“Why?” he finally asked, knowing that wasn’t the proper response, but he just flat didn’t understand.
“I’m poor, Thane. You shouldn’t have ridden in my car to the ice cream shop. You can’t be at my house.” Levi became so frustrated he shoved his fingers through his hair. “You weren’t wrong in thinking I was for sale.”
Oh man, Thane was even more confused now. Did Levi just admit he hooked? And if he hooked, why the hell wouldn’t he have just…
“I can be bought. You’re already buying me. You pay my rent, you sign my paychecks…”
“Technically that’s a printed signature,” Thane interjected, and he wasn’t sure why. He just wanted the pain in Levi’s voice to go away. He wanted them back to where they were five minutes ago. Strolling down this street together, eating ice cream. Outrage hit Levi’s face. He fumed as he pulled out his phone and began working the screen. “Levi, please don’t leave. I was joking. Your work and the EAP program are not what we’re discussing, and they have nothing to do with me.”
When Levi kept texting, Thane moved closer, placing a hand over Levi’s phone. “Please, listen to me. Just go out with me. I’m not asking for commitments, so stop putting barriers between us. Who knows if we’re even compatible outside the bedroom.”
Levi gave him a ridiculous look. “We’re compatible. You know we are. It’s the other stuff that gets in our way.”
Thane’s grin spread slowly across his face. He had him; he just needed to close the deal. “Then don’t let the other stuff get in the way.”
“It can’t not get in the way. You’re successful and sophisticated and refined. I’ll embarrass you. And I’m moving. There’s no question. I can’t let anything get in my way and you’d get in my way,” Levi argued, listing all the manufactured reasons why this wouldn’t work between.
Thane stepped into Levi’s space, taking the cell phone from his hand. He wrapped his arms around Levi’s waist and tucked the phone in Levi’s back pocket. “I’m not what you think you see. I had a regular childhood, made worse by my parents’ divorce. They were educators. Neither made much money. And I’m saddened to be the one to tell you, but you’re a reverse snob. Lucky for you, I’m here to help with that.”
“Thane…”
“Come back to the hotel with me. Just for a few hours.” Thane tightened his hold, drawing Levi’s broad frame closer. He stared at Levi’s lips as his hands traveled lower, the round firmness of Levi’s ass cheeks filled his palms. He ground his erection against Levi’s equally hard dick. “I only want you, Levi. I haven’t had sex since the last time we were together and that was way too long ago. Tell me all the reasons why this is a bad idea, but let’s have this conversation in my suite.”
“Thane…”
“In the suite. Tell me in the suite.” Thane loosened his hold, only to wrap his hand around Levi’s forearm, drawing him to the street as he lifted a hand calling a taxi waiting on the road.
“I thought we were walking,” Levi said as Thane pulled him toward the taxi. Thane opened the back door, pushing Levi inside. He followed, sticking his leg in before Levi could get fully seated. He gave quick instructions to the driver and took Levi’s hand in his. Luckily, his driver seemed in as big a hurry as Thane. The guy whipped the car around, doing a sudden, squealing U-turn in the street, passing the group of kids. Thane lifted his hand at Luke and Logan who appeared to be transfixed by their whole exchange.
“They know what we’re doing,” Levi said, his face turned away, watching out the window.
“They aren’t dumb,” Thane said, looking over at Levi. He scooted closer. It was dark and he smelled so good. Thane lifted a hand to the back of Levi’s neck, drawing him around until his lips were able to press against Levi’s. This gorgeous, honorable, hardheaded man owned him, body and soul, whether he realized it or not. Being with Levi gave him peace and wrapped his heart with love. As Thane deepened the kiss with Levi readily following, he knew there was no turning back. He was home.
Chapter 21
Seriously, how in the world was he back inside this hotel room? Levi had promised himself never again.
Everything about Thane lowered his defenses, especially those two perfectly pouty lips. They were deadly to his resolve, and here they came again. Thane backed him against the suite’s door as his palm hypnotically massaged Levi's traitorous, weeping dick. All he could manage was a slow exhale of breath as his eyelids slid closed and he gave in to the moment. His hands found Thane’s belt buckle, and he fumbled with the clasp.
Thane deepened the kiss at the same time the man’s strong hands slid inside Levi’s jeans, gripping his dick and moving lower to cup his sac. Thane’s relentless tongue eagerly swept over his, mimicking the gentle yet thorough caress of his hands, making Levi lose his ever-loving shit.