Page 50 of Another Postcard

“Your pussy inspires me, baby,” I assured her, charmed and amused by how adorable she was. “I wouldn’t be nearly as good with anyone else.”

She snickered and pinched my ass. “Excellent answer.”

“Brooklynn.” My voice was hard as I stared at her with narrowed eyes. “We have to leave tomorrow if we are going to make it to London in time.”

She bit her lip and shifted her weight to her heels, sticking her hands in her back pockets. She looked everywhere around the kitchen but at me. She’d been putting off this discussion for a few days. It was time to force the issue.

“I don’t know, Levi,” she hedged. “I’m not sure she’s ready.”

I sighed and walked over to her, lifting her up and setting her on the counter behind her. “Baby, you’re not giving your sister enough credit. Penny moved in days ago and they’ve been like two peas in a pod. Baylee adores her. I think you hate the idea that she doesn’t need you like she used to.” Her mutinous expression confirmed my suspicion. “I get it, babe. I do. It was hard to admit that Lily wasn’t a baby anymore and let her date that douchebag Flynn.” My teeth ground together at the thought of my sister’s new prick of a boyfriend. But, it wasn’t the time to focus on that, one problem at a fucking time.

“She’s doing great now, but what happens when I leave?” she argues.

“Then we’ll come back.” My response caused her eyebrows to shoot to her hairline. “I care about her too, Brooklynn.”

She softened and cupped one of my cheeks in her warm palm. “I know. I’m sorry if I implied otherwise. You’ve been so amazing with her.” She smiled sheepishly and admitted, “I think you’ve been as much a part of how quickly she’s gotten resettled as I have.”

“Then why are you fighting me on going back on tour?” She shrugged and looked away. “Brooklynn, look at me,” I demanded harshly. “If you want to be a coward, you’ll do it looking me in the fucking eyes.”

Her jaw hit the floor. “I’m not being a coward,” she snapped.

“Really?” I asked with a sardonic raise of my brow. “You’re not afraid that your sister won’t need you anymore? You’re not afraid that you’ll be the cause for more crazy fans to threaten me? You’re not afraid of the magnitude of what you feel for me? I see your little freak-out moments, baby. I see everything when it comes to you.”

Her shoulders went back and she sat up straight. “It’s not cowardly to have fears, Levi.”

“No, it’s human.” She nodded and started to relax. “It’s cowardly to give in to them and let them rob you of all the amazing things that could be in your future.”

She tensed again, but I could see that I was getting through to her, one crack in her stubborn wall at a time.

“Remember what convinced you to try this whole thing in the first place? What would Baylee think if you explained that you were quitting because of her? She wants you to be happy doing what you love.”

Direct hit.

“Besides, you’d be in serious breach of contract, Brooklynn. You’ll burn a lot of bridges and set yourself back in your career.”

Another hit.

Then I went in for the kill.

“I don’t know how I’ll survive those months away from you, baby. Isn’t it enough thatIneed you?”

Bull’s eye.

She melted into me, her arms going around my neck and her head tucking under my chin. “It is. I’m sorry, I don’t know why I was letting everything get to me.”

I kissed her forehead. “Completely understandable, baby. You’ve held up better than a lot of people. But, now is the time to be the tough as nails, confident, badass woman with a big ol’ soft heart, that you really are.”

She chuckled and hugged me a little tighter. “You’re right. Baylee has always needed me, it’s hard to accept that she’s so independent now. On the outside, she’s nineteen, but on the inside, she’s still a child. But, even kids are more grown up than we give them credit for, right?”

“Absolutely, baby.” I kissed her nose, then her mouth.

“Levi will yo—”

Brooklynn jumped and would have fallen right off of the counter if I hadn’t been standing there, with my hands on her hips. Her face had drained of color as she looked over my shoulder. I was sporting a motherfucker of an erection, so I twisted at the waist to see Baylee and Penny at the entrance to the kitchen. Penny was grinning and gave Brooklynn a thumbs up. I laughed until I saw Baylee’s face. Her expression had fallen like she’d just found out someone had stolen her best friend.

I felt guilt choking me and cleared my throat. (Yeah, yeah, shame on me for that.)I guessed I kind of had stolen her best friend.

“You’re still together?” she asked, breaking my heart a little. “I thought you were just friends.”

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