Page 73 of Holiday on the Rocks
“Bad idea. Too many eyes around here.”
The little band played Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and he took my hand and led me behind the Christmas tree, hidden from all eyes.
He pulled me close, and I did the very last thing I should have, I melted into him. His eyes held mine and not a word was spoken, but so much was said. I was well aware that my mind was the Devi’s playground at this moment in my life.
We’d extended closure. Extended the time the most handsome man in the universe would wrap his arms around me. For better or worse I was in.
Once home in the quiet house everyone scattered. My first thought was how long I’d have to wait to be in Levi’s arms. Yes, I was chucking common sense into the fuck it bucket and living like a wild child until I exited Colorado.
Lexi leaned against the wall. “My back has been buggin’ me all night.”
“I have Tylenol?—”
She stretched her arms over her head. “I think I’m gonna just crash on the sofa in the sitting area by Allie’s room.” Her head nodded. “Yes, it’s firm. Really good for a sore back.”
“What? You can’t sleep on that. It’s not comfortable.” Well, it appeared the evening wasn’t ending in an orgasm as I’d anticipated.
She flashed a transparent smile. “Yeppers, that’s what my back needs. A firm couch. That’s the ticket.”
At that moment I saw my ticket to Levi hop on a broom and zip off into the forest.
Or did it?
Rachel gave me a hug. “Night Allie.” She glanced at the hot one. “Levi.”
Evan slapped Levi on the back. “See you in the morning guys.”
The hall emptied and it was clear as an air raid siren that Lexi was my gatekeeper.
I watched Levi and his fine self disappear down the hall, and when I turned back around Lexi’s eyes were boring into me.
“What?”
“Allison, you are a smart woman. Do not?—”
“I am smart. Remember that. And you’re crazy by the way.
Her eyebrows screwed together. “Me, crazy? I should get off this unicorn and slap you right now.”
“Ya know Lexi, you’re really starting to piss me off. I’m a grown ass woman and capable of good decisions.” It would’ve been a strong sentence, but some giggles fell out of me and ruined it. “You’re kind of being a bitch. I mean not a huge one, but sort of a medium one.”
“I will keep you safe, my Allie. As far as being a bitch, all you have to remember is that I’m ten times the bitch you could ever hope to be.” She pointed to my room. “Now run along.”
I turned on my heel and went into my room feeling as unsmart as one could be.
I changed into my pajamas with the candy canes on them and squirted a little perfume on my wrist as I looked out the window. It was a slanted roof. A good roof.
The one thing I could count more than the sun rising from the east was the fact that Levi would get to me tonight.
The past and the present swarmed together like a pack of pesty mosquitos as I sat on my bed just like I did every night we were together and waited.
Back in the day his dad normally worked late and either went to a bar, his girlfriend’s, or straight to bed. There was nobody to stop him.
My parents caught Levi in my bedroom once and the memory of him jumping out the two-story window with shoes in hand still made me giggle. (He landed on the hood of my car so no real damage to him, just a dent my father pounded out while busting out some colorful language). That was when my parents, Roxy and Jerry, invested in a high-tech security system so they could sleep at night knowing hooligan Levi couldn’t get to me.
Two days in, I used a nail file and loosened the sensor on my window so it appeared fine, but nope, it wasn’t. He was in like Flynn. He’d come over after ten when my folks went to bed, parked around the block, and would watch Pretty Woman or old Friend’s episodes with me. I’d set my alarm for five thirty and he’d be out of the house before anyone awoke.
It was perfect.
