by Lee Piper
“How’s it going?”
He opened his eyes and languidly looked down at me. “I’ve got plenty of material. It’s just…”
“What?” I was choosing to ignore my heart which had somersaulted at his last insinuation. Scarily enough, I also had to firmly remind myself to continue breathing as his gaze melted into mine.
He’d done it again.
I’d gone from relatively composed to panting in under five seconds.
“It just … doesn’t feel right. Being here.”
“With me?” There was no point in wishing my hysteria to have been less obvious, or for those words to have been unsaid.
“No, I didn’t mean that.” His eyes caressed my face and I visibly relaxed under them. “I mean being here, in Geographe Bay. It’s just too … mellow. You know?”
I nodded, completely understanding. For the past year I’d felt far too angry for this laid-back place. It was like I had been the only person who continuously felt jarred by these idealistic surroundings because they served as a reminder of how much I didn’t deserve them. And how much I didn’t belong. After all, how could I not feel contented under the blue skies, the gum trees, the tiled roofed buildings, and the lingering gaze of sun-kissed strangers? No idea. But somehow I’d managed to.
Freak that I was.
“And when you let me have it at The Hole, I knew you felt it too.”
“I was a bitch, Levi. Nothing more.”
“No. I mean, yeah, you were.” He laughed and I smiled back at him. “But that wasn’t all I saw in you. Not even close.”
And I couldn’t look away.
The fact that he’d immediately recognized this internal struggle I had been grappling with for what felt like an eternity, and also felt it too, suddenly made the intensifying connection between us so much more tangible. It wasn’t just physical anymore. What we shared was … real.
There was now a hell of a lot more to lose.
“Have you ever been to Melbourne?”
I shook my head, suddenly incredibly tired. “Have you?”
“Once, when my mum took me and Dom there to get away from Dad for a while.” He quelled my curious, though no less sleepy stare by adding, “That’s a story for another time, kitten. You look beat. I should go.”
“No, stay.”
He smiled.
“Tell me about it. Melbourne, I mean.”
So, he did. For hours his voice caressed my ears while I shut my eyes and let it wash over me. That strange, comforting feeling only he could conjure spread throughout my mildly drunken limbs. And for once, I completely relaxed. The last thing I remembered before slipping off into blissful oblivion was him gently removing the empty glass from my hands and the feel of his calloused fingers as they stroked my hair.
Heaven.
Chapter Seven
My suitcase is packed, I’m leaving.
My key to the lock is in your head,
The future’s bright for all.
-MONDEZ, “Riot”
When I woke the next morning, I felt strangely rested and knew that for once it wasn’t from the alcohol. I sat up and sleepily pushed the hair out of my face, catching out of the corner of my eye a folded piece of notepaper propped up against a novel on my bedside table. I didn’t even attempt to figure out how Levi had managed to maneuver me from the couch to my bed. Or even into my Hitchcock t-shirt. Instead, I focused on the note he had written and scowled when it read:
You’re beautiful, even when you snore. Pack a warm jacket.
What the hell did he mean by ‘snore’? I huffed. Never in my life had I snored. Ever. At least Dylan never mentioned it. Ignoring that embarrassing possibility, I decided to look closer at his handwriting and tried to match the man I had come to know with the dark scrawl emblazoned on the page. It was confident yet undeniably artistic script, particularly in the way he completed his ‘f’ and ‘y’ with a flourish. It was almost as though his ideas couldn’t be contained within the printed blue lines of the page. God, even his scrawl was arrogant.
I smiled.
I checked the clock on my phone that was laying next to the note and almost wet myself. Ten-thirty. I was supposed to be leaving for the airport in under an hour and hadn’t even packed yet. So I frantically fought off the covers, jumped out of bed and raced towards the bathroom, grabbing random items of clothing on the way. After quite possibly the shortest shower of all time, I threw on some ass-hugging blue jeans, ballet flats and a fitted black top. I knelt down and searched under my bed for the warm jacket I knew existed somewhere and thankfully found it next to my dusty suitcase. I dragged them both out, wiped them off and set about hurling inside whatever I could find that was both warm and clean. Once done, I quickly ducked back to the bathroom and scooped my toiletries into a small bag, before running back to my bedroom again and dropping it amongst what had already been packed.
