Love & Rodeo (16 page)

“
But you’ve got the trophy,” Levi countered.

“
But you got the girl,” Luke told him, gesturing to Kallie.

“
Yeah I did.” Levi pulled her closer.

Kallie waved to Luke as he moved away from them. It wasn’t long and the emcee came up to the podium and they all took their seats. Kallie had the top points for the girls. She was presented with a new saddle amongst other horse goodies, and just as she was about to sit down they handed her the key to a brand new Dodge 3500. She sat back down and watched other girls walk up and get their gifts. Then it was the guys turn. As Luke said, Levi had the highest points. He was awarded a truck as well, amongst gift cards and other things. Soon the awards were over and the dancing began.

Levi pulled her out onto the floor and they slow danced to every song, regardless of how fast it was, lost in one another. It was one of the best nights of her life. She snuggled into Levi’s chest until she excused herself to use the restroom. She stopped at the table to check her phone. She had several missed calls from Nora. She walked outside and called her.

“
Nora?”

“
Kallie?”

“
Yeah, sweetie. What’s wrong?”

“
I just wanted to make sure that you were coming home.”

“
Of course I am. I’ll be home after I collect all my earnings.”

“
When will that be?”

“
A couple days tops. Why?”

“
I miss you.”

“
Nora, I miss you too. I’ll be home soon. I promise.”

“
Love you.”

“
Love you too. See you soon.”

“
See you.”

Kallie hung up the phone with her stomach in knots. She pushed the thought from her mind and went to the restroom. When she was finished she walked back out and found Levi. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Leaning in, he whispered in her ear, “Let’s go somewhere.”

Kallie bit her lip and nodded. “All right.”

She started for the table and he pulled her in the opposite direction.

“
We’ve got to get our stuff.”

“
Later. We’ll come back.”

She looked at him and knew something was up. Taking his hand, she followed him out into the warm Vegas night. They walked through the doors to the arena, through the warm-up arena and to the first barrel.

Kallie looked around. The arena was empty and it was dark except for a single spotlight on the first barrel. When they reached the first barrel he lifted Kallie and sat her up on the metal drum.

“
What are you doing, Levi?” Kallie asked him.

He took her hands in his. “Look, I know we’ve only known each other a little over three months, but in that three months, I’ve found my best friend and I believe my soul mate. You’re the first thing I think about when I wake in the morning and the last thing I think about when I go to sleep, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

She watched as he got down on one knee and pulled a box out of his jacket pocket.

“
Kallie Renee Davis, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

A tear ran down Kallie’s face. She wanted to say yes, but the conversation with her sister rushed back to her. She gazed into his blue eyes as he looked up at her. In her heart, her answer was yes.

“
Say something.”

She blinked and a tear ran down her face.

“
Levi, I love you and I want to say yes, but, what about my family?”

“
What about them?”

“
I’m supposed to go home and adopt my sister.”

“
We can do that.”

“
Okay. What about bull riding?”

“
What about it?”

“
Levi, you can’t stop bull riding.”

“
I don’t plan on it.”

“
Well, how do you think this is going to work?”

“
I don’t know. We’ll figure it out. I love you, Kallie.”

She shook her head and slipped down off of the barrel. “Levi, I love you too, and I wish that I could say yes to you right now, but I can’t. I made a promise to my little sister, and I plan on keeping that promise.” She shrugged her shoulders. Her chest ached at what she had to say next. “I just don’t see how you fit into all of this.”

“
So this summer meant nothing to you?”

Kallie took his hand and held it tightly against her chest. “This summer was the best summer of my entire life, and I wouldn’t change a single thing about it. Please don’t hate me.”

Kallie wiped away the tears falling down her face. She kissed his soft lips one last time resting her head on his. She closed her eyes savoring the sight of him and squeezed his hand before she took off to her trailer. She walked quickly and as she turned the last corner she couldn’t hold her tears back anymore.

Thunder echoed outside the walls of the barn as she pulled Blaze from his stall and walked him to the trailer. She loaded him inside as the rain fell in sheets on the blacktop. Hugging Blaze, she let the tears fall.

“
I just couldn’t trap him like that. He can’t give up bull riding for me,” Kallie told her horse.

She shook her head and then started for the living quarters of the trailer. She climbed into a pair of yoga pants and tank top before slipping on a pair of gym shoes. She looked down at Levi’s bag and thought about taking it to his parent’s room, but then she’d have to explain what happened and why she was leaving. She couldn’t. She couldn’t break up with them too. Instead, she pulled a sweatshirt from his bag and then slipped it on before locking up the trailer. As she climbed into the driver seat, she saw Levi standing in the rain watching her with pain all over his face. She put the key in the ignition and cranked it until it roared to life.

Chapter Seventeen

She put the truck in drive as Levi climbed into the passenger seat.

“
You’re really leaving like this?”

“
You want me to stick around and make this harder on both of us?”

“
At least stay until tomorrow to get your awards. Don’t leave yet.”

“
I don’t know, Levi.”

Her hands gripped the steering wheel until the whites of her knuckles showed.

“
Please?” He pleaded.

Her heart sank in her chest and she knew she wouldn’t be able to tell him no.

