The Apple Tree (31 page)

A smile lit her face and warmed his heart.

“
And I promise not to take it back this time, but if you decide to change your mind, that’s okay. I can’t give you everything a normal man can. I’ll understa—”

“
Shut up! Yes!” She lunged forward and pulled him off the floor, wrapping her legs around his waist and trying to pull him on top of her. Her strength was amazing when she wanted something.

He chuckled. “Don’t you want to try it on?”

“
Oh, yeah, I do.” The color rose in her cheeks and she held out her hand.

Hopefully, she’d like the ring. When he’d seen it in the display case, it seemed a perfect match for her. He took the ring from the box and slid it onto her left finger.

A huge grin spread across her face as she held up her hand, examining the pearls and delicate scrolling of diamonds. “It’s beautiful.”

“
It’s not your average engagement ring, with the diamond in the center, but I didn’t think you’d want something like that. This seemed to suit you more.”

“
It’s perfect.” She ran her finger over the ring and smiled. “Now kiss me. I’ve been craving your lips for two whole days and I haven’t had enough yet.”

Bianca leaned her head against the arm of the couch, pulling Levi over her until he rested between her legs. His gray eyes smoldered and his lips curled into a grin. The world had been returned to order.

She smiled and her hands ran along his face, sliding them against the scratchy stubble from his cheekbone to his jaw.

He shivered noticeably and closed his eyes, lowering his head until their lips touched, moving them softly along hers, and tracing her mouth. The memory of his kiss had been replaying in her mind for the last two days on a constant loop, but experiencing the real thing was better than a triple layer chocolate cake or a million hits on her blog.

Her hands slid to the back of his head, running her fingers through the coarse, short curls. She slipped her tongue along the edge of his mouth and he groaned, pulling her tighter between his arms and causing the pounding in her chest to increase.

They separated just long enough to take heavy breaths, before pressing together again. Her hand slipped under his shirt along his waist and the sensation of his skin under her fingers flooded her with need. Using both hands, she yanked his shirt upwards.

He sat up, his dilated eyes searching hers and then with one swift movement, pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on the floor.

Her breath hitched at the sight of him, naked from the waist up. Her endless fantasies hadn’t done him justice at all. She silently listed all the physical labor he must do around his little homestead that kept him in such chiseled shape. But none of that mattered now, because he leaned forward, reuniting their lips and her brain turned to mush.

Her fingers ran over his bare chest, exploring every inch and accelerating the pounding of her heart, faster than she thought possible.

Levi groaned and rested his forehead on hers, gasping for breath. “Bee,” he said, his voice thick and raspy. “If we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to.”

She placed her hands on his cheeks, lifting his head so she could see his eyes. “I don’t want you to stop.”

He closed his eyes, bit his lip and took a long, slow breath. “I’m trying to be a gentleman here. But I don’t have the strength of Superman and you’re wearing me down fast, girl.”

With every other man, she’d been the one to slow down, but she felt so safe with Levi. She brushed her fingers through his hair. “You don’t have to be Superman. I’m telling you, I want you.”

He shook his head. “No, I don’t want to take anything from you until I’ve given you everything. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

“
That’s sweet, but you would be giving me everything.” Did he not want her as much as she wanted him?

He laughed, sitting back on the opposite side of the couch. “Come here.” His arms reached for her.

She rested her head on his chest and the rapid pounding of his heart vibrated in her ear.

“
When you’re my wife, I will have given you everything and then… I won’t stop.”

She drew circles on his chest with her fingertips. “Marry me today then.”

He chuckled. “It’s nice to know you’re just as eager as I am, but don’t you want to at least have time to get a pretty dress?”

She sighed. “Yeah, I do.”

“
This weekend then. Saturday.”

Smiling, she lifted her head to face him. “Everyone’s going to think we’re crazy.”

“
We are, but I don’t care what everyone thinks, do you?”

She rested her head on his bare chest and wrapped her arms around his body. “No, I don’t. Saturday then.”

Wrapped in each other’s arms, they lay on the couch as Levi silently counted the six, long, never-going-to-end days until Saturday. He sighed, trying not to concentrate too hard on Bianca’s finger, twirling little circles on his bare chest.

“
There’s something that’s been bothering me,” she said.

He shifted so he could see her face. “What is it?”

“
Something Peter said.”

He groaned. Anything from Peter probably wasn’t good. “What did he say?”

