Levi finally looks at me, eyes wide. “Okay?”
“Yes.” I nod. “We are friends who did something impulsive after a night of being vulnerable with each other. It happens.” I’m not sure about that last part since it’s never happened to me, but sure, let’s go with that.
He clears his throat. “Yes, agreed.”
After an awkward pause, I announce that I’m going to get ready for bed.
As I turn to the bathroom, he begins to talk. “Be ready by eleven tomorrow. Kami, Em, Cam, and Jake are meeting us at the mall.”
I look at him over my shoulder. He’s completely back to normal, and I’m still feeling confused, horny, and dazed.
“What? Why?”
He smiles. “It’s a surprise, but it is relevant to your list. Let’s just say we’re checking two things off before your big audition.”
And with that, he winks, says good night, and shuts the door to the room.
What the fuck was that?
LEVI
The second I close my door, I try to catch my breath again and adjust my pants, mentally cursing at my dick to calm the fuck down. I really, really hope she didn’t see it straining against my jeans or feel it during that hot-ass kiss.
I look at my bed, knowing I’ll have to jerk off to the thought of that kiss to get any sleep. I’m the one who stopped it from going further, and I did the right thing…I think.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
And now what I’d been fearing since the night we sang together has happened.
Stevie Winters is officially in my head.
Chapter Fifteen
LEVI
Igot four hours of sleep last night after what happened in the living room. When I woke up this morning and walked into the kitchen, I expected things to be different. I was nervous as fuck. After all, the kiss was intense, hot, and passionate, and I also teased her and myself like a motherfucker.Andit was after I had told her about an extremely intimate and vulnerable part of my life. Something my friends have learned about in passing, but never the real details of. I’m not sure why I did it. Stevie’s easy to talk to, and that’s exactly why shit like last night can’t happen again. The thoughts I had, the things I wanted to do, they would’ve had her running out of this apartment in a heartbeat. Which is why I said we’d regret the kiss.
All my nerves disappear when I step into the kitchen and find Stevie in a great mood. Not only is she humming along to “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder, but she also made us an amazing breakfast: omelets, turkey bacon, and Irish buttered toast.
A couple of minutes later, we’re eating at the breakfast nook in the kitchen and laughing about how her dad and moms met. Everything’s back to normal, as if nothing happened.
“Let me get this straight.” I take a bite of the rye toast. “Your moms wanted a baby, and your dad volunteered to be the sperm donor because he wanted to help your moms out and be a father. But he also wanted nothing in his life to change, even with a kid on the way?”
Stevie shrugs, and it’s clear that my words hit a nerve.
I put a hand over hers. “I’m sorry, that came out wrong. I’m trying to understand.”
She looks down and swallows harshly, taking her hand away. She gives me a tight smile.
“Not everyone understands. I barely did.” Stevie picks at her food. “Growing up, he was Uncle Marco, and I didn’t know he was my biological dad. His schedule was hectic, and he’d give me presents whenever he visited. When I went to his place, a town over, he gave me junk food and told me to keep it a secret.” The smile she gives me now shows all her teeth, and I’m happy she accepted my apology.
“When did you find out?” I ask.
She furrows her brow like she usually does when trying to remember something.
“I think I was about five. They didn’t wait long. I had already started asking questions, and they didn’t want to lie.”
I nod and finish the rest of my breakfast.