I stopped and took a deep breath. In an attempt to slow my racing pulse, I took stock of what had been gathered and what was still needed. Books. I needed books. So I rummaged through the towering stacks on either side of my bed, threw half of them in my suitcase and an extra two in my handbag for good measure. I still felt off though. Surely, I’d forgotten something important. Levi had the tickets. He’d mentioned it in my semi-comatose state last night, so that couldn’t be it. It suddenly dawned on me.
Riley.
She was going to be arriving home today and would have no idea where I was. Apart from the occasional text message asking after her mother, I hadn’t been in contact with Riley. Though, she did say her mum was on the mend and that she was really looking forward to returning home again. Who wouldn’t after spending a week with that woman? But other than that, we hadn’t spoken.
Needless to say, I hadn’t said a word about what happened between Levi and I in the school cafeteria. Except to mention that the gods had conspired against me and he was now my student teacher. She’d replied with so many excited emojis that I had to delete the message to stop myself from printing it off, turning those fuckers into a noose and hanging myself with it. As horrible as it was keeping this secret from my best friend, I needed to be with her in person when I told her everything. After all, it was such an asshole thing to do to someone—hear that Dylan, you dickwad—to hide behind a text message or phone call when delivering bad news. I owed her that much at least. Only, there had been no time. Between the act itself, Riley staying at her parents’ and me heading off to Melbourne, the opportune moment had never arisen.
So, I quickly texted her about the conference and was ready to dial a cab when my ringtone started going gangbusters.
“Hey,” I answered, cringing at my breathy tell-all voice.
“Hey yourself, kitten. You ready?”
I nodded. Not my most intelligent of moments.
“Well?”
“I’m nodding.”
Levi chuckled and my knees almost gave way. I swear, that guy was going to be the death of those pathetic joints. “Okay then, get your ass downstairs. We’re waiting.”
“Who’s we?”
“Me and Dom. He offered to drive. Says he can’t wait to see the back of me for a while.”
I smiled. “Just give me a minute, I need to lock up.”
After hanging up I searched my room, ensuring that nothing had been overlooked. Once satisfied, I slung a bulging handbag over my shoulder before wheeling the suitcase through the apartment and out the front door.
It closed with a resounding thud behind me.
Levi was leaning up against a red and white 1959 Ford Thunderbird. Dad was a classic car enthusiast, he taught me well. Anything past 1983 was a wasted effort as far as he was concerned.
What, so now the guy was a male car model too? His ability to stand in the general vicinity of inanimate objects and suddenly make them look as sexy as all hell was seriously getting beyond a joke. My panties couldn’t take it. Which was probably why my eyes greedily raked his body from head to toe.
&nb
sp; Sweet God.
Black Ray Bans hid blue eyes, while a faded gray tank hung off his wide shoulders, exposing his muscular arms to mouthwatering advantage. The front of his shoulders and what I could see of his chest were completely covered in ink work. The tattoos must have coated his entire torso as well. It was official. I would gladly offer my soul on a pristine silver platter to Satan himself for just a glimpse at the rest of that body.
I gulped.
Levi’s tank was carelessly tucked into the waistband of a small section of his black jeans. Jeans that hugged his narrow hips in a way I futilely wished I could myself. On his feet were the combat boots that must have walked me from the lounge room to my bed last night.
I gulped again.
Damn it, girl, you’re gonna miss the flight at this rate.
