The Rogue (Hideaway Springs #3)

19. Tessa

19

M y heart pounds in my chest as I step out of the shower. Daylight. I was with him—in his bed. Naked. In broad daylight.

What was I thinking falling asleep in his arms?

Oh, that’s right. I wasn’t thinking. Not with my head anyway.

I was thinking with the buzz in my stomach, the ache in my chest that wanted more of Levi. This side of him. The sweet and funny side that kept distracting me from leaving so I could “accidentally” spend the night.

But it was stupid. He could have seen it. He almost did .

I’m pretty sure he didn’t. He was so easy with me when I turned into him. His eyes were soft, not horrified.

So, I guess it was worth it.

It was the first time in nearly a year since I’d slept through the night. The last time must have been my first night in Hideaway Inn when I drove all night, knocked on every business I hadn’t ruined somehow, and asked for a job.

Aiden hired me on the spot. Knowing my history in town and just not giving a shit, he said, “ The way I see it, I need a waitress, and you need a job .” Then tossed me an apron and welcomed me behind the bar .

I’d promised myself it was going to be one night. But hell, I slept so damn good after a long day, I was tempted for another.

That’s what it’s come to. Sleep is my drug and I can’t get enough of it. I’d do anything for it. Except maybe sell my blood. I’ve lost enough of that.

I’m in a plain white t-shirt and sleep shorts as I head downstairs. Levi put Jackson to bed an hour ago and just before he went up with him, he told me to meet him down here later.

He’s in the kitchen pouring two glasses of red wine. His face unreadable. And maybe a little tired.

“Long day?” I ask, forcing a grin to mask my nerves.

He sets the bottle down and comes around the counter to me. His hands stretch as he grabs hold of my waist. “You have no idea.”

“Indie.”

“Whiskey.”

“Last night was…amazing,” I say honestly, my face twisting anxiously.

“Don’t say but.”

“But I can’t stay in your room again.”

His scowl says he agrees, but when his eyes flick to mine, his words are completely different. “Why not?”

My lashes fall as I consider how to answer. “It wouldn’t be right.”

“Neither is sleeping with your kid’s nanny.” He frames my face with his hands. “Tessa, look at me.”

He’s so goddamn gorgeous.

And right now, he’s looking back at me like he’s thinking the same thing about me. “I’d never make you do anything you don’t want to do. But I’m not the type to ask a woman to leave after having her in my bed.”

“You wouldn’t be—”

“And I liked holding you all night. I plan on doing it again tonight if it’s alright with you. ”

Warmth spreads through me and my core pulses. I glance at the wine. “Am I off the clock?”

He turns, reaching for the glasses, and that’s when I notice the spread. Crackers, cheese, grapes, a honeycomb, and other delicious gourmet assortments on a massive board.

“Are you wining and dining me after we just had dinner?”

“It was two hours ago and we’ll be here for a while.” He wraps an arm around me.

“Hmm…what would we talk about?”

His face sobers. “Anything you want.”

The back door knocks, and I sprint back like a firefly.

Levi checks the clock on the kitchen wall. “The fuck?” Running a hand through his hair, he stalks to the door and pulls it open, allowing in two very chatty girls and their grumpy men behind them.

Chase, Pepper, Noah, and Charlie pile into the house rowdy and intrusive despite their whispering.

Levi growls a reminder that he’s got a kid sleeping upstairs before asking them to get what they came for and get out.

“What’s up your ass?” Chase mutters, opening up the fridge and reaching for a beer.

“Can I get anyone else anything?” I offer, feeling flustered and caught off guard.

“No,” Levi says flatly. “You’re off the clock and they’re leaving .”

Charlie perks her little blonde head between us. “Pepper and I were coming over to steal Tess away for a bit, but then the guys thought we’d make a thing of it and just hang out here instead.”

I smile. I never had this. Family and friends popping in on you unexpectedly to whisk you off into the night for fun.

I scan myself briefly. I’ve stripped my make-up for the evening, and I’m practically in sleep clothes .

“Oh, you look so comfy. Now I want to change,” Pepper whines.

I push my hair behind my ears. Comfy. Is comfy the new “ you look tired ”?

“I’m not walkin’ back to the cottage, Pinky. You’re fine,” Chase calls, picking up a cube of cheddar from the board Levi put together. “Y’all have people over or somethin’?”

The way he asks almost makes it sound like Levi and I are a couple, like we host parties at our home.

I catch Levi’s tired glance. “Or somethin’,” he mutters.

I carry the board to the living room and join them on the couch. Things were probably about to get pretty hot in here with Levi, but this…his brothers, my friends, a late-night snack and drinks…is warm . It fills my heart in a way I can’t explain. In a way I know I may never have again. And if only for a little, I want to pretend I’m one of them. Pretend I belong.

“Are nicknames a thing with all you boys? Noah, what’s yours for Charlie?”

Grump number two glances at his girlfriend but doesn’t respond.

“Well about an hour ago, it was drama queen, ” Charlie snaps in his direction.

“Whoa.” I sink to the back of the couch, feeling like I am starting—or rather, continuing—a war.

“Clearly, I was way off,” Noah says dryly, rolling his eyes.

