Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Levi
The lights in the restaurant are dim, casting a warm glow over the tables set with white linens and flickering candles. The scent of fresh flowers mingles with the faint hum of conversation, and for a moment, I’m back to the beginning—our first date. The night I knew Tania Caldwell was someone I’d never be able to forget.
I’ve spent the last few days planning every detail, making sure this night feels like the first time all over again. The same restaurant, the same table in the corner near the window, even the same wine we shared that night. It’s a grand gesture, sure, but it’s also a piece of us—a memory I want to remind her of.
When she walks in, my breath catches. She’s wearing a soft blue dress that flows around her like water, her hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. Her eyes sweep the room before landing on me, and for a moment, her expression softens.
“Tania,” I say, standing as she approaches. “You look stunning.”
She raises an eyebrow, though there’s a faint smile playing on her lips. “This is... familiar.”
“That’s the idea,” I reply, pulling out her chair. “I wanted to take you back to where it all started.”
She hesitates for a moment before sitting, her hands smoothing over her dress. “You’ve been busy, haven’t you?”
“Only for you,” I say, my voice low but steady. “Always for you.”
The dinner begins with cautious conversation, a dance of words that feels both familiar and new. We talk about work, the city, the restaurant itself. But as the night goes on, the walls between us begin to crumble.
“Do you remember the first time we came here?” I ask, swirling my glass of wine. “You ordered the salmon, and I couldn’t stop staring at you the entire time.”
She laughs softly, shaking her head. “You were so nervous. I think you dropped your fork twice.”
“Three times,” I admit with a grin. “I was trying to impress you, and I was terrified I’d screw it up.”
“You didn’t,” she says quietly, her eyes meeting mine. “That night was... perfect.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the chest, and I lean forward, my voice softening. “I want to give you that again, Tania. Not just tonight, but every night. I want to show you that I can be the man you deserve.”
Her smile falters slightly, her gaze dropping to the table. “Levi, I don’t know if it’s that simple.”
“It’s not,” I say, reaching across the table to take her hand. “But nothing worth having ever is.”
The drive back to the penthouse is quiet, the air between us heavy with unspoken tension. When we step inside, I lead her to the living room, where soft music plays and the faint scent of vanilla lingers in the air.
“You planned all of this?” she asks, glancing around.
“I wanted it to be perfect,” I say, stepping closer. “For you.”
Her eyes flicker with something I can’t quite name—hope, maybe, or uncertainty. “Levi, I don’t know what to say.”
“Then don’t say anything,” I reply, my voice low. “Just let me show you how much you mean to me.”
I brush a strand of hair from her face, my fingers lingering against her cheek. She looks up at me, her lips parting slightly, and I can see the conflict in her eyes.
“Tania,” I murmur, my forehead resting against hers. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“That I want to believe this is real,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “That I want to believe you.”
“It is real,” I say, my voice firm. “And I’ll spend every day proving it to you.”
She doesn’t respond, but the way her lips meet mine says everything. The kiss is soft at first, hesitant, but it quickly deepens, the tension between us igniting like a spark to dry wood. My hands slide to her waist, pulling her closer as her fingers tangle in my hair.
The night unfolds in a blur of passion and vulnerability. Every touch, every kiss feels like a piece of the walls between us crumbling away. It’s not just physical—it’s emotional, raw, and real in a way that makes my chest ache.
“Tania,” I murmur against her skin, my voice thick with emotion. “You’re everything to me. Everything.”
She looks up at me, her eyes glistening. “I don’t want to lose myself again, Levi.”
“You won’t,” I say firmly, brushing a tear from her cheek. “Not with me. Not this time.”
Her lips find mine again, and the rest of the night is a whirlwind of love and longing. The barriers between us dissolve completely, leaving only the truth of what we feel for each other.
As we lie tangled in the sheets, her head resting on my chest, I trace slow circles along her back, my heart full in a way it hasn’t been in years.
“What now?” she asks softly, her voice drowsy but filled with curiosity.
“Now,” I say, pressing a kiss to her forehead, “we start over. Together.”