into yet another climax, her body milking his until he too came hard inside her, his body taut with release and his toes curled until finally, strength left him and he collapsed down atop her, careful not to crush Olive as he rested his head in the valley between her breasts, his breath ghosting her skin and leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake.
“That was…” she said, her words breathy. “Wow.”
“Agreed,” he managed to grunt, still amazed his old high school crush had turned out to be such a fabulous reality in the present. Her fingers stroked his scalp and before he knew it, Levon drifted off to sleep, his night with Olive better than any dream he could have had.
3
Seven months gone, and Levon Asher’s body still ached for another reunion.
He had been ready since he bid goodbye to Olive that morning after—it had been a prolonged goodbye, topped off with pancakes at their favorite diner, and another quickie in his truck. He still remembered how sticky-sweet her lips had been as she’d ridden all recollection of other women out of his head.
That was turning out to be the problem: he couldn’t stop thinking about Olive Owen. Seven months, and he could finally admit that fact to himself. His unlikely high school crush was living naked and rent-free in his thoughts and showed no signs of vacating anytime soon.
But he couldn’t look her up. Not even now, when he was back in Harper’s Forge to assist the local police force. It was his first assignment for the Southern Soldiers of Fortune—yep, he’d taken the job—and, as usual, he went where he was sent, and he was sent where his skills were most needed.
Now what he needed was to keep a clear head, focus on the case, and get the job done…but it was hard to stay on target when his mind kept wandering back to that amazing night. It would be so easy to give Olive a call, see if she was up for an encore—but that hadn’t been a part of the (admittedly unspoken) agreement. He knew how these things went. Olive hadn’t been his first one-night stand by any stretch of the imagination, and he wasn’t about to break the rules of engagement just because she had been great in bed. Fantastic in bed.
“Ugh.” Levon turned off into the high school parking lot reserved for maintenance vehicles, killed the engine, and dropped his forehead against the steering wheel. No more thinking about Olive. It should be an easy self-instruction, especially considering he was on the job.
Levon got out of his truck, yanking the janitorial jacket after him. He shrugged it on, finding it tight in the shoulders, but otherwise nondescript. Hopefully it would throw off any suspicion or questions as he snooped around.
He had volunteered for this case. It just made sense. This was his town, his old stomping grounds. If a gang was really trying to infiltrate the high school—to blackmail and enlist students into drug dealing—then there was going to be hell to pay. He’d make sure of it. He wasn’t going to see those kids endangered on his watch... them, or their teachers...
Annoyed at the repetitive direction his thoughts were taking, Levon withdrew his cell and raised it to his ear to review the most recent message from his team. He preferred voicemail to text, something the SSoF was perfectly willing to accommodate.
Asher, we just got a last-minute tip that some sort of deal or meeting is about to go down at the football field. Head out and find a place to observe. I repeat: observe. No charging in without my go-ahead.
“Yeah, yeah.” Levon pocketed his phone and sauntered to the edge of the parking lot. He took cover behind the brick corner of the cafeteria, then peered out at the field. It was Thursday, just past 1800 hours. The day was damp, the grey sky overcast as afternoon shaded into dusk, but it was still humid as hell. Visibility wasn’t exceptional, considering the fog that hung in the air like a stubborn haze.
He didn’t see anyone. Yet. That didn’t mean he could just stroll around in the open until he found a good hiding spot. He had his eye on one particular location, and he stole through the shadows now to get to it.
The old equipment shed had been the primo make-out spot on the school grounds back in his day, thanks in no small part to the fact that the