AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Seventeen
Abby
We end up spending almost two hours at the chain bookstore, staying close to closing time. When we leave, I have three new books to add to my bookshelves, and Levi has two. Both books are ones I edited: my first one and my most recent. He even promised to get all the ones in between, but I won’t hold my breath. The only books in his apartment are the ones with naked women pictured in them.
The ride back to town is light, fun, and easy. Sure, he’s my best friend and we obviously get along, but this is more than that. There’s chemistry and this now-familiar sexual tension filling the cab with each closing mile towards our building. When we reach the outskirts of town, words seem to evaporate completely. I keep stealing glances his way, and so is he. It’s an erotic slow dance towards something bigger than either of us could be prepared for. Sure, probably sex, but it’s more than that.
Much more.
When Levi parks his truck in the back of the lot, he unbuckles his safety belt and shuts off the truck. Without the hum of the diesel engine, the silence in the cab is almost eerie. “Wait there, and I’ll come around for you,” he says, his hazel eyes looking darker than normal under the glow of the moonlight.
Unable to speak, I nod. He makes quick work of jumping out and coming around to the passenger side. As he has all evening, he’s there, opening the door, and waiting for me to slide closer. At first, I was all about making sure all of my bits and pieces were covered by the skirt. You know, don’t wanna show off the goods on the first date. Though, that’s probably what Levi’s used to from other women.
By the time I slide out for the final time tonight, I don’t care much about the placement of my skirt. My body is humming with anticipation, my heart beating out of my chest with nerves. Will he kiss me? Should I invite him into my apartment when we get upstairs? If I do, is it expected that I’ll have sex with him?
Again, I’m completely out of my league on this whole dating thing. Panic starts to set in as I think about ruining the date. I’ve done so well all night, but now, at the end of the night, I’m going to mess it all up. He’ll run across the hall screaming. He’ll never want to speak to me again. I’ll lose my friend.
“Angel, I’m not sure what just happened there, but you suddenly look like you just lost your puppy.” My eyes fly up to his and the impact is instantly calming. “Breathe, sweetheart. I don’t think you’ve taken a breath since you got out of the truck,” he adds, caressing my cheeks with his big hands, never once letting his gaze waiver.
Exhaling deeply, I keep my eyes on his. “That’s better. What just happened there? You were smiling when I opened the door, but by the time I had you on the ground, you looked terrified.”
“Just getting trapped in my own head,” I mumble, choosing to be vague but honest. Levi knows me well enough to be able to see right through any lies.
“I was afraid of that.” Wrapping his arms around my back, he pulls me in close. So close I can feel the firmness of his chest and other parts against my body. “Come on,” he adds, leading me towards the apartment. The entire way, he never lets go of my hand.
We’re silent as we walk up three flights of stairs, my feet starting to protest with each step I take. I’m not used to wearing heels or wedges for any significant length of time in light of the fact I work from home. Heck, most of the time, I’m still in yesterday’s clothes until about noon. Totally gross, by the way.
When we reach our floor, I’m mentally contemplating what I’m supposed to do. Do I walk to my door and hope he follows? Go to his door? He answers the unspoken questions for me when he leads me towards my door. My gut drops to my shoes when I realize he’s ending our night out–our date.
Reaching my door, I grab my keys from my purse, not realizing that I didn’t have them already in my hand the way I was taught. Dread fills my body, replacing the desire I had just minutes ago.
Before I can insert my key, however, Levi turns me to face him. “Confession time. You ready?” I’m shocked he whips out our old game we used to play when we were younger. When one of us would call for a confession time, we each had to confess something that the other didn’t know. It’s been years since Levi and I have shared a confession, and I’m not sure why he would pull it out right now.
“Okay.” I’m not sure if that word comes out a question or an answer.
“I’ll go first. I had a really great time tonight.”
“You did?” My voice sounds shaky, even to my own ears.
“Yeah, I did. Actually, great isn’t even the right word. What’s better than great?” he asks, arching his eyebrow upward and giving me an easy smile. “Your turn.”
“Um, okay, well, as you know I haven’t been on a lot of dates, though for a while, they were always just first ones. I guess what I’m trying to say is that this was the best one I’ve ever had.” His face lights up, his smile widens. “And, I guess if I was still confessing, I’d say that I was really nervous about tonight, but even more so about now.”
Levi reaches forward and caresses my cheek. “I was nervous too. For the date, but not now. Know why?” Unable to find words, I shake my head. “Because being with you in any setting–on a date or otherwise–feels like the most natural, easy thing in the whole world. Because it’s you.”
My heart just literally stopped beating and my lungs seize up. I’m sure that my face, right now, is comical–mouth hanging open, eyes the size of saucers. But his eyes don’t hold the humor I would expect. Instead, they darken and start to smolder. My entire body shivers, but not from any cold air. It’s from his look; I feel it clear down to my soul.
“Are you still nervous?” he whispers, leaning into my personal space, but not moving his hand from my cheek.
I try to speak, but it comes out a croak. You know, like a frog. I basically regress to an aquatic amphibian. Kill me now.
“Don’t be nervous,” he whispers, inching closer and closer until our lips are a mere whisper apart. I can feel his breath fanning against my dry lips. My tongue slips out, sliding along my bottom one. His eyes dart downward as if he’s transfixed on the movement.
His free arm wraps around my back, pulling me flush against his body. I’m pliant and move easily, letting him lead. I wouldn’t know what to do in this situation if it were to slap me upside the head. See what I mean? I’m wrapped in my best friend’s arms, probably about to be kissed by him for the first time, and my mind is reminding me ever so unpleasantly that I have little to no experience in this kinda situation.
Moving his hand from my cheek to my hair, he whispers, “Abby, I want to kiss you. I want to kiss you more than I’ve ever wanted to kiss anyone in my life.”
“That doesn’t sound horrible,” I whisper back, mortification sweeping up my neck and staining my cheeks.
