Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“Are you sure you’re the real deal?”
“Huh?” He rinses off the plates and puts them in the dishwasher.
“A man who cooks and cleans. Who’s nice to his mama. Single. Hardworking. Thoughtful. And has a golden retriever to match his energy. Do you realize you’re an anomaly?” I can’t even be mad or shocked at all the women who stopped him that day we went into town. They already knew he was a catch.
He chuckles. “Don’t flatter me.”
“I’m serious,” I tell him. “What skeletons do you have hiding in your closet? Do you have a wife and kids in another country or something?”
Levi wipes his hand on a dish towel, then sets it on the counter. “Nope. Nothing in there but some cobwebs and handfuls of failed relationships. Probably some old ornaments and expired candy canes too. And that’s the truth. I don’t have anything to hide from you, Fallon. I’m an open book.”
I search his face and can tell he’s not lying. He has no reason to, but I still find it unbelievable someone hasn’t won over his heart.
We go into the living room, and Levi turns on the TV but hands me the remote.
“My turn to shower,” he says, and I nod.
I flick through the channels, and land on a holiday movie because that’s all that’s on. It’s not like I’m watching it anyway.
Once Levi is out of the shower, he comes downstairs to let me know he’s going to bed.
“Good night, Fallon,” he calls out.
“Night,” I tell him. Dasher looks at me, then back at him before he follows up the stairs. I stare at the ceiling, hating that I’m fighting a war within myself. And for what, exactly?
When the exhaustion takes over, I turn off the TV and make my way upstairs. As my feet touch the top floor, I stop and look at Levi’s closed door. Placing my palm on the wood, I slowly turn the knob and walk in. The Christmas tree in the corner is lit, and Dasher’s asleep on his dog bed. I take a few steps forward, my nerves getting the best of me.
I haven’t walked into his room since that night we hooked up, but I’ve wanted to so damn bad.
Levi rolls over and his eyes flutter open. He lifts the blankets without questioning why I’m in here. When I crawl in, he pulls me closer to his warm body. His strong arm wraps around my hip, but I spin around and face him.
When Levi’s lips slowly part, I lean in and slide my mouth across his. The kiss deepens as our tongues tangle together, and I’m nearly breathless by the time I pull away.
“What was that for?” he asks.
“You looked like you needed it,” I say, repeating the words he said to me earlier.
When I roll over, Levi’s strong arm captures me, and his warm breath tickles my neck. Though I live with some regrets in my life, telling him our night together was a mistake is another one. If I could take it back, I would in a heartbeat, but maybe it’s for the best.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
LEVI
DAY 12
With only two days left before the festival this Saturday, the last thing I should be doing is taking a day off work. But it's exactly what I do.
Fallon's scheduled to fly out on Sunday, and I haven't been able to take her to the ski resort outside of town.
A part of me is taking her for selfish reasons because I want to spend more alone time with her, especially after yesterday's turn of events.
But I also want her to experience the slopes for her article.
After she crawled into my bed last night and kissed me, I knew the spark between us was still ignited. There's no denying our physical attraction and chemistry, but there’s more sizzling between us than that.
The way she opened up to me, and shared personal details about her mom, drew me even closer. Not only has she embedded herself into my home but under my skin as well. It’s hard to imagine what life will be like when she’s gone.
"All packed?" I tap my knuckles on her door and smirk when I see Dasher lying on her bed while she shoves things into her bag.
"I think so."
"Great, we can head out then. Gotta take Dasher to my parents' first."
When Fallon walks past me, I grab her suitcase. "Let me."
"Okay, thanks." Her eyes meet mine as unspoken words float between us. Neither of us brought up the two kisses we shared yesterday, but waking up with her in my arms had me wanting to stay in bed with her until noon.
She lifts her computer bag and maneuvers it over her shoulder as Dasher and I follow her downstairs. Though she hasn’t shared many details about her article, I hope she’ll let her heart guide her. Once we drop off Dasher and chat with my parents for a few minutes, we hit the road. Fallon plays with the radio until she finds a station that isn't playing Christmas music, and I chuckle at how her avoidance has returned.