Page 19 of Along Came Summer

Desperately.

It's been so long since I’ve felt even a speck of excitement. After everything with Scott, I feel as though I’ve been trapped in darkness and sorrow, living in a continuous loop of nightmares, helplessly trapped in those horrific memories.

Until today.

Today, for the first time in months, I experienced a tiny spark of hope that I had all but given up on ever finding again. After the kiss with Levi, I felt… free of those demons entombed inside my head. Like my mind was momentarily cleared of the darkness that had previously consumed me. Instead, I felt like a foolish teenager again, joyfully giddy after my long-time crush smiled at me.

And now, I’m staring into his deep chestnut-coloured eyes, untying his shorts because I can’t think of anything but howhetastes and would feel like inside my mouth.

I mean, it wouldn’t exactly be the first time I’ve seen Levi King's dick. And my, what a pretty dick it was back then. Wait, can you even refer to a man's appendage as pretty? Can a dick be pretty? Anyway, it was almost a decade ago now, and I still to this day remember how mortified I felt, frozen in the doorway of his bedroom with him standing two feet away, as naked as the day he was born.

Thinking back, I’m sure Levi’s peniswasthe first that I saw in the flesh. Of course, I’d seen pictures or was coaxed by Lexi and Wyatt to secretly watch porn videos she had accidentally stumbled upon in her parent's bedroom. I have to say, they had an… interesting collection of videos, and unfortunately, some of them have been permanently and painfully burned into my memory.

Wy, Lex and I would pile into Lex’s den when her parents were out and watch, sometimes in fascination but mostly in disgust. God, one time, we almost got busted by our parents. We barely just got the TV off as they were walking down the stairs. And when I tell you my heart was up in my throat, I thought I was going to choke on it and drop dead of shame right there and then. Thankfully, Lex had shut the television off and saved our arses from indefinite grounding and a lifetime of humiliation.

My eyes lower from his when I feel Levi’s long fingers curl around my wrist, stopping me from loosening the waistband of his light blue swim shorts. The warm touch of his fingers against the chill of my damp body sends a delightful tingle across my skin. Oh shit, did I just go and make a right tit of myself here? Was I too forward? Or is he simply a part of thevery smallpercentage of men who don’t enjoy blow jobs?

My heart starts to thunder in my chest. I can feel my cheeks burning in shame and my self-doubt kicking into high gear. Levi lifts his free hand, tucks his index finger under my chin, and gently lifts my head until we lock eyes again. “And I want nothing more than to give you a taste, baby girl, but not here, not like this,” Levi asserts, smiling endearingly while he brushes the pad of his thumb across my lower lip. “If we take things one step further, I’m going to lose what very little restraint I have, and we’ll go at it right here, but I don’t want that. I want to take my sweet time worshipping every goddamn inch of you.” I sigh inwardly and feel myself relax when he draws me closer and kisses me softly, his fingers delicately combing through my damp hair, and I just melt into a pile of mush.

You know that saying? A man's kiss is his signature? Well, Levi certainly lives up to that maxim. He kisses like it’s his sole purpose in life.

“Mmk, well, we should probably… stop and maybe talk?” I mumble between kisses and feel him nodding in response but showing no indication to stop.

“Mhm, you talk, I’m listening.” Levi groans, brushing his tongue along my bottom lip and sucking.

“Ican’ttalk, Levi, I can’t think, much less string two sentences together with you kissing me like that.” Levi smiles languidly against my lips, his fingers affectionately stroking the nape of my neck.

“Kissing you like what?” he burrs, opening his eyes to look at me while he presses soft pecks and teasing licks against my lips.

“Like that,” I moan, parting my lips and lightly sweeping the tip of my tongue against his. A low, throaty groan emits from deep within Levi when our tongues lightly brush.

“I warned you,” Levi says as he dips his head to nuzzle my neck. “If you let me kiss you again, I said I wouldn't be able to stop. And I meant it.”

My head lolls back in submission while his soft lips touch my neck, tenderly brushing and sucking at the soft skin there. “Levi...” I whisper in surrender, my arms circling around his neck, drawing him as close as humanly possible because I’m taken with the way his firm yet warm body feels pressed up against mine or the way his hands are unhurriedly wandering over and exploring my body, cupping, and squeezing handfuls of my bum.

Holy shit, I’m certain I must have consumed one too many cocktails and passed out by the poolside with Wy and Lex and am dreaming, because there is no way I’m heatedly making out with Levi King.

What were the chances of us bumping into one another on opposite sides of the world almost a decade after they left London? Unlike his brother and my so-called best friend Devin, Levi kept in touch with me. He was always reaching out on special occasions like my birthday or Christmas, as well as random texts just to check in with me. Still, a small part of me feels like I’m betraying Devin by hooking up with his brother. I don't owe any loyalty to him, and it has been eight years since our friendship ended, so why should I feel guilty? I shouldn’t. No, you know what? Fuck it. I’m not going to feel guilty, especially after everything I suffered the past year. I deserve to have some fun.

To hell with you, Devin King, I doubt he’s spared me a thought since he left. So, if I want to screw Levi all over this island, I’m going to do just that. We’re not hurting anyone, and we’re both single, so why not enjoy myself? I can do with a two-week fling, and it’s unlikely we’ll ever see each other again after this, so we might as well make the most of it.

“It’s clear neither of us wants to stop, so… why don’t we take this back to my hotel room?” I suggest. Levi chuckles against my throat, and the vibrations of his laugh travel through me in waves.

“Mira Evans, did you just proposition me?” Levi asks, pulling his head back to look down into my flushed face, his brown eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Perhaps,” I answer impishly and watch as his smile grows into one that would, without a doubt, melt the panties right off me had they not already been half hanging off my hips. While he caresses my body, I lift my left hand and stroke his beard, “I think it’s obvious we both want the same thing, so why waste time beating around the bush when we can fuck in it?”

Levi laughs, and I soak up the sound of it, observing the way the brown of his eyes brighten and gleam mirthfully. “You do make a good point, and as desperately as I would like to spend the afternoon fucking you in said bush, I can’t, princess.” My stomach sinks like a lead balloon, and something inside my chest stings. “I have to get to the studio for three to work on my pieces for the exhibition. I have an art curator coming over to see if we can work some of my existing pieces into the show.” He explains, leaning in to kiss the corner of my mouth. “But… perhaps you can come by the studio later this evening to help me… find some inspiration?” he says suggestively. And just like that, my deflated stomach starts to flutter wildly with anticipation.

“What if I do the opposite and am a distraction instead?”

Levi licks his lips, and his eyes do a quick skim over my face before they meet mine again. “You probably will be, but an artist can draw inspiration from the simplest of things. So, what you consider a distraction, I call fuel for the fire of creativity.”

“Well, in that case...” I say, leaning in closer until our noses touch. “I would be honoured to be the fuel that fires your creativity.”

“Mm, good, because I can already feel mycreative juicesflowing,” Levi groans, pressing his soft lips to mine while he grinds his erection against my hip.

Smiling, I lightly drag my fingertips down his robust and chiselled chest, “I can think of a couple more ways to really get those juices flowing.”

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