“
Well, he said in the forties you made your friend immortal.” Her shoulder stiffened, but her finger kept moving, around and around, driving him crazy.

“
And that bothers you because I said it was too risky for you?”

She nodded.

He placed his palm over her twirling fingers, gathering her slender hand in his. “I didn’t do it for my own selfish reasons. Frank and his wife rented a house I owned. I don’t usually get close to people, but they were such a kind couple. They always invited me over for dinner and then Frank and I would have drinks afterward. He’s a decent guy.”

She squeezed his hand. “They sound nice.”

“
Frank left to fight in the war while his wife was pregnant and then two years later, just weeks after returning home, they were in an automobile accident. They were both in critical condition and their son was about to become an orphan. So, I visited them in the hospital and I brought an apple.”

“
Because they were going to die anyway?”

He nodded. “If his wife ate it, I was afraid their son would die. But Frank hardly knew his son. He loved his wife the most and she only had hours to live anyway. I gave him the apple and I explained everything, leaving the choice up to him. He ate it, so that someone would be there to care for their boy.”

“
It sounds so noble when it’s explained that way.”

A scoff escaped him. “I don’t know about noble. I just didn’t want the boy to be parentless. I had them leave town so that no one would suspect anything, but last year Peter’s sister ran into Frank in Chicago. She remembered him from the time they’d met in 1945 and put the pieces together.”

“
So, Peter only just started bugging you about the curse?”

“
Yes. Before that, he and his father had no idea that I knew how it all started.”

She sighed. “I guess there’s no hope for me then.” Should he feel scared or glad that Bianca was so desperate to spend eternity with him?

“
Trust me, if I knew of a safe way to keep you around forever, I would. In a second.” It was true. Dread filled him for the coming years without her. He was beginning to understand Peter a bit more. “You talked to Peter recently then?”

“
He came over this morning.” She bit her lip.

His body tensed. “To your apartment?”

“
Well, yes, but it was fine. He mostly behaved himself. I think he’s learning that I don’t respond well to pushiness.”

“
Mostly behaved?” He’d told Peter they were getting married. If Peter touched her, he would murder him… for a while at least.

“
He did… behave, I mean. Physically, at least. He tried to get me to tell him the cause of the curse. He said… he said he’d make me immortal too.”

Levi clenched his jaw and cursed Peter for giving her false hope. “That’s not possible without killing someone.”

“
Oh, I know, but… he said his father could remove the illness.” She sounded so hopeful and it tore him apart.

“
Even if that was possible, think of all the tests they’d have to run. People would die regardless.”

She settled back against him. “You’re right. Besides, I told him I only wanted you.”

“
Because he wanted you to live forever… with him?” Yep, he was going to kill Peter.

“
Yes, but I told him I wanted you.” Bianca looked at him with huge doe eyes. She was so cute and it eased his anger.

“
I’m sorry you have to deal with him.” He gave her a squeeze and changed the subject. “Where do you want to have the wedding?”

“
Somewhere outside… Can we have it here? It’s beautiful on your property.”

Inviting people to his home wasn’t usually something he felt comfortable doing. “It’s the rainy season,” he said.

“
We’ll get a tent.”

He should tell her no, but she seemed to inspire him to take all kinds of risks. “Are you sure?”

“
Yes, in that field by the side of the house.”

“
Okay, if that’s what you want, it will be here.” He rubbed her arm. “It’s late in the season, but there are a few apples left on the tree. If we’re going to have people wandering around, I’ll have to pick them all and make sure they’re destroyed.”

“
Good thinking.”

“
Actually… I’ve decided I’m going to chop down the whole tree. Not this week, but after the wedding.”

She sat up and locked eyes with him. “I thought you said that it could be dangerous. That you could die.”

“
But having it out there puts you in danger. I have to protect you.”

“
Not if you die!” Her hand trembled against his bare chest.

Risks of telling people where he lived was one thing, continuing to dangle her in front of his uncle Charles was entirely too dangerous. “I’m going to trust that God won’t let that happen, not so soon after I’ve found you.” He tried to pull her close again, but she resisted.

“
No, I won’t let you.”

He set his mouth in a firm line. “It’s not up to you. I’m cutting it down and shredding it, but I’ll wait till after the wedding. That way if I’m gone, you’ll have everything you need.”

“
I don’t want your money, I want you.”

“
I know. And you’ll probably still have me. Have faith.”