Kissing on Third, page 11
part #6 of Belltown Six Pack Series
“I’ll take one of those,” Levi said, and Dawg tossed the water bottle.
Levi caught it, then downed half of the water.
Both Dawg and Grizz had played last night and won their games, so they started talking about some plays. Levi listened, but his mind was mostly elsewhere. On Finley, to be exact. He’d texted her before leaving for the airport, and she hadn’t responded yet. He knew she didn’t text much during her shift. Still, he wished he’d hear from her before he’d have to turn off his phone.
“You’re in outer space,” Grizz said, cutting into his thoughts.
Levi looked over at Grizz, hoping the guy wouldn’t bring up Finley. He was the only one of the Six Pack who knew he was dating, and Levi didn’t want to spend the next eighteen hours fielding questions or fending off jokes.
Grizz folded his arms. “Will Rhett be hanging with us?”
“He better be,” Levi said. “He’s been dating some woman, so I’d better be meeting her too.”
Dawg laughed. “I’m sure Rhett loves how you act like his dad.”
Levi threw a glare at Dawg, and Grizz said, “You know you can’t throw down on Levi’s family, unless you want a black eye.”
“Fine.” Dawg raised his hands as if he were completely innocent. “I’m backing off now. But I agree with Grizz. You’re like in outer space right now.”
Levi rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m here.”
Dawg scoffed, and Grizz smirked.
Levi’s phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket. His breath stalled when he saw Finley’s name. He had hoped to hear from her, but he hadn’t expected her to call. Did he even want to answer with Grizz and Dawg sitting three feet away from him?
But maybe it was important, some sort of emergency, or . . .
“Hi,” he answered.
“Hi, oh, um, I didn’t realize it was twelve thirty,” she said, sounding like she was out of breath or nervous or something. “It’s later than I thought. You’re probably already at the airport.”
“Just got on the plane,” he said, trying to analyze her tone of voice. He glanced at Grizz and Dawg. They were both solely focused on him. Great.
“Oh, okay,” Finley said. “Well, have a good flight.”
She did sound nervous. What was going on? Levi stood and paced away from his audience, but he very well knew they could hear every single word. “Did you get work off?”
The hesitation came through the phone. “Well, Mark said he could swing it if I took tonight off. I’d have to work a double on Sunday. But you’re already on the plane, and I could use the extra time to get some upholstery fabric—”
“Hang on, okay?” He put the phone to his chest and looked at Big Dawg. “Can we wait about thirty minutes for another person?”
“Person?” Big Dawg asked.
Grizz kicked Dawg’s foot. “Yes, we can,” Grizz said.
Dawg cut his gaze to Grizz, and Grizz raised his brows. “Yes. We. Can,” Grizz repeated.
Dawg’s eyes widened. “Oh. That kind of person.” He looked over at Levi with a grin. “Sure thing. When will she be here?”
Levi turned away from the gawkers and told Finley, “We can wait.”
“Tell her the TSA agent will meet her at security and get her through,” Dawg said. “I’ll call them right now.”
“Did you hear that?” Levi asked.
“Yeah, but are you sure?” Finley asked. “I mean—”
“I’m sure,” he said.
“We’re sure!” Dawg called out.
Grizz laughed.
Levi hung up with Finley, his heart soaring. She was coming. And he couldn’t believe how happy that made him.
He turned to face his friends. Both Grizz and Big Dawg were grinning.
Dawg held up his phone. “Got TSA on right now. What’s her name?”
“Finley Gray.”
Dawg said a few things into his phone, then hung up and folded his arms. “Why is this the first I have heard of Miss Finley Gray?”
Levi exhaled, then took his seat. Before he could answer, Grizz jumped in. “Because they only met last week. And apparently Levi’s already whipped.”
Levi shifted his gaze to Grizz, hoping that he could read minds and would keep his mouth shut.
But Grizz couldn’t read minds. Either that, or he didn’t care about Levi’s privacy.
“He met her at a pub where she works as a waitress,” Grizz continued, smiling at Big Dawg. “And get this, she’s a boxer.”
