Sway (5 page)

good.”

“I know. My mom is a really good

cook. I could live on tortillas and

butter. Mainly I work in mixed

media. Paint, pen and ink, some

photography. I’ve been working with

paper a lot lately. Some sculpture

and glass. Anyway, I’m always

interested in helping when I can.

What’s this charity?”

“Foster family support. It’s a

private agency that works with public

services. Parenting classes, legal

support for those who formally

adopt, therapeutic support if needed

for the parents and other siblings.”

She nodded and then topped his

glass off, distracting him a little.

“Sounds

like

a

wonderful

organization.”

“It is, actually. We have an

auction, it’s coming up in two

months. I’m one of the procurers.”

She laughed. “I bet.”

“What do you mean?”

She laughed some more and

spooned up some pickled vegetables.

“You’re good at talking people into

things, I wager. That’s why they make

you the procurement person.”

“When you believe in the cause

it’s a lot easier.”

“Tell me about yourself, Levi.”

“Not much to tell.”

“I have a confession,” she said

before swiping her tongue over her

bottom lip and making it hard for him

to breathe.

“That so?”

“You like saying that. I’m not

surprised you’re an attorney.”

That surprised a laugh from him.

“Do a lot of attorneys you know say

that?”

“No. I don’t know a lot anyway.

Just Cal.”

Cal?

“Cal Whaley?” The guy was

handsome and Levi wondered just

how she knew Cal.

She brightened at the mention of

Cal’s name and his suspicion grew.

“Yes, that’s the one. He never says

stuff like ‘that so’ either. But he’s got

this way of saying as little as

possible while he’s gathering all

sorts of info from other people and

they never even notice.”

“How do you know Cal?”

She raised her brow again. “How

d o
you
know Cal? I mentioned you

when I stopped by my friend’s house

earlier and he said he knew you.

Also said you weren’t a serial killer.

He didn’t think.”

Torn between amusement and

agitation he took her in. “Good to

know he doesn’t think I’m going to

hack you up and put you in the

freezer.”

“Ew. I bet you never say things

like that in front of your family.”

She had this way of blurting things

out that were startlingly true and

intimate. But she didn’t even know

him.

“My family isn’t prone to talking

about serial killing.” He shrugged.

“God, mine either.
Boring.
We

talk about art and teeth. Oh and

teaching. So you’re a lawyer too and

so I assume that’s how you know

Cal.”

He nodded. “It’s a small island.

We do business from time to time. I

use some space in his building when

I have a large meeting and I’m not in

Seattle. And you?” He was pretty

sure Whaley was gay. But come to

think of it, Levi had seen him with a

woman a time or two and it was

obvious it was a date.

“I’ve known the Whaleys most of

my life. They only live just up the

road a little. Ryan, that’s Cal’s

brother, used to babysit me and my

sister when we were kids. Mary,

that’s Cal’s sister and one of my best

friends, she’s the one who made the

food we’re eating. She takes pity on

me and feeds me. That’s her thing.

She does it to everyone.” Daisy

smiled and it shot straight to his cock.

“Would you like more food?”

“I think I’m full. For now

anyway.” He pushed back from the

table. “You do the food since I don’t

know where anything is. And I’ll

clear the dishes.” He stood.

“No.” She placed a hand on his

shoulder. “I’ll take care of it. Go and

sit. I’ll be done in a minute or two.”

First she put an apron on and god

help him, his cock actually throbbed,

it was so hard. So pretty and

feminine, she put lids back on

containers

and

bustled

around,

opening and closing the fridge and

cabinets as she cleaned up. The

couch he sat on was comfortable, set

back in a bay window. A copy of

Stephen King’s
The Shining
lay open

on the arm.

“All right then.” She moved

toward him. “Are you all right for

beer? Would you like a top up or

something else? I’ve got cider.”

“I’m good.” And he was. Utterly

relaxed for the first time in a week.

“Sit with me.” He patted the couch

and she dropped next to him, tucking

her feet beneath her.

“What sort of law do you

practice?”

“Land-use stuff mainly.”

“Let’s pretend I’m dumb and I

don’t know what ‘land use’ means.”

She fluttered her lashes and he found

himself laughing again.

“Say you’re a communications

company and you need cell towers to

provide your customers service. I

help with permits and any sort of

contract they might enter into to lease

private and municipal property for

that use. Sometimes I handle land

reclamation issues. Say if a new

company

buys

land

and

it’s

contaminated or being cleaned up. I

help them get through the regulations

and permitting process so they can

get to work. It’s not always

fascinating, but I like making things

happen.”

“Making things happen takes a

certain kind of talent.” She took his

hand and began to knead it before she

turned and examined his palm.

“Are you going to read my

lifeline?”

She leaned in and brushed a kiss

over his lips. Just a breath of a touch

and his entire body went hard. “No. I

just like touching you.”

