Levitate (15 page)

I COULD TELL by the look in his eyes as he stalked toward me that he was not happy. I expected more of what happened in the bike shop earlier. That’s why I stepped away from Lance, hoping to diffuse the situation. What I didn’t expect was for Maxton to claim me. At least, that’s what it feels like. His hands are on my hips, his solid grip letting me know I’m where he wants me. My back flush against his chest. I want to wiggle my hips to see what kind of reaction I get out of him, but I don’t want to poke an angry bear.

I wasn’t expecting sweet Maxton from the look on his face, but that’s exactly what he gave me. Calling me babe.

“Lance,” Maxton says in greeting.

“Hey, glad you all could make it.” Lance darts his eyes toward me. I can only assume he’s trying to gauge my reaction to Maxton the bear. Lance is a great guy. He knows it’s hard for me to trust; I told him that much. I offer him a smile, letting him know I am, indeed, okay. He seems to relax at my gesture.

“You ladies ready to hit the trails?” Lance asks.

“Spending the day wrapped around Bright, uh, hell yeah I am.” Nicole laughs. I would have laughed right along with her, except I just stopped breathing. Am I going to be riding with Maxton? I guess I never thought too much about it. Just the thought causes me to squeeze my legs together to stifle the desire I feel for him. He affects me like no one ever has. He never says or does what I expect and he seems to keep coming back. Sure it’s only been a few weeks, but that hasn’t stopped him. He’s been very vocal about wanting me in his bed, yet he doesn’t push the issue, letting me come to terms with it in my own time. At this point, I feel like it’s inevitable. I was trying to avoid a messy situation because I know how Nicole feels about Brighton, but resisting him is getting harder and harder.

I’m not sure I want to resist him anymore. The thought of being wrapped in his strong arms while he… I need to think about something else.

“And you?” Lance directs the question at me.

“Will be riding with me,” Maxton answers before I have a chance.

Well, all right then; that answers my question.

“We’re going to go suit up,” I hear Brighton tell Lance. I didn’t even know he was there.

“Sounds good. I’ll spread the word we should be ready to head out in about fifteen or so.” Lance winks at me, and saunters off.

Maxton growls behind me. I can’t help but smile at his reaction. It causes butterflies in my stomach. I’ve never allowed myself to spend enough time with a guy to feel this way. To feel wanted and protected, it’s a heady feeling, one that’s starting to really grow on me. Is it possible Maxton could be the one to stick around? Do I want him to be?

“Ready, beautiful?” Maxton’s hot breath hits my neck as he buries his face there. It’s only mere seconds that he allows the contact before he’s pulling away from me. He places his hand on the small of my back, a move I’m finding out I love, and leads me back to his truck.

Nicole already has her helmet on, raring to go. I pick mine up from the bike and slide it over my head. I’m struggling to tighten the chinstrap when I hear his voice. “Let me.” His hands take over and he has the helmet secured in no time. He checks it over, testing to see if it’s tight enough before releasing me. “You’re perfect.” His deep voice croons as he steps away. He immediately turns his back and slips his own helmet over his head.

I stand frozen in place, his words repeating over and over in my mind. “You’re perfect.” Once again, Maxton Cooper has altered my original perception of him.

Maxton turns to face me. “Make sure you hold onto me. I’ll take it easy. If there is anything you’re not comfortable with, you let me know.”

I nod my understanding. Satisfied, he climbs on the four-wheeler and leans up toward the handlebars, allowing me space to climb on behind him. Once I’m on, I scoot back on the seat and rest my hands on my thighs. Brighton and Nicole pull up beside us; as expected, she’s clinging tight to Bright.

“Ready?” Bright asks.

Maxton doesn’t say anything; instead, he reaches behind him and places his hands behind my knees. He pulls me against his back. My hands automatically wrap around him to hold on. He guides me to link my fingers together, and places them against his ripped abs. Good Lord, his body is sinful. “Don’t let go.” He raises his voice over the engine. Turning back to Bright and Nicole, he says, “Now we are. Lead the way.”

I do as he says and keep my grip tight. About a mile or so into the trail, I relax and let my body lean into his back. The views from the trails are beautiful with the changing of the leaves. Fall is such a beautiful time of year.

Maxton hits a bump and my ass raises off the seat. When I land, it feels like I’m even closer to him than before. My hands are now also gripping his stomach, no longer clasped together. “Hold tight,” he says over his shoulder, preparing me for an upcoming bump in the trail. One hand clutches his shirt, causing it to rise while the other lands on his bare skin. My fingers rake against his hard abs.
Holy shit!
His body feels amazing. Not thinking of anything but how good it feels to run my hands all over him, that’s exactly what I do. My hand that was clutching his shirt releases the hold and slides underneath as well. Holding myself to him with one hand, I explore him with the other. Gently tracing the ripple of his stomach, I mentally count an eight pack! Softly running my fingers across his skin, tracing patterns, I’m lost in the feel of him. My legs are wrapped tight around him, my chest pressed tight against his back. I feel his muscles twitch and it spurs my exploring fingers to linger a little longer.

Maxton has me mesmerized. I don’t realize we’ve stopped moving until I feel his hands roam up and down my thighs. I instantly freeze, embarrassed at my actions and even more so at getting caught. Lifting my head, I take in our surroundings and see we’re alone. I swallow back the desire running through my veins. Maxton removes his helmet. As he does, I release my iron grip and remove mine as well, sitting it on the rack behind me. Maxton reaches back for my hands one at a time and places them back on his stomach, under his shirt.

