Levi: Casanova Club #9 Read online

  I studied her. “It’s a nice thought. You could be a songwriter, you know?”

  “I don’t know about that.” She giggled almost bashfully. “I’m not so good with words. Or grace. But sometimes, the right ones come to me.”

  “Sometimes is all it takes.”

  Piper turned herself around on the bench and swung one leg over so she was straddling it and facing me. “Is that so?”

  I copied her position and faced her. “It is.”

  “How do you know what to write about?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t. The words just come.”

  She rolled her eyes at me and swatted at my shoulder. I couldn’t help but laugh and lean away from her as she ticked her tongue at me. “You’re oversimplifying a very difficult task. Art isn’t that easy.”

  “And how should you know?”

  “Because I’ve known artists.”

  I lifted my chin. “What kinds of artists?”

  Piper got a faraway look in her eyes. Then she ran her fingers over the piano keys, pushing one down with each word that left her lips. “Cooks. Painters. Photographers. Writers. Musicians.” Piper smiled faintly as she pressed the last key. “And men who are doing art every day without realizing it.”

  Joshua, the Canadian artist.

  Miles, the photographer.

  Aaron, the writer.

  Me.

  And then the elusive mystery man she mentioned at the end.

  I wanted to ask who she was talking about. And then that thought made me want to ask several other things. But they were questions I didn’t have the will to ask because I highly doubted I could stomach the answers.

  Piper looked serene as she gazed at the keys. Peaceful. Happy.

  She looks like she’s in love.

  I averted my gaze.

  Piper reached out and took my hands in hers. “Play it for me one more time?”

  “I don’t think—”

  “Please?” Her eyes darted back and forth between mine. Then a coy smile dimpled the corners of her lips, and she popped open the top couple buttons of her blouse. “I’ll pay handsomely for a song.”

  And just like that, I was hers again.

  CHAPTER 16

  PIPER

  Levi’s song wandered around in my head as he played like a lost traveler, a lovesick traveler. And as the notes played beneath his fingertips and the most beautiful lyrics fell from his lips, I realized there was much more hanging in the air between us than just a song.

  The desire was almost dizzying.

  Our night on the rooftop had been a wild one, and since that moment, Levi had come to visit me in my dreams—and my waking hours. I spun visions of his naked body in my mind’s eye that got me flustered within minutes.

  And even though this song was sorrowful, it didn’t dampen the heat gathering below my belly.

  In fact, it did the opposite.

  It was like my belly had been full of embers, and Levi’s words were the match that struck the flame, and now there was no going back.

  When the song ended, Levi lowered his hands from the keys and rested them upon his thighs. His gaze remained fixed on the piano for a beat, and then he looked over at me, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his dangerously sexy lips. “Are you satisfied now?”

  I shook my head.

  He chuckled. It was a deep, masculine, grating, rough sound, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Levi reached over and put a hand on my knee. His thumb rolled gently over the denim as he stared steadily into my eyes.

  I inched closer. “I made you a deal.”

  Levi nodded. “A handsome reward, if I recall correctly.”

  Heat flared wild and ready between my legs, and had I not been straddling the piano bench, I would have pinched my knees together. “Very handsome.”

  He grinned, slid away from me across the bench, and turned to swing his leg over it so he was straddling it as well. Then he leaned back on his wrists, gripping the edge of the bench, and nodded at me with a sexy smirk. “I’m waiting.”

  Good lord.

  There was something incredibly attractive about the casual way he was leaning and the expectant smolder in his eyes. He was baring himself to me, ready for me to take control and show him just what my definition of “reward” was.

  Unwilling to disappoint him, I stood up and began to slowly undo the buttons of my white blouse. Levi’s gaze trailed down along with my fingers until the shirt was undone, exposing the white lace bra underneath and my bare belly.

  He nodded approvingly. “Go on.”

  More turned on than I had any right to be, I moved on to my jeans. When they were undone, I shimmied them down my hips and stripped them all the way off. Levi watched as I tossed them on the floor, and then I took his face in my hands to call his attention back to me. I had it. His eyes searched mine before I kissed him, tasting mint on his lips and tongue.

  I went to my knees on the piano bench.

  Levi ran his hands up my thighs and over my hips. His fingers worked up my back, and I knew he was making a move to undo my bra.

  I slapped his hand away.

  He chuckled into our kiss, and I set to work undoing his jeans.

  I knew playing his song had been vulnerable for him. Exposing. And I wanted to show him that I was grateful for being allowed to hear it. Every move I made was heavy with intention and purpose. I drew his fly down, slow and steady, and left his jeans undone as our kiss deepened.

  He moaned softly as I trailed a finger along the top of his boxers. His skin was hot and smooth, save for the treasure trail of dark hair that started at his navel and plunged downward. His stomach drew inward when I traced sensitive places near his hips, and when I finally indulged him by rubbing his cock over his boxers, I realized he was rock hard and straining against his jeans.

  So, like any good woman would do, I freed him from his confines. Levi sighed contently as I stroked him with one hand and nipped at his lips with my teeth.

