Page 16 of Choosing Happily Ever After

She groaned a little, but made no move to wake up.

There was no help for it.

Levi slipped from the truck and went around to her door. He opened it slowly, careful not to jar her. He leaned in and unbuckled her before pulling her gently into his arms. She groaned and nuzzled her head against his chest.

Holding her was quite possibly the very best feeling in the world. Levi took in a deep breath and held her closer before turning toward the house.

Hope never used to lock the door, and he hoped that hadn’t changed. He shifted her in his arms and tried the door handle.

Locked.

Dammit.

He really didn’t want to have to put her down. Not for anything. But as willing as he was to do it, he couldn’t stand on the porch with her all night. He glanced around, his eyes landing on the ledge above the door.

It was worth a shot.

Levi stretched as far as he could without dropping her and reached for what he hoped would be a key. Sure enough, his fingers wrapped around metal.

A moment later, the key was in the lock and he was inside.

It had been years since he’d been in the Turner house. But he remembered it as if it were his own. He’d spent so much time there, preferring Hope’s family to his uncle’s company more often than not. And Mr. and Mrs. Turner had been so warm and welcoming to him. No doubt they’d thought he would end up their son-in-law one day.

He couldn’t help but wonder what they’d thought of him after he broke Hope’s heart.

A stab of guilt hit him in the chest.

He’d never be able to apologize to them for hurting their daughter. They’d died four years ago. Logan called to tell him. It was the only other time Levi had been tempted to return to town. To be there for Hope.

But she likely wouldn’t have wanted him. Not then, when her heart was already fractured into a million pieces. He only would have made it worse. And the very last thing Levi wanted to do was cause Hope any more pain.

He looked down at her face, even more beautiful in sleep.

No.He’d never hurt her. Not again.

Levi made his way up the stairs and hesitated at the top, unsure whether she was still in her childhood bedroom. The one he’d snuck into more times than he could count. Second door on the left. He remembered it well. But ultimately he turned right, toward the master suite. Hope would have moved into her parents’ old room.

Sure enough, the moment he walked through the door, he knew it was Hope’s space. Soft and simple. The bed was made with an oversized white duvet and pale-blue throw pillows. Carefully, he pulled the covers back and laid Hope down on her sheets.

He slipped her boots from her feet, but that’s as far as he went. She’d be mortified to find that he’d undressed her, even if it would be more comfortable.

And he’d seen her naked hundreds of times before.

That was a detail he definitely didn’t need to be reminded of. Not ever.

Staying strong against temptation, Levi pulled the blankets up over her and kissed her on the forehead. “Good night, beautiful.” He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek and forced himself to slip from the room despite the fact that every cell in his body demanded to stay.

ChapterFive

Hope

The next morning,Hope woke feeling as if she’d been on an all-night bender. Her head ached, her stomach cramped and clenched, and inexplicably, she was still wearing her clothes from the night before. She hadn’t been drunk. Not from one beer. She’d cut herself off after only one because she’d been so tired, she didn’t want the beer to make her even more drowsy.

She rubbed at her head and that’s when she remembered.

A kiss.

On her forehead.

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