His hand slides lower, fingers brushing along my thigh where his jeans already press against my bare skin. The touch is light and teasing—but the weight of it unleashes something inside me. His thumb drags lazily across the edge of my skin, testing how far he can go before I pull away.
But I don’t.
He leans in, his beard grazing my cheek, the warmth of his breath curling against my ear. “You feel that?” he murmurs, voice dropping to a low growl that curls in mystomach. “That’s just a hint of pressure. I told you—I don’t just handle it. I create it.”
Before I can speak, his lips brush my cheek—soft at first, barely there. It makes my breath catch. He pauses like he’s waiting for me to stop him, but instead, I tilt my head just slightly, giving him access.
His mouth curves into a smile against my skin before he trails a slow, savoring kiss from the edge of my cheek to just beneath my lips.
The air thickens around us, warm with alcohol, sweat, and something hungrier. The music washes out, the crowd slipping into nothing. All that’s left is him—his hand claiming my thigh, and his presence wrapping around me like a dare he wants to win.
“Tell me, Jainey,” he murmurs, lips hovering an inch from mine, “am I getting closer to proving myself… or do I need to keep working harder?”
I meet his eyes, voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t think you’re done proving yourself just yet.”
His hand slides from my thigh to the side of my face, thumb brushing my jaw with a gentleness that doesn’t match the intensity in his eyes. He closes the distance between us, lips crashing onto mine with a force that makes me completely forget where I am.
His tongue is hungry, unrestrained. He kisses me like he’s been waiting for this all night—claiming me, right here, where anyone could see. Daniel slips out of my mind entirely, his name erased by the taste of Levi’s smoke and liquor still lingering on his tongue.
My body eases into his as my fingers grab at his shirt, feeling the hard muscle beneath the crisp white fabric, heat pooling low in my stomach. My other hand slides up into his hair, tugging lightly until he groans into my mouth, pressingcloser. His beard scrapes rough against my skin, the sound of his low growl causing my thighs to clench tighter.
The jacuzzi gurgles beside us, steam rising, not realizing the whole party can see us—but I don’t care.
My heart pounds against my ribs, the fire of his kiss drowning out every memory of Jacob, Daniel, and every fear of rejection I ever tried to bury. Right now, nothing else matters—but Levy and the way he’s making me feel like I’ve been holding my breath forever until now.
Pulling back just enough for our lips to part, he rests his forehead against mine. His voice is raw, breathless as he murmurs, “Yeah… I think I’m just getting started.”
My whole body reacts to his words, tightening with a need I don’t want to admit to. His forehead rests on mine, both of us fighting for breath, the old blurring out like that kiss shook something loose in us. His thumb traces along my cheekbone, a soft contradiction to the way his mouth just devoured mine.
I can’t stop staring into those big blue eyes—alive, and full of something that makes me forget the boundaries I swore to keep. I bite my lip, trying to pull myself together, but my body’s already decided what my mind’s too scared to admit.
This isn’t about the party anymore. It’s about him—the way he looks at me like I’m worth chasing, the way his kiss tastes like everything I didn’t know I’m craving. All I feel is his hand still gripping my thigh, rubbing gently as if he knows exactly how hard it is for me to think straight right now.
“I don’t usually do this,” I murmur, almost to myself, my voice low but firm. His eyes narrow slightly, curious, waiting for me to finish. “But… I think we should get out of here.”
His smirk returns quickly, confident and knowing. His lips over mine again, gentler this time, a promise meant foronly me. A small breath escapes before he whispers, “Good. Because there’s no universe where I let you walk out tonight.”
The things he says hits somewhere I don’t want anyone touching. And yet… another part of me does.
More than I’ll admit out loud.
He stands without hesitation, offering his hand like he already knows I’ll take it. And I do… before I can talk myself out of it.
His grip is strong closing around mine with a certainty that sends a rush through me. My knees tremble as I stand—not because I’m tipsy, but from everything I’m trying not to believe is real.
He draws me in, his presence swallowing the noise around us as he guides me through the crowd, the heat between us following like a shadow that refuses to fade.
Chapter Nineteen
Pressure Applied
R
eaching the side gate, the cool night air wraps around me, sharper now without the press of sweaty bodies or the heat of the crowd. The bass from inside still thumps faintly behind us, but out here its quieter—almost peaceful.
Levy’s hand tightens around mine as we step onto the sidewalk, his touch light but claiming, letting everyone know—I’m his for the night. My pulse hasn’t caught up yet, my body is still humming from the softness of Levy’s lips when I spot Daniel.
He’s leaning against his shiny black Corvette,passing a joint back and forth with some guy I don’t recognize.