  Then I steadied my balance on my knees. The hard wood on the piano bench was uncomfortable, bordering on painful, but I didn’t care. I leaned down, resting my hands on his thighs to hold myself in place, and pressed my lips to the tip of his cock.

  Levi responded as if by instinct and gathered my hair out of my face.

  I smiled before parting my lips and taking his cock into my mouth, using my tongue under his shaft to guide him to the back of my throat in one steady stroke.

  “Fuck.” Levi’s fingers tightened in my hair.

  I gripped his thighs as I began working him over. His cock slid in and out of my throat, and the longer I went, the harder time he had fighting for control. My fingers pressed into his thighs when he pushed me down on his cock and held me there.

  Air was a luxury.

  And he controlled when I got it.

  Wetness pooled in my panties, and I moaned around his thick cock in my throat. Levi lifted his hips. Somehow, I took more of him.

  Then he dropped his ass back to the bench and pulled up on my hair, pulling me upright so I was sitting on my heels. He ran a thumb over my bottom lip as I sucked in a ragged gasp of air, and then he yanked my bra down with his free hand, freeing my tits.

  He descended upon them with his mouth, sucking at my nipples and pinching them between his teeth. Little whimpers of pleasure and pain escaped my lips, and he held me in place with his hand in my hair.

  Levi released my hair and lifted me up, telling me to spread my legs. I did, and he set me back down so that I was straddling the bench again. Then he pushed my panties to the side and ran his fingers through the wetness between my legs.

  He gave me a cocky smile. “You like it a little rough, don’t you, baby?”

  My breathing was shaky, and words were out of reach, so I merely nodded as he rolled his fingers over my clit, sending electric jolts of pleasure rushing through me.

  He eased a finger inside me. “I can’t hear you.”

  “Y—yes.”

>   “Yes what?”

  I bit my bottom lip as my eyes rolled back in my head. Levi gave me another finger and fucked me slowly. “I like it rough,” I whispered.

  Levi’s chuckle filled my brain as he pushed his fingers deep inside me and curled them upward. “Good girl.”

  I gasped, and my eyes fluttered open when his pace quickened. Levi grabbed the back of my neck with his free hand and held me there, staring into my eyes as he fucked me for all I was worth with his fingers, pushing me right to the brink and then slowing down.

  I whimpered and writhed in his grasp, and he tightened his hold on my neck and shook me hard.

  “How bad do you want it?” he growled.

  My whole body was on fire. “Bad.”

  He leaned in, and his lips grazed mine. I opened my mouth for him, wanting to consume him, but he pulled away and hovered inches out of reach. “How bad?”

  His voice rolled through me like a wave. I swallowed. My legs trembled. “Please make me come. Please.”

  Levi’s face stretched in a smile that was almost enough to send me spiraling into an orgasm. He rewarded my plea with what I wanted, and he fucked me again, hard and fast and deep, until the world was lost to me and I was nothing but the pleasure gathering inside me until it burst apart.

  Parts of me scattered in all directions. I cried out, half of it just sound and half of it Levi’s name, and he didn’t stop until there was a puddle under my ass on the bench.

  He wasted little time getting to his feet and plunging a hand in his pocket to pull out a condom while I swayed on the bench with delirium.

  I watched him roll it on, and then he picked me up and laid me down on the back of the piano. The lid was closed, and he pushed my legs up before he slid his cock inside me. My toes curled. I bit down hard on my bottom lip, and he stared down at me. Then he yanked me up, his cock still inside me, and wrenched my blouse from my shoulders. I’d forgotten it was still on. He unclipped my bra, threw it on the floor, and pushed me down again to cup my breasts in his hands. His grip was firm and eager, and I rolled my hips, relishing in the feeling of his cock pressing into my walls.

  Levi took hold of my wrists and pinned them above my head with one hand. I met him with a challenging smile, and he pushed deeper inside me. “Your pussy was made for my cock,” he growled.

  I was not of a mind to disagree. “Fuck me then.”

  Levi let out a low groan.

  And then he did what I told him.

  His shoulders rolled with every thrust, and his grip tightened on my wrists. I fought to keep my composure for as long as possible, but he was right. It was like our bodies were made for each other, and I was powerless to the way mine reacted to him.

  My skin burned. My lips itched for his. And my pussy tightened as he fucked me harder and harder until stars exploded behind my eyelids and I came again.

  This time, I screamed his name like I meant it.

  It pushed Levi over the edge.

  He bucked wildly against me. My toes curled, and my back arched, and he crushed my breasts in his hands as he plunged in and out of me until his orgasm broke over him as well.

  I reached for him when he slowed and ran a hand down his chest. Our breathing was in sync as we gasped raggedly, and he leaned over me to give me the sweet kisses I was craving. His gentleness was a reminder of the affection between us.

  It was a stark contrast to the wild fuck session.

  A delightful contrast.

  CHAPTER 17

  LEVI

  The rain had been coming down since just before noon that day. It had only let up once when Piper and I stopped to grab a bite to eat on our way to my show tonight, but it hadn’t been for very long, and I was glad the show was an indoor one.

  Rain like this didn’t usually happen in LA.

