Chapter 14 #2
Arthur chuckles and looks at her. “Or the only kind worth it.” He taps his glass lightly. “Tell me this, Piper, how do you handle a man like Levi?”
I let out a small breath, glancing at Levi before answering. “I don’t let him think he’s always right.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Levi agrees.
“But when he’s right, I listen. At least I hope I do.” I’m referring to the career. Yes, we have this arrangement, but he reminded me of how badly I wanted my own business. Working for other people wasn’t going to cut it.
Something sensual creeps into Levi’s gaze as his eyes stay locked on mine. “I appreciate that, Butterfly.”
Arthur grins. “Butterfly. I like that.”
“It was the first thing I thought of when she drifted into my club with that fiery hair and that glittering smile.” That’s not him acting. I can tell. Those words are real.
“You two are a treasure,” Arthur gloats, then nods at Levi. “I really misunderstood you, son. You’re exactly the kind of man I want handling my business.”
Under the table, Levi squeezes my hand.
It’s working. Our act.
But it feels like we’re only convincing Arthur Lockwood because most of what we’ve said is real.
* * *
“We’ll head home in ten minutes,” Levi whispers into my ear.
“Thank goodness. My feet feel like they’re gonna fall off.”
He grins and pulls me closer, swaying slowly to the soft jazz music.
We’re back in the hall again, dancing amongst the sea of guests.
Couples glide across the floor beneath the chandeliers while laughter and music drift through the room in soft waves.
We’re finally free of the Lockwoods. They’re around somewhere, but we’ve been let off the hook.
The dancing is the final touch.
My feet are so numb, I can’t even dance properly, but I take comfort in knowing tonight was a success and we’re one event down. Five more to go. There’s another black-tie event next week, but everything tones down after with more casual events like beach parties and wine tasting.
“You did good tonight, Butterfly.”
The praise warms me. “I was so scared I was going to mess things up,” I whisper back.
He turns with me and shakes his head. “You were a real pro.”
“So are you. You sounded like you really knew me.”
“Maybe I know you more than you think, Butterfly.” His gaze lingers on me, the heat in his eyes reaching out to me.
I try to look away but find I can’t. I’m lost in his blue gaze, then the music changes to something more upbeat.
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Levi says, resting his hand on the small of my back.
“Sure.”
We head outside. Just as we reach the bottom step of the building, we’re bathed in flashes from camera lights.
The sudden brightness is blinding. Voices collide over one another in a frenzy of cameras and shouted questions. A group of reporters swarms us next, and I get another taste of Levi Vale’s world.
“Mr. Vale, over here!” shouts a reporter from the back of the group, holding up his camera.
“Levi! Just one shot!” says another.
They were all waiting like they do on TV.
Levi pulls me closer to his side. “Stay close to me,” he murmurs, guiding me forward.
“Is that your girlfriend?” someone calls. “The Chronicle would love a shot, Mr. Vale!”
Levi turns slightly toward them, his posture sharpening.
“Levi, just one picture!” another voice pushes through. “Give us something for the morning edition! Like a kiss!”
Levi looks at me and winks—a silent cue before he stops in the middle of the pathway.
He’s going to kiss me. And I’m not sure I can brace myself for it.
Because Levi doesn’t kiss halfway.
But this is part of the deal. The thing I agreed to.
My heart is suddenly beating far too fast, and it speeds up even more when he cups my jaw. His hand feels warm and steady against my skin while everything inside me turns chaotic.
We look at each other for a heartbeat before he lowers his head to my lips and kisses me.
His lips on mine shouldn’t feel so natural, like he’s the missing piece of me.
The world narrows and it’s terrifying how easily I melt into him.
The noise and cameras fade, and I feel like I never want to go back to a time when we’re not like this.
But then he stops. He pulls away, and the reporters go crazier than before.
“The Chronicle’s going to love that!” a man calls out. “Sorry, ladies, Levi Vale is off the market.”
He sounds like a walking headline.
“Let’s go.” Levi slips his arm around me and guides me past the crowds.
The cameras are still going, and my lips are still burning.