Dawg laughed. “Are y’all serious? I can’t wait to meet this little darlin’. Or is ‘little’ the wrong word?”
Levi felt his face heat. “She’s a perfectly normal size.”
“A perfectly normal woman who likes to punch people in the face?” Dawg said, laughter still in his voice.
“It’s a sport,” Levi said. “And don’t call her darlin’.”
Grizz chuckled. “Good luck with that. I think Big Dawg would call a door darlin’ if he bumped into it.”
Dawg raised both his hands. “All right. All right. Don’t get all worked up, man. Just having some fun.” He leaned back in his chair, stretched out his legs, and crossed his ankles. “I never thought I’d see the day when Levi Cox got all flustered over a lady. It’s a good day, in my humble Texan opinion.”
Levi shook his head and gazed out the miniature window.
“How long have you known about this?” Dawg asked Grizz in a conspiratorial whisper that was loud and clear.
“Not long,” Grizz answered. “Like I said, he met her last week. Anything else you want to know, Steal will have to tell you. I’m not going to get on his bad side.”
Dawg looked pointedly at Levi, who scowled.
“You know I’m gonna be cool,” Dawg said. “Nothing embarrassing will come from my mouth. Cross my Texan heart.”
Levi exhaled. “Fine. Like Grizz said, I met Finley at a pub last week—where she works. I saw a poster about her boxing match, so I went to watch later that night.” He shrugged. “We’ve hung out a couple of times. Nothing major, and nothing that’s any of your business.”
Dawg waggled his brows. “So . . . you kissed her.”
Levi didn’t answer.
“You’re right,” Grizz said. “Levi can blush.”
Both Grizz and Dawg laughed.
“Okay, look,” Levi cut in. “I like her. And I think she likes me. Her dad’s super protective of her and doesn’t love the idea of his daughter dating a professional athlete, because some of us have crappy reputations.”
Both Dawg and Grizz put on innocent-as-a-baby expressions.
“She brought her dad to the game last night,” Levi continued. “And he seems pretty cool with stuff now. But things are still new with Finley, so you both need to know that payback’s a b—”
“We get it,” Dawg said with a laugh. “Besides, I like her already, and if anyone can put up with Levi Cox, it’s a boxer chick.”
When Finley texted I’m through security, Levi rose to his feet. He felt Grizz and Dawg’s gaze on him as he went to the door to wait for her. Soon Levi saw her come out of an airport door, a TSA employee walking with her. Finley carried a backpack slung over one shoulder. She was wearing a blue sundress, and her hair was down, waving over her shoulders. He hadn’t seen her look so dressed up before.
It took Levi a second to realize he meant to meet her at the bottom of the steps. He headed down them and reached the tarmac as she reached the stairs.
“She’s set to go,” the TSA guy told Levi, as if Levi were the owner of the jet.
“Thanks,” Levi told him, and he handed over a ten-dollar bill. He didn’t know the protocol, but he might as well cover all the bases. He watched the TSA guy walk away, then he turned to Finley. The warm breeze stirred her hair, and she had some sort of shiny lip gloss on.
“I like your dress,” he said in a quiet voice.
Her cheeks dimpled. “I thought I’d have to go a little fancy for a private jet.”
He stepped closer and slipped his hands around her waist. She moved easily into his arms, and he pulled her into an embrace. Not a long one, because he was pretty sure Big Dawg and Grizz were watching out the windows.
“I’m glad you changed your mind,” he whispered against her ear.
“I’m glad you’re glad.” Her fingers were warm against his neck.
He smiled and breathed in her raspberry scent. “I need to warn you about my friends. Grizz and Big Dawg sometimes revert to their ten-year-old selves.”
She drew away, keeping her arms looped about his neck. “You forget where I work.”
“Right . . .” He wanted to kiss her, but it wouldn’t be a short kiss. So he slid the backpack from her shoulder, grabbed her hand, and led her up the stairs to face whatever might come.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Finley tried not to gawk at the interior of the private jet, but the thing was gorgeous, from the plush carpet to the leather furniture and wood accents, to the soft lighting. “Wow,” she said under her breath, and Levi squeezed her hand.
