Levitate (9 page)

HOLY… FUCK ME! Kensington finally opens the damn door and the sight of her has me hard as a rock. Just like that, first look and I’m steel. I drop my eyes to her bare feet and bright pink toenails. I slowly scan my way up her legs, those hips, trim waist in that tight tank. I reach her breasts and I swear it takes effort to not swallow my damn tongue. Full. Firm. Mouthwatering. What I wouldn’t give to feel their weight in my hands, to have my mouth on them, savoring her taste.

“Kensi,” I call her by the nickname that just came out last night. “I’m here for the visual,” I tell her.

“Visual?” She tilts her head to the side to study me. “What are you talking about?”

I smile. I knew she wouldn’t be expecting me. “Laundry.”

Her mouth drops open in shock. “You drove over here to make sure I was really doing laundry?” she asks, incredulous.

I step toward her. I’m still standing in the doorway, and that just won’t do. She doesn’t know it yet, but she found herself a laundry buddy. I need to crack her defenses and get her under me. I’m not used to the chase, and it’s fucking with me. This shit needs to happen, soon. “Yes, pretty girl, laundry,” I say, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. I pull my hand away and walk past her to the couch.

“Please, come in,” she says dryly.

“Thanks,” I quip. I can play this game all day long.

I sit down on the couch and reach for her tablet or whatever it is. This gets her moving. She launches herself at me and pulls it out of my hands. I could have fought her, but I don’t want her to kick me out, not yet anyway.

“Hands off the Kindle, buddy.” She glares at me.

I throw my head back and laugh at her. She has the most serious look on her face. Her serious turns into a scowl and I quickly zip up my laughter. “What’s the big deal?” I ask her. My voice is indifferent, but really, I would like to know.

“This is my life. I never leave home without it,” she says, clutching it to her chest. “I love to read; it takes me away.” She barely whispers the last part. Had I not been hanging on every word, I might have missed it.

“So what do you read?” I’m intrigued. I’ve never met anyone like her. Then again, I spend most of my time with chicks who are open to one-night stands and hang out in bars. Kensington is definitely a higher caliber than what I’m used to.

I watch as her neck goes pink and the color travels to her cheeks. Who knew a blush could be sexy? “You’re holding out on me.”

She closes her eyes. “Romance mostly,” she says, eyes still shut.

I can’t control my hand as it cups her cheek. “Open your eyes, Kensi.” I wait until she’s looking at me. “Don’t ever be ashamed of who you are. This,” I say, pointing at her chest where her Kindle is still clutched, “is a part of who you are. Never hide that. There’s nothing wrong with reading.” It’s actually really nice that this is her passion. I’m used to chicks who’s only passion is to seduce every man within a one hundred-mile radius. Women without depth and drive, their only worry is who is in their bed next. Kensington has both and so much more. I fight back a groan at the thought of what else she has. Her tight-ass tank causes her breast to play peek-a-boo as she leans over and sets the Kindle on the table.

Fighting back a groan, I change the subject. “So where is this mountain of laundry?”

She rolls her eyes playfully. “Come on, Mr. I-need-proof, let’s get this over with.” She stands from the couch and heads down the hall. I trail after her, watching the sway of her hips in those pants. We reach what I assume is her bedroom door. She opens the door and waves her arms. “Tada,” she says with dramatic flair.

I chuckle as I survey what’s in front of me. There are three piles sorted on the floor. One pile in particular catches my eye. Bras, barely-there panties, and thongs, this must be the intimates pile. As if my dick wasn’t hard enough already at the sight of her. The chuckle dies on my lips as I stare at that pile of lace. I can’t wait to be the one to peel every piece off her.

“Well?” Her voice breaks my stare of her piles of laundry—of that pile.

“Three loads, really? You turned down an afternoon with me and our best friends for three loads of laundry?”

“Four loads of laundry, smartass. I’ve already got a load in the washer,” she fires back.

I step further into her room, walk around the piles, and sit on her bed. I immediately regret the action as her sweet scent surrounds me. Leaning back to rest my weight on my hands, I touch silk. Kensington is beside me in an instant reaching for this new treasure I’ve just discovered. I’m faster as I tighten my grip around the silk with one hand and catch her hand with the other.

I bring what appears to be a barely there nighty to my face and inhale. The feel of the soft silk against my skin infused with her scent has my dick fighting for release. She reaches for it again with her spare hand. I adjust my hold and wrap my arm around her waist, bringing her to stand between my legs. Her hands go to my shoulders to balance herself against the sudden change in position.

“Is this what you slept in last night?” I ask, my voice gruff.

The blush is back; light pink coats her skin. I watch as she swallows hard and slightly shakes her head yes.

