Chapter 5 Allie
FIVE
ALLIE
DREAMING
I walked down the hall with my legs shaking like a blade of grass in a tornado. I hated his presence. I hated what he did and what an ass he was.
I hated that I didn’t hate it quite as much as I wanted to hate it.
I selected a room at the end of the hall.
It had a queen bed covered with a luxurious white comforter, white bedside tables holding charcoal grey lamps, and even a vase of red and white flowers.
The view from the wide window was one that belonged on a holiday card.
The afternoon sun shined down on the mountains and trees which were wrapped in a thick layer of snow.
There was a bathroom containing a deep soaker tub (Yes, please), huge white walk in marbled shower, and a black and white swirly vanity.
I grabbed the first thing I could find out of my suitcase and threw it on because I didn’t give a rip about the other person in this house. Nope. I was staying in my room until everybody arrived.
I popped another pain reliever tablet, pulled the curtains shut, and crawled into bed.
My head sunk into the softest pillow ever, and I felt the first peace I’d had in hours.
While I was worried about my brain not allowing me to rest because of the huge problem downstairs, once the perfectly thick comforter that smelled like lavender was around me, I drifted off.
I don’t know how long I was sleeping when I started dreaming. My arm was nudged, and I cracked open my eyes to see the most handsome man in the world. The room was dark, and I hated to admit my past still owned a chunk of my heart.
Levi’s voice was low. “Hi.”
“Hmmm.” His smile alone sent a shiver up my spine, and I loved when he visited me in my dreams. “You’re here.” I closed my eyes and snuggled into my comforter. “Good.”
“How are you sleeping?” His voice was deep and quiet as it rolled over to me.
“Mmmm.” I wanted to sleep forever. “I’m so tired.”
“I wanted to check on you.”
I kept my eyes closed. “I like that.” I reached out and took his warm hand in mine.
He whispered, “The doctor said you needed to check your pupils every hour if you sleep.”
Alarms and bells went off in my head as I shot to a sitting position. “What?”
Oh crap, this wasn’t a dream; he was there and I’d held his hand. And was nice to him. WTH?
“Levi! What are you doing in here?”
He was on his knees on the side of the bed nearly face to face with me. “The doctor said if you slept more than an hour this afternoon, you needed to check your pupils.”
I scooted back. “I know that!” I ran my hands over my hair. He was leaning on my bed. Leaning on the bed for God’s sake! “I’m not stupid.”
“I didn’t say you were.” He stood. “Calm down, Langley.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down. Whoever calms down when told to calm down? You’re dumb.”
“Can I take a peek real quick and then you go back to sleep and hopefully wake up in a better mood.”
“No.”
His head tilted and his hair fell over his brow. “You let me check or I throw you over my shoulder right now and take you kicking and screaming back to the hospital. Do you hear me?”
“I’m good.”
His crooked smile was annoying as shit as he reached over and turned on the lamp and grabbed my magic eight ball. “What is this? Langley giving life choices over to magic?”
“Shut your face.” I tried to grab it from him but he pulled it away.
“Let’s let this little thing decide. Agreed?”
“Fine! If it’ll get you out of here!”
His big hands gave it a shake before he read. “Definitely fucking so.” He chuckled. “What kind of magic eight ball is this?”
My eyes rolled. “Shut up.”
Every nerve in me jumped when he sat on the edge of my bed. His face was inches from mine and my stomach twisted into a knot, and I hated it.
Well, maybe not totally hated it.
“I’m going to lean in a little so I can see your eyes, okay?” I felt his breath on my face and panic flooded me.
I nodded as my heart beat so violently I swore he must’ve heard it. I swallowed hard as he moved closer while the memory of our first kiss streaked through my mind.
My nerves were on full display while we sat with our feet dangling off of the Sugar Creek Bridge just outside of town surrounded by wheat fields. The sun had sunk over the horizon on a warm summer night in June with only the sound of crickets in the distance.
Now he was the man I’d hate forever.
When he leaned in the mattress dipped and everything in me went on a tilt when his emerald eyes stared into mine.
I held my breath as heat swirled up my spine.
I sat frozen for a long moment until he sat back.
“They look great.” He jumped up. “I mean they look normal. Yeah, your eyes there’re, uh, totally normal. ”
He flipped off the lamp. “I guess I’ll see you later.”
He exited the room quickly and pulled the door closed behind him as I gasped for air, and attempted to regulate my pulse which I was certain was at least five hundred beats a freaking minute.
But after a half an hour of reliving the most exciting eye exam of my life, my tummy was growling.
I dug in my purse and found three Jolly Ranchers, piece of gum, and a yellow Tic Tac which would not take the place of dinner very well.
Twelve minutes later I knew I had to get to the kitchen and hope a previous guest had left some snacks or something.
I was sure Levi was in a bedroom by now, so the coast was clear.
As much as I fought myself, before I headed downstairs I changed my clothes into black leggings and the blue Lululemon zippy jacket which I knew made my eyes look nice.
