29. Sienna
Chapter 29
Sienna
T he rain's slowed to a misty drizzle by the time Levi pulls up outside the apartment door.
We made sure to wait until Julian was in the shower before I snuck him out.
For a second, Levi doesn’t move. Just sits there, watching me with eyes that make me feel so seen. Then he cracks that smile that could melt ice caps.
I clutch my hoodie tighter around me. Not because I’m cold, but because I feel like I might float right out of my skin if he looks at me like that for one more second. I make a move to go to his truck, but he holds a hand up to stop me.
He reaches back to grab something before opening his door and jumping down. It’s an umbrella. He pops it open, and holds it high over his head, making his way toward me.
“It’s barely raining, Levi.”
“My girl doesn’t walk in the rain if I can help it,” he says sternly.
My girl. God, I love the sound of that.
He holds the umbrella over me and leads me to the passenger door of his truck, opening it for me and holding a hand out to help me up.
“Thank you,” I say, batting my lashes.
“Careful. You do that too much and I might just take you into the backseat,” he warns, before shutting the door and walking over to the driver’s side.
I look back into the backseat. It’s impeccable. Like it hardly get’s used. It wouldn’t be a bad place to hook up, if we were in a pinch.
He shuts the door and tosses the umbrella to the back, eyes catching on my own as I’m still turned and looking at it.
He grins. “You’re thinking about what I’d do to you in that back seat, aren’t you?”
I scoff. “Please, what do you think I am a nympho?”
He puts the truck in reverse, eyes still watching me.
“Could’ve fooled me last night,” he says, teasingly.
“Maybe you’re the insatiable one, Mr. Steele.”
He shakes his head. “Oh no, baby. That was all you.”
I smile and buckle my seatbelt. Taking in the feeling of this moment. Just the two of us. No one around to interrupt. No one giving us looks.
It’s nice.
My heart’s still doing cartwheels from this morning, from his invitation to come to breakfast with him and Josie like it’s the most natural thing in the world for us to do together.
We drive in easy silence for a few minutes, the wipers humming across the windshield, the world gray and still waking up around us.
It’s peaceful. Almost too peaceful for the buzz in my chest.
I glance over at him, hand on the wheel, bicep flexed, as he rubs his chin in thought. My eyes glide over the swirl of ink he has that starts at his hands and goes all the way up his arm disappearing into his sleeve.
It’s beautiful, like the man that wears them.
Then I remember the name. The one on his rib that I saw last night.
"The tattoo on your side," I say, voice soft as it breaks the silence in the cab.
Levi’s knuckles tighten just slightly around the steering wheel. "Yeah."
"Is it… someone you lost?" I ask, because somehow I already know the answer.
He doesn’t speak for a second, just exhales low.
"Yeah," he says. "Tripp Dalton. We served together in Iraq and Afghanistan. Was like a brother in every way that mattered.”
He looks over at me. “Your dad knew him, too.”
"What happened to him?" I ask gently.
"He survived the war over there." Levi’s throat works as he swallows. "But… he didn’t survive the one he fought once he got home."
The words land like stones pummeling my chest.
I reach across the console without thinking, covering his free hand with mine.
He doesn’t pull away.
Instead, he shifts his hand tangling our fingers together, resting our joined hands on his thigh.
"You know," I say after a while, voice barely more than a whisper, "we should dedicate the build-off bike to him."
He smiles, but it’s sad around the edges. "Already got a bike for Drew."
I glance over, wanting to hear more.
"You remember that bike I told you not to touch? First night you walked into the shop like you owned the place?"
A slow, stunned smile curves my mouth and realization clicks into place like a puzzle piece.
“The one you nearly bit my hand off for wanting to touch? That’s his?" I whisper.
Levi nods. "Built it when we had the show. He never got to ride it."
Oh my God… the man who called Levi, Ace. Of course.
His words hang between us, heavy and full of all the things we don’t say.