Then she looked over at the two guys who’d risen from their seats.
She might have googled the Six Pack a time or two, so she knew immediately which one was Grizz—full beard and all. His beard did nothing to hide his attractiveness. Cole Hunter, a.k.a. Big Dawg, was a different species altogether. Where Grizz was more the rugged, outdoor type of guy, Big Dawg was all polish and magazine gorgeous.
“Finley, this is Cole Hunter and David McCarthy,” Levi said.
“Hello, sunshine,” Cole said, stepping forward and holding out his hand.
Finley placed her hand in his, and she felt miniature compared to the size of his palm.
“So glad y’all could make it,” he continued, his smile as white as a toothpaste commercial.
“Thanks for waiting,” Finley said, trying to comprehend that not only was she dating Levi Cox, but now she was hanging out with his major-league baseball friends. In a private jet.
She turned to David—Grizz—and shook his hand too. There was something comfortable about him, totally unpretentious. She could imagine him tossing a ball to a kid at a park just as much as she could imagine him staring down Levi as he’d done the other night.
“Nice to meet you,” Grizz said.
“I’ll be right back, darlin’,” Cole said. “I mean, sunshine. I need to tell the captain we’re ready.” He winked at Finley, then moved past her to go to the cockpit.
There had to be a story behind Cole’s use of endearments, or was it the Texan in him?
Levi motioned to one of the recliners. “Have a seat. Do you want something to drink? Dawg has the fridge stocked with pretty much anything you could want.”
“Water’s fine,” she said, seeing the other water bottles around.
Levi crossed to a built-in refrigerator and pulled out a water bottle, then handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she said, twisting off the cap and taking a sip. It was ice cold and exactly what she needed. She hadn’t been sure what Levi’s reaction would be if she showed up wearing a dress, but when she’d seen the appreciation in his eyes, it had made her glad of her decision. And when he’d hugged her so sweetly, she was pretty sure she was about to melt on the spot.
Finley took another sip of the cold water. Then she put the water bottle in the cupholder attached to her comfy recliner. She glanced over at Grizz, who’d picked up a magazine on polar bears that she doubted he had any interest in. But he seemed to be politely giving her and Levi their space.
Levi sat on her left and clipped on his seatbelt.
So Finley did likewise.
“Have you been thinking about colors?” she asked quietly.
Levi turned his head. “Colors?”
“You know, for your couch.”
Grizz arched an eyebrow and flipped a page on his magazine.
“No . . .” Levi said in a low voice, “I’ve just been thinking about you.”
Warmth jolted through Finley. Despite the glamour of Cole Hunter and the handsome ruggedness of Grizz, it was Levi’s dark-green eyes that drew her in. He hadn’t shaved today, and she had the sudden desire to lean toward him and run her fingers over the stubble on his jaw.
“You’re getting a couch for Levi?” Cole said, coming back into the cabin. He sat across from Finley and crossed his legs, his blue-green eyes bright with interest. Or was it amusement?
“Sort of.” Finley felt the tension coming from Levi. But these were his best friends, right? “I refinish furniture and reupholster couches and chairs. Frames usually last a lot longer than cushions and fabric.”
Cole nodded, looking impressed. “My best friend in high school did that with his mom. It was pretty cool.”
The plane began to move, and Cole clipped on his seatbelt. “You too, Grizz,” he said without looking over.
Grizz complied and buckled his seatbelt, then he returned to his magazine.
“So how did you talk Steal into getting a couch?” Cole continued. “He’s never listened to my suggestions.”
Next to her, Levi scoffed, but he didn’t say anything. The jet accelerated, and Finley glanced out the window, then refocused on Cole.
“Maybe he wasn’t ready when you suggested it.”
Cole’s brows shot up, and he smiled. “And he’s ready now?”
Finley shrugged and matched Cole’s smile.
