Pretty Pink Ribbons (22 page)

But she obviously isn’t done because, within seconds, she has her sweet little mouth back on mine—only this time she takes control. The kiss is slow and passionate, and so much like our kisses from nearly a decade ago. Our tongues are no longer dueling for power but reveling in the simplicity of being reunited. I slip my hands into her hair and grip the back of her neck. She whimpers, her body relaxing into mine, her touch igniting a fire deep in my gut.

Even though I kissed her a few weeks ago, this is different. This time
I
initiated it, this time
she
was the one taken by surprise . . . this time it’s
my
heart that’s involved. I’m not sure at what point I realized that fighting this was a losing battle. It could’ve been when she made my grandmother’s pie or when she kissed me in the kitchen. It could’ve also been when we had dinner under the stars, but most likely it was the very moment I saw her in my parking lot. I think I knew then that I was still hers.

Her hands slide down my chest and I groan, drawing back. I know that if I don’t stop now I’ll likely lay her out in the cab of my truck and fuck her . . . and that’s not how I want our second first time to be. Laney’s eyes are closed, her lips swollen and wet, and her chest is heaving as if it’s fighting for air. She smiles, and then her hooded eyes peek up at me. All it takes is this one look—this one kiss—and I’m owned. Every piece of my broken soul belongs to this angel . . . I just pray to God that she can find a way to put it back together. And more than that, I pray to God she doesn’t break it again.

MY FINGER RUNS A slow path along my bottom lip, and if I close my eyes, I can still feel his mouth on mine. That kiss was fantastic, but the best part about it was that I didn’t even see it coming. I thought I had memorized everything about Levi, but now I see how faded my memories had become because they were
nothing
compared to the real thing. I had forgotten how soft his lips are and the way he takes complete control when he kisses me. I’d also forgotten how he ends nearly every kiss by lightly sucking and nipping my bottom lip. I don’t ever want to forget those things again.

Neither one of us said a word after our kiss, but as soon as we climbed into the truck, he reached across the seat, slid his hand into mine and left it there, resting against my inner thigh. I’m now watching his thumb as it swipes lazily across my knuckles and it’s hypnotizing. I’d like it sweeping across other parts of my body, but now is probably not the time to shove his hand in between my legs and demand that he show me what he can do. Right?

“You’re awfully quiet over there.”

“I’m afraid that this isn’t real.” He squeezes my hand and I look up at him.

“It’s real. I promise, it’s real.” He brings our joined hands to his mouth and kisses my knuckles.

I can’t help the smile that sweeps over my face. That smile quickly turns into a curious glare when he pulls onto my street. “How did you know my address?”

“Your employment paperwork you filled out for Flame,” he says, pulling into my driveway. “I might have taken a peek at it.” Levi flashes me a grin. “I hope you don’t mind.” My eyes roam across the front of my house, and although I’m extremely proud of my little nest, I can’t help but wonder what kind of home Levi has. Is it a sleek condo overlooking the city, or a ranch-style house on the outskirts of town? He probably doesn’t live in a rundown neighborhood where the houses are all a foot apart and you have to walk past homeless people to get to your front door.

He must sense my insecurity because he drags me across the seat and pulls me onto his lap. “What’s wrong?” he whispers, his hands gliding up and down my back.

“Nothing.” I look away, but he grips my chin and pulls my face back to his. “It’s not much,” I shrug, nodding toward my house. “It’s probably nothing like where you live, but—”

“It’s perfect.” His lips find mine in a feather-light kiss. “You amaze me, Laney.”

“What? Why?” I frown, having absolutely no idea why he would be amazed by me.

“Look at you. You’ve never been afraid to go after what you want, even if it means leaving a man in the dust . . .” I punch him lightly in the gut, and he grabs his stomach and laughs. “Too soon for the break-up jokes?” I nod, laughing along with him, and he continues. “What I’m getting at is that you’re courageous and strong and so incredibly kind. I’m in awe of you.”

“Thank you,” I mouth, my heart creeping its way into my throat.

“Can I see your bucket list again?” he asks.

My brows dip low. “For what? We didn’t do anything for you to cross off.” Reaching for my purse, I dig out the list and hand it over.

“I disagree.” I hand him a pen and he opens the list against my chest, then scratches the pen against the rumpled paper. “I think today you made a significant positive impact on a stranger’s life, and I think Mary would agree with me.”

“Levi,” I exhale, at a complete loss for words. Strong, callused hands grip my face, and I stare into his sapphire eyes that are open and raw and so full of emotion. “I promise that I’ll never let you down again,” I say with as much conviction as I have within me. “Just tell me this is real. Tell me this is happening. I’ve thought about this . . . about you, for so long. I’ve hoped for a second chance, and if you give it to me, I swear you won’t regret it. You won’t regret me.”

“I’ve never regretted you, Lane. Even when I was mad as hell at you, I never regretted you.” His thumb darts out and catches the first tear that manages to escape my eye, and then it catches many more because I simply can’t keep them in. This feeling is indescribable, knowing that after all these years, I’m finally getting my chance to make things right—a chance at the happiness I took from us.

“Laney?”

“Yes,” I answer, my eyes trained on his mouth, silently begging him to kiss me one more time.

“You’re thinking way too much.” My eyes snap to his and he’s wearing an amused grin. “You’re thinking so hard that I can practically hear your thoughts. This is happening. I told myself that it would never happen again, but I can’t stay away from you. Hell, I can’t even stop thinking about you long enough to take a piss.” I laugh and drop my forehead to his. “Let’s try this, Laney. Let’s see where it goes.”

