that reels me in.

We dig into the food like none of us have eaten for days. The guys more so, but what else could one expect from these two. They are both huge with muscled arms and defined abs. Their shirts look as though they are bursting at the seams. Brighton is slightly shorter than Maxton, but both are well over six-feet tall. Clean up is easy as we used paper plates and napkins. Nicole and I take care of that while the guys search Netflix for the movie. I’m prepared for Nicole to ask questions, but she doesn’t. I’m relieved even though I know it won’t last long. As soon as the guys leave, she will pounce. I know my best friend.

The guys have
Ocean’s Eleven
pulled up and ask us if it’s okay. Nicole blurts out, “Have you seen the cast? Yeah, we’re good.” She winks at me and I smile at her. One, because she’s right, and two, because I know what she’s doing. She’s effectively getting under their skin. It’s a macho thing.

“Come here, you,” Brighton says, pulling Nicole onto his lap. I smile at his playfulness with her.

I take my seat on the couch and pull the blanket from the back. I watch in fascination as Maxton helps me cover my feet, tucking it around me. “Better?” he asks quietly, only for me.

I can’t seem to find my voice, so I just nod. That earns me a smile. I can only assume it’s because of the way he found me in the kitchen. He doesn’t know how to deal with me. I push all thoughts out of my mind and settle in for the movie.

I PUSH PLAY on the remote and try to keep my focus aimed at the television. I’m kicked back and leaning on my elbow in the center of the couch. The position has me closer to her. I don’t know why, but that’s where I want to be. Something is different; today changed things. I can’t define what it is. I want her; but that’s nothing new that’s how this whole thing started. This crazy fucking spark that I feel around her. She turned me down and that fueled my pursuit. I refuse to tear it apart afraid of what I might find. I need to remember to look out for number one. That’s the only way.

Shifting positions gives me the perfect reason to turn my head and glance at her. What I see takes my breath away. She’s sleeping. Her head is leaned against the couch, the cover up to her neck. She’s so fucking beautiful it almost hurts to look at her. Almost. I would regret if I let this moment pass me by, a chance to study her when she’s peaceful, and the chance to look at her without the insecurity in her eyes. It’s like she’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I can see there is something there and I can admit that I want to know what it is. But it’s an admission that I’m not ready to voice outside of my head.

A tendril of hair has fallen across her eyes and she bats at it with her hand. I reach over and gently tuck it behind her ear. I softy run my thumb across the dark circles under her eyes. How did I miss that?

“She doesn’t sleep well sometimes.” Nicole’s whispered voice has me dropping my hand and turning to face her. “It’s her story to tell; hell, I don’t even know all of it. She hides it well, but it’s there.” She points to Kensington. “She doesn’t have her guard up when she’s sleeping.”

I can see that. I turn back to Kensington, watching her sleep.

“I’m not sure what brought you here today,” Nicole starts, but I don’t turn back to face her, “but I know she can’t take any more heartbreak. Please don’t play games with her.” Her voice is pleading.

“He doesn’t play games, babe. Just because he doesn’t do commitment doesn’t mean he’s out to hurt her,” Brighton defends me.

Hearing her plea, asking me to never hurt Kensington, sparks something in me. Never. I would never do anything to hurt her. Turning to face them, I admit, “I won’t hurt her. I could never.” I shake my head. I don’t know what this is, this feeling, but I want to protect her. The thought that someone has hurt her, or would hurt her, does not sit well with me. I turn back to Kensington, taking in her sleeping form and something inside my chest swells. I whisper the words, “She’s different.” They fall out of my mouth and I realize it’s true.

“I can see that. Tread lightly, man,” Brighton warns me. I know he’s all in with Nicole and he doesn’t want his girl upset. I get that, I do. However, it was me and him first; he knows me better than that.

I focus my gaze back on the movie. I’m not paying attention, but pretend to be. The conversation needed to end. I’m done talking about it, about her, about my feelings. She’s different. I said the words and meant them, but fuck me if I know what it means.

When the credits roll, I’m ready to head home. There are so many things jumbled around in my head; I just need to clear my mind. Nicole yawns and Bright takes that as the cue that we need to head out. I look over at Kensington and her neck is bent at an awkward angle. She can’t sleep like that all night.

Without another thought, I climb to my feet, lean down, and scoop her up in my arms. Her head rests against my shoulder and she burrows her face into my neck. “What the hell are you doing?” Nicole asks. Her voice is alarmed.

