Love & Rodeo (7 page)

He pulled her body back against his, as he switched to the opposite side of her neck.

“
Levi?”

“
Hmm?”

“
Travis is right out in the living room.”

She watched his foot kick the door shut as his hand slipped inside of her towel to her stomach.

“
Levi!” she said breathily.

“
Tell me to stop.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he pressed himself against her and she moaned.

“
Travis will hear us.”

“
He’s out, and I happen to know, he’s a real heavy sleeper.” He smiled as he turned her to face him.

His hands gripped her backside as he lifted and her legs wrapped around him. With all the movement her towel loosened and fell to the floor. Laying her gently on the bed, she watched as he looked down at her with hunger in his eyes.

It was the first time she’d been completely naked in front of a man. She grabbed at the blanket and covered her body. Levi looked confused.

“
What?”

“
I’m naked,” she whispered.

“
You’ve seen me.”

“
Yeah, but I’ve never… You’re the first. What I’m trying to say is—”

“
You’ve never been naked in front of anyone?”

Kallie shook her head.

“
Oh, Kallie.” He laughed.

“
What?” she snapped defensively. “Don’t laugh at me.”

“
I’m not laughing at
you.
”

She eyed him as she pulled the blanket higher around her.

“
You have no idea, do you?”

“
What?”

“
How beautiful you are.”

She started to shake her head.

“
No. You are.” He said tugging the blanket down.

“
Levi!” she yelped in protest.

His gaze met her and her heart raced. The fervor in his eyes made her shudder as he leaned down over her. His lips ran over the skin on her stomach.

Over the next forty-five minutes, his lips kissed every inch of her until she couldn’t take any more.

“
Please, Levi.”

“
Hmm?”

She squirmed beneath his lips. “I can’t take anymore.”

His lips found hers, while his fingers dipped inside her. She moaned and he kissed her drowning it out. He worked circles around her sweet spot until she melted against his hand. She shuddered beneath him.

Trying to catch her breath, he lay beside her, pulling her head to his chest. His heart raced in his chest. He hadn’t even worked that hard.

Is this what I do to him? It is
.

All at once, she felt stronger, more powerful, but most of all, more beautiful. She looked up at Levi and his handsome face. He was just so beautiful and he wanted her. Her heart fluttered at the realization and then raced as she thought about what it would be like to go further with him. She wondered what it would feel like to be completely filled with him, completely consumed by the man who made her feel so alive. She looked up with the intentions of telling him she wanted more, but when she saw his eyes closed she cowered from the idea and rested her head back against his chest. His heart beat a steady rhythm under her ear as she drifted lazily to sleep.

A little while later, she felt Levi stir beneath her.

“
Kal?”

“
Hmm?”

“
I think we should probably get ready.”

She woke and sat up.

She dressed as Levi got in the shower. Kallie found a tank top and a vest to wear with a pair of jeans. She dried her hair and put it up in a side bun. When she liked how she looked, she walked out into the kitchen to find Travis. He’d changed and looked nice to go out.

“
Levi’s just finishing up,” she told Travis.

“
Do you have any tattoos?”

The question was out of the blue and Kallie wasn’t ready to answer.

“
Um. No.”

“
Have you ever thought about it?”

“
Um no, actually.”

“
Do you want to?” Travis asked her.

She looked at him long and hard as she tossed the idea around in her head.

“
Sure, why not?”

An hour later, Kallie, Levi, Travis, Deuce, and Luke were all piled into a Yellow Cab minivan and headed to a tattoo parlor one of the locals recommended.

“
I still can’t believe you’re doing this,” Luke told Kallie.

“
It’s just a set of angel wings. One for each of my parents.”

“
Yeah, but all the way across the top of your back?”

“
What’s wrong, Luke? Doesn’t fit into your realm of perfection?” Kallie asked as she pulled the straps of her tank top to the side.

She lay on her stomach in the chair while Levi lay beside her. He took her hand and the tattoo artists began.

An hour later, Levi was finished and Kallie was nearly done. He got a strip of tribal art around the top of his arm. He paid and waited for her. When she was finished, she looked at her back with a mirror. The wings were perfect, with her parents’ names and years they survived.

“
What do you think?” Kallie asked Levi.

“
I think I’m going to miss kissing you right there for the next couple of days, but it’s amazing. What do you think?” He lifted his shirtsleeve.

“
Sexy!”

“
I wasn’t going for sexy, but I’ll take it.”

He flashed her a seductive smile and kissed her.

Kallie went to the counter to pay, but her tattoo was already paid for.

“
Levi!”

“
What?”

“
Why’d you pay for my tattoo?”

“
It’s not a big deal.”

“
It is. I’m buying your drinks tonight.”

The rest of the group were already waiting for them at the restaurant down the strip, so they headed there.

When they walked in, Luke watched her as she sat down and Levi sat beside her.

“
All done?” Luke asked.

“
Yeah. I’d show you, but we had to put bandages over them. You know, to make sure they don’t get infected.”

Luke nodded.

