Levitate (22 page)

AT HER REQUEST, I don’t hold back. I get lost in her. All too soon, I’ve worked myself to barely hanging on. “Kensi, sweetheart, are you with me?” I pant.

It still amazes me how every moment with her is different. She makes me want to be better. She makes me better. I’m man enough to admit that. This, what I have with her, was not what I ever would have signed up for willingly. However, Kensington, she got to me and now she has me. Every fractured piece of my heart, my soul, she owns. Someday I’ll get the nerve to tell her. Not yet, I don’t want this to end.

“I could get used to this.”

“What?” She tilts her head up to look at me.

I squeeze her tight. “This, you in my bed. I like it way more than I ever thought I would.”

“You act like there’s never been a girl in your bed before.” She laughs.

I let her finish her laughing spell. Partly because I need to make sure I have her attention and partly because I love the sight and sound of seeing her happy. Finally I say, “Never, I don’t bring women here. It’s always their place. Sometimes my truck or… the bar,” I finally admit.

Rolling over, she blinks a few times before a slow beautiful smile spreads across her face. “You trying to tell me you like me, Cooper?” she teases.

Like her? If she only knew the thoughts and feelings that are swirling inside me when it comes to her. “I more than like you, sweetheart. You’re different. Please don’t ever forget that. You’re special to me, Kensi.”

“Ditto,” the soft reply leaves her lips as she buries her face into my chest. I hold her tight and kiss the top of her head and drift off into what turns out to be one of the best nights of sleep I have ever had.

Feeling the bed move, my eyes pop open. Kensington is trying to remove my hand from around her waist. I pull her back against me. “Don’t go.”

Her low chuckle gives me hope she wasn’t trying to sneak away. “Max, I have to pee,” she informs me.

“Promise you’ll come right back?” I want her in my bed as long as possible. I don’t think this is a one-time thing, not the way things between us have been going, but regardless, I want to capture every minute of it.

She sighs. “I’m not going anywhere, Maxton.” Something about the way she says it has by heart leaping in my chest. I kiss her shoulder and reluctantly release her. I force my eyes open again to watch her walk across my room. I like her here, in my space. I like waking up with her just as much as I liked seeing her in my bed for the first time.

I watch the bathroom door, waiting for her to come back out. When she finally emerges, I can tell she’s brushed her hair. She walks back to bed in all of her naked glory. She’s perfect, scar and all. I want to ask her about it, again. Now that we are… what we are, I’m not exactly sure how to define it. I want to know all of her. Someone hurt her and I want to know who, how, and why. I want to make sure that she knows I will never let anyone hurt her again. She climbs back into bed and burrows into my side, just where I want her.

“What are we doing today?” she asks.

We. “Anything you want. I have to order supplies for the bar, but I do that online and will take about thirty minutes tops. I’m yours the rest of the day.” I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me. Forever. I can’t ever see myself getting over her, over this feeling of being with her.

“Anything I can do to help?”

No whining about me having to work, just acceptance and support. I hit the fucking jackpot with this girl. Never do I ever remember my mother asking that of my father, her husband.

“No, but thank you for offering. That means a lot to me. She would never have asked that, my mother. She was always whining and bitching at Dad for working, yet she had no problem blowing through the money he brought in.”

She’s quiet for a few minutes before she asks, “What’s the weather supposed to be today?”

Thankful for the change in subject, we had enough heavy yesterday, I reach for my phone on the nightstand. Swiping the screen, I see that I missed a text from my buddy JT. Making a mental note to read it later, I pull up the weather. “Rain all day.”

“Hmmm…” She’s quiet for a few minutes before she says, “Maybe Bright and Nic want to go bowling?”

“I haven’t bowled in years.”

“Me either. Me and my… parents used to go a lot when I was younger, before Mom…” she trails off and I can hear the pain in her words.

“Sounds like a plan; let’s see what they say.” I hit Bright’s number on my phone and she chuckles. I don’t miss the way she swipes her thumb across the bottom of her eye, catching the moisture. I wish I could take the pain away from her. I wish I knew what hurt her, who hurt her.

“Maxton?” I hear the question in his voice when he answers.

“Hey, man, Kens and I thought it would be fun to go bowling today. Are you guys in?” I make it sound like both of our ideas, hoping her thoughts will stay with me, and not the pain I saw just moments ago in her eyes. I hate seeing it.

“Did you guys go back to Kensi’s place last night,” Bright asks.

“No.”

