22. Levi
‘Ithought you said dumplings,’ Alexis said as they were seated.
Levi looked around the outdoor dining space. The Asian-fusion restaurant probably wasn’t the kind of place she expected, but Levi had a soft spot for it. ‘They have dumplings,’ he said, handing her the menu. ‘The bacon and kimchi ones are a favourite of mine.’
‘The menu is… more expansive than I imagined,’ Alexis said.
‘I recommend the banquet,’ he said. ‘That way, we can try a bit of everything.’
‘I thought this was supposed to be a quick dinner.’ She was watching him carefully, as if waiting for him to morph into the bastard he’d been earlier.
Levi shrugged. ‘We’re here now. We may as well enjoy it. You’re playing hooky after all. I should at least make it worth it.’ He smiled to let her know he was trying to make a joke and not reignite their argument from before.
After a long moment, where he thought he’d planted his foot firmly in his mouth again, she returned his smile. ‘Fair enough. As long as you don’t have a problem with sharing a meal with someone who is… how did you put it? Being dishonest?’
Levi huffed out a breath. ‘Touché.’
‘Let’s not talk about it anymore,’ she said. ‘As you said, we’re here now, so we may as well enjoy it. Plus, I’m starving.’
After ordering, Levi leaned back in his chair and examined the woman opposite him. He’d always found her attractive, but there was something different about her tonight, and he didn’t just mean her clothes and makeup. She was more relaxed in her skin… or something. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Whatever it was, he liked it. And he liked being here with her, even if he couldn’t believe she was sitting across from him. How had that even happened? Was it fate? He scoffed at himself. Levi didn’t believe in fate. Coincidences were just that, coincidences.
‘Why are you really doing this?’ he asked.
‘What do you mean?’
‘You don’t even like me. Why would you help me?’
‘I wouldn’t say that I don’t like you,’ Alexis replied, not looking at him.
‘So… you do like me?’
‘Let’s just say that I don’t actively dislike you.’
‘That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement,’ Levi said. ‘But I suppose I can’t blame you. I didn’t make a very good first impression.’
‘In your defence, you were sick,’ Alexis said, the corner of her lip tipping up in a crooked smile. He really liked her smile, not that he would ever dare say so.
‘And since then, we pretty much argue every time we see each other.’
‘Not every time…’ She looked puzzled, and then they both laughed. He liked her laugh too. ‘Okay, so maybe it is every time,’ she said.
‘For the record, I don’t dislike you either.’
Why could he never say what he really meant when he was around her? It was the reason they got into arguments. He always blurted out something defensive or belligerent or…
Their meals arrived, and the conversation stopped as they filled their plates. Alexis was a deft hand at chopsticks, which Levi appreciated. It made him wonder about who she was when he was not around. He hadn’t really taken the time to get to know her.
‘Okay, you were correct,’ Alexis said. ‘These dumplings are amazing.’
‘Right?’ He smiled as he watched her take a huge bite.
‘I have to admit, I didn’t expect you to like this kind of stuff,’ Alexis said after finishing her mouthful.
‘What? Why?’
She shrugged. ‘Your fridge is full of filtered water and kale. I know we had Thai once before, but I thought that was an anomaly.’
‘I look after myself,’ he replied. ‘But that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to have fun every now and then.’
Alexis snorted a laugh.
‘What?’ he asked, mock offended. ‘Are you saying I’m not fun? What lies has Elias been filling your head with?’
‘Let’s just say I’ve been given your MBTI personality breakdown. As well as your brothers’… both of them.’
‘I suppose Elias painted himself as the adorable, if misunderstood one?’
‘And Jonah is the golden child. Which you have already said yourself.’
‘What about me? What did my delightful baby brother have to say about me?’ Levi tried to make it sound casual, as if he wasn’t particularly interested. But he was. He wanted to know what Elias thought of him, or at least in what light Elias had portrayed him.
‘You are the rescuer,’ Alexis said. ‘And the peacemaker. Typical middle-child syndrome.’
Levi rolled his eyes. ‘He would say that.’
‘You disagree?’
‘I like to think of myself as the rational one. Sure, I take the role of mediator, but between Jonah and Elias, someone has to, or the family would be more of a mess than it is.’
‘And how’s that working for you?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well… in my experience, peacemakers and rescuers are always putting aside their own wants and desires for others.’
‘What about you?’
‘What about me?’
‘If I’m a rescuer and a peacemaker, what do you see yourself as?’
Alexis sighed and tipped her head up slightly, exposing the smooth length of her neck. It was hard to look away from her. Because he was interested in what she was saying… not because he was thinking about kissing her neck.
‘I think I’m still trying to work that out.’
Levi cleared his throat and tore his gaze away, focusing on the food on his plate. ‘Who were you before?’
‘Before what?’
‘When you still worked with your dad, who were you then?’
She smiled sadly. ‘I was the classic daddy’s little girl. I thought the sun shone out of my dad, and I fully believed he hung the moon.’
