Page 51 of Taken By Storm

A weight lifted from Levi’s shoulders. “I wouldn’t say I was a confirmed bachelor. I was looking.”

“Not very hard. I mean,” Kasi waved jazz hands in the air, “hello, I was right here the whole time.”

Levi wrapped his arm around her neck, messing up her hair playfully. “The difference in our ages doesn’t matter to me now. But you had a bit of catching up to do before I opened my eyes and realized who you were to me. Do those thirteen years bother you?”

“Not at all,” she confessed. “Honestly, I think a lot of my lack of dates and interest in guys closer to my own age was their immaturity. It turned me off.”

Levi gave her another kiss, trying to let the dust settle on what he’d learned. That was when he realized that waiting to move them to the next level was more important than ever.

She might not have been intentionally saving herself, but the fact was…she had. Which meant he needed to prove to her that he was here for the long haul. He didn’t want her to have any questions about him or—God forbid—regrets if he took things too fast for her.

Placing his forehead against hers, he sighed. “I should be going.”

There was a brief flash of panic in her eyes. “Because of what I told you?”

“Jesus, no.” Levi gripped her face in his hands. “Little bear, I want you so fucking much it hurts, but this isn’t the place or the time. When I take you for the first time, it’s going to be special.”

Kasi scoffed. “I don’t need special, Levi.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Yes, you do. And so do I. I haven’t lived like a monk, Kasi. There have been other women in my past.” Levi liked the flash of jealousy in her gaze. It meant she was starting to feel whathefelt. Because just the thought of any other man looking at her had him seeing red.

“I don’t need a list of your conquests,” she said, huffily.

He chuckled. “Yeah, well, before you go getting your panties in a wad, I can assure you as far as lists go, mine’s relatively short. I’m no Maverick.”

That admission prompted a grin. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but your brother’s sort of a manwhore.”

Levi laughed. “No ‘sort of’ about it.” Maverick’s reputation as a ladies’ man was well-known in Gracemont, as well as most of the surrounding towns. “But what I’m trying to say is that, while there have been others, emotions weren’t a part of the package. Those nights were about shared attraction and nothing else.You’re different, Kasi. And I want you to know that. Want the opportunity to show you just how different and special you are.”

Kasi smiled. “I like the sound of that.”

“So when we’re finally together, it’s going to be in a bed, and we’re going to have all night. No, fuck that, we’re going to have days.”

She shivered. “Days?”

“Days. But, Kasi, a crush is one thing. Reality another. You need to be sure of your feelings for me. I won’t let you do anything you might regret later. So take your time, sort this out in your head…and in your heart. Okay?”

“Okay,” she whispered.

Levi stole another kiss, careful to keep it quick. Then he helped her stand before refastening her shorts. Kasi walked him to the door, bidding him good night, and tonight, as he did every night, Levi fought against the desire to return to her. It was starting to feel as if they were hooked together by a giant rubber band, and the farther away he got from her, the tighter the pull, the harder it was to resist snapping right back to her side.

Levi drove home in silence, not bothering to turn the radio on because his thoughts were loud enough.

When he pulled up in front of the farmhouse, he was surprised to see all the lights on. Glancing at the clock on the dashboard, he realized it was still early. He hadn’t been home before eleven o’clock once this past week, his brothers all in their bedrooms by the time he tromped in.

Walking in, he made his way to the living room, where five of his brothers were hanging out on the oversized sectional and recliners, drinking Rain or Shine beer and watching an oldAlienmovie.

“Hey,” he said, claiming an empty spot on the sectional, thanking Sam, who followed him into the living room and handed him a beer.

“Thought I heard your truck pull up,” Sam said, reclaiming an empty recliner.

“Wait a second. You still live here?” Theo laughed, making it clear Levi was quickly becoming a stranger in his own house.

“Very funny,” he retorted.

“So…” Sam muted the movie, and Levi prepared himself for the long-overdue inquisition. “You and little Kasi Mills,” his brother mused aloud with a shit-eating grin.

Levi narrowed his eyes at his brother. “Do you need to putlittlein front of her name?”

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