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“Yeah. When you spend a few years on deployment, you only travel with the essentials. Apart from Dad’s car, this is everything I own.”
“Katy’s gonna have a field day taking you shopping.” Levi faked an exaggerated shudder. “Can you tee it up when I’m filming though? I’ve been exposed to that kind of torture before.”
“There’s this thing called the web. Great for shopping.” Levi couldn’t help but laugh at Connor’s playful patronizing.
Jumping back to his reference about filming, Connor asked, “How is work by the way?” as he leaned against the brick wall outside.
“Good. You got the pics we sent from the award ceremony, didn’t you?” Katy always made sure to update him every day. He’d often go to bed to find her sending a bunch of pics to Connor, emailing him with whatever they’d got up to that day. It was her way of letting him know they were waiting for him to come home.
“Yeah, looked like fun.”
“It was.” Levi nodded. “What about you? What do you think you’ll do now you’re out?”
“Honestly, I dunno. I’m gettin’ a new tat, and I’m gonna fix up my dad’s car so it’s running again. Then I s’pose I’ll find a place.” Connor shrugged and shook his head. “Maybe go back to school? I don’t exactly have many marketable civilian skills.”
“Well, I’m glad your tat is a top priority.” Levi laughed and pulled open the door.
Connor paused before entering and looked back at the driveway. Levi’s car was parked out there, together with Katy’s cute hatch and her cousin’s BMW. “Your bike in the garage? Show it to me later, yeah?”
He sighed. “Never did it up. It’s still sitting in the garage in pieces. The producers offered me a company car, so I drive that.” He pointed to the white sedan sitting in the drive. It was boring as shit, awful to drive and so not him, but it was also free.
“Huh,” Connor remarked. A bike was the one thing Levi had always dreamed of having, and sure, he’d bought the frame and most of the parts to put together a sick Harley, but he’d never done it, never managed to take the step of assembling it. Part of that was because of Connor. Levi could have easily sent it to a mechanic, but it was always something the two of them had planned on doing together.
But Connor had lived his life, not holding onto old dreams. Maybe Levi should have done the same. Levi was kind of disgusted with himself that he’d never even started fixing the bike, but every time he saw the parts in the garage, thought about starting it, he missed his best friend so damn much. It was easier avoiding it than facing the possibility that they’d never get the chance to do it together.
Levi held the door open, ushering Connor through first. He couldn’t help but admire the man who stepped past him. When he’d left, he was a boy. They both were. Connor had always been good-looking, always a ladies’ man, but he’d lost his baby face, and now that Levi had gotten over the shock of seeing his friend again, he could appreciate just how commanding he was. Dark features and a tall, lean frame, he moved with feline grace—almost like he prowled. And Levi was captivated, unable to tear his gaze away from his friend.God, it’s good to have him back.
“Everything okay?” Katy called out, poking her head into the hall. He smiled at the unmitigated glee that quickly overtook her shock upon seeing Connor. Then the whirlwind that was Katy as she sprinted up the hall hit. Dropping his guitar case off his shoulder, Levi watched as it hit the floor and Katy launched herself into Connor’s arms. She wrapped around him like a monkey, holding him tight as she whispered something in his ear. Connor towered over her, but wrapped in his arms, they were perfect together; the two most important people in his world. Her long dark hair, silky soft to the touch, was almost the same colour as Connor’s, and their tans were alike too. Levi knew from intimate experience that hers covered every inch of her body.Does Connor’s?Surprised at his train of thought, he focussed on Katy again. Her curves and those blue eyes, which sparkled with mirth, had drawn him in at first. She was, in his mind, the most beautiful woman on the planet, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit he’d fallen hard and fast for her. As he’d gotten to know her, that love had strengthened. Her talent and zest for life, mixed with her spunky attitude livened up his soul. His cock didn’t complain either—she was a wildcat in bed, and he loved every minute they were together.
At first, Levi had been jealous of the ease of Connor and Katy’s friendship. Connor had never particularly liked any of the girls he’d dated previously—he’d begrudgingly put up with them, but never made much of an effort. Yet with Katy, it was different. The two of them had clicked and become fast friends. Levi recognized the same thing had happened when Connor befriended him as a kid—it was as if Connor was a sun and Levi had become snared in his orbit, the light from his cheeky personality illuminating Levi’s world. But it was different too—Katy had fallen for Levi, not Connor. Yet their connection was undeniable. It was an easy friendship, one that quickly morphed into the three of them becoming inseparable. It took a bit of adjusting after Connor had left, but his and Katy’s relationship was rock solid. Now that Connor was back, he selfishly hoped they’d pick up where they left off—that he’d have his best mate back. But Levi had to stay focussed in the present, not the distant past or where they were heading. He couldn’t, wouldn’t plan every minute detail of his life. If Katy taught him anything, it was to live life to the fullest.