I shook my head and fought the suitcase down a couple of stairs before Levi noticed my losing battle and came to the rescue. Like a knight in fucking armor. I rolled my eyes in annoyance at him and the corners of his mouth quirked up into a smile. Well, that was before he picked up my luggage and threw it over his shoulder, caveman-style. After that I just uselessly clung to the handrail for a minute because my knees had all but given up on me by this point. The way the muscles in his back and shoulders rippled with the ease of the movement as he strode back down the stairs was ridiculous.
Jerk.
When I blessedly reached the car, still upright, Levi had already deposited my suitcase in the boot. He stood waiting by the open rear door. Since his eyes were covered, I couldn’t read his expression as easily as I’d like, but I noticed a dangerous smile playing about the corner of his lips.
It matched my own.
I ducked my head and scooted into the backseat, grinning up at Dom. “Nice ride.”
“My pride and joy.” He grinned back.
Levi lowered his sunglasses and rolled his eyes at me. He then closed my door, strolled around to the front passenger seat and comfortably seated himself before shutting the front door behind him.
I took one last glance at the apartment complex as we roared out of the car park and could have sworn I spied Mrs. Jenkinson peeking out from behind her lavender curtains. The entire block will think I’ve eloped with two men by sunset. But I didn’t care. I had the windows down, the warm breeze teasing my unruly hair and Levi and Dom finally settled on their music choice for the journey. I leaned back. Contented. What was it about this guy that made me feel so damn … good?
One heck of a pent up sigh escaped me.
“So what’s in Melbourne?”
“For fuck’s sake, Dom. How many times do I have to spit it out? It’s a conference for Christ’s sake.”
“The thing is, bro, your mouth moves and words come out, but I honestly don’t give a shit.”
“Then don’t fucking ask.”
Dom winked at me through the rearview mirror and I smiled back. Listening to the two of them banter like fishwives was strangely comforting. And an irritated Levi was kinda hot.
I squirmed in my seat.
“How’d Riley pull up after our gig last week, Grace?”
“Pretty good, considering.”
“Yeah, she doesn’t seem like much of a drinker.”
“Did you figure that one out before or after she passed out on you, Dom?”
He laughed. “I knew we’d be buds, Gracie.”
I grimaced at the nickname and Levi snorted from the front seat. So I kicked the back of it. Hard.
“Jesus, woman. Watch the interior.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled to Dom, not in the least bit apologetic. Levi snorted again and I glared at the back of his head, willing it to explode all over the leather detailing through negative thought alone.
“So what does she do then? Riley, I mean.”
Levi turned to face Dom. “What’s with the sudden interest, bro?”
Dom raised both of his hands off the steering wheel in mock surrender, “Hey, no interest, man. I’m just having a chat with my good friend Gracie here, that’s all.” He looked at me through the rearview mirror again. “He’s been whining like a bitch all week. Must be that time of the month.”
Levi punched him in the arm and the entire car shuddered from the impact. “Shut the fuck up.” Only, Dom didn’t seem in the least bit injured. He just smirked at Levi’s obvious annoyance.
I wasn’t the only one who had experienced the longest week on record then.
Interesting.
“Say, Gracie?”
“Hmm?” I looked up at Dom and didn’t for one second trust the glint in his eyes.
“Maybe you should get my bro here laid while you’re in Melbourne. Consider it a school project or something.”
I swore under my breath and narrowed my eyes at him, relishing the sound of Levi’s second punch as it hit home.
My heart quickened as we pulled into the express drop-off lane at Perth Airport. All of the overthinking I’d tried desperately not to do during the last twenty or so hours rolled towards me like a seven-foot barrel wave. I tried to find my Zen through some deep breathing, mantra-style, only this time it did absolutely nothing. By the time I’d not-so-gracefully exited the car, Dom had already popped the trunk and Levi was placing our combined luggage on the footpath.
Combined luggage.