The jet rose into the air. Finley decided it would be a good time to steer the conversation away from Levi. She could feel him glowering without even looking at him. “This jet is amazing,” Finley told Cole.
He nodded. “Yeah, it’s something. Want the grand tour?”
“Sure,” Finley said, glancing over at Levi.
“Go ahead, I’ve seen it,” he said.
So Finley unsnapped her seatbelt and stood.
“We’ll start at the back,” Cole said.
They walked past a kitchenette and another lounge area.
Cole opened a door and motioned for her to go inside.
Finley stepped past him and walked into a room. The place was a full bedroom—bed, nightstand, dresser, the works. “There’s a bed in here?”
“Makes it convenient when I have to fly across the country in the middle of the night,” Cole said, leaning against the doorway and watching her move about the room.
With the door shut, it would feel like a regular hotel room. A really nice one. Amazing. She turned to face Cole. “This is nicer than most people’s houses.”
Cole nodded. “Yeah, especially Steal’s. You should have seen his college apartment. Slept on a mattress on a floor. Didn’t even buy a bed frame. He really was broke back then, but now? He can dish out something.”
“I can hear you,” Levi called from the other room.
Cole grinned, then lowered his voice. “Steal’s like a hoarder. Of money. You know those stories about people who came through a war and how they collect things in Mason jars. Like buttons and bits of soap?”
“I don’t own a single Mason jar,” Levi said.
Cole laughed and led Finley out of the room. He stopped at a large kitchenette. “This here’s the kitchen. Well-stocked, so if y’all get hungry, I can whip up something.”
Grizz chuckled from where he was sitting. “The day I see Big Dawg cook for another person is the day I start pitching.”
“There’s plenty of catchers who can pitch,” Cole shot back. He opened a cupboard. “See, SpaghettiOs. Even I can warm those up.”
“Thanks,” Finley said, holding back a laugh. “I’m not hungry.”
“Okay, but if you want SpaghettiOs, sunshine, I’m your guy,” Cole said.
Although everything that Cole Hunter said to her could be deemed flirtatious, Finley sensed it was part of who he was. If she were eighty years old and had to board his jet pushing a walker, she believed he’d treat her the same way.
Finley smiled. “I’ll let you know, Big Dawg.”
He winked at her.
She retook her seat by Levi. Grizz returned to his intense study of the polar bear magazine, and Cole put on headphones, then connected them to an iPad.
“Are you regretting your decision yet?” Levi said in a quiet tone.
Finley turned her head to meet his dark-green gaze. She was surprised to see that his expression was somber, that he was truly thinking she might regret coming. “No,” she said, reaching over to pat his hand. “Are you?”
“Never.”
When he said things like that, it was hard to keep him at a distance. But they were surrounded by his friends.
Before she could withdraw her hand, Levi grasped it and linked their fingers. Her skin tingled as he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.
“How long’s the flight?” she asked.
“A couple of hours,” Levi said.
“Just under three,” Grizz commented, flipping another magazine page.
Levi shook his head. “Like I said, a couple of hours.”
“Good.” Finley pulled out her phone and opened to the pictures she’d screenshotted from Pinterest. “We can choose colors, then I can email in the order when we land. Sal can have the upholstery fabric ready by tomorrow if I get it in soon enough.”
“Like I said, I’m not in any hurry.”
“I know.”
“And you haven’t even found a couch yet.”
“I know.”
Levi smiled, and she smiled back. She was one hundred percent certain if they weren’t with Grizz and Cole, Levi would have kissed her.
Well, she could wait. Holding his hand was enough for now, and more than she’d expected. Yeah, he’d invited her on this trip, and she’d changed things around to come, but she hadn’t known Levi would be this invested in her. Holding her hand in front of friends, saying sweet things knowing that they could overhear.
“Okay, show me your ideas,” Levi said.
Grizz chuckled and flipped another magazine page. Were polar bears funny?
Finley showed Levi the pictures on her phone, colors ranging from blues to muted yellows.
“No yellow or orange or red,” Levi said. “And turquoise is also out.”
