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“Fuck, Levi.”He lifted me, his hands squeezing my ass cheeks for a tighter grip, my legs straddling his torso, holding on for dear life.How did I get so lucky?I’d dreamt of this moment for a long time, possibly since I set my eyes on Levi Parrish. I might not have known it yet, but he was my destiny. All my life, I’ve felt empty, like a part of me was missing. But here, with him, I felt whole.This is what it feels like to have everything you’ve ever wanted.Our lips glued together, he didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to. It was evident we both wanted this, craved this. Even time his lips touched mine, my knees melted. It was a good thing he held me in his arms, because I most definitely wouldn’t have been able to stand on my own without losing balance.His taste, his smell, his voice, all had me lost, struggling to remember where I was or how we’de gotten to this point. But still, a part of me didn’t care to find out. We were in each other’s embrace and that was enough.It would
The place was loud and buzzing, bright overhead lights, pop music blasting from speakers, pins crashing in every lane. The scent of buttered popcorn and disinfectant made me weirdly nostalgic. Kids ran past us in neon shoes, a couple of teenagers were dancing by the claw machine, and a group of older men were arguing over who cheated in their last round.“I haven’t bowled in forever,” I admitted as we waited in line to check in.“I’ve never bowled,” Levi said casually.I gaped. “You’re kidding.”He shrugged, unconcerned. “Wolves don’t exactly do league nights. Plus, I’ve never really had the chance.”“So you brought me here…to lose?”“I brought you here,” he said, leaning slightly closer, “to see what you look like when you’re having fun.”I pretended not to melt as I picked out a ball.The game started like this: I showed him how to hold the ball. He watched me with that concentrated stare that made it impossible to focus. I tried to keep my attention on the goal, rolling my first sh
I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t this.Not the polished black car with its sleek frame glinting under the last sliver of sun. Not Levi stepping out, dressed in a dark button-up and jeans that clung just right, like he’d actually thought about what to wear. Not the way his gray eyes found mine and didn’t immediately look away—like I was something worth pausing for.For the first few seconds, neither of us spoke. I gripped the flowers tingling around my fingers.“You look…” he said finally, then stopped to clear his throat. “Nice.”“Nice,” I echoed, trying not to smile too much. “Wow, you sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”His lips twitched. “Would you prefer stunning? Beautiful? Breathtaking?”I looked down at my dress. “Nice is fine.”“No,” he said softly, as he opened the door for me. “It’s not. You look amazing.”That shut me up. I slipped inside the car, my heart doing this slow, warm tumble that I wasn’t ready for. I’d expected something casual—a cafe, maybe a
This was the first morning in a long while that I woke up smiling. I didn’t even remember falling asleep. One moment I was staring at the ceiling and reliving Levi’s voice asking to take me on a date, and the next, the soft chirping of birds was slipping into my dreams, nudging me awake. My pillow smelled faintly of the forest, and I swore my heartbeat hadn't slowed all night.I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and caught sight of my reflection in the mirror across the room. My hair was a wild mess of dark waves, and there was a stupid grin on my face I couldn’t quite shake.Just as I was about to head for the shower, a knock sounded on my door."Astraaaa," Valerie sang from the hallway. "Don’t tell me you’re still asleep."I opened the door, and there she was, already dressed, her red hair braided back, her lips wearing a smirk.“Valerie?” I hung my head in confusion. “What are you doing here?“Important business.”"Do not start," I groaned, stepping aside to let her in
This was the beginning of something beautiful. I just knew it.Levi and I didn’t just bond, we became one. At some point, he accepted that I was fine, and engaged in fun and reckless activities with me. We splashed around, meditated, held our breath under the water—which he proved he was better at.It was amazing.Levi definitely proved he was capable of enjoying himself when he wasn’t worrying about losing control, worrying about my safety, or trying to please his father.Beneath it all, he was a teenager who just wanted to live his life the way he saw fit.As it grew darker though, the former Levi began to creep in. He wasn’t just worried about ignoring his duties in the packhouse, he was worried about what my father would say. He wanted to get me home as soon as possible before Julian found another way to discredit him.“I had fun today,” I said as he drove away from the woods, my hair still dripping with water, and my clothes slightly sticking to my moist skin.He looked at me, sm
I woke up thinking the events of the day before was a dream. But one look at the head beside me told me otherwise.The steady rhythm of Levi’s breathing beside me made my heart yearn, warmth feeling me up inside. The faint scent of pine and ash that always clung to his clothes engulfed my senses. The sun was slipping through the slats in the curtains, casting golden lines across the room. Almost like we were in a place out of a fairytale, or maybe it was just the effect Levi had on me.My leg was finally done healing. No more ache or pain, not even a slight scar to indicate there was ever a bruise there.I sat up slowly, inspecting the once ruined limb that had kept me bedridden for two days. The bandages had been removed at some point, and smooth, unbroken skin stretched over where the gash had been.It was like it had never happened.Levi stirred beside me. His eyes opened slowly, groggy at first, until they locked onto mine and he jolted upright. “You’re awake.”“You stayed all nig