~ ~ ~
When I wake up, I’m in my bed. I look around and see that Levi isn’t here. I switch my light on. My clock says four AM. I look at Levi’s pillow and there is a note on it.
Wish I was here when you woke up!
Maybe we can do dinner another night.
Forever yours,
Levi
He might be a brute on the ice, but he’s really a teddy bear. I switch the light off and curl up with his pillow, falling back asleep.
Chapter Two
Levi
Every day feels like a blessing since that day in the hospital when Presley came back to me. Pops got better and Presley spent Christmas with us. He loves her almost as much as I do. I think a lot of it has to do with finally having a woman around again. Especially when that woman is Presley.
I’m sitting in my dreaded morning class and my phone vibrates with a text from Presley.
Smarty: Wish you had stayed :(
Me: Want me to make it up to you tonight?
I smile when she tells me I better. Gah, I love my girl. Shaking my head, I try to focus. Classes already suck this semester, but if that’s what it takes to get the degree I want, then I’ll suffer. Lunch rolls around and I meet Harper and Nichols at the diner. Things aren’t the same between us, but we get along.
“How’s Presley?” Nichols asks.
He asks me every time he sees me. I think he still feels guilty about everything that happened and this is his way of checking in on us. “She’s good. We’re good, man.” He nods, but I press forward. “We’re all good, Nichols. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have had anything to tell her to start with. Don’t worry about it anymore.”
“Aw, my best buds are making up,” Harper gushes like a girl before barking out a laugh.
“Shut the hell up,” I laugh, “but seriously,” I turn back to Nichols, “we’re fine.”
Nichols nods and the conversation turns to hockey, bunnies, and classes for this semester. “Are we going on a big spring break trip again?” Nichols asks.
“I don’t know what Pres has planned,” I start, quickly interrupted by Harper making sounds like a whip. He ignores my glare and starts talking about possible destinations. It’s a couple months away to start with, but that’s the next big thing we have to look forward to. The mention of beaches has my mind thinking about Smarty in a bikini. Good God, what a sight that would be.
Pulling out my phone, I send her a text asking if she has one. When she says yes, I want to run over there right that second. But I don’t. Instead, I devise a plan where I will get to see her in a bikini in January.
After lunch and my classes, I workout before heading to Presley’s. A smile plays on my lips on how working out is a win-win for me. One because it’s good to stay in shape for hockey. Two because Presley loves how fit I am. Getting to her apartment can’t happen fast enough, and I have to make a pitstop before I can go to ensure that my plan will work.
I knock and wait for her to answer. The door opens, a smile quickly capturing those lips I love so much when she spies the strawberry milkshake in my hand. It feels like she’s on to my devious little plan because she only lets me in after I hand her the milkshake.
“Thanks, Levi.” She stands on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “But this wouldn’t have anything to do with the text you sent me at lunch, would it?” One of her eyebrows quirks up.
“Smarty,” I chide. “You know me better than that.” I grab her hips and pull her against me, leaning down to whisper into her ear. “I don’t have to bribe you to get what I want.” She inhales sharply before regaining her composure, slapping my arm.
“You’re ruthless. C’mon, let’s sit down.” Presley drags me to the couch and pushes me down, my suspicions raising a red flag when she doesn’t sit. I watch silently as she sets the cup on the coffee table and says, “You better be glad I love you and you better hope my milkshake doesn’t melt.”
My breathing immediately halts as grabs the hem of her sweatshirt, slowing lifting it to reveal a bare stomach and then a light blue string bikini top. I want to lean forward and kiss her stomach, but my eyes are glued to her hands that drop the sweatshirt and move to the top of her sweatpants. I gulp as she wiggles out to reveal a pair of bottoms just as skimpy as the top.
“You don’t wear this in public, do you?” I ask, my eyes traveling up her body to her eyes as she comes to straddle me.
“Mmhmm,” she murmurs against my neck with a kiss.
“Not anymore.”
Smarty giggles, pulling away to look at me. “Do you really think you can tell me what to do, Levi?” she whispers, dragging a lone finger over my chest. “More importantly, do you think I will listen and do what you want?”