Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77959 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Are you done?” Pressing my lips tightly together in answer, I move toward the door only to stop as he steps in front of me, blocking my path. “You’ve got me confused with someone else.”
“Confused?” I frown, and he grins.
“You think I’m the kind of guy that would do something like make an excuse to a woman so I don’t hurt her feelings. That’s not me, baby. I’m not that guy. I’m not that nice.”
“You’re nice.” I shake my head, and his fingers run up my jaw, then slide behind my ear, where he tucks a few strands of hair.
“I’m not nice,” he says so sincerely that I almost believe him, but I know the Levi who brought me a cake on my birthday, the Levi who offered to watch Muffin when I’m gone, and he’s nice, really nice. Maybe even too nice.
“You’re always nice to me,” I whisper, and the look in his eyes changes ever so slightly.
“Yeah,” he agrees, sliding his hands around my waist and turning me until we are face-to-face. “I’m always nice to you.”
“Why?”
“Because I like you, because you’re different.”
“You like me?”
“I think I’ve made that pretty clear.”
“What’s going on between us?” I try to keep the vulnerability out of my voice, but it still seeps in. I hate not knowing what I’m doing or where I stand with him. I hate feeling insecure, and I would rather embarrass myself right now and know there is nothing going on than to have one more day go by where I question things.
“Fawn.” His face softens, and his fingers tighten. “Can’t you see I’m trying to figure it out?”
“Oh.” I drop my eyes to his chin and press my lips together. That is not the answer I was looking for.
“Look at me,” he urges, resting his fingers under my jaw, and I reluctantly do.
“What I know is that I like the parts of you you’ve allowed me to see. I enjoy spending time with you and want to do that more. I’m not psychic, I can’t see the future, so I don’t know what will happen between us, but I’m interested in you enough to want to find out.”
“Oh,” I repeat, this time swallowing.
“Now, are you on the same page as me?” he asks, and I nod. “Good. Now are you done being pissed?”
“I wasn’t pissed.”
“Gorgeous.” He sighs, shaking his head. “You were pissed when you saw me across the street with Becky.”
“Beth,” I grumble, and he grins.
“Whatever her name is.”
“I thought you were using my dog to pick up chicks.”
“I’ve never needed a dog to pick up a woman. Besides, I’ve got my hands full with this hot little blonde who lives next door to me and may or may not be crazy.”
“I’m not crazy.” I feign annoyance while secretly doing flips in my head. He thinks I’m hot.
“Crazy people never think they’re crazy, gorgeous.” He grins, and I slap his chest, then feel my mouth soften when he takes my hand to kiss my palm, just like I watched my dad do to my mom at the theater. “Now, why don’t you go on over to your place, make sure your parents are settled, then come back and hang out with me for a while?”
“Sure,” I agree as nervous excitement fills my stomach. Muffin has sprawled out on the couch, making herself at home.
“She can stay.” He brushes his lips over mine as he opens the door.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” he agrees. “Now go on and hurry back to me.” He taps my ass lightly two times, sending me on my way. Stopping with my hand on the knob to my apartment, I turn to find him watching me. I don’t know what he’s thinking, but the look in his eyes makes my mouth dry. Pulling my eyes from him, I scoot through and close the door behind me, finding my parents both on the couch in their pajamas.
“Is everything okay?” Dad asks as soon as my eyes meet his.
“Yep. I’m going to go hang out with Levi for a bit. I’ll be home in a while,” I say as casually as possible, even though my stomach has started to turn with nervous butterflies.
“It’s after eleven,” he states, and Mom smacks his chest. “What?” he asks looking at her.
“Go on. Have fun, honey.” Mom rolls her eyes at him.
“I’m just going to change first,” I say, heading to my bedroom and shutting the door. I take off my coat, toss it to the floor of my closet, and dig though my stuff until I find something to wear. Settling on a pair of leggings, an oversize off-the-shoulder sweater over a tank top, and a pair of scrunched, warm socks, I change as fast as I can, almost taking myself out a few times in my rush.
As soon as I’m done, I go to the door and swing it open. “I’ll see you guys in the morning,” I say, going over to kiss each of my parents’ cheeks.