I nod, mostly because my wildest dreams are coming true, and I’m mildly terrified that if I try to talk, I’ll burst into tears. It’s like a package of fireworks was just set off in my soul and now they’re exploding through me in a million different directions, lighting my life with a rainbow of colors. I don’t ever want this feeling to end.

“Will you kiss me now?” My voice cracks on the last word, but Levi’s mouth is on me so fast that I don’t even have time to think about how pathetic I just sounded. His lips slam against mine, our tongues colliding, twisting and pushing in the most beautiful dance. My hands are fisted in the front of his shirt, because right now I need an anchor—an anchor to this moment, to these feelings . . . to this man.

He pulls back far too soon but keeps his face close to mine. Our noses brushing and breaths mingling, I peek up and see that his eyes are closed and a faint smile touches his gorgeous mouth. “Let’s do that again soon, okay?”

His faint smile twists into a wry grin and he looks at me. “Count on it,” he whispers.

I smack one last kiss on his mouth. Then I pick up my purse and reach for the door, but he grabs my arm, stopping me.

“No.” His voice is clipped and firm. “I’ll walk you to your door, Laney. It’s dark out and I need to make sure you get in safely.” He leans forward and peers out the window. “Is this neighborhood safe?” His worried eyes find mine and when my lips purse, he sighs. “I didn’t mean anything by that. It just looks a little run down, that’s all.”

“It’s safe. It looks worse than it is, but I assure you, I’m safe. Plus, Benny lives next door so it’s like I have a live-in bodyguard.”

“Great,” Levi huffs, causing me to laugh. “Well, I’m still walking you in.”

“Levi, you do realize the door is five feet away? I’m a big girl, and this night has been perfect. That kiss”—I run the pad of my thumb across his bottom lip—“was the perfect way to end the night. Now I want to go inside, change into my pajamas and crawl in bed so I can relive it, over and over.”

His expression softens and he nods. “Goodnight, Laney.”

“Goodnight.” A goofy grin is plastered to my face as I jump out of his truck and hightail it to my front door, making quick work of unlocking it. I slip inside and give him one last wave before shutting the door behind me.

I can’t believe this has happened. I’m still in shock and I desperately need to tell somebody. Pulling my phone out of my purse, I pull up Mia’s number and hit ‘talk.’ In true Mia fashion, she answers on the first ring.

“Are you okay?” Her voice is high and frantic.

“No, I’m not okay.” It’s a good thing she can’t see me smiling, because she’d surely slap it right off my face for messing with her like this.

“Oh my god. Okay. I’m packing a bag. I’ll have Daddy get the plane ready and I’ll be there by morn—”

“Don’t you want to know what’s wrong?” I ask, interrupting her before she really gets on a plane and flies here.

“Yes. Please tell me. What’s going on?”

“I’m dying, Mia.”

“Laney, we’ve talked about this. You can’t think like that. You have to stay positive, and I know it’s hard but—”

“I’m dying of happiness, Mia. Seriously, I’m so deliriously happy that I think I might explode. That, and this goofy grin might become a permanent fixture on my face.” I toss my purse on the floor and walk into the living room.

“I’m lost. What do you mean you’re dying of happiness? You just told me you weren’t okay.”

“Levi took me out today. We volunteered at the Senior Center and then we kissed. He kissed me, Mia,” I squeal, falling onto the couch. “He kissed me, and it was perfect and amazing and earth shattering, and if I die now, I would die a happy woman.”

“I’m going to kill you, Laney Jacobs,” she scolds. “Do you realize what you just did to me? You took ten years off my life. You can’t call me and tell me that you’re not okay . . . that’s not fair.” My smile quickly fades and my stomach drops as her words sink in. She sounds mad and scared, which wasn’t at all my intention.

“Mia—”

“No,” she cuts me off. “It’s not fair. I’m not there with you, Laney. I’m thousands of miles away and I worry about you constantly. I almost walked out on my dad the other day because I miss you so damn much. My life isn’t the same without you in it every day, so no, you can’t call me and make jokes about your health.”

“I’m so sorry, Mia.” My head is shaking despite the fact that she can’t see me. “I wasn’t thinking and you’re right, that wasn’t fair of me. I just had a really good day, and I was feeling silly and”—I sigh—“there is no good excuse. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”

“Good. And just so you know, next time you do something like that to me, I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Noted.”

“Now tell me about that sexy-as-hell man of yours, and I want all the details. Don’t leave anything out.” And I do. I tell her all about our time together and Mary and our kiss . . . and our second kiss, and that Levi wants to start things up with me again. We spend the next hour laughing, talking and reminiscing, and—like I knew she would—she tells me that she’s happy for me and that I deserve it. Then she asks the one question that nearly ruins it all. “When are you going to tell him?”

Pushing up from the couch, I walk into the kitchen and pour myself a glass of water. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it.”

“Well, you better think about it. This is your life for the foreseeable future, and he
will
find out some way or another. It’ll be easier if it comes from you.”

“Christ, Mia”—I take a sip of water—“how the hell do I tell him? ‘Oh yeah, by the way, I have Stage 3 cancer and I had my boob cut off and I’m getting chemotherapy, and if I’m really lucky, I’ll survive.’”

“Well, I think you could say it a little bit nicer than that,” she quips, nearly making me choke on my water.

“I was joking. Geez.” I take another drink and then dump what’s left in the sink and walk back to my bedroom. “It’s going to be hard, Mia. How do you tell someone that? And not just anyone, but someone that means so much to you. Someone that you have a history with. Someone that you love.”