Page 45 of Leviticus
“So I am crystal clear here. You are a person whom I hold dear, Ruth.” His eyes met mine, and those butterflies started fluttering once again. “Well, it is absolutely lovely to meet you, Ruth. I would like to officially ask you out on a date.” His words hung in the air for a moment. I wasn’t sure if I was flustered from this kiss on my hand, his confession about my being one of the people he held dear, or if it was his request. A date?
“You want to take me on a date?” I repeated dumbly.
“Yes, Ruth. I do. I would like to take you on a date this afternoon if you are amiable.”
“Levi, we aren’t supposed to leave the house hardly, let alone the property,” I whispered and he chuckled.
“First of all, you don’t have to whisper. The Elders can’t hear you here. Second, who said anything about leaving the property? I would like to take you on a picnic lunch.” I sat there dumbfounded, his words barely processing in my befuddled brain. “It’s customary to answer such a request in the affirmative or to politely decline, lovely one,” he laughed.
“Oh, yes. Um. Well…” I stammered. “Yes, Levi. I would be honored to accept.” I finally managed to mangle the words out. His grin grew impossibly wider, that boyish charm shining through his smooth and sophisticated exterior (insert: go back in early chapters and make sure you’ve described him as well polished and put together, and that it’s all an act for the most part).
“Excellent! Yes, that will be perfect. Okay, it is the end of September so you will want to dress warmly, but of course you know that,” he rambled off, his forgotten breakfast sitting on the table as he jumped up and began walking across the dining room, more like pacing, with excitement. “We will meet here in the kitchen promptly at 12:30 if that is alright with you, of course.”
He looked at me with such hope.
“Yes, of course,” I answered quickly. “But Levi…”
“And then we will go have a picnic lunch. I know the perfect place here on my property. I don’t have much. Didn’t want much, truth be told. No where near as much land as Malachi has, but it suits me well. Regardless, there is this perfect little spot that overlooks these trees and —”
“Levi,” I tried again.
“Hmm? What?” His pacing stopped as he came back to me.
“Please sit.” He sat down in his chair once more and I covered his hand with my own. “I need you to know that last night? When you didn’t ever come to bed? That bothered me. I don’t want that to be our life; that when we are cross with one another or when we are busy, we completely push the other person aside for whatever reason. I need you to end your day — end our day — as husband and wife. Is that okay?” I asked with as much sincerity as I possessed.
“I hear you, Ruth. I truly do, and I won’t just disappear on you like that again. You have my word,” he spoke, promising me and matching my sincerity with his own. I squeezed his hand and we shared a smile. “Okay, well neither of us touched our breakfast and it’s cold now,” he laughed.
“Oh goodness! I’m sorry, I just —”
“Ruth? I’m teasing you. Breathe.” He picked up both plates and threw a wink my way, making those butterflies activate once more. “Why don’t you go take a relaxing bath just because you deserve it. Then get ready and we will head out for our official date.”
“On one condition.” I decided to push my luck. “Well, make it two.”
“Well, well, well,” he smirked, crossing his arms over his chest after setting the dishes on the counter to be cleaned. “Look who’s showing a little sass.”
Part of me wanted to immediately cower and feel ashamed for it, but I had seen a side of him these last twenty-four hours that told me it was okay. He had shared so much with me. If he wanted me to accept him as he was, he could accept me, too. At least in small doses.
“Perhaps,” I coyly smirked, shrugging.
“Please elucidate, my lady.” He gave a theatrical bow that had me giggling.
“First, I would like a kiss,” I admitted, with only the slightest of heat grazing my cheekbones.
“I think I can manage that.” The smirk slid from his face as his eyes heated. He slowly walked towards me and my mouth went bone dry. When he looked at me like that he —
All thought ceased as he leaned down towards me. With one finger he tilted my chin up and he kissed me. Slowly. It was a chaste kiss in the fact that he did not open to me nor I to him. Yet it may have been the most important kiss we had ever shared. Even more so than the one we shared on our wedding day.
This kiss wasn’t one of duty or honor. It wasn’t one born of passion or lust, either. No, this kiss spoke a promise that we committed to one another right then and there. A promise to open our eyes. To see each other for who we were and to accept one another. I promise to discover love together. To discover a path to a marriage unlike the ones we had been surrounded by our entire lives.
This kiss was everything.
It lasted ages. It lasted mere seconds.
I wasn’t entirely sure, but before I knew it, he was pulling away, looking for the most part just as breathless as I.
“And the second?” he finally muttered.
“Hmm?” I questioned, my brain still foggy, which made him laugh. I liked Levi laughing.