Brighton answers for me. He’s knows me all too well. “Babe, she can’t sleep like that all night. She looked uncomfortable as hell. Instead of waking her, he’s taking her to her bed. You said yourself she doesn’t sleep well.”

She turns to look at me, Kensington in my arms. “It’s the—” I turn toward the hall.

“I know,” I whisper the words, not wanting to wake her up. I walk slowly down the hall to her room. Pushing the door open with my foot, I stalk to her bed and lay her down gently. She rolls to her side, facing me, and curls up into a ball. I, again, tuck her wayward curls behind her ear, pulling the cover up over her. Even though I know I shouldn’t, I can’t resist kissing her on the forehead. When I pull back, her eyes flutter open.

“Max,” she whispers groggily. She never calls me Max. Always Maxton.

“Shh, go back to sleep. I just didn’t want you to get a kink in your neck from the couch.” I keep my voice soft and low.

“You scare me.” Her voice is soft. I can tell she’s still half asleep.

At her words, I drop to my knees beside the bed. I run my fingers over her hair. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No,
you
scare me,” she says again. Her eyes open and capture mine. They are full of sadness and I want to know why. I want to know what caused her pain.

I continue to run my fingers over her silky locks. “Why do I scare you, baby?” Her eyes are closed again. I watch her chest rise and fall. When it appears like she’s really asleep this time, I lean in to kiss her forehead one last time.

As I go to stand, she mumbles, “I don’t want to feel. You make me feel.”

Her words stop me. I stop and stare at her. This beautiful girl is broken, and in this moment, I want nothing more than to make her whole again. I don’t know why or what it means. I drop back to my knees and tuck that damn curl back behind her ear. I smile. I wanted her, want her, but now… I want her to feel whole again. Somehow she’s weaseled her way past my cocky exterior that I use to guard my heart. She’s worked her way past the barrier, and now all I want to do is help her propel over her own.

I hear a light tap on the door. I sigh and climb to my feet. Both Nicole and Brighton are standing there, watching me. “She’s all tucked in.” I try to keep my voice neutral. I don’t want them to see how she is slowly crumbling the walls I erected long ago. I don’t know what it means or how I even feel about it, and I sure as fuck don’t want to go all Dr. Phil and talk about this shit. Not right now. Not sure that I ever will.

As I reach the door, they back away and allow me to pass by. I hear Brighton telling her goodbye, and then he’s right behind me as we walk out the door. We walk in silence to the parking lot, climb in our trucks and drive away.

I pull into the drive behind him, but instead of going inside, I walk around back to sit on the lower deck. A few minutes later, he joins me, offering me a beer. I take it and take a long drink. We sit in silence for a long damn time, neither one of us wanting to talk about what’s going on in each other’s lives. We both know this shit is not us, not what we had planned. Hell, I was set out to seduce her and now all I want to do is make her smile. That shit is fucked up! So fucked up that I cannot even comprehend it.

After both of our beers have long been polished off, Bright finally speaks up. “First of all, before I say this, I don’t want to hear any of your shit. Just let me get it out. I need to say it to see how it feels putting it out there, not just the thoughts jumping around in my head.” He takes a deep breath. “I think I’m falling in love with her. The last few months spending the time to get to know her and now, after the time we’ve spent together, I’m… yeah…” His voice trails off.

I let his words sink in. He said think, but I pretty sure he already does love her. I think back and over the last three months; I’ve seen the subtle changes. Constantly on his phone, and he smiles more. He’s content. I’m glad for him, I really am. Nicole seems like a great girl. Just because I’ve swore off commitment doesn’t mean that he has to as well. “I’m happy for you, man.” He grins. “Although,” he groans and I chuckle, “I think you’re fooling yourself. You already love that girl.” I point out the obvious.

He breaks out in a huge grin. “Probably,” he says, not really committing. I know this is something he struggles with as well. We were both confirmed bachelors for life. I guess that’s how life is, nothing stays the same, you have to learn to live each day and roll with the punches.

He doesn’t mention Kensington or my erratic behavior when it comes to her and I’m grateful. I wouldn’t talk about it even if he did and he knows that. Knows me.

“All right, man, I’ll see you in the morning.” He climbs to his feet and head off toward the house.

I lean my head back and look up at the night sky. Six months ago, if Bright would have told me he was in love, I would have laughed at him. Tonight, watching him with her, watching them together, I see it. I may not understand it, but I can see it.