I nearly choke on my surprise, fighting the urge to laugh––or to slap a hand over Suzette’s mouth––when Levi’s chuckle grabs my attention.
“Not at the moment, no. Why do you ask? Is that a requirement?”
“Obviously not when we both know Charlie’s single. You do know she’s single, right? And gorgeous. Why are you single, Charlie?” Suzette turns to me with a wicked glint in her eyes that makes me want to claw them out.
Cheeks beet red, I stumble over my response. “I…uh…I’m sorry, what was the question?”
Levi bumps his shoulder into mine. “She asked why you’re still single, which is a pretty good question, actually. Why don’t you ever date anyone?”
“Uh….” My attention bounces between my two interrogators. “I’m sorry, but did I just cross into an alternate universe?” Finally landing on Levi, my gaze narrows into tiny slits. “Since when do you care if I date anyone?”
He raises his hands in defense. “Hey, I’m not the one who brought it up.”
“Nope. I did,” Suzette interjects, clearly enjoying the conversation way more than I am. “And I think it’s an excellent question. Anything you want to say?”
“About why I don’t date?” Face burning, I laugh in an attempt to cover my shaky response. “Not really.”
“Come on, Charlie…we’re all friends here, right?” Suzette prods with an evil grin. “You should go on a date or two. Maybe I can set you up. Or maybe Levi knows someone? Levi?”
Being put on the spot, Levi clears his throat and tugs at the collar of his T-shirt. “I mean…I guess I can? If that’s what you want. Charlie?”
Both sets of eyes are on me. One with hesitant curiosity, the other with open mirth at the situation she just tossed me into. Digging my teeth into my lower lip, I search for something to say but come up empty.
Must. Get. Out. Of. Here.
“Maybe we should cut the small talk for the day and uh…just get those dogs,” I mutter in an attempt to change the subject.
Thankfully, Levi backs me up. “Yeah. That’s a great idea. I have a meeting in a couple of hours, and I can’t be late. It was nice to meet you, Suzette.”
Clearly disappointed, Suzette purses her lips before turning on her heel. “I’ll go get a few rascals. Wouldn’t want you to be late.” Then she disappears to the back, leaving an awkward silence in her wake.
“Sooo…,” I drag out the word. “How ‘bout them Yankees?”
With a deep chuckle, Levi rocks back on his heels with his hands in his pockets. “Yeah. How ‘bout them Yankees.”
Leashes in hand, we push ourselves until our dogs are panting, and my chest is heaving.
“I give up! I give up!” I shout, finally slowing my pace as I watch Levi race up the hill with ease. “You’re too damn fast, Levi!”
Glancing over his shoulder, Levi waits for me to catch up. He matches my turtle-like pace, though his long strides still seem to eat up the distance faster than my short ones. Once he’s within arm’s reach, I tug him back. “Slower, Speedy McGee.”
“Sorry, slowpoke,” he teases.
“How are you still faster than me?” I whine.
With a wink, a cocky Levi explains, “Because I’m older and wiser.”
“Older, yes. Wiser? My ass.”
Tossing his sweaty arm around my shoulders, he pulls me into his side, and it takes everything inside of me to act disgusted instead of breathing in his musky scent that clings to his skin.
“Ew! Levi, you stink!” I squeal, attempting to wiggle away from him.
His arm tightens around me. “I smell like I just ran four miles and kicked your ass, Charlie. Now you get to bask in it.”
“Yay me.” I roll my eyes before peeking up at him. A drop of sweat rolls down his stubbled cheek before dripping off his chin. My mouth waters, but I squeeze my eyes shut.
“Thanks for inviting me today. I needed this,” Levi’s voice rumbles through his chest.
“You did need this,” I agree. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately.”
“I don’t have a choice, Charlie.”
“You’ve always done well under pressure, Levi. But I’m afraid that this time, it might be too much.”
“It’s just coming at me from more angles this time, but a solution kind of fell into my lap. I’ll be fine. Promise.”
“What kind of solution?” I probe as Bonnie stops near a patch of grass to sniff something. Buddy, Levi’s companion for the day, follows suit. Leashes tangling, I find myself almost chest to chest with Levi as he answers, “Nothing crazy. Just….” His eyes explore my face, searching for something, though I have no clue what it is.
“Tell me, Charlie. Why don’t you date?”
“Who says I don’t?” I murmur, offended that he’d make such an assumption. I mean, it’s true. But he doesn’t need to go out of his way to point out the lack of attention I get from the opposite sex.
Sensing my defensiveness that’s bubbling below the surface, Levi drops his arm from around me and tugs his dog to keep moving. Bonnie and I do the same.
“I dunno. I guess I just assumed that since I haven’t met anyone….”
“I’ve never met any of your sexual conquests, either,” I challenge.
“Yeah, but that’s because you bit my head off the last time I asked a girl to tag along when we hung out.”
“Good point,” I mutter, remembering the night I finally snapped a couple of years ago and left him at the theater. But it had nothing to do with the girl. I was simply jealous. Which makes me wonder…. Would he be jealous if I brought a different guy around? Would it bother him the way his conquests bother me? Peeking over at him, I shake off the thought. Of course, it wouldn’t. Because he doesn’t look at me the way I look at him. He never has. And he never will.
His deep voice pulls me back to the present as he points out, “But I’ve never asked you to keep your dating life separate from me.”
Aaand, there’s my answer.
I feel like a boa constrictor is wrapped around my chest, my breathing forced as I ask Levi something I’m not sure I want the answer to.
“So, you’d be okay meeting guys I’m interested in?”
We round the corner as he considers my question, his jaw flexing for a brief second before he raises his head and stands a little taller. “Yeah. I mean…as long as he’s not an ass. I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy,” I interject. “Since when do I need a guy to make me happy?”
“You don’t,” he rushes to clarify. “I guess I just don’t really understand how you’ve never been in a relationship or anything. Hell, have you even been kissed?”
I falter for a split second, unable to believe I’m having this conversation. And with Levi, of all people.
Kill me now.
Bonnie tugs on the leash to get my feet going, and I shake my head in an attempt to focus and not fall down the rabbit hole of what the hell is happening right now? I’m as innocent as they come. Hell, I’ve never even held hands with a guy. Why? Because the only one I’ve ever wanted to hold hands with has always been too busy sticking his up any skank’s skirt within a twenty-foot radius.