Both of my hands are now on her hips, her tank has ridden up and my fingers gently caress her soft skin. Her chest is rising and falling with each deep breath she takes. I’m encouraged to know that I’m not the only one affected. My hands slowly lift her tank as the soft skin of her belly is exposed. I need to taste her. Leaning forward, I place a soft kiss right above her belly button. Her body quivers under my lips. Gently nipping at her skin with my teeth, I quickly soothe the site with my tongue. “Maxton…” she breathes. The sound my name on her lips, her voice laced with desire, has me ready to blow my load like a fucking fifteen-year-old.

My hands cup her ass cheeks as I bring her body closer to my mouth. It’s my mission to have my lips on every part of her.

I SQUEEZE MY eyes shut at the feel of his lips on my skin. He gently bites and immediately soothes the site with his tongue. My body trembles at the contact. I move my hands to his hair and run my fingers through his thick silk strands. This causes him to change the hold he has on me. His hands grip my ass and I find myself being pulled closer to him, to those lips that are driving me crazy.

Almost.

The reality of the situation is that Maxton Cooper is the epitome of a sex god and I want nothing more than to let him have his wicked way with me. Want and need are two very different things. I need him and his sinful mouth to stay far away. Guys like Maxton remind me too much of Justin, and his brother. That is not what I need, not at all.

“Kensi?” he whispers my name. His voice is gruff and almost pained?

I take a step back as he reaches out for me. “Duty calls,” I say, then turn and bolt from the room.

I take my time swapping the clothes from the washer to the dryer. I need to put in another load, but I don’t want to go back to my room. I’m not even sure Maxton is still in there, on my bed.

“Kensington.” His deep voice rumbles behind me. I close my eyes and focus on taking deep even breaths. His voice alone has me wanting to throw caution to the wind and drag him back to my bed. My body wants that, wants him. My head is telling me to keep my distance.

Stepping in the room, he stands behind me. I don’t bother turning around; I can feel him. One hand goes to my hip and he laces our fingers together with the other. He tugs me so my back is resting against his firm chest. His lips trace the invisible lines of my neck. Just when I think I can’t take any more, his lips are gone as he whispers in my ear. “I know I should apologize for what happened back there. I should tell you I’ll never touch you like that again.” His teeth graze my ear. “Something you should know about me, I will never apologize for going after what I want.”

I say a silent prayer that he has an iron grip around my waist. Otherwise, I would be in a puddle on the floor. His words make my knees weak and my panties wet.

Maxton shifts to stand in front of me. Bending his knees so we are eye to eye, his hands cradle either side of my face. His thumbs are a soft caress to my cheeks. “I will not apologize for wanting you,” falls from his lips as he leans in. I tense, preparing myself for the kiss that I don’t have the power to fight. I’m shocked when his lips land on my forehead.

The kiss is brief, yet intimate, and just like that, his hands are gone from my face and he’s walking out the door. I fight the urge to yell at him; for what, I’m not sure. I want to yell at him for using his playboy powers on me, and at the same time, I want to yell at him for leaving, for not finishing what he started. Instead, I lean back against the dryer and try to catch my breath. My heart is racing, my palms are sweaty, and the ache between my legs is a craving I’ve never known before. I’ve never felt this kind of chemistry. Just being in the same room as him lights me on fire, but damn if I’m going to fall for his seduction so he can carve out another notch on his bedpost. Not going to happen!

Once I finally get my heart rate to a normal rhythm, I set off to find Maxton. He’s sitting on the couch, remote in hand. “Hey, what are you in the mood for?” he asks.

It takes me a few minutes to realize his question is not his normal sexual come on. I watch as he flips through the channels. His forehead crinkles when he gets to a channel that he has no interest in. “Kensi?”

“Uh, what are you doing?” Stupid question, I know. My head is all over the place right now. It’s usually really easy to know what a player’s intentions are. To get you in bed ASAP and move on to the next conquest. I expect that from Maxton. What I don’t expect is for him to want to sit around in my apartment while I catch up on laundry and watch TV. He’s a constant contradiction. How can I trust anything he says and does when he’s all over the map?

Shrugging, he says, “Keeping you company while you do laundry.”

His response is so… innocent. Not at all what I was expecting. “You don’t have to keep me company, Maxton. I’m sure you have something else you’d rather be doing.” Or someone else maybe.

“I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. I’m good.” He pats the couch next to him.

I sit down on the couch, putting as much distance between us as possible. “I’m not real picky when it comes to movies. Anything is fine.” I see no point in arguing with him. He has obviously made up his mind that he’s hanging out with me today. I can’t wait to hear what Nicole has to say about this.

I HAD TO get out of there. I was two seconds from throwing her over my damn shoulder and carrying her back to her room. She’s fighting it. I know she wants me; I can see it in her eyes, in the way her body responds to mine. Her chest is rapidly rising and falling with each breath. Her eyes are hooded with desire. I also see fear. She’s hesitant, not willing to take what she so obviously wants. I want to know the cause of her fears, help take them away.