He wasn’t sure what to do with

someone so straightforward.

“Right now you’re thinking. What

is it you’re thinking, Levi?”

“I’m thinking you’re very young.”

She nodded. “I am.”

“I’m trying to find a way around

that.”

“How about I explain to you that

I’m twenty-four, not fifteen. And that

I’m perfectly capable of making my

own decisions and choices.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled

hard. “And I’m thinking I’m too old.”

“Too old for what? Do you have

trapeze fantasies or something? And

how old are you? Sixty? Eighty-

four?” Her mouth trembled as she

held a smile back.

The pressure in his chest lessened.

“Eighty-
three
.

Don’t

age

me

before I’m ready.”

“You’re not too old. I’m not too

young.”

She stayed where she was, his

hand in both of hers. Those big

brown eyes watching him carefully.

Waiting for him. Christ. She had no

idea what that did to him.

“I’m forty. I’m nearly twice your

age.”

“So what?”

“Yeah. So what?” He took his

hand from hers and touched her chin,

tipping it. “I want your mouth.”

Her eyelids slid down a little and

she took a deep breath. “Take it,

then.”

She tasted like honey.

Odd

and

yet,

not

entirely

unexpected.

Her lips were soft, opening on a

sigh. He took her invitation and took

the kiss deeper, his tongue sliding

into her mouth.

His hand remained in hers, though

he wanted to haul her close and take

her to the couch. He hadn’t wanted to

get horizontal on a woman with this

much intensity in a very long time.

The more he tasted, the more he

wanted until need beat in his head

like a pulse.

The depth and intensity of his

desire shook him. Hit him so hard he

had to fist the hand she wasn’t

holding to keep it from shaking.

He kissed like a master. Daisy

knew she was in way over her head

and all he’d done was kiss her. They

weren’t even touching except for lips

and tongues and his hand in hers, but

it was enough. Enough that it was a

full-body caress when he groaned as

she sucked his tongue.

So very controlled, this man. But it

was there, just under the surface.

Levi Warner was a very dominant

male and she wondered if that

extended to his sexuality.

Hoped so
. It wasn’t that she’d had

many dominant lovers or anything.

But he’d awakened something inside

her. Curiosity, yes, but a sense of

satisfaction in letting him lead.

Something she’d never experienced

before.

The weight of his focus on her was

tangible. It made her a little drunk,

needing more even as she barely

managed to process what he gave her

through a simple kiss.

It was enough to let him lead the

kiss, enough to step back and wait for

whatever he had in mind next.

Her body ached, her nipples

throbbed and her pussy was wet and

swollen. She shivered, imagining

what he’d be like naked. In her bed.

In his bed with her in it. Whatever, it

didn’t matter where, the naked part

was important.

He was patient. So very patient as

he continued to kiss her. A nip of her

bottom lip that had her gasping for

air. His beard stubble gave her just

the right amount of friction. Nearly

painful. Enough to make her imagine

what it’d feel like against the skin of

her inner thighs as he went down on

her. And she bet he did it well. If his

kissing was any indicator, he’d be a

marvelous pussy eater.

With a sharp intake of breath he

broke the kiss and stared at her. His

pupils were huge again and it gave

her yet another shiver of delight.

“I should go.”

“You should?” She grabbed the

front of his shirt without meaning to

and released it quickly. If he left,

she’d never speak to him again.

“Christ.” He scrubbed a hand

through his hair and she let the other

one go. Whatever it was he was

fighting with himself over, he had to

deal with it. He was a big boy and

she sure as hell wasn’t his mother.

Nor did she plan to beg him to stay.

She knew her worth as a woman.

She’d been raised by not only a kick-

ass mother, but her grandmother and

sister were also strong, smart

women. Whatever her concerns about

her talent and art, she’d never beg a

man for his attention.

He wanted her or he didn’t. So she

sat back a little and let him work

through it.

“You’re too young. I shouldn’t

even be thinking about sex.”

She sighed. “You keep saying that.

I’m far over the age of consent. Also,

you’re assuming a lot. I don’t fuck on

the first date.”

Then he laughed and she felt better

for it.

“You’d leave me with blue balls?”

he teased.

“
I’m
too young? You give me that

line and talk about my age? I’m sure I

heard that one back in the day. Do

you think I’ll give you a pity hand

job?” She grinned. He was adorable

and damn, she might have broken her

no fucking on the first date rule

earlier, so it was probably good that

they both stepped back for a moment.

He made her feel…unfettered. And

as lovely as it was, no man had ever

made her want to jump so foolishly

into something.

He grinned back. “Well, all right,

it’s been some time since I’ve used

that line.”

“What’s next? Will you tell me

you’ll only put the tip in?”

He laughed and brought her to him,

plopping her into his lap and

squeezing her tight. And then he

paused, as if he were surprised. But

she liked it and wouldn’t let him

second-guess himself, so she gave