“Then why in the hell are you calling me when we are in the same damn house?” he asks.

I laugh. “Well, I am currently in my nice warm bed with my girl lying on my chest. I would much rather call you than leave this bed at the moment. I assumed you were in a similar situation,” I explain.

“Good point, hold on.” I hear him talking to Nicole, asking her if she wants to go. He comes back on the line. “We’re in, what time?”

“Babe, when did you want to go?” I ask Kens.

“Well, you need to work, so let’s get that done first, showers, food… let’s just say one. Gives more time for this,” she says as she snuggles into my chest.

My heart swells. “Later, man, around one sound good?”

“Perfect.” Bright hangs up, or at least I hope he did because I hit the end button, tossed my phone on the nightstand, and put my arms back around my girl. More time for this is exactly what I need.

THE LAST FEW months have flown by and it’s hard to believe it’s Thanksgiving. Apparently, Max and Bright always do a big dinner and it’s just the two of them, so this year, it’s going to be the four of us, plus one, my dad. Max doesn’t speak to his mother, and his grandparents and dad are gone. I don’t know the details of Bright’s family, just that he has nothing to do with them and he too is an only child. Nicole’s parents are on a cruise. She, being an only child as well, assured them she would be fine for the holiday without them.

Just like he said he would be, Max was there through the ‘Could we be pregnant?’ scare. Turned out all is well and I’m now on daily birth control. There was no need to even take a test as Mother Nature answered our silent plea. We were both relieved, and yet, I was also a little disappointed. Did I tell him that? No, but the sound of being a mom, giving to my kid what my mother gave to me, it’s not a scary thing for me. I had accepted the fact that I was pregnant. Think the worst and hope for the best. Somewhere along the line, the idea settled inside of me. I wouldn’t be crushed if it happened. Hopefully, in a few years, but I wouldn’t consider it a hindrance no matter if or when it happens.

Max refused to let us help with dinner. He and Bright both are really good cooks, so I’m not worried. Dad didn’t seem to be either. He accepted the invitation without hesitation and here we are, two weeks later, getting ready to have Thanksgiving dinner at his house. Nicole is already there; she spent the night last night. We both did actually. I drove home to meet Dad at the apartment. Not that he would care, but it’s my dad and, well, you know.

I tried waiting on the couch, but my damn leg kept bouncing up and down, so now I’m pacing the living room. Dad is always punctual, so he’ll be here any minute. The knock on the door stops me in my tracks. Taking in a deep calming breath, I open for him. My dad immediately engulfs me in a hug, squeezing tight. “I missed you, Kensi,” he says.

“Can’t breathe,” I gasp.

Dad laughs and releases me. “It’s been too long,” he scolds me.

“I know; things have been busy. I’m glad you’re here. Let me grab my keys and we can go.”

“I can drive us.” He raises his hand and dangles his keys in the air.

Nodding in agreement, I grab my phone and wristlet and lock the door.

On the way there, Dad doesn’t drill me with questions about Max. We talk about school, and I find myself telling him about some of our adventures. Riding four-wheelers and, just last week, Nic and I let Max and Bright talk us into playing paintball. A guy they know owns the park, so he turned the pressure on the guns down for us. We had the entire place to ourselves for two hours. “Shockingly, it was a really good time,” I tell him.

“Wow, you have been busy,” he replies with a smile.

“Make a left up here,” I tell him as we turn on Max’s road. “Second house on the left.” I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans.

Dad parks the car and rests his hand over top of mine. “Kensington, you like this guy?” He waits for an answer, so I nod yes. “Is he good to you, treats you like you are the moon and the stars?”

“Better,” I confess.

“Good, that’s all I care about. Let’s go see if this Max of yours can cook a bird.” He climbs out of the car and I do the same. We meet in front of his car, and he throws his arm around my shoulders and we walk to the door.

I don’t bother knocking. I just walk on in. I spend more time here than our apartment, so does Nicole.

I lead Dad to the kitchen. Max, who is carving the turkey, looks up and his face lights up. “Hey, beautiful,” he greets me. He moves his gaze to my father. “Mr. James, welcome.” He holds up the knife. “I hope you’re hungry.” He grins and it’s infectious.

“Smells delicious,” Dad replies.

“Well, Dad, this is Maxton, and, Max, this is my dad, Tom.”

“Pleasure, sir. Kensi, there are drinks in the fridge, help yourselves and go relax; it will be ready in ten,” he says.

