Page 46 of Tempting Levi
Right now she didn’t want him to be good. But he’d also said something she’d been worrying about. “What if I took some part of your dad that was meant for you and your brothers?”
He lifted up on his elbow. “You couldn’t have. Think about it; you didn’t even come into the picture until I had moved out and started dating…”
“My sister?” Her throat suddenly locked up and her chest lost all its warmth. She didn’t want to think about her sister with Levi.
He nodded. “My brothers and I were pigheaded and prideful. I understand why my dad felt he could be himself around you. You’re not like us; you’re sweet. I’m glad he helped you out”—Levi tried to tug the blanket away, but he was saying such kind things that she clung to it, not wanting the moment to end—“because I’m reaping the benefits now.” He grinned suggestively.
“I hope you’re referring to my help at work.” She swatted at his hand inching its way under the blanket.
He blinked innocently. “Of course. But I wouldn’t mind if you went topless at work too. It would make my day so much brighter. Though only topless in my office. No need for the vultures at Club Tahoe to get a look at what I have.”
What I have.She liked how possessive he sounded.
She punched him lightly in the shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck. He had the blanket off her in seconds. “You’re bad.”
“Not usually, but I really want to be with you.” He pulled her close and kissed her lightly on the lips.
“So why can’t you be?”
Levi let out a heavy sigh. A dark cloud came over his features. He leaned back, reached his long arm over the side of the bed, and picked up her top and bra off the floor, handing them to her. “I told you, I don’t want to hurt you. You’re important to me.”
Emily grabbed her clothes and reluctantly put them on. The moment was over, and she desperately wanted it back.
He stood, and she considered his words while she dressed. Was he saying he wanted to take things slowly? Given their situation, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
She climbed to her feet and leaned into him, tracing the scar above his eye. “I like this scar.”
He chuckled and dropped his cheek into her hand. “Glad it pleases someone. It didn’t feel too good when it happened.”
“I don’t like it because you were hurt. It’s just—it brought you to me. And it reminds me that you’re not the same person I met years ago. That we’ve both changed… However”—she grinned saucily—“scarsarepretty hot.”
He tugged at her top and kissed her collarbone, tickling her with his lips, because the naughty man had quickly discovered a sensitive spot. “My scar looks hot, does it?”
She laughed as he continued to pepper her skin with light kisses. She lifted her shoulder in defense. “Very sexy.”
“Hmmm, don’t give me ideas, Emily, or I won’t let you go home.”
That was one threat she wanted him to follow through on.
Chapter 21
Sadly, Levi did let Emily go home Saturday night, but he’d followed her in his car to make sure she made it back safely. She’d waved at the door and he’d driven home, a goofy smile on his face the entire way. Sunday had been the longest day of his life. It was the first time he’d looked forward to Monday since working at Club Tahoe.
In his office, while Samuel, the red-haired lawyer, whose name Levi remembered for once, droned on about plummeting revenue, Emily crossed her legs, the silk of her skin making a soft swishing sound in the quiet office. Levi shifted in his seat, heat flowing to his groin.
“As the advisor your father hired me to be,” Samuel said, “I feel it only prudent to tell you that it would be foolish to do this children’s program. You’d be spending money the company doesn’t have.”
“But that doesn’t make sense,” Emily said, her hands gripped together, her expression one of agitation. “The program isn’t costly, and if my numbers are correct and we market effectively, which I think we can, we’ll end up with a positive return. We’d use our newsletter list to promote the program, which costs us nothing, and we have the space for a dedicated children’s zone. Ethan Cade overbuilt, anticipating growth and the need for such things in his luxury resort. We could start by hiring one person, and if the program does well, we could convert one of the off-pool party rooms into a kids’ space.”
“And where would the parties we currently host go?” Samuel said, his irritation showing. Which did not sit well with Levi. Not well at all. Emily was trying to find solutions, and this uptight ass was shooting every one of them down.
“The parties,” she said, “can be moved to other, more luxurious meeting rooms inside the hotel, many of which lie vacant a good deal of the time.”
“But that won’t be the case once you pull in new corporate clients. Am I right, Levi?” Samuel’s gaze moved smugly over to Levi.
Now the ass called him by his given name?
“Do you have any new ideas on that front?” Samuel said. “To make up for the Shin Electronics loss. I assume they’re not coming back after things got out of control during their stay.”