I squeeze his hand tighter.
“I have a confession to make.”
He looks over at me. “Okay?”
“I touched the bike. When you weren’t looking. Just to spite you. That was… that was so immature. I’m sorry, I had no idea.”
He chuckles, low and rough. "Don’t worry about it, Angel."
“You sure?”
“Positive. Tripp would’ve loved for a pretty little thing like you to touch it. Hell, he would’ve asked you to jump on so he could take you for a ride.”
He smiles as he says that. And the air feels lighter because of it.
I grin. "I might’ve taken him up on that offer. I’ve been known to be a little reckless."
"He would’ve had to fight me first," he says, playfully. “And probably Brody, too.”
We lapse into silence again, but it’s warmer now. Familiar.
He runs his thumb over the back of my hand, slow and deliberate.
"You have no idea how bad I wanna tell everyone you’re mine," he says, voice low, almost pained. "Wanna pull you into my lap in the middle of the damn shop. Wanna tell every guy who looks at you that you’re already fucking taken."
My throat goes tight.
"Me too," I whisper. "I want that too."
He glances over at me, and for a second, we just… breathe.
Then he sighs, dragging his hand through his already tousled hair. "But–”
“It’s complicated,” I say for him.
He nods. And it makes my heart ache in longing for something that we just can’t have. Not now, at least. Not with how fresh everything is.
We drive for a beat in silence, the rain hissing softly against the roof. Our hands stay locked together as we turn down a long gravel road with a two story home at the end of it. It has a wraparound porch on it, with many rocking chairs.
That must be his home.
"Theo’s got a thing for you, you know."
I blink, caught off guard. "What?"
Levi chuckles. "You really didn’t notice?"
"He’s just... nice to me," I protest.
Levi smirks. "Yeah, Angel. He’s nice. That’s what it looks like when a guy your age wants to be more than just friends."
I sink back into the seat, mind reeling.
"He looks at you like you hung the damn moon."
My cheeks heat.
"I didn’t know," I mumble.
Levi huffs a soft, almost fond laugh.
"Hey,” he says softly. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Just... be careful not to hurt him."
I nod. Heart twisting a little.
He must be thinking of his son when he says we can’t be more than what we are right now. The last thing I want to do is tear another piece of Levi’s world apart.
He pulls into the driveway and cuts the engine.
The front door swings open and Carter steps onto the porch, Josie tucked into his side like she doesn’t want to let him go.
“Well, if it isn’t the big dawg back from wherever the hell he got lost last night,” Carter says.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Levi says, jumping down from the truck, coming over to my side to open my door. I jump down.
“Hey! No judgement here,” Carter says, hands up in surrender. “Hi, Ms. Riley.”
“Hello, Carter,” I say, not giving anything away.
Josie pokes her head up from where she’s been hiding behind him. Her dark curls bounce around her face and she beams when she sees Levi and I approaching.
“Hey bug. How’d Uncle Carter treat you?” Levi bends down and opens his arms to receive a hug. But Josie doesn’t stop at Levi, she side steps him and comes straight for… me?
She tugs gently on the hem of my hoodie, showing me the colorful beaded bracelet on her wrist.
I crouch down, smiling wide. "That’s beautiful, Josie. Did you make it?"
She nods emphatically, her whole body just buzzing with pride.
I reach out and trace one of the beads with my fingertip, and she smiles, bouncing on her toes.
When I glance up, Levi’s watching us.
Something raw and deep flickers in his eyes. Something that looks dangerously close to hope. For a second, I let myself imagine it.
A different universe. A different life. One where the world isn’t stacked against us.
Where Levi doesn’t have to hide how he feels.
Where I get to be his. All the way.
I smile at Josie and let her drag me toward the porch, feeling Levi’s gaze burning into my back the whole way.
Maybe it’s crazy.
Maybe it’s impossible.
But I feel it.
And maybe, I’m crazy enough to want it too.