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)
“There was a murder downtown,” he mutters, pulling me inside his apartment and closing the door behind us.
“I’m so—” My words end as I’m backed against the wall and his mouth crashes down on mine. The second his tongue slides across my bottom lip, my lips part and my fingers fist the fabric of his shirt to hold on. No one has ever kissed me the way he does. No one has ever made me feel the way he does—like he’s marking me, claiming me as his. When he pulls his mouth away, I pant, keeping my eyes closed, needing a second to recover.
“I’m sorry about breakfast, baby.”
“It . . . it’s okay.” I blink up at him. “I understand.”
“Yeah.” He smiles, dragging his thumb down over my lips and chin. “My girl gets me.”
His girl. Man, I love the sound of that.
“Go enjoy the rest of your morning with your family.”
“Okay,” I agree, but he doesn’t move to let me go, making my stomach feel warm once more. “You need to get ready,” I remind him, wishing he didn’t have to. He bends his head; his mouth touches mine once more, this time so tenderly that I almost don’t feel it.
He takes a step back, pulling me from the wall, muttering under his breath, “Never hated my job before.” My legs get weak, and my heart pounds. “I’m off tomorrow—we’ll go out.” He opens his door, and I look up at him.
“Tomorrow’s Sunday,” I say as he surprises me by taking my hand, locking our fingers together for the short few steps to my door.
“Do you have plans?”
“Um . . .” I pause. “No, no plans, just Sundays I always do my laundry and clean.”
“All right, we’ll hang at your place while you clean, then order in food.”
“It will be boring for you to hang around while I clean.”
“You have a TV, babe. I’m good with hanging on the couch watching a game. I just want to spend some time with you.”
“Are you sure?” I ask as we stop outside my apartment.
“Are you gonna be there with me?” he asks, and I frown.
“Do you mean will I be at my house while you’re there?”
“Yeah, babe, that’s what I mean.” His lips twitch.
“I’ll be there,” I confirm like a dork.
“Then, yeah, I’m sure I want to be there with you.” He leans in, kissing my forehead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I nod, then look across the hall to his door, worrying my bottom lip.
“What’s wrong?”
“Can you call and let me know when you get home?” I ask, then immediately drop my eyes from his, because that probably sounded clingy and girlfriendish. “I mean, just so I know you’re home safe.”
“It might be late when I get back,” he says, putting his fingers on my chin, pulling up until my eyes meet his once more.
“You don—”
“You gonna be worried about me?” he questions, searching my face.
“No . . .” His eyes narrow, and I blow out a breath. “Yes,” I grumble, and he smiles softly, rubbing my chin with his thumb.
“I’ll call.”
“Okay.” I pull in a breath through my nose, then lean up on my tiptoes, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Be safe, Levi.”
“Always, gorgeous. I’ll talk to you later.”
“’Kay,” I whisper against his mouth when it touches mine. “’Bye.” I drop to my flat feet, then turn and open the door, stepping inside. I give him a wave as he steps back.
“Later, baby.”
“Later,” I agree, watching him head across the hall to his place. He stops to look at me once more before he goes inside.
“Kiddo, breakfast is ready,” Dad says behind me, and I shut the door and turn to find all eyes on me.
“What?”
“Oh, you’ve got it bad.” Libby grins.
“Whatever,” I mutter, moving toward the kitchen.
“I don’t know, I’d say Levi is the one who’s got it bad,” Mom says, studying me thoughtfully. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man more in want than he is.”
“I don’t like it,” Dad says, and I pull my eyes from my mom to look at him and see that same look in his eyes that I saw right before I left a few minutes ago.
“I thought you liked Levi.”
“I like him just fine, but—”
“But what?” I cut him off, feeling my face fall.
“I want a different life for my girls than the one I subjected your mom to. Can’t you find a nice teacher or a doctor to date?” So that’s his sudden problem with Levi.
“Darling,” Mom whispers, and he shakes his head at her.
“No, I know how hard my career has been on my family.”
“Your career has given us a beautiful life.”
“All the holidays I missed, birthdays, anniversaries?” He shakes his head, rubbing his hands down his beard. “I know that was hard on you and the girls.”
“Dad, none of us suffered,” Mac says softly, and his eyes go to her. “We knew your job was important, and we also knew that you and Mom would find ways to make up for the times we missed out on with you. I don’t know about Libby or Fawn, but I never felt like I missed out on anything.”