Chapter 3 Tess #2
That lingering daze had me agreeing to go to the local dive bar and allowing Luke to stay at Anna’s until I was ready to go home. She swore up and down that she’d call the second she thought I needed to come get him, and then practically tossed me into Levi’s car.
Which was where I was now. Slowly dying inside because I couldn’t stop talking. “…so I told the librarian I love you instead of I love your sweater. I was so embarrassed that I left without returning the books in my bag and never went back. I think I still owe a fine.”
Levi’s laugh was rich and thick as it echoed through the silent car. I was probably driving him nuts, and he was just too nice to say it. “Sorry. I…I tend to ramble a lot,” I sighed heavily, my eyes falling shut. “Jeremy always hated it, but it’s like—”
My eyes shot open at warm fingers on my chin, turning my head. Levi’s stare was intense, his eyes like dark emeralds in the dim lighting. “I love your rambling, Tess. Don’t ever apologize for it.”
I blinked quickly, caught off guard. “O-Okay.”
After a beat of eye contact that made it hard to breathe, he nodded and let my face go. “Stay there,” he said, and got out of the car. Moments later, he was opening my door, just like he had when I got in.
I hadn’t even realized we’d parked.
My head was airy as we walked inside with Levi’s hand hovering at the small of my back. If he did have a girlfriend, she was the luckiest woman in the world because I’d never been treated so well.
Music blared through the speakers when the door opened, hitting me like a slap. The music, on top of the loud chatter of the crowd, had me freezing in the entryway. Levi’s hand slid from my back to my waist as he came to my side. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“You gonna go in or not?” Some guy behind me snapped. I flinched.
“Back off,” Levi growled at him, and we shifted to the side out of people’s way. He stood in front of me now, but I couldn’t stop looking around at the crowd. If I needed to get out and away, it’d be hard to. “Tess.” My eyes snapped to Levi’s. “Do you want to leave?”
I found our group over by the bar and saw how happy they were. I didn’t want to keep missing out like I had been. I didn’t want to forever stay the youngest, struggling to keep up. I wanted to be a part of it, be an active member of this large, wild family I had.
I shook my head. “No. I wanna go in.”
Levi’s expression softened with something like pride. He grabbed my hand, pulling me with him into the chaos.
And I could’ve sworn I was levitating.
A shot glass was pressed to my lips by Delilah the second we made it to the bar, and my stomach turned as I swallowed the whiskey down after toasting to Colt and Brittany’s engagement. I coughed, smacking my chest. “That’s so gross.”
“Don’t like it?” Levi’s voice rasped in my ear, sending chills through me.
I shook my head, unable to form a thought, let alone a word.
“What do you want?” I turned, finding his face almost level with mine. His hand was braced on the bar beside me, his expensive watch glinting in the light.
I wanted his mouth on mine. It was that plain and simple. Except there was nothing simple about it, considering he was my only chance at a life without Jeremy. And there was that pesky possibility he wasn’t interested in me like that. I was nearly certain of it.
My gaze flicked to his mouth. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
His voice was low. Just for me. “No.”
The relief I felt was equally inappropriate and exhilarating. “How come?”
He shrugged casually. “Just haven’t found the right girl yet, I guess.” His gaze roamed over my face, something I couldn’t decipher in his eyes. “What should I get you to drink?”
“Whatever you’re having,” I found myself saying.
A moment later, a light red drink was pressed into my hand. “What’s this?”
“A vodka cranberry with Sprite.”
I laughed out loud, my brows shooting up. “You drink this?” Levi seemed like the type to drink things like scotch or old fashioneds or something.
He was already sucking on his straw, frowning at me with mock hurt. “I’ll have you know this is delicious. A delicacy, if you will.” He tipped his chin towards mine. “Try it.”
He hadn’t steered me wrong yet, so I listened.
He was right. They were delicious, and after two of them, I was more relaxed than I’d ever been in my entire life. And probably a little drunk, but Anna texted me that Luke was fine, so I went with it.
“I Don’t Want This Night To End” by Luke Bryan was playing, and I was leaning against the bar, watching everyone out on the dance floor. “Hey!” I frowned at Levi, who took my glass out of my hand.
“Come on.” My body flooded with heat when he took my hand and pulled me into his arms. “I want to see you dance.”
A half-terrified, half-excited laugh shot out of me as he twirled me, the packed bar spinning around me.
Purple and blue lights swung around, making Levi’s features even more intoxicating.
He was grinning at me, his heartbreaking dimples on display, while we danced circles around each other without a care.
It was freeing in a way I never expected. Exhilarating and fun. I wasn’t beaten down, paranoid, timid Tess. I was someone else. Someone who let her hair down and had fun.
All because of Levi.
I was obsessed and was an idiot for letting myself slide down this slippery slope again. It was just like this with Jeremy. Two interactions, and I was in love.
But I knew in my gut this was different. That Levi was different.
Our bodies awkwardly smacked into one another while we were trying to line dance, and my head fell back, laughing wildly.
Levi’s hands settled low on my hips, steadying me. “Tess.”
“Yeah?” I said between fading laughter.
His eyes glittered as he looked down at me, a soft smile on his face. “You’re beautiful when you laugh.” I stopped breathing altogether. “Beautiful always, but especially when you laugh. Your whole face just…lights up.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but a fight on the other side of the bar broke out before I could. Levi immediately shielded me with his body, and I peeked around him, finding Beau, Emmett, and Colt dragging a furious, screaming Weston out.
“Oh my God!” I shrieked, pushing past Levi when I saw Delilah walking with a humiliated Savannah right after them.
Safe to say the night was over after that, but maybe it was for the best. A sign from the universe to stop me from getting even more wrapped up in Levi than I already was.