Page 13 of Taken By Storm

Walking out of the kitchen, Kasi glanced toward the front door. The top half was a window, the bottom solid wood. She always left the front porch light on these days, since Keith came in all hours of the night.

As such, it was easy to make out Levi Storm standing on the porch, looking back at her.

Kasi crossed the foyer and unlocked the door. “Levi?”

“Mornin’, little bear.”

Kasi wondered how this man could throw her for such a loop with just three words. For one thing, this was the fourth time he’d called her little bear, and she was starting to like the soundof it way too much. For another, even though it was an easygoing statement, hearing it issued in Levi’s deep voice had parts of her body that typically lay dormant waking right the hell up.

“Did you leave something here last night?”

Levi frowned, and she realized she hadn’t offered him a very neighborly greeting.

“Sorry,” she backtracked. “Good morning, Levi.”

His expression cleared. It looked like he’d come here straight from the shower. His hair was still damp and brushed back off his face, and he smelled good. Very good. Woodsy, musky, testosteroney.

Shit. It was way too early to be this turned on.

“You gonna invite me in?” he asked, the edges of his lips tipped up, leaving her to wonder if he could read her mind.

“Oh. Um, yeah.” She stepped back, allowing him to enter.

Levi closed the door behind him, clearly intent on staying awhile.

“Did you need something?” She was still trying to puzzle out his presence here so early in the morning.

“Wouldn’t mind a cup of that coffee I smell,” he said, heading in the direction of the kitchen without waiting for an invitation.

Kasi followed in his wake, trying to keep up physically and mentally.

She opened the cabinet that held the coffee mugs and handed one to Levi, who’d already grabbed the pot.

“Do you want cream or sugar?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Drink it black.”

Levi glanced around the kitchen, nodding toward the crusts she’d pulled out of the fridge. “You getting ready to put the pies together?”

“Yeah.” Kasi lifted a peach from the counter. “Peach pie today.”

Levi gave her a quick grin. “Another one of my favorites. So what do you need help with?”

“Help with?” Kasi frowned. “Nothing.”

Levi crossed his arms in that way she was coming to understand indicated annoyance. “Tell me what’s on your list for today.”

“Shouldn’t you be home doing your own chores?”

Levi leaned forward until his face was just inches from hers. For a second, she let herself imagine what it might feel like to kiss him. Would his lips be as soft as they looked? Would his beard tickle?

“Shouldn’t you be answering my question?” he retorted.

Last night had proven Kasi wasn’t as adept at winning arguments with Levi as she might have liked. “I’ve got the oven preheating. Once it’s ready, I bake the bread while assembling the pies, then they go in. While the pies are baking, I run out to feed the animals and gather the eggs, then I check in with the Rileys, letting them know what produce I need for the stand. Then I come back and make breakfast for Daddy and Keith. And after that…” She sighed. “This is kind of a long list. You good if I just stop there? I need to get back to work peeling those peaches.”

Levi’s scowl was back, but just like last night, it wasn’t anger she was feeling from him.

“That your brother’s bike parked out front?”

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