But he just sighs and shakes his head. “I’m up now.”
I tilt my head towards the coffee pot. “Coffee?”
Levi glances at it as he steps closer, but instead of reaching for a mug, his hands slide around my waist, pulling me in as his lips meet mine.
I set my cup down and wrap my arms around him, pulling him closer and feeling the warmth of his body against mine as everything in me melts into him.
He exhales softly as we pull apart with a faint smile touching his lips. “I like waking up here.” Then he huffs. “Well. Not at four fucking AM, but… with you.”
A smile tugs at my lips as I look up at his hair and lift a hand to run my fingers through it to tame it a bit. Although… I like it messy like this. “Get used to it then.”
Levi groans, reaching for my coffee and taking a drink just as Winston bursts through the door.
“He likes it,” I say, nodding towards him as I take my mug back.
“He likes everything,” Levi replies, turning towards the living room. He starts picking up his clothes and pulling them on while he grumbles about how early it is.
I lean back against the counter for a moment, watching him with a smile.
Of course, this all feels natural.
It’s Levi. There’s no way it couldn’t.
Once we’re both dressed, I pour myself another coffee to take with me, and we head down the driveway.
Winston trots ahead with his nose to the ground, sniffing everything along the way and glancing back every few steps to make sure we’re following.
“Oh,” I say, slowing to a stop as my gaze lands on my grandparents’ house, where soft light spills through the windows, and Papa sits on the porch.
Levi follows my gaze, then looks back at me. “What?”
I pull in a breath and start walking again. “Mama gives me breakfast every morning.”
Levi smiles. “That’s nice.”
I nod, but worry rises. “They’re going to wonder why you’re here with me.”
“Well!” Papa pushes to his feet with a wide grin as we reach the bottom of the steps. “Isn’t this a nice surprise!”
“Morning,” Levi says, looking up the steps at him with a smile of his own.
And my heart thumps hard as I wonder how we’re going to explain this.
“Levi!” Mama beams as she steps out of the house with a paper bag in her hand and her housecoat wrapped snuggly around her. “Good to see you here this morning!”
“You too,” Levi says, heading up the stairs into her open arms for a hug.
I stay where I am, my eyes flicking between everyone, as this apparently doesn’t seem to faze any of them.
“If you’ll just wait,” Mama says, patting Levi’s chest as she starts to turn towards the door, “I’ll make another breakfast. I’ll be quick.”
“No, no,” Levi says, taking the paper bag from her. “That’s alright. I’m heading home anyway.” He then looks at me and holds the bag out with a smirk. “Might even get a couple more hours of sleep beforemywork starts.”
I huff a breath through my nose as I climb the steps to take it, and glance between my grandparents again.
Mama squeezes my arm, smiling up at me. “Morning, honey.”
“Morning,” I say, trying hard not to look confused.