If he’s going to kiss me like that every time we have to do this, I’m not sure I’ll last. I thought fake kissing would feel more… fake. I know what his real kisses feel like. That back there was one of them.
As we reach the car, the door opens. We slip into the back seat and the world finally quiets again.
The driver sets off a minute later.
Levi glances at me but doesn’t say anything.
I can’t think of anything to say, either, so I keep quiet and gaze out the window.
We travel in silence. Thankfully, it doesn’t take long to reach my apartment.
The car pulls up outside the block, rolling to a stop near a group of guys. From the look of things, they’re either dealing drugs or taking them.
The shift from Manhattan glamour to whatever this is outside my apartment building feels brutal.
“I’m walking you inside,” Levi declares before I can say anything.
I’m not about to turn him down. Yesterday, some crazy guy was wolf-whistling at me and making cat noises. I thought he was harmless until he followed me down the stairs making the same noise. He only stopped when he saw the building’s super coming out of his apartment.
“Thanks,” I say.
We get out of the car. One of the guys looks at me, taking note of my dress.
Levi walks up to me and puts his arm around my waist.
The same guy is about to make a comment but stops when Levi flashes him a death glare. The look is enough that the guy instantly backs off.
We walk past the group and into the building, where there are more groups of people.
I haven’t been out this late before, so I didn’t know how busy it could be.
We take the elevator up to my floor, and Levi walks me to my door. He seems more relaxed now that we’re away from people.
“I don’t like you living here,” he says with a pointed stare, glancing down the corridor.
“I’ll be fine.”
“So you keep telling me, but there’s nothing fine about this place. Those guys downstairs were dealing.”
“But they are downstairs. Not up here.” I sound silly. He’s obviously right, but I don’t want him to catch on that I don’t like living here, either.
“Butterfly, come on now.” He gives me a thin stare.
“Hey, you’re breaking the rules already.”
“How?” He flicks his palms over. “I’m calling it like I see it.”
“But you’re not supposed to care about what I do outside our arrangement.”
He leans closer, menace lighting up his eyes. “We’re outside your apartment, sweetheart. That counts as a public area. Meaning I’m still your boyfriend.”
I roll my eyes at him. “Whatever. I’m gonna go inside, then, into my very private area, then you can stop being my boyfriend.”
He chuckles before his smile dims and he stares at me. I find myself wishing I could see inside his head. Then I’d know what he was thinking about me.
It’s a dangerous thought for someone who’s trying to be careful.
“Meet me at the club tomorrow,” he says in a low, almost commanding voice.
“What?”
“Come on, just come to the club and hang out with me.”
“Hang out?” Like last time?
“Hang out.” He says it like it’s really that simple.
God. I need to say no. Except I don’t want to, which is why I should say no.
Listen to me. I sound confused in my own head.
“That’s not part of our agreement. I doubt Arthur or Ellie Mae will be there,” I tease.
“You know they won’t. It’ll just be you and me in a place where you can enjoy a game of dares. That’s it.”
“I’m not so sure I should be hanging out with you like that. And every time I go somewhere with you, something crazy happens to me.” Technically, nothing happened tonight, but for me, that kiss was the crazy part.
He wags his finger. “I disagree. I call those things adventures. They make life interesting.”
I laugh, then I bite down on my back teeth when I note how serious he looks. “You’re not going to let me say no, are you?”
“You’re learning fast, Butterfly.” He winks.
I sigh, releasing a slow, thoughtful breath, then I nod just as slowly. “Okay. I will hang out with you at the club. But…”
“But what?”
“I can’t stay long. I’m staying over at Alexis’ place. She’s going with me to a viewing the next day.”
“Then I won’t keep you out for long. See you at eight.”
“See you at eight.”
He grins then does that cute thing from the other day where he presses his fingers to his lips, then touches them to mine. There he lingers, and the simple, harmless gesture is almost more powerful than the kiss we shared earlier.
He backs away, winks at me, then he’s gone.
I walk inside my apartment and lean against the door after I close it.
This is hard, and it’s just the beginning.
And now I have what is technically another date with Levi Vale.
Something outside our arrangement.
I’m breaking the rules, too.
But it doesn’t feel like a bad thing.