At first I don’t move. My hands remain where he placed them. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’m about to explode with desire for this man. “Please,” he inhales deeply, “not yet, don’t let go,” his strangled voice whispers as he holds me tighter.

He wants me to touch him. Hesitant at first, I trace circles with my index finger. Maxton releases a deep breath and rests his head back against my shoulder. Growing more confident by his actions, I resume my previous exploration. When my name falls from his lips, “Kensi,” I bury my head in his neck. Overwhelmed by his warm body under my fingers, his smell all around me, I lightly press my lips against his neck. My tongue only takes a quick taste of his skin. His entire body shudders at my bold move.

I should be worrying about where the others are, worrying someone might drive up on us and know we are up to no good, but I’m not. All I can think about is how good he feels, how good he tastes, and how I want more. I want so much more.

IT’S OFFICIAL. KENSINGTON James is going to be the death of me. Her soft hands exploring my body have me barely hanging on. Just when I think I’m getting myself under control, her lips touch my neck and her tongue darts out as if she’s dying to taste my skin. I know the feeling. I’m dying to taste her, every single fucking delectable inch of her. I want my tongue to be there. She makes this noise, so soft I would have missed it if her mouth were not right by my ear, and it sends me over the edge. I climb off the bike, hold my hand out to her silently, asking her to join me. She hesitates, worry in her eyes. She thinks I’m pissed off… I’m not. I’m so fucking turned on I feel like I’m going to blow any second now.

She places her hand in mine and allows me to help her off the quad. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, I climb back on, never letting go. This time, I pull her next to the bike. “Climb back on; I need you to face me.” Yes, I sound like a greedy bastard, but I don’t care. All I care about is getting closer to her, to taste her, to explore her body like she was mine. She’s been driving me wild with her hands.

I watch as she blushes but does what I ask. She steps onto the footrest and throws her leg over. She’s now standing in front of me, straddling the bike. Not able to wait another second without physically touching her, I rest my forehead against her stomach and place my hands on the back of her thighs. Her hands grip my shoulders, catching her balance. Her fingers run through my hair, the simple gesture warming something inside of me. It’s like she knows I’m trying to reel this in. This need I have for her, it’s like nothing else I’ve ever felt. If I was asked to explain it, I couldn’t. There are no words for this moment.

My hands start to roam, taking off on a journey all their own. They end up underneath her shirt, softly stroking her spine, my hand hitting the strap of her bra. I want nothing more than to flip the clasp and strip her bare, but not here. Not where Lance or any of the other guys can drive up on us and see her. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take. Instead, I focus on the softness of her skin and the way her body trembles beneath my touch. She tightens her grip as her legs tremble. Placing my hands on her waist, I guide her to sit on my lap. She’s now straddling me on my quad and I’ve never in my entire life seen anything more beautiful. She’s sexy as hell, flushed cheeks, eyes filled with desire.

Now sitting face to face, I brace my arm around her, holding her close. I can’t seem to get her close enough. Sliding my hand behind her neck, I gently stroke her cheek with my thumb. Our eyes are locked, never straying. I wait to see if she’s okay with this. I don’t ever want to push her into something she’s not ready for. Waiting for Kensington James is a torture I’m willing to endure. Her eyes leave mine and settle on my lips. She licks her own, causing my already rock-hard erection to grow even more. Her hips rock into mine, just slightly and only once, but it’s all the invitation I need to move things further. Her lips are mine.

I take hungry possession of her mouth, my tongue tracing over her puckered lips, dipping between the seam. Taking what I want, her, Kensington. I want to be surrounded by her, consumed. If the whimper she releases is an indication, she and I are finally on the same page.

The sound of quads passing on a nearby trail brings me back to reality. I want nothing more than to sink deep inside of her and stay there, but I can’t. Won’t, not here. I slow the kiss as I nibble on her lips. Needing to slow this down, I kiss the tip of her nose, her eyes, and her cheeks. Burying my face in her neck, I can feel the blood pounding through my veins, my heart thundering against my chest. Breaking the connection, I cup her face in my hands. That’s when I notice the trembling. At first, I thought it was her, but it’s not; it’s me.

The reality of the situation crashes into me. She’s slowly chipped away at the walls erected around my heart. My motto: the only way to have truth in any relationship is to stay true to yourself, slaps me in the face. My truth is no matter how hard I fight it, or deny it, it’s there. I feel something for her that I’ve never felt. She’s softened my hardened heart to the point that all I see is her. In the back of my mind, I know this is what my dad meant when he said when you found the one you would just know. That nothing would be able to keep me from her. I feel that, now with Kensi. Is she “the one”? I’m not ready to dive into that just yet, but she is the one “for right now,” and that’s a first for me. For the first time in my life, I want a relationship. I want to get to know her, explore her luscious body.

The game has changed; I still want her in my bed, but now I also want her. I refuse to share her. Having someone like Lance swooping in and catching her attention is not something I’m okay with. I need to tread lightly and feel her out. I need to convince her to give this, to give being with only me, a shot. We can learn together, and maybe, down the road, she will be “the one.”

The thought of her really being mine, it humbles me. This girl is amazing and… yeah, I need to make that happen.

“You’re shaking.” Her voice is reverent.

“That’s all you. You wreck me, Kensi.” No truer words have been spoken.

“Max,” she whispers, and just as I’m about to capture her lips again, I hear them coming back. Not able to prevent it, I place a chaste kiss on her forehead and help her off the quad. I remain sitting; otherwise, they will all know what we’ve been up to, or at least what I’m up to.