“Proof that you don’t know me at all!” Charlie flips her hair back and stalks to the kitchen.

Noah pushes off the couch. “Look, can we just drop it? I said I’ll fix it tomorrow.”

Charlie shakes her head, grabs the wine glass that belonged to me a few moments ago, and stalks out the back door. “Don’t bother. ”

I jump off the couch as Noah starts after her and hold my hand flat against his hard chest. Damn these boys have good genes. “Hold it, four-eyes.”

“Tessa, move.” There’s a warning in his voice and it almost makes me laugh.

“Watch your tone,” Levi growls.

Lover-boy looks over my shoulder. “I don’t want her out there alone.”

Pepper looks at Chase expectantly, and he sighs dramatically. “I’m on it.”

I press Noah toward the couch. “What happened?”

When he gives me a look that says I don’t have to explain anything to you , Pepper joins me, crossing her arms next to me like we’re—quite literally—Charlie’s Angels.

The grumpy nerd runs a hand through his silky hair. "Charlie and Bruce—one of the contractors for her bookstore—got into a little bit of a disagreement today."

“Oh boy,” Levi mutters from the kitchen.

“She wants an open and airy space where people can roam with coffee, books, and a seating area. Bruce complained about practicality and electrical outlets being hidden and whatnot.”

“Where do you come in?” I demand.

He jerks like it's obvious. “He’s got a point. Her vision is just not practical for—”

“Where do you come in?” I repeat slower. “As in, what did you say ?”

“I don’t remember…I just very calmly told her to consider what he was saying.”

Pepper and I continue to glare.

“She got upset, said he’s not the one who’s going to walk in there every day and look at something they didn’t envision because some lazy contractor took the easy and practical route.”

“And?” Pepper pressed.

“And I…said she was overreacting.”

“I believe the words were drama queen ,” I correct.

He sighs. “Anyway, she went all Charlie on me and rambled until I kissed her to shut her up—then she slapped me—again.”

Levi snickers.

“Sounds like you didn’t support her. You didn’t have her back. That makes you a jerk and you need to apologize.”

“You don’t think I did? I hate fighting with her. When we both calmed down, I said 'I’m sorry if I upset you' .”

Pepper and I groan simultaneously.

“What?”

Pepper holds up her hand, her fingers spread. I point to each one as I go through the list. One, never use the word if when apologizing. Two, always recite specific occurrences where you went wrong. Three, tell her she was right and why . Four, repeat step two. Five, give her one hell of an orgasm to make up for being a dick.”

Pepper drops her hand.

Noah’s eyes shift from me to his new sister-in-law. “That’s not a thing. How is that a thing?”

I take a step closer. “I’ll bet you my summer salary if you do all those things, you’ll be her hero again.”

He considers it. “What about the contractor?”

“Oh, you’re handling the contractor regardless.” Levi jumps in, handing me a fresh glass of wine. “That bookstore is part of mine and Chase’s investment and we did it for Charlie, not for some disrespectful jackass.”

Noah rises off the couch, scratching his chin. “What was three again?”

Levi laughs, slapping his brother’s shoulder. “When in doubt, bro, skip to number five and repeat.”

“Sorry,” I mumble when I collide with him for the third time in the kitchen as we clean up.

He grabs my waist, holding me in place. “You’re impossible.”

“What did I do now?” I ask playfully.

“You’re tempting me to leave evidence that we had a party without Jackson and take you upstairs right now.”

I giggle and wrangle myself free, missing his warmth around me. “Come on, there’s not much left.”

I feel him grinning at me. “You handled my brother like a badass.”

“I cringed when he said ‘if’ because that's basically calling your woman crazy and trying to settle her. It factually implies you have no fucking clue what you did to upset her, and therefore, your apology doesn’t count.”

He whistles. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”

I spin, narrowing my eyes. “You wouldn’t grovel.”

He cocks his head. “You’re right. I don’t grovel. I’d be on my knees.” He winks.

Heat floods my cheeks.

He grins and crosses to me. “Have I done anything to upset you lately?”

“As a matter of fact, you have.”

His expression sobers, like we’re not playing anymore. “I haven’t been very nice to you.”

I grip the edge of the counter behind me for support as I back up. “That’s putting it lightly. ”

He brushes my face with the back of his hand. “I’m sorry I yelled at you at Jackson’s birthday last year.”

Anger roars in the pit of my stomach when I remember the look on Jackson’s face when his old nanny was yelling at him. “That bitch had it comin’.”

He laughs. “Maybe. Still, you could have come to me for an alternate solution.”

“Where's the fun in that?”

“You said something to me that day—something I’ll never forget.” He steps into my space, lifting my chin. “When I asked you which kid she was yelling at, you said—”

“The one with your eyes.”

“You defended my kid, knowing he was mine—”

“ Because he was yours, Indie,” I whisper, my eyes dropping to where his mouth hovers over mine.

“Then I owe you one hell of a number five,” he breathes.

Heat rushes through every bone in my body.

“Come up with me, Whiskey.”

“I…want to, but…”

“Don’t spend the night then. I’ll carry you down to the den myself later, I promise.”

I hum in a daze as he kisses my neck. “I can walk myself back down to the den.”

“Not after I’m through with you.”