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)
It’s the first time something like this has happened, which tells me I’m already in over my head when it comes to Kelcie.
I look at her again. “I’m fine.”
“Waverly is one of the good ones,” she tells me. “I used to babysit her son.”
I nod, then gesture at the coffee table. “Should we eat here in the living room?”
“Sure.”
I walk to the kitchen, and opening the fridge, I call out, “Beer, soda, or water?” Since I’ve been spending more time with Kelcie, I make sure to stock things she likes.
“I’ll have a soda, please,” she replies as she comes into the kitchen. While she grabs two plates, I work on shoving my strong reaction to Waverly touching her way fucking down.
My gaze follows Kelcie’s every movement, drinking in the sight of her beauty, which has placed me under a spell I can’t break free from.
A spell I don’t want to break free from.
Standing like an idiot with two sodas in my hands and the fridge door open, I realize I’ve fallen head over heels for Kelcie.
Chapter 10
Kelcie
I can feel Levi’s burning eyes on me, and when I dare a glance, I see he’s zoned out.
I think he’s having a bad day, and I’m trying to come up with an idea of how I can make it better.
Earlier, when he hugged the crap out of me, there was a moment where it felt like he wanted to kiss me, but seconds later, he couldn’t get away from me fast enough.
Yeah, I’m not going to lie. Levi is very difficult to read, and I never know what he’s thinking.
“Let’s eat,” I say to get his attention while I leave the kitchen.
My thoughts and emotions are all over the place. Besides not being sure whether he actually wanted to kiss me, there’s also the incident of him holding me all possessively and pulling me away from Waverly.
It looked like he was upset because she touched me.
Did it trigger him?
God, I wish I knew what was going on in his mind.
I set the plates down on the coffee table, and when I look at the pizza boxes, it feels like I’m forcefully shoving a dagger through my heart.
Not knowing how I’d react when eating the pizza, I brought a pill in case things spiral and I end up having a panic attack.
“Are you okay?” Levi asks, and it’s only then that I notice he’s holding a soda out to me.
I quickly take it from him, and deciding to be honest so he’ll be prepared, I admit, “The last time I had pizza was the night of the attack.”
“Jesus, Kelcie.” A harsh breath bursts over his lips. “I can make us something else.”
I shake my head and dig the pill out of my pocket. When I place it on the coffee table, Levi says, “Please don’t push yourself too hard.”
My teeth nervously worry my bottom lip as I nod.
Wanting to be strong for once, I lean down and open the box at the top of the stack. The instant I see pineapple, my breath hitches, and it feels like my heart is being torn in two.
Sage.
Beautiful, clever Sage, who was going to take the legal world by storm.
When she figured out I was giving her all my pineapple pieces to make her happy, she tried to stop me. But I loved seeing her smile and made her take them.
To others, it might seem stupid, or it may not make sense, but it became our thing. I got to give Sage something small that meant the world to her.
In the back of my mind, I’m aware of my breaths bursting over my dry lips, my heart thundering a mile a minute.
“I’ve got you.” Levi’s voice sounds weird, as if he’s talking underwater.
I feel his fingers by my mouth as he feeds me the pill, and soon after, the soda eases the dryness. I sputter as I struggle to swallow, but finally manage.
As the worst of the panic attack eases a little, I become aware of Levi’s arms wrapped around me and the scent of his cologne.
I love the smell.
It feels as if his much bigger body curves around mine, and it gives me a sense of safety I haven’t felt since my world was destroyed.
“There you go. Deep breaths,” he murmurs, his tone soothing to my frayed nerves.
My fingers are twisted in his sweater, and needing to feel more of him, I flatten my hands over his back.
Finally, the medication kicks in and my breathing returns to normal. Levi presses a kiss to my temple, and his lips pause on my skin for long seconds.
Slowly, I brush my palms up and down the expanse of his back and broad shoulders, and as my emotions get tossed from one extreme to the next, I struggle to think straight.