Read Online Unbreakable Bonds by Aliyah Burke, Taige Crenshaw - Free Book Online Page B

menu and watched him as he skimmed the listings. When he lifted his gaze, she turned her attention to something else.
    “What are you having?”
    “The lemon cream cake. You?”
    “This cheesecake sounds delicious. I’ve always enjoyed it.”
    “I heard theirs is good here.”
    “You’ve never had it?”
    “Not a cheesecake fan.” She pursed her lips. “Although if it’s deep fried bites, I’ll make an exception.”
    His grin set those butterflies a-fluttering in her belly again. It wasn’t fair, really, for him to have such magnetism. Even in here, people looked at him. She understood—there was just something in the way Levi carried himself which demanded attention.
     
    Levi stared at Ta-Mara as he ate his cheesecake. The more time he spent in her company, the more he found himself falling for her. It didn’t make sense. He’d not even known her for a full two days yet in his heart, he knew .
    Flashing back to the day he’d almost died, he recalled the voice of the woman in his ear and her exact words. “ Levi, you are a man whose love is pure. In a world divided by color, you never faltered. Despite everything put to you, you stayed true to your heart and never turned your back on your soul mate. For that, I tell you this… Rest now. Fear not, for you shall be returned to the arms of your love. Trust your heart, for it won’t lead you astray.”
    Which brought him back to his current dilemma. Returned to the arms of his love. Calliope. Not Ta-Mara. But if he were to trust his heart, it was pointing him in the direction of his lovely host. He hadn’t lied earlier about wishing he could go farther with the kissing.
    He homed in on her mouth as she ate her cream cake. She had such plump lips. He was already addicted to them. Kissing her in the small room he’d changed in wasn’t something he’d soon forget. She’d been so responsive. He’d nearly forgotten anything but the feel of her against him.
    And now, how she ate was sending him to distraction. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. This wasn’t like him at all. What he was experiencing was for young, untried men. Boys even.
    He was well past the age when a pretty face turned his head. Wasn’t he?
    Not when that face belonged to Ta-Mara. He blew out a breath and finished his dessert.
    “You ready?”
    Snapped from his reverie, he glanced up to see her watching him.
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    He watched, disgruntled, as she paid for their meal. After she signed a receipt—he’d already asked how she paid with a small card—they got up to leave. Levi noticed how other men stared at her and he moved up closer to her. With a smug grin, he settled his hand on the small of her back.
    The bare skin that met his palm sent fire surging through his veins. He’d forgotten her shirt had an open back. Staring down at her, he loved the difference in their skin tones. He could make out the bumps of her spine and he had this urge to drag his tongue up her skin. Then back down and around until… He stopped that line of thought.
    Holding the door for her, he followed her out into the muggy early evening sun. His gaze fixated on the simple bow that split the dark skin of her back as it kept her shirt on by connecting the top and sides. Not that he’d mind it falling off, of course, he wouldn’t want any others to see her. Her pale yellow shirt beautifully contrasted her skin tone. All it would take to release would be grab a single strand and pull.
    He moved his gaze down to rest along the top of her jeans, which rode low on her hips. Damn, she made him think things that one shouldn’t be debating doing in public.
    As they walked down the street to where she’d parked her car, he took in the sights and sounds of this city. Things had changed so much, it really was a bit of a shock. He’d spent a good deal of time playing with her electronics at her house. It amazed him, what people had been able to accomplish.
    He hoped a closer look at her car. No,