Already Designed

by Xavier Neal

  Staring at his sleeping face, I scold, “This is why they have stunt doubles.”

  “It is not,” he faintly argues back.

  My body flies to the edge of my chair. “Are you awake?”

  “Do I talk in my sleep?”

  The sarcastic retort receives a wide grin. “I’ll do a live video on Facebook next time you get chatty with your eyelids shut.”

  Levi smiles and reprieve burrows itself into my bones. His head angles my direction, eyes burning bright. “Hey, babe.”

  I reach my hand over to connect with his. “Don’t. Don’t casually say hi. You scared the