Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“Shoot. You touched me,” Kelcie says. My gaze flicks to hers. “I overheard you telling Jordan you don’t touch people. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
She just had a panic attack, and not even seconds later, she’s more worried about me than herself?
When I keep staring at the woman who’s having the weirdest effect on me, her features tense with more concern.
“Levi?”
I shake my head and clear my throat before I reply, “I’m okay.”
“I won’t take offense if you need to wash your hands.”
God, she’s so sweet.
The corner of my mouth lifts. “I don’t need to do that.”
“Okay.” She grabs a serving spoon, and while she dishes some of the casserole onto the two plates, I take in every movement she makes.
There’s no urge to run back to my house. There’s no annoyance of being overstimulated. There’s zero disgust.
Instead, the attraction I felt earlier has grown, and it makes me curious to know everything about Kelcie.
But even if she felt attracted to me, there could never be anything romantic between us. I just plan to hang around until I’m sure she’s okay, then I’m heading back to Grand Rapids.
There’s no way she’ll tolerate having me in her life when she finds out who I really am.
Chapter 6
Kelcie
Sitting at the table outside, I try to focus on the food I’m eating, but I still don’t have an appetite. Eventually, I give up and drink some of the sweet tea.
My eyes wander to Levi, and I watch how he holds the plate with his right hand, his body seemingly relaxed. When he takes a bite, I feel a strong pull of attraction, finding it hot how his jaw moves.
The man is next-level handsome, but I’m more surprised by how nice he’s been to me since we started talking. After hearing how grumpy and rude he’s been to people in town, it was unexpected, to say the least.
If someone told me this morning I’d be spending my evening with Levi, I would’ve told them they’re crazy.
But here we are.
He actually makes me feel comfortable and isn’t pushy in any way. Unlike the rest of the town, he hasn’t bombarded me with questions or condolences. There’s no pity in his eyes when he looks at me.
I had a panic attack in front of him, and he didn’t make me feel weird about it at all. Instead, he was supportive, as if he’s done it a million times before.
Earlier, when he approached me, he seemed troubled, but with time, he’s relaxed. I wonder if he has always been like this. So quiet and withdrawn. Or did something bad happen to make him this way?
Levi’s gaze lifts and connects with mine, and when he catches me staring at him, he asks, “What?”
I shake my head and turn my attention to the trees lining the back of our properties.
“You can ask me questions.”
I hesitate before I reply, “That means you’ll ask me questions in turn. I’d rather pass.”
“I won’t.”
I glance at Levi again, and as the sun begins to set, it strikes me once more how attractive he is. The dark stubble on his face gives him a rugged look. I think he’s in his early or mid-thirties.
He has hazel eyes. The green lines around his irises are so dark that they make the brown appear golden.
At first glimpse, the permanent frown on his forehead and dip of his eyebrows give the impression he’s grumpy, but the longer I look at him, the more I see the expression for what it is.
This man has suffered.
With my gaze still glued to his, I whisper, “Why don’t you touch people?”
He clenches his jaw and looks down at where Lick is sleeping like the dead. “Bad childhood.”
My heart squeezes with empathy. Whatever happened in Levi’s childhood must’ve been traumatizing for him to hate touching people.
“I’m sorry,” I say, my tone soft and filled with compassion.
When he inhales a deep breath, his chest strains against the fabric of his shirt to the point that I can make out his muscles. The sight has my stomach buzzing with a nervous energy I haven’t felt before.
Lick wakes up from her nap and goes to get her ball. She drops it near my chair and stares obsessively at it.
“She wants you to throw it for her,” Levi says, the tension gone from his voice.
I lean over, and picking up the ball, I throw it as hard as I can. Lick sets off at a crazy speed, then jumps into the air and catches the ball.
For the next hour, I play catch with Lick, a comfortable silence falling between Levi and me. The dog has an endless supply of energy, and I begin to work up a sweat.
Besides the times people pop in to check on me and Jill comes over to visit, I’ve tried to avoid everyone in town as much as possible. That’s not the case with Levi. I assume it’s because he’s so quiet, and I love playing with his dog, so I don’t read too much into it.