“Can I—” he cuts me off.

“Nope, you just enjoy today. Nicole is already in the living room, doing just that on Bright’s orders.” He winks at me.

Bright comes in carrying a bag of ice. “The ice maker decided to quit on us this morning,” he says in greeting.

“Bright, this is my dad, Tom. Dad, this is Bright, Nicole’s boyfriend and Max’s best friend and roommate,” I introduce them.

Bright reaches out and shakes Dad’s hand. “Happy Thanksgiving. Make yourself at home.”

“Well, what would you like to drink?” I name off everything in the fridge without looking. We all went to the store together. Dad either doesn’t notice, or doesn’t let me know that he does. “Water is fine,” he says.

I walk around the island and grab two bottles of water from the fridge. As I shut the door, Max says, “Kensi.” I turn to look at him and he motions me over with his head. Stepping next to him, he leans over and kisses my temple. “Missed you,” he says softly. I feel my cheeks warm at his obvious display of affection in front of my father. My eyes find Dad and he’s smiling. It’s then I realize that he heard him. He nods in approval and I release the breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.

Dinner is amazing; the food is delicious and my dad seems to get along well with both Bright and Max. They are currently in the living room watching football. Nic and I insisted on cleaning up since the guys would not let us help cook. They both fought us until my dad finally said, “Boys, let the ladies help. We can watch some football.” Reluctantly, they agreed and retreated to the living room, where they are hooting and hollering at the television.

“They seem to hit it off well,” Nicole comments.

“Yeah, I’m glad. I was nervous about it,” I confess.

“Kens, your dad is amazing; he wants to see you happy. It’s obvious Max does that for you. That alone is enough to win him over. Not to mention how he treats you and let’s not forget this kick-ass meal our guys just whipped up.” She grabs a piece of turkey from the platter and shoves it in her mouth. “I’m stuffed, but I can’t resist,” she says, grinning.

We find the guys in the living room on the edge of their sets. Bright is in the chair; Nicole plops herself right on his lap. Dad and Max are sitting on the couch. All three of them are caught up in the game, that is, until he sees me. His eyes lock with mine and I can’t help but notice how his sparkle. As I reach them, he holds his hand out for me. I place mine in his and he guides me to sit next to him. If Dad were not here, he would have had me on his lap. I’m actually surprised he didn’t anyway. He hasn’t held back even though my father is here.

I sit next to him and his arm comes around me, pulling me closer to him. I don’t fight it; I can’t. Even if my body would resist him, I wouldn’t want to. We spend the next two hours like this. Me in his arms, Nic on Bright’s lap, and the three of them yelling and cheering at the television.

When the game’s over, Dad stands and stretches. He looks down at us and I blush. “Give your old man a hug; it’s time for my nap.” He chuckles.

I feel Max kiss the top of my head before he removes his arm from around my shoulders. I chance a glimpse at my dad and his face is all smiles.

Standing up, I walk into his outstretched arms. “You need a ride home?” he asks me.

Pulling back from the hug, I glance over my shoulder at Max. “No, Max will make sure I get home safe.”

“I have no doubt that he will.” He looks over my head at Max. “You take care of my little girl,” he says, his voice more stern.

“With my life,” Maxton says as he stands. He walks to us and stands behind me. His hands go to my hips and I lean my back against his chest. I can’t fight it no matter who’s in the room with us.

“All right, kids, Max, Bright, thank you both for having me. Girls, you don’t wait so long before calling an old man.” He taps a finger to my nose and turns for the door. Max laces his fingers through mine and pulls me to follow my dad. We walk him to the door. Releasing Max, I give him one more hug and a kiss on the cheek. We stand on the front porch, Max cradling me in his arms, and watch him pull away.

“He’s a great guy.”

“Yes, he is. I seem to be surrounded by those lately.”

“It’s you, sweets. You make us better,” he says, placing his hand on the small of my back and leading me back into the house. “You make me better, Kens,” he says, once inside.

I turn to see him watching me. This man has slid into my world and is now the most important part of it. I have no words for the fact that he thinks I make him better, when inside, I know he’s the one who healed me.

“Thank you for today, for inviting him. He likes you.”

“It was nice to have it be more than just me and Bright. I like your dad. He reminds me a lot of mine.”

“It was nice to have a group together. I’ve missed it.” I slide my arms around his waist and look up at him. “Thank you.”

Leaning down, he softly touches his lips with mine. “Anything for you, Kensi. Anything for you.”