As in, we were both going away. Together. Days would be spent sitting next to each other in conference halls. Nights would be spent in adjoining rooms. And I somehow had to function rationally enough so I could report back to Serena on all the content covered over the five days. All the while trying not to kill anyone stupid enough to distract me from that colossal task. I groaned. It would take all of my energy trying to stop myself from acting on my pent-up sexual aggression alone.
Lord help me.
“Later loser.” Dom snapped me out of my inner meltdown by dragging Levi into a man hug of epic proportions. I was surprised there were no bones broken or teeth shattered during the exercise.
“Later.”
Dom turned and ruffled my hair, like I was a preschooler who’d finally learned not to eat from the sandpit or something. “See ya ‘round, Gracie.”
I smacked his hand away and he grinned.
“Feisty.” He then jumped back into his Ford, revved the engine until my ears almost bled and careered out of sight.
While standing on the footpath in the residual exhaust fumes, I felt that barrel wave of nerves peak, and crash into me. Knocking me backward.
I futilely wished Dom would miraculously return so he could act as a buffer between what I wanted to do so badly that it actually became a physical hurt, and what I knew I shouldn’t. But of course he didn’t. So, instead I attempted to gather my disintegrating splinters of self-preservation and hid them under a shitload of Smart Mouth.
Time to bring your A-game, Grace.
Turning around, I looked at Levi who was in the process of organizing his gear. Thankfully, I stopped short. “Really?”
“What?”
“A guitar? You brought a fucking guitar?”
He grinned at my disbelief.
“You’re planning on being the lunchtime entertainment during the next week then? Will you be taking special requests?”
“And how many books have you got in that case of yours, kitten?” He nodded in the direction of my luggage. “I’ve seen your bedside table. That bag’s full to the brim with Conan Doyle, am I right?”
“It’s none of your damn business what I pack,” I retorted, clutching my handbag closer to my side in an attempt to disguise the other two.
“Exactly. Let’s go.” He turned on his heel, leading the way through the entrance and towards the check-in counter.
Two minutes down, another billion or so to go.
I’d totally nailed it.
I didn’t nail it.
Not even close. Once the woman behind the desk managed to wipe away the drool which was simply oozing down her chin at the sight of Levi, and our luggage was safely placed onto the
conveyor belt, we moved through security. Only, the closer we got to our departure gate, the quicker my resolve evaporated. Which meant that before long, I was a bundle of nerves.
I can’t do this. I can’t be here, with him. Honest to God, it’s fucking impossible. This dawning realization irritated me like you wouldn’t believe.
“What is it?”
“Huh?”
“What are you thinking? You’re doing that tongue thing again.”
“Nothing. I’m not thinking anything. Enough with the third degree already, fucking hell.”
See?
We walked on in silence for a bit longer. I felt guilty for being as rude as all hell to Levi without good reason and the man himself remained strangely quiet. When we reached our gate, I couldn’t take it anymore. I immediately turned away and stalked towards the floor to ceiling windows, trying everything I could to lose myself in the planes bowling down the tarmac and taking off into the cloudless sky above. It didn’t help. But at least I had something to look at during my internal crisis.
God, I wished Dad was here. He always knew what to say when I felt like this. My mind traveled back to just over a year ago.
“Dad, do you ever get scared?”
He looked across at me, concerned. “Well, that depends on what you’re referring to, Monkey.”
I shrugged one shoulder. “I dunno. Life, I guess.”
“That’s a lot to be scared of.”
I stared out at the gray stormy water. Today, it perfectly matched the thick blanket of clouds hovering threateningly above. And my mood. “I just sometimes get this feeling, you know? Like, life as I know it is this temporary moment in time and at any second everything’s going to change. Only, I can’t do a thing to stop it.”
Dad nodded his head slowly, taking in what I’d just said. “But what’s to say change is bad? Maybe it’s exactly what’s meant to happen?”
“But I like my life the way it is now.”
He chuckled deeply and pulled me in close, kissing the top of my head. “Don’t be scared of change, love. Be scared of living an apathetic existence.”
