He had come from a jail cell and had intended to ask this woman to build a house for him, and instead...
They were screwing in the middle of the afternoon.
And something about it felt like the first real step toward freedom he’d taken since being released from prison.
She arched beneath him, gasping at her pleasure, her internal muscles gripping him as she came. He roared out his own release, grasping her tightly against his body as he slammed into her one last time.
And as he held her close against his chest, in a bed he should never have taken her to, he let go of the ideas of right and wrong. What she deserved. What he could give.
Because what had happened between them just now was like nothing he’d ever experienced on earth. And it wouldn’t be forever. It couldn’t be.
But if it was freedom for him, maybe it could be that for her, too.
Maybe...
Just for a little while, he could be something good for her.
And as he stared down at her lovely face, he ignored the hollow feeling in his chest that asked: Even if he knew he was bad for her, would he be able to turn away now?
He knew the answer.
He held her close, pressed her cheek against his chest, against his thundering heartbeat.
And she pressed her hand over the knife wound on his midsection.
Oh, yes. He knew the answer.
Nine
By the time Faith woke up, the sun was low in the sky, and she was wrapped around Levi, her hand splayed on his chest. He was not asleep.
“I was wondering when you might wake up.”
She blinked sleepily. “What time is it?”
“About five o’clock.”
“Shit!” She jerked, as if she was going to scramble out of bed, and then she fell back, laying down her head on his shoulder. “I’m supposed to have dinner with my parents tonight.”
“What time?”
“Six. But Isaiah and Joshua are going to pester me about where I was. Poppy probably won’t let me off, either. My sister-in-law. She works in the office. She’s the one who—”
“Former assistant,” Levi said.
“Yes. Also, she’s pregnant right now and you know how pregnant women have a heightened sense of smell?” she asked.
“Um...”
“Well, she does. But I think more for shenanigans than anything else.”
“Shenanigans?”he repeated, his tone incredulous. “Are we engaging in shenanigans?”
“You know what I mean,” she huffed.
“When are you going to tell them?”
She blinked. “About...this?”
