Page 38 of Into the Fire
Levi stayed quiet beside her for a while, the two of them now sitting shoulder to shoulder on the porch, the last light of day fading into the kind of dusky blue that made everything feel a little softer. Crickets had begun their routine song, and the world felt just hushed enough to allow the truth to settle between them without the sharp edge from before.
She turned slightly, she wasn’t looking at him—just down at her free hand, fingers picking gently at the distressedknee of her jeans.
Eventually, she spoke, her voice small.
“I didn’t think you’d come out here. I thought that you were done.”
His chest tightened. He hated that it was what she was used to. One bad bump being enough for someone to walk away. He hated that he’d put that look on her face. That uncertainty. That hurt.
“I don’t wanna be done with you,” he said quietly.
She finally looked at him then, something uncertain but vulnerable in her gaze. “Then you can’t act like you’re just a bad day away from pushing me out.”
Levi exhaled, deep and shaky, and shifted closer. “I know,” he murmured. “I’ve been so used to doing everything alone, I’m re-learning how to make space for someone who actually wants to be here.”
His hand gripping hers this time, lacing their fingers together. “But I want to learn. I want to get it right with you.”
She blinked, tears pooling in her eyes. She let herself lean into his side, her temple resting lightly against his shoulder. He turned just enough to press his lips to the top of her head, lingering there—an apology in the quiet way he held her.
“Let’s do it again,” he said against her hair. “I’ll make it up to you.”
“What do you mean?”
Levi leaned back just enough to look at her, his eyes still a little heavy from the weight of the day, but something new flickered in them now—resolve.
Emery blinked. “Do what again?”
Without answering, he stood, squeezing her hand and hauling her gently to her feet. She let out a small, startled laugh as he tugged her inside, back through the screen door, into the kitchen, where the air still smelled like the dinner she had made that now was cold as it sat on the stove.
“Levi—what are you doing?”
He didn’t answer right away. Just moved with purpose. Grabbing his keys, his wallet, his pocketknife, and shoving each one back into his jeans pockets like he was resetting a scene. Like he was hitting rewind on the last four hours.
She stood at the stove, where he'd left her, watching as he turned to her with a fire in his expression she hadn’t seen in days.
“I’m gonna walk through that door,” he grinned slowly. “Just like I should have after not seeing you for two damn days.”
“Levi—”
“No.” His voice was firm, but not unkind. “I could kick my own ass for walking in here, seeing you—you in my kitchen, looking the way you do, and not kissing the hell out of you like I meant it.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “You were tired.”
“I was a goddamn idiot.”
Before she could argue or agree, he stepped out onto the porch, gave it half a second, then opened the door like a man arriving home to something he wanted.
“Are you seriously—” She didn’t get to finish.
He was across the kitchen in three long strides, one hand cupping her jaw while the other curled around her waist, pulling her up onto her toes as he kissed her—deep, confident, unapologetic. His mouth moved over hers like he meant to make up for every second of silence, every cold word he’d thrown.
Her hands flew to his shoulders, gripping tight as the kiss stole the air from her lungs. She could taste the heat of the day on him, something earthy and raw and entirely Levi.
When he finally pulled back, his lips hovered just over hers, breath warm, one hand still holding her neck gently.
“Hey, baby. I missed you.”
“You’re ridiculous,” she whispered, dazed.
