And two pictures of him and Alex together—one where they were high-fiving, and the other where Levi had lifted Alex up in the air to swing him around. There wasn’t a single photo of Levi alone.
Over the last few weeks, Levi had tried to convince me that what he felt for me was not something fleeting. He’d tried to assure me it was more than just sexual attraction. But I didn’t believe him—until now. For my part, I’d done everything I could to keep my feelings shoved down deep inside of me. I was afraid I was alone in what I felt. That seemed ridiculous now.
I was still crouched down, staring at the photos in my hand when the door opened and Levi walked in. He saw the pictures, and his eyes cautiously lifted to meet mine.
I stood and shook my head. “You really do have feelings for me, don’t you?”
Levi held my eyes and took a step closer. “I do. Big ones.”
I stared at the photos and let out a shaky breath. “I do, too.”
He smiled. “I know you do, babe. You just needed to find a way to accept them.”
“What are we going to do, Levi?”
He moved closer and took one of my hands, bringing it up to his lips. “See where it takes us.”
“But…you’re leaving in a few weeks, and your mother hates me, and then there’s Alex and Tanner, and—”
Levi pressed a finger against my lips. “Slow down. Let’s take ’em one at a time. Okay?”
I nodded, so he took his finger away.
“First, my mother doesn’t hate you. Second, just because I’m leaving doesn’t mean things have to end. When I pack my bags, my loyalties come with me on the road. Plenty of guys have girls back home. A lot even have wives and families. They find a way to make it work.”
I couldn’t believe we were even talking about this. Levi read the anxiety on my face and smiled. “I have more to say, but I’m starting to worry you might hyperventilate if I continue.”
I let out a big sigh and shook my head. “I’m nervous, Levi.”
“Years ago, when I was trying to decide what college to go to, I got offers from a lot of schools. There was one I’d been interested in initially. It had good academics and a solid football program. I went to visit to check it out, and when I got home they tried to push me to give them a decision faster than I was ready to make it. I hadn’t gone to see the rest of the schools yet. My grandfather said to me, ‘If you’re not scared about losing something, it’s not worth your time.’ For some reason, those words stuck with me over the years and have helped me make more than one important decision. If you weren’t nervous, I’d question if I meant enough to you.” He paused and squeezed my hand. “When the time comes—when you’re ready—I’ll deal with my brother and my family. And Alex…we can handle that however you think is best.”
I chewed on my lip. “God, Levi.”
“For most of my life, I didn’t think relationships were worth the trouble. They’re harder when you lead the life I do. I’m not gonna sugarcoat that. We’d have to fight for it. But you make me want to do more than fight for us. You make me want to go to war, Presley.”
I felt his words in my soul. There was so much I thought I should say right now, but words couldn’t express what was in my heart. So I did what felt right and pressed my lips to his. Emotions fed our kiss. Levi wrapped his arm around my back, holding me tight, and I arched to get closer. His other hand lifted to my neck, and his fingers curled into my hair. Our tongues tangled, and I wasn’t sure either of us remembered to breathe. When we finally separated, we were both panting.
Levi brushed his nose with mine. “You kissed me. Outside of the bedroom.”
I smiled. “I did.”
He pulled back to look into my eyes. “Don’t run away anymore. Let me show you how things between us could be. Just take it one day at a time.”
I nodded. I couldn’t believe what a difference a few pictures had made. For the last few months, it was like I’d had a gate locked inside of me, and seeing what was important to him in photos was the key to unlocking it. Not only did I not want to run away anymore, I also couldn’t wait to show him how I felt right back.
“Do you think your friends would mind if we bailed last minute?” I asked. “The house is empty. Even Fern is out.”
A wicked smile spread across Levi’s handsome face. Without warning, he scooped me up into his arms and cradled me against his chest. “Don’t give a shit if they do. Because tonight, we’re not fucking, sweetheart. We’re making love, and that’s going to take all night.”
My brows shot up. “All night?”
“All. Night.”
CHAPTER 19
* * *
Presley
The next couple of days almost felt like a dream.
Levi and I were inseparable. We worked on the inn together, ate meals together, and took turns sneaking into each other’s rooms after Alex was asleep. Last night we’d stayed awake until two or three in the morning, just lying in bed talking. Levi told me about what he wanted to do after he wasn’t able to play football anymore, and I told him about my dream of someday having my own gallery, like the one I’d worked at in New York.
Since we hadn’t slept much, I was surprised when Levi walked into the kitchen as I was getting ready to take Alex to camp. He smiled, and a swarm of butterflies took flight in my belly.
“Morning,” he rasped. I absolutely loved his early-morning voice. It was deep, but sleepy, with a gruff rumble to it.
I smiled. “You’re up early.”
“A dream woke me.”
“Oh? What was the dream about?”
Levi’s eyes flashed to Alex, who was reading the back of the Cheerios box while eating his cereal. He lowered his voice. “I was taking a bath.”
The thought of Levi dreaming about taking a bath was amusing for some reason. “Was it a bubble bath?”
He shook his head slowly. “Not quite. Do we have any of that rope left from yesterday when I hung the tire swing in the tree out back?”
“I think so. Why?”
Levi checked over his shoulder once again. Alex was oblivious as he slurped the milk from his bowl.
He moved his mouth to my ear and whispered. “How much weight do you think the showerhead can hold? Meet me back here after you drop Alex off. I’ll grab the rope from the garage.”
Oh. Oh my. I swallowed and cleared my throat. “Alex, you ready to leave for camp? I have to get back home to do some things.”
Levi grinned—a wicked, dirty smile that made my heart flutter—as he raised his coffee to his lips. “Yes, it’s a very busy day. Your mom will be all tied up.”
I’m pretty sure I broke the speed limit driving back home from camp. I also stepped on the gas at a yellow light a few blocks from the house and didn’t quite make it through before it turned red. I couldn’t get back to Levi fast enough.
At the house, I swung open the front door and could see the back of Levi’s head where he sat in the kitchen. For a half second, I considered stripping at the door and walking in naked, but I wasn’t sure if Fern was home or not. So I opted to remain clothed—for a few more minutes anyway.