‘Now?’
‘Now I know he is just human, like everyone else.’
‘And that’s a bad thing?’
She didn’t answer, stuffing another bite of dumpling in her mouth.
‘Not something you want to talk about?’ Levi asked, hoping he hadn’t ruined the mood.
‘Not particularly,’ she replied after swallowing. ‘Talking about other people’s dysfunctional families is far more entertaining.’
‘Let’s change the subject,’ he said. The last thing he wanted to talk about was his own dysfunctional family.
‘Or we could just get drunk?’ Alexis suggested.
He raised his glass and clinked it with hers. ‘Deal.’
‘Let me pay half,’Alexis said, pulling out her wallet.
‘No,’ Levi said, handing over his credit card. ‘You’re doing this as a favour to me. The least I can do is pay for it.’
‘I can pay for myself,’ she muttered.
Levi accepted his card back from the cashier and turned to her. ‘Me paying for dinner is in no way a slight against your character, Alexis. If it bothers you that much, you can pay next time.’
‘Next time?’
‘Sure. Why not? We managed to get through dinner without throwing anything at each other. I’d call it a win.’
Alexis grinned back at him. It had actually been a really pleasant evening. Probably one of the best dates he’d ever had, even if it had been fake. Had it been fake? Sure, the pretence might have been fake, but they’d eaten a meal together like civilised adults, so… surely that counted as a date?
‘Where to now?’ Alexis asked, slipping her arm through his elbow as they left the restaurant.
Was it weird that he liked the casual intimacy of it?
‘There’s a great gelato place around the corner,’ he said. He didn’t want to go home yet. He wasn’t ready for the date to be over.
‘As good as gelato sounds right now, I couldn’t possibly eat another thing.’
‘Next time,’ he said, hoping there would indeed be a next time.
‘Next time,’ she agreed.
It wasn’t exactly confirmation of a second date, but at least it wasn’t a rejection either.
They walked home slowly. It was nice. Better than nice but he didn’t quite know how to classify it. Her hand remained tucked into his elbow, and there was a comfortable silence between them. He liked the press of her warmth against him and the occasional waft of her perfume that filled his nose. It was the same scent he’d noticed in his apartment from the time she spent there with Elias. And even before that, from the first time they’d met.
‘I love the city at night,’ she said.
‘Why?’
‘It’s pretty.’
Levi looked down at her. She had tilted her head up to speak to him and the city lights were reflected in her eyes.
‘It is pretty,’ he murmured, his voice rough. He didn’t give a damn about the city. She was pretty. He just wished he knew how to tell her without it getting awkward.
She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder as they continued to walk. They weren’t drunk. A little tipsy, maybe. Was that why she felt relaxed enough to get close to him? Or had she felt the attraction too?
Their steps slowed when they reached their building, as if neither one of them wanted the night to end… or was he projecting?
‘I’ll take you to your floor,’ Levi said.
‘You don’t have to do that.’
‘I want to.’
She blinked up at him and then nodded.
The elevator ride was quiet, and when they reached her door, Levi hesitated. He should turn around and get back in the lift and go home and straight to bed. But…
Alexis turned around to look at him, her back against the door. ‘Do you… want to come in?’
Yes. Yes, he did, but…
‘Maybe not tonight,’ he said.
‘Next time?’ she asked.
It had become some kind of code between them.
‘Next time,’ he whispered, his eyes dropping to her lips.
Neither of them moved, and time stopped.
‘Can I kiss you goodnight?’ Levi asked, his voice like sandpaper.
‘Yes,’ she breathed.
Levi took his time as he dipped his head toward hers. If she wanted to pull away, she could. The smart thing would be to peck her on the cheek and walk away but Levi knew that was not what he would do. He paused a breath from her lips and then let his eyes fall shut as he closed the distance between them.
Her lips were soft and warm and tasted like the wine they’d had with dinner. His heart hammered in his chest, and he was poised for her to push him away. But she didn’t. Her hands slid up over his chest and shoulders and around his neck, her fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck.
Levi relaxed into the kiss, pressing his body against hers. Alexis responded, tugging him closer and opening her mouth under his. His mind spun off into a million different directions, and all he knew was her and the feel of her. She was the only thing keeping him grounded. One hand planted against the door, he slipped his other hand around her waist and pulled her closer. She made a small sound that had all his blood rushing south and?—
‘Meow!’
The sound cut through the moment like a record scratch. Alexis jerked away from him, and he let her go, dazed. It took him a moment to collect his thoughts and make sense of what was happening.
‘I have to go…’ Alexis said, her voice trailing off as her eyes dropped to his lips.
‘Meow!’
He blinked and nodded. ‘Go,’ he said. It was the hardest two-letter word he’d ever said.
With one last glance, Alexis slipped into the apartment and closed the door, leaving him standing in the hall, wondering what the hell had just happened.
Oh, he knew he’d kissed her. That wasn’t the problem. The detonation inside him because of the kiss was what had left him reeling.