Page 83 of Code of Heart
Her mind spun in circles. Was Levi already tired of her and planning to leave? Had he realized, like every other man before him, that she was boring once the shine wore off?
Except for Kyle. I had to run from him.
The car felt stifling as old doubts crept in, uninvited and unwelcome.
This time was supposed to be different.
Levi was different.
And yet, every night this week, and so many others before, he came home long after dinner, looking worn down to his soul. A quick kiss on the cheek, a plate of reheated food, and then a long shower that seemed more about washing off his stress than relaxing.
She flushed, her face heating at the memory of that one night when she couldn’t stand the distance anymore and slipped into the shower with him. For a short while, it felt like they’d found their way back to each other.
But even that moment felt like a lifetime ago.
Aurelia slipped quietly into the bathroom, her bare feet silent against the cool tiles. She paused for a moment, drinking in the sight of those long, athletic legs braced apart, and toned muscles taut beneath golden skin.
His back was to her, broad shoulders hunched as his strong arms pressed against the shower wall. The image permanently emblazoned on his back was stark and dangerous…and as tempting as forbidden fruit. His head bowed under the warm cascade of water; his eyes shut like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.
He hadn’t noticed her yet.
With a slow, deliberate movement, she undressed, letting her clothes fall silently to the floor. The shower door creaked faintly as she opened it, a whisper of cool air rushing inside. That’s when he felt her.
Levi stiffened for a heartbeat before the powerful lines of his back flexed with tension as he shifted his body to face her. His forest eyes, dark and unreadable, glided over her exposed skin with an intensity that made her pulse trip. Every inch of her was devoured by that heated gaze, his silence louder than any words.
Then she crossed the distance between them, rising to press her mouth against his in a slow, torturous kiss.
Whatever shadows had haunted his mind were obliterated in that instant.
Without hesitation, his hands found her thighs, gripping them with a strength that made her gasp as he lifted her effortlessly. Her back met the cool tile with a soft thud, her legs instinctivelywrapping around his waist. There was no preamble, no gentle exploration—no time wasted.
With a low, guttural sound, Levi drove into her, his hips snapping forward with a punishing rhythm. She cried out, the sound swallowed by the roar of the water and his hungry mouth covering hers again.
There was nothing soft about this. Nothing careful.
It was primal.
Every thrust was deep, relentless, hitting that perfect spot again and again until the pressure inside her wound impossibly tight. Her fingers dug into his slick shoulders, her head falling back against the shimmering tiled wall as the pleasure overwhelmed her, shattering her apart in his arms.
He followed her over the edge moments later, his groan vibrating against her throat, his entire body tensing before he collapsed against her, breathless.
For a long moment, they simply stayed there, their chests heaving, the water cascading over their tangled bodies.
And then, with a tenderness that stole her breath all over again, Levi gently set her down.
In silence, his hands moved over her, washing her with such care it felt like worship. His fingers lingered over every curve, every sensitive spot, tracing along her skin as if to memorize her by touch alone.
He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to.
In that quiet act, she heard everything he couldn’t bring himself to say.
Everything she needed to know.
Swallowing hard, Aurelia forced herself to shake off the doubt and unease, to focus on the road ahead. Whatever it was Levi had been battling this week, she didn’t know, though it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Every time she had asked, he had brushed her off with a quiet, tired smile and the same maddening reply:I don’t want to burden you with my problems.
That answer gnawed at her.
