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)
“So if I said things were over between us, you would’ve given me a farm? Why?”
“Because I want you to be happy, Kelcie. Even if it’s not with me.”
That right there is why I love him and couldn’t give up on us. Levi might have gone the wrong way about it, but at the end of the day, everything he’s done has been for me.
I dart forward and wrap my arms around his neck, and he doesn’t miss a beat as he returns the hug.
I inhale his cedarwood and citrus cologne, which is mixed with his natural scent, and press as close to him as I can get. Levi shifts on the couch, pulling me onto his lap, and I position my legs on either side of him.
His fingers grip my jaw, and he nudges my face up. When I see the love shining from his eyes, emotion wells in my heart until it feels like it might burst.
“I love you, Kelcie.” His gaze lowers to my mouth, and it makes anticipation spark to life in my abdomen. “I never want to be separated from you again. I won’t survive it a second time. Without you, there’s only darkness.”
We move at the same time, and our mouths collide with so much longing and heat, I gasp. Levi kisses me as if I’m his beginning and end, as if he’ll cease to exist without me.
I feel the same way. He’s rescued me from the claws of despair. He’s the glue that keeps the shattered pieces of me together. I’m only whole because of him.
Like I’ve said before, I learned a hard lesson to appreciate every single moment I have with a loved one because they can be ripped away from me in a heartbeat. I don’t want to waste a single second with Levi.
As we kiss, things feel right again.
When he nips at my mouth and pulls back to press his forehead to mine, I say, “Thank you for buying us a farm.”
A symbol that even when I walked away, he didn’t. He kept his promise to me that he would only leave if I asked him to.
“I think you’re going to love it so much. We even have a lake.”
I let out a chuckle. “Yeah?”
He nods and gives me another gentle kiss. “And there are no neighbors close to us.”
Laughter bursts from me. “Perfect.”
I lean back so I can see his face, and my smile fades as I ask, “How have you been? Have you heard from your mother again?”
He shakes his head. “Don’t call her that. She’s not my mother.”
I see the pain in his eyes, and my heart squeezes for him. “Did seeing her trigger you?”
Levi glances away and brushes his palms up and down my thighs. “She touched me.” His features draw tight. “I sat in a hot shower until the water ran cold, and it still didn’t remove the feel of her hand on me.”
“Where did she touch you?”
He holds up his right arm. “My wrist.”
I wrap my hands around his wrist and forearm, pressing a kiss to his palm.
The tension eases on his face, and he tilts his head while a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “All better. My miracle.”
Figuring we can both use something to drink, I move off his lap and climb to my feet. “I’m going to make us some hot chocolate.”
“Actually, I’m in desperate need of a shower.” He gets up, and my heart sinks at having to say goodbye so quickly. He can no longer just go next door.
“You can shower here,” I suggest.
Levi shakes his head. “I need clean clothes.”
“Oh. Right.”
Feeling dejected, I begin to walk toward the front door. “Thanks for—”
“I was hoping you would consider coming back to the motel with me,” he interrupts me, and I stop dead in my tracks.
When I turn around to look at him, he adds, “No pressure. I want to spend more time with you, but I’ll understand if you’re not ready.”
I glance around the living room and the lone couch, then nod. “Let me just grab my bag.”
I walk to the stairs, and when Levi follows, I say, “Upstairs is pretty . . . empty. I never bought furniture.”
As we reach the landing and walk down the hallway, Levi glances around. He stops in the doorway of the main bedroom, and a frown forms on his forehead.
“You don’t have a bed,” he comments.
“I slept on the couch.” I grab my luggage, thankful I haven’t unpacked yet.
Moving closer, his eyebrows draw together as he lifts his hands to frame my face. “You never made this place home.”
I shrug. “Because it wasn’t. It was just meant to be a place where I could stay until I was ready to go home.”
“Your parents’ house?” Levi asks.
I nod.
He leans down and presses a tender kiss to my lips, then he takes the bag from me. “Let’s go, my muse.”