“
All right. I’ll stay until tomorrow morning, but then, I’m gone. You have to know that nothing you say to me is going to change my mind.”

He looked at her with his blue eyes. “Okay.”

They sat there in the darkness of the truck cab for a few minutes until Blaze whinnied.

“
I have to put him back in his stall.”

“
Let me help you.”

“
No. I can do it,” Kallie told him.

“
Kallie! It’s pouring down rain. Just let me help you.”

Twenty minutes later, Kallie returned to the trailer soaked to the bone. She walked in and peeled the sweatshirt off. She went straight to the bathroom and took a hot shower. When she got out, she walked into the bedroom to find Levi sitting at the end of the bed with his head in his hands.

Kallie yelped. She thought he’d got his things and left. She looked beside him. His clothes were all in his bag and it was zipped up with his dinner jacket on top.

“
I thought you were gone already.”

“
That would’ve been easier on you, right?”

“
Levi, this isn’t easy for me.”

“
Then why aren’t you crying or upset?”

“
Because if I let myself cry, then I’ll fall apart. I’ll lose it, and right now, I have to be strong for my sister.”

He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her close to him.

“
Fall apart with me.”

He looked up at her with those Cavanaugh blue eyes and Kallie went weak in the knees. Her breathing faltered a little.

“
Fall apart with me, Kallie,” he said as he licked his lips.

She bit her lip as she felt his hands move up her sides and over the thick towel wrapped around her. He tugged and it fell to the floor around her ankles. He looked up at her as he placed a kiss between her breasts. She inhaled sharply. His calloused hands moved up her thighs to her hips and then to her rib cage, lightly touching the underside of her breast. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as Levi kissed her neck. She moaned as his hand collected her breast. His lips met hers and heat spread all over her body. His lips were so familiar to her, but each time she kissed him it felt like the first time all over. He deepened the kiss drawing her tongue into his mouth where they danced their last dance. She rested her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, feeling his muscles flex as he caressed her body. Her brain told her to stop this, but her body and heart wanted him more.

“
Levi.”

He brought his lips to hers and kissed her lightly before pulling away.

“
Shhh, don’t try to talk me out of this. One last time. One last night, and I’ll be out of your life forever.”

Her heart ached in her chest. She didn’t know what hurt worse. The fact that even after she’d hurt him by turning down his proposal, he still wanted her for one more night or the fact that he promised to be out of her life forever. He looked at her with his blue eyes, but the life that was normally there had turned into sadness, and that killed her.

“
Fall apart with me, Kallie,” he said it again to her.

Levi kissed her neck and her body responded as it always did. She leaned into him as he pulled her body tight to his. He hugged her snuggly to him as she stroked his hair. She waited to hear him cry but he never did. She couldn’t let him, but it didn’t stop her. Her shaky hands found the buttons on his shirt and went to work until she pushed it over his shoulders laying kisses on his skin as she went. This would be the last time she’d do this, and that thought crushed her. She gently pushed him back on the bed and trailed kisses down his chest to his stomach until she reached his jeans. She quickly unbuttoned them and tugged them down as she leaned back to marvel at him. She committed this vision to her memory. This was the way she’d remember him.

He watched as she looked at him and then leaned down and pulled him into her mouth. She sucked his head and drew a moan from deep in his chest. He wanted this, but not as bad as he wanted her. He’d always want her, but he didn’t want her to remember this night as the last time she’d pleasured him. He wanted her to remember this night as a night she’d never forget. Not because she’d turned down his proposal. but because he was the only man who could undo her like he did. He already knew he wouldn’t forget it.

“
Kallie.” He sat up looking down at her. She pulled away and immediately he missed her lips around him.

“
Am I doing it wrong?” She looked up at him with worry in her eyes, and even then she looked sexy to him. He pulled her to stand.

“
No.” He exhaled. “You were doing it right.”

“
Then what?”

“
I don’t want you to remember tonight like this.”

She looked at him with those gorgeous green eyes. “How should I remember it?” She asked tilting her head to the side.

“
I want you to look back at this night and remember that I’m the only man who can do this to you. You may not want to be, but you’re mine.” Her breath caught. “Mine. Do you hear me?”

She nodded as a tear ran down her cheek. He wiped her tear away as she stared down at him.

With her eyes concentrated on him, lust consumed him. He wanted her and he’d have her. Instead of restraining himself, he entwined their fingers and pulled her down on top of him. His lips crushing hers as he rolled over so that he was positioned neatly between her legs. Her small naked body felt good and fit his perfectly. She was the key to his lock and only she could make him happy. This was the last time they’d be together and he wanted to be sure he got his fill, even though he knew one night would never be enough for him. Not when he wanted an entire lifetime with her. He kissed her neck and chest to her breast as he sucked her nipple until her back arced and she was moaning. The way her body responded to him was unlike any woman he’d been with. He pinched her other nipple, bringing her to the brink. She gripped his shoulders and squeezed as she reached her first climax. He was confident no other man could get the response he did.

Once her orgasm had subsided, he leaned back and looked down at her in awe. The body beneath him wasn’t just any woman, it belonged to the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. She looked up at him with satiated eyes. He smiled to himself and she smiled weakly back at him.