The server came up and they each ordered their food. They ate quickly and paid before they headed to the bar.

The bar that Travis had chosen was a little hole-in-the-wall honky-tonk with a live band for half of the night, and then karaoke the other half. The smoke hit them as soon as they walked in. The bar was to the left, while the dance floor was to the right, and in the back of the bar there was a mechanical bull. They all made their way to the bar to get drinks and then found a table. They listened to the band for a little while before the mechanical bull got the best of them.

Kallie stood to the side as she watched Deuce go first. He stayed on for a few seconds before he was knocked off. He came up laughing. Travis rode next and he made it the eight seconds before falling forward onto the mat. Luke followed. He fell off right away and wasn’t happy about it. Kallie offered him a smile. Last was Levi. He climbed a top of the fake bull and put his hands where they needed to be before he nodded. The bull took off first to the left and then shifted back to the right. The man behind the counter was giving it all he had. Levi just hung on. In the end, he jumped off and stood as the bar applauded him, including Kallie. He came over to her.

“
I get a free ride. Do you want to take it?”

“
Are you crazy? She’ll get hurt,” Luke yelled at Levi.

“
It’s not up to you, Luke.” He studied Kallie. “What do you think?”

Kallie looked at him and bit her lip. She’d never ridden a mechanical bull—had never even thought about it. She’d always wondered what it would be like to ride a bull.

“
Okay,” she nodded.

He leaned over the barrier and lifted her small body over and set her down. She tugged at the hem of her shirt before she climbed a top the fake bull. Levi was at her side.

“
Hold onto the rope, palm up.”

His hand moved to her thigh.

“
Squeeze with your legs to keep your center.”

“
Okay.” She nodded as she soaked up all of his advice.

“
You got this! Don’t be nervous.”

She smiled at him and watched as he walked toward the man controlling the bull. She heard him ask if she was ready and she nodded. The machine between her legs came to life and started to sway to and fro slowly. She got into the rhythm and when he sped the machine up, she held onto her balance. For a minute, they continued at a faster pace and then the bull changed directions and thrusted forward and backward, but she managed to stay on until it shifted back. She lost her balance and fell to the mat laughing. She closed her eyes as she rolled to her side. Never in a million years had she imagined she’d ride a mechanical bull. All of a sudden, she felt exhilarated, she felt alive. She felt a hand on her hip. When she opened her eyes Luke was in front of her.

“
Kal! Are you okay? What’s hurt?”

About that time, Levi knelt down behind Luke.

“
I told you she would get hurt,” Luke yelled at him.

“
I’m fine! I’m not crying! I’m laughing. That was fun! Now I know why you guys do it.”

Luke shook his head. He stood and walked away, while Levi offered her a hand. Taking it, she found her feet as he wrapped his arms around her small body.

“
You looked amazing up there.”

“
Only a real cowgirl can ride a bull,” she told him as they walked toward the table.

They sat at the table for a little bit, and Kallie examined Luke. She realized then that she would never be able to look at him the same way, ever again. Since her parents had died, Luke treated her like a damaged package—like a grenade that would explode any minute. That was the reason why she shied away from him. The last six months of her life had been spent watching everyone walk on eggshells around her, and she hated it. She felt Levi’s arm tighten around her.
Levi?
Levi had treated her like a person and opened her up to new experiences. He made her feel alive in ways she’d never felt before.

The karaoke started and Luke asked her to dance. Kallie looked at Levi and he smiled at her.

“
You are the only girl,” Levi told her.

She didn’t want to, but in the end, her better side got the best of her, and she went out onto the floor. Luke pulled her into his arms as they slow danced. She rested her hands on his shoulders.

“
So you really like Levi?” His words slurred and it was clear that he was drunk.

“
Why does it matter to you, Luke?”

“
Because you’re supposed to be with me. You were saving yourself for me.”

“
I’m not going to do this with you right now.”

Kallie tried to pull away, but Luke held her tighter and was leaning in to kiss her.

“
Is everything okay here?” she heard Levi, and Luke backed up.

Kallie sighed with relief. “Impeccable timing as always, Levi.” Luke disappeared as Levi pulled her into his strong arms.

These arms. His arms. They were the only thing that made her feel safe anymore. They kept her sane and set her free from her grief all at the same time.

“
Are you okay?”

She nodded as she thought about what Luke had said. She had promised herself to him. She remembered the day she broke up with him. He drove from Louisiana to Houston to see her after her parents died. They made out and just like that she ended it. The way he talked to her, and the gentleness he’d shown while making out had hurt her, and for his sake she had to set him free. So she did. He cried and got down on his knees, begging her not to do it. In the end, she tucked him inside of his truck and went inside to finish packing up the house.

“
What’s wrong?”

“
I really hurt him.”

“
Who? Luke?”

“
Yeah. I mean, I really hurt him.”

“
He’s a cowboy. He’ll bounce back. He just needs to see that you’ve moved on.”

“
I have, and yet he’s still holding on to what he thinks could still be. I don’t know what else I can do.”