“Who wants dessert?” Mary asks. Duncan and Austin both raise their hands in the air, Duncan giggling when it happens.
“Okay, then. Austin, you’re on ice cream duty. Hey, Duncan,” Mary says as she pushes her chair back, “help me clear the dishes?”
Wordlessly, Duncan does as he’s told, following Mary into the kitchen as Austin does the same, turning back to wink at Levi and me as he exits the room stage right. Leaving us alone for the first time since all the yummy kisses.
“So.” I turn in my seat, facing Levi. “He asked me if I wanted to be a mom today.”
Levi, who had been taking a drink of his tea, chokes. “He what?”
Slowly I nod, my shoulders shaking with laughter. “He’s pretty smart that kid, more than we probably give him credit for.”
Levi’s eyes stay trained on the door leading to the kitchen. “I worry about him finding out about this whole thing.”
“Which thing? The court case with him at the center, or the part where we’re engaged but not really?”
“Both,” Levi responds, looking at his hands as they twist in his lap. “He’s really opening up. The way he’s communicating with all of us is slow going, but it’s happening. I know a lot of that is the trust you two have.”
I shrug. “But he needed time to settle in, too.”
“He’ll start therapy this week,” Levi whispers, his eyes locked with mine. “I’ll go with him but just be there in case he wants me in the room.”
Instinctively, my hand reaches out for his. “Good. I’m glad you’re doing that for both of you.”
His eyes drop to where my hand covers his, and he smiles. In the next room, there’s a commotion and laughter as Austin does something to make Duncan giggle, his laugh like a melody.
“I feel like I need to ask you how you’re doing after the other day.” Levi’s eyes slam into mine. He drops his voice an octave, gripping my hand tighter. “Because I can’t stop thinking about kissing you.”
The things I’m not prepared for in life are few. Earthquakes go on the list because we’re in North Carolina. Being invaded by pirates, too, since we’re in the mountains and not on the coast.
We can also add Levi Porter giving me sexy, hooded eyes again as he tells me he can’t stop thinking about kissing me to that list as well.
My hand flies to my lips as a low heat hits my cheeks. “I know I’m totally blushing right now.”
He smiles, this lazy, beautiful, sexy grin that drips from his lips as he looks at mine, taking his time bringing his eyes north. “You are, but that color pink looks mighty fine on you.”
His hand squeezes mine and a warmth fills my belly. Warm from the food, from the family time, from the love in this room when all the Porters are in it, and for sure one hundred percent warmth and fire and heat from the fact that this man is hitting all the right notes.
“Are we doing the right thing here, Levi?” I say in a whisper.
He stares at me for only a brief moment before he takes my hand and raises it to his lips, kissing the back of it as he keeps his eyes on mine.
“I hope so.” He gently puts my hand back down, staring at where our hands are tangled in my lap. “Because I really likekissing you, Georgina Simpson. And I really want to do it again and soon.”
I’m overwhelmed with the giddiness that flows through my body; there’s, like, ten thousand sparks of energy that are flicking off and on inside me. Part of me wants to revel in all of this, just enjoy the ride and see where it takes us, but the other part of me is so nervous. My heart feels like it’s doing the Macarena, skipping beats and then racing ahead. I can’t seem to stop the silly grin that’s spreading across my face, nor do I want to. It’s like my whole world just got a Technicolor makeover, and I’m living in a rom-com montage.
But underneath the excitement, there’s a hint of fear, a nagging voice in the back of my mind asking, “What if this changes everything?” This man has become one of my good friends, and if we don’t do this right, that could go away. There’s also Duncan, and we need to keep him a priority as well. After all, he’s the one all of this is for, right?
I let my other hand find its way to his jawline, stroking it slowly with my forefinger. This man doesn’t have a chiseled jaw, it’s sculpted to perfection, and I let my fingertips dance as I lean closer to him. My fingers find his lips, slowly stroking them as he closes his eyes.
“You’re making me crazy,” he growls, his lips beginning to curl upwards. “Is it time for me to kiss my fake fiancée again or are there limits?”
I’m about to open my mouth to respond when a tiny, familiar voice suddenly pipes up.
“What’s a fake fiancée?” Duncan asks.
FIFTEEN
Levi