Levi pushed the door closed and turned back to follow them into the living room. Connor had already made it halfway down the hall, arm in arm with his girl.Live in the now, dude.He smiled and quickened his step, not wanting to miss out on a thing.
Hanging back, Levi watched from the edge of the room as Connor looked around, taking in the renovations he and Katy had made to the living space of their little house. Everything had changed inside, but it wasn’t until about a year earlier when they’d finally hung all the pictures on the wall that it became home. Seeing all of his and Katy’s most memorable moments always made him grin. But for every photo of them together, there was another one of Connor—a few with him and his army brothers and sisters, his graduation from basic training, the last pic they’d taken together before he flew out for the first time, and the selfie they’d snapped lazing down on their favourite beach the last time he’d visited. That one—with arms wrapped around each other and bright smiles—held pride of place as the biggest photo in the middle of the wall. Levi remembered the day like it was yesterday.
“Smile,” Katy ordered as she sat down between them, still topless from her sun bathing. She was half sitting on his lap while leaning into Connor. And damn, the chemistry was flowing hard. Levi’s dick had been half-hard all day and now was no exception. Handing her phone to Connor—who had the longest reach of them all—she playfully squeezed Levi’s package as she innocently smiled at the camera and snuggled into their friend. Levi’s moan was followed by Connor’s rough intake of breath, and Levi’s dick pulsed harder.
“Done,” Connor murmured, his voice a rasp as he lowered the mobile. Katy looked at the picture and smiled, turning to Connor and brushing her hand over his face.
“You’ve got sand in your beard, boo.” The adoration in Connor’s eyes as he stared at Katy was obvious, even to Levi. The tender, lingering kiss Connor pressed to her lips had Levi’s heart skipping a beat. Every time he saw a similar moment between the two of them, it always roused the same reaction.
Startled out of their moment by a bird chirping, Connor jerked back, and Katy smiled sheepishly at Levi. He didn’t hesitate as he pressed his lips to Katy’s, teasing the seam of her lips with his tongue. It wasn’t staking his claim as it was a desire as deep as the oceans and as vast as the universe to connect them together again. She opened to him, and Levi deepened the kiss, making love to her mouth. Finally breaking the kiss, he turned to Connor. It surprised him that Connor hadn’t pulled away until he realized why—Levi held onto his shoulder, stroking his thumb along the smooth skin of Connor’s collarbone. Drawing him closer, Levi hugged them both tight, breathing in the smells of the ocean and summer, his lips ghosting over Connor’s cheek when he couldn’t hold on any longer.
That was the last time they’d seen Connor. And watching the look on his face, his gaze flipping between him and Katy, his smile soft, it was obvious that he remembered taking the photo too.
“You kept it,” he voiced to Katy, turning her face toward him with a finger under her chin. Wonder laced his tone. “Feels like yesterday and another lifetime ago all at the same time.”
“I never would have deleted it,” Katy replied, her arm still tightly wrapped around Connor’s waist. “Now come on, dinner’s ready.”
Remembering they had guests, Levi startled when Nick spoke. “Con?” Nick laughed and hugged his friend.
Emma reached out to shake Connor’s hand. The slight tremor Levi saw when Connor reciprocated made a knot twist hard in his gut. Emma’s smile was warm when she introduced herself adding, “So nice to meet you.”
“You too, Emma. I’m Connor.”
“Been a long time, Con.” Nick took him into a one-armed hug, worry written in his pulled together brows as he stepped back. “Bud, you okay? You’re shaking.”
“He had a flashback.” Levi explained as he wrapped his arm around Connor’s shoulder, silently supporting him. With Katy on one side of Connor and him on the other, Levi knew they were bracketing him, the three of them united, showing him they’d always support him. But that’s what they did—stood together strong. It’s what they’d always done. Even if Connor had left them and was facing demons in his own head because of the horrors he’d lived through, Connor had come back to them.
