“Are you sure I can’t drive you home?” he asked, stopping his pickup close to her car so she could basically go from one door to the other without getting too wet in the process.
“I’m sure, Levi. I’ve driven in the rain plenty of times. I had such a nice time with you today. Thank you for letting me come out and shoot the pistol as well as see the farm.”
“I’m the one who should thank you for hanging out with me and enduring dinner with my parents.”
“Your mom and dad are fantastic. They both have a great sense of humor, and they really made me feel welcome. Besides, your mother is an amazing cook. How do you stay in such great shape with all the good food she makes?”
“Work. Just the day-to-day work of a farmer.”
Grace knew that type of work well from growing up on her family’s dairy farm. “Thanks again for inviting me to come today.” She scooted closer on the bench seat and gave him a hug as the gear shift pressed into her thigh. She’d anticipated lingering a few minutes, savoring their first real kiss, but Levi merely gave her a hug in return, then kissed her cheek. Granted, he seemed concerned about the growing darkness and increasing severity of the storm and her driving home in it. But still, she’d been looking forward to finding out if he was as good at kissing as she imagined him to be.
“Call you tomorrow?” he asked, his hand on the door handle.
“Definitely. Thanks again, Levi.” She watched as he jumped out and raced around the pickup, head ducked against the pelting rain.
He opened her car door then the pickup door, and moved back.
Grace tossed Cindy’s hat into the car so it wouldn’t get wet, then got out of the pickup and looked at Levi one last time before leaving. His hair was plastered to his head from the rain, and his shirt was soaked to the skin, outlining defined muscles in his shoulders and arms. The heat was back in his eyes, burning like an incandescent flame.
A flame that might consume her if she let it.
Before she did something she shouldn’t, she turned to get into her car but suddenly found herself hauled against Levi’s hard chest. His arms encircled her again, and she felt the weight of his hands at the back of her waist.
She leaned into him, into his strength, and let her fingers twine into the damp tendrils of his hair at the back of his head.
His gaze fused to hers, as though he searched for something and found what he needed before his lips touched hers gently, tenderly.
A soft groan escaped from Grace, and Levi pulled her closer. He deepened the kiss—exploring, demanding, giving.
Grace felt lost in that moment.
Lost to the emotion swirling through her. Lost to anything but how perfect it was to be with Levi, to give herself over to the rapture of receiving and returning his powerful kisses.
When he finally raised his head, water dripped into their eyes and ran down their chins, but she smiled, and he kissed her again.
“You need to go,” he shouted to be heard above the storm.
“I know!” Instead of leaving, she pulled his head back down for one more intense kiss that left her senses so addled she wasn’t sure she could remember her own name, let alone how to drive home.
“I could do this all night, Grace, but I can’t let you stay.” Without warning, Levi lifted her up and set her in the car, kissed her cheek, and then closed her door.
He mouthed “good night” and stood in the rain, watching her leave. Even in her rearview mirror as she looked back, he remained rooted in place, observing her departure.
Chilled from the rain and the unfamiliar sensations coursing through her, Grace turned the heat on high and drove home.
A smile slowly spread across her face. Levi Gibson was an even better kisser than she’d imagined.
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