  Piper had her soda straw pursed between her lips as she followed me around backstage, her hand in mine, her eyes full of that same wonder I’d seen at my last show at the amphitheater. She soaked in the sights and sounds of everything, including the signed posters of other artists who’d played here that lined the hallways.

  She stopped in front of a poster of a female singer and gaped at it. “Is this seriously Cher’s autograph?”

  “Sure is. Further down the way is some other big singers. ZZ Top. Led Zeppelin. Elton John. The Rolling—”

  “Elton John?” she gasped.

  It was adorable how excited she was. I grinned down at her and nodded. “Yeah. I think I remember where it is. I’ll show you.”

  Piper and I hurried down the hallway like two schoolkids rushing to skip class. Employees and some of my assistants gave us weird looks as we flew past, giggling like crazy, still holding hands.

  This wasn’t a side of me they were used to seeing. I was fully aware of that.

  They were used to the guy who locked himself in his dressing room and waited for his band and his buddies to arrive for a pre-show hit.

  Not tonight. I couldn’t go anywhere near that shit tonight. Not after how good things were going with me and Piper.

  I cared too much about her to put her through that.

  We found the Elton John poster framed in a thick black trim, embellished with gold glitter. Piper ran her fingers over the edges, marveling at it and the picture and the flourish of a signature written on the bottom right corner.

  “Have you ever met him?” she asked.

  I slid my hands into my jean pockets and rocked back on my heels. “Sort of. We were at an award show and saw one another in passing on the red carpet. It was a short hello. You don’t have much time to mingle at those kinds of events. Too many cameras. Too many people demanding your attention.”

  She nodded like she understood exactly what I was talking about, but I suspected she’d tuned me out. A small smile spread across her lips, and she let her hand fall from the frame. “Amazing.”

  “You’re a big fan, I gather?”

  Piper stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. “I grew up listening to him. Mom and Dad always had an Elton album on at home or at the restaurant. They used to say that playing Elton John guaranteed one thing customers couldn’t complain about.” Her smile grew sad, and she held herself tighter.

  “Are you all right?”

  Piper looked up at me. For a moment, I thought she might cry. Then she nodded, and her bright sunny smile was back. “Yes. Of course.”

  I took her hand in mine once more. “Follow me. You have to see the stage before the crowd starts pouring in. It’s the best seat in the house.”

  We followed the winding network of hallways backstage until we arrived at our destination. The light crew was there, pointing spotlights and beams of colored light down at the stage. The sound crew was testing the piano, the guitar, the drums, and the microphones. It was loud, but not nearly as loud as it was going to get when it was my turn to get up there.

  Piper lingered offstage, peering out at the madness happening out there. “I don’t want to get in their way.”

  I laughed. “Piper, you’re with me. You can’t get in their way.”

  I led her out to centerstage where I would stand when the first song started. Then I turned her to face the empty audience.

  The place sprawled out before us. Thousands of empty seats sat in silence as Piper stared out at the massive stadium. Her mouth fell open. “This is insane.”

  Insane wasn’t the word I would use for it. I’d become so used to settings like this that they felt almost normal to me. Sure, I still got some pre-show jitters every now and then, but I was usually able to placate those with drinks or drugs.

  Tonight, I would use Piper.

  She walked to the edge of the stage. I let her go and watched as she stopped with the toes of her sneakers pressed up against the very edge, and then she tilted her head back to look up at the mazework of pipes above. Light rigs, flame rigs, sprinklers, you name it. It was all up there.

  Then she turned and faced me. “You’re right. This is the be
st view in the house.”

  I extended my arms wide. “I told you. Nothing beats it. And it doesn’t get old either. That’s for sure.”

  “I imagine it wouldn’t.” Piper walked back to me. “How can you sing and perform in front of so many people? Doesn’t it make you—I don’t know—terrified?”

  “I’ve done it so many times now it feels as natural as breathing. Though, I’ll admit, the first song is always a little tense. A lot rides on the opener, and it can set the tone for the rest of the evening. You have to hope all your instruments are tuned properly. That your band showed up on their best game, and they aren’t going to fuck anything up. That you aren’t going to fuck anything up.” I rubbed the back of my neck and chuckled softly. “It’s a fine line to walk sometimes.”

  Piper was about to ask me a question when someone walked out on stage with us. Ashton, dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a leather jacket, jogged over to us. “Piper.” He smiled at her and gave her a curt nod. “It’s nice to see you again. Levi, we have to get you to your dressing room, man. The fans will be pouring in here any minute. Do you need anything? Show starts in half an hour.”

  “A bottle of water and some aspirin would be great.”

  Ashton nodded. “Got it. I’ll meet you in your dressing room. Hurry up now. Otherwise, the fucking manager of this place is going to have my head. I wish Sandra never retired. She ran a tight ship, but she left a little wiggle room, you know?”

  I grinned and waved him off. “I’m right behind you, Ash. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.”

  Piper threaded her fingers through mine and stole one last glance at the empty stadium. “I can’t wait to see you play.”

  I tugged her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She leaned into me, and we stole a quiet moment with her cheek against my chest, standing on stage, feeling each other’s heartbeats.

  Then Ashton yelled at us to hurry the fuck up.