I’d like to say I brushed my hair, but my hair isn’t the brushy kind. My curls ran wild most of the time and while I used to straighten and attempt to tame, I’d just accepted the fact that they’ll never listen to me.
Did it stop there? Nope. Loser me put on mascara and a little blush topped off by lip gloss.
But it’s just because I believe in looking my best for myself. Yes, self-love is important.
Shut up.
I tip-toed down the stairs realizing this humungo house was eerily quiet. I imagined there were a zillion places a murder could hide and then kill me while I slept. Danger was around every corner.
I made it to the kitchen and scoured the cabinets to find nothing but condiments. Did I squirt some caramel sauce into my mouth and top it off with a shot of whipped cream from a can in the refrigerator? Of course not, that would be ridiculous.
The most annoying ring tone in the entire world pierced my ears, again, as Levi’s phone sat on the kitchen table across the room. I looked around and he appeared to be MIA.
My eyes were shooting in all directions when I took a few steps toward the table. I stretched my neck as far as I could and on his screen was the photo of a blond woman and my heart sputtered as the phone stopped ringing. I scolded myself; it had been too long to still feel the sting of Levi.
I shoved it out of my mind and walked through the kitchen and came upon a glass door leading to the indoor pool. This wasn’t just an “indoor pool”. This masterpiece belonged in an issue of Architectural Digest or on one of those million dollar pool shows on HGTV.
An oval pool was in the center surrounded by a complete wall of windows, floor to ceiling, with a breathtaking view of the snowy trees and mountains outside. Yes, one would be able to lie on a pool float while watching deer or whatever kind of animals were in the vicinity.
I walked inside with chlorine hitting my nostrils while humidity and heat wrapped around me. I could almost feel the curls on my head tightening up.
“Hey.”
I jumped and spun around to see stupid Levi in the hot tub. I attempted to control my internal body temperature as my eyes skimmed over his well-developed chest and muscular arms. Holy fudgeballs he was built.
He had a tattoo scrolling around his bicep that was sexy as hell, and my heart fell flat on its face at the sight of his other tattoo. Our tattoo. Holding hands while he insisted my initials be in the design was a dull pain in my stomach now.
As a smirk snaked across his lips I quickly looked away. “I didn’t know you were in here.”
“Yes, I see your never coming out has ended.”
“I’m going to get myself something to eat.”
“I’ll come.”
“No, you won’t.”
“First of all, if I recall correctly, your car is a mangled mess down a cliff. So unless you’re hoofing it, I’m coming.”
I needed him gone.
“Fine. Then I’m going to my room and—”
“I know, I know. You’re never coming out.”
“I hate you.”
“Yes, you’ve established that.” He pointed to a table in the corner. “Would you throw me that towel?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Get it yourself. I’m leaving in five minutes.”
His head shook. “Can you just toss me the towel, please?”
“No.”
With that the man stood up wearing only black boxer briefs. The nearly naked man with the perfect pecs and biceps. Holy shit! I quickly turned my head as he walked past me, and I spun the other direction. “What in the hell are you doing?”
“I asked you nicely to hand me the towel. Twice.”
“You’re offending my eyes.”
I heard a chuckle from behind me. “You’re no more offended then you were back then.”
The air swooshed out of me; I needed to be as far away from this guy as possible because his words were true. “You’re arrogant, and I’m calling a cab.”
I walked past him and he caught my hand. “I’m getting my clothes from the dryer and you’re waiting for me because you’re not getting into a car with a stranger. Not happening.”
I looked up at him as visions of being wrapped up in those arms marched through my brain like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I jerked my hand away and walked to the door. “I’ll be outside.”
I sat in his vehicle after digging in my purse and making the joyful call to the car rental company about my car and its location so they could tow it out.
Wow, it didn’t take long for the universe to blow up my first fucking day in Colorado.
Yeah, not everything happens for a reason.
Sometimes life just sucks. Screw you Zig Ziglar.
I watched Levi approach the vehicle and had a shot of pure joy entered my bloodstream when I laid on the horn and he jumped.
Once behind the wheel Jingle All the Way hit my ears, and I quickly flipped off the radio.
He grinned. “I thought some chipper Christmas tunes might be nice.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “An actual wood chipper would be better.”
“You’d kill me by wood chipper?”
“No, you’re too damn tall to just shove through the chipper.” I flashed him a toothy smile. “I’d have to cut you into pieces first. Then through the wood chipper you’d go ending in the perfectly deserved crime.”
“Glad to see you haven’t spent too much time contemplating my demise.”
“It takes a hot minute to come up with a murder plot. I’ve killed you five times in my mind already.”
His laughter was as annoying as a soggy donut. “I get it, you hate me—”
“I don’t want to hate you. Wait, that’s a lie. I want to hate you and touch your face with a shovel…really hard.”
He pulled onto the road. “This does not feel good. When did you say people were arriving at the house?”
“It’s all question marks with the blizzard.” I looked over. “But I doubt I’ll take you out at this time.”
“That should be comforting?”
“I’m not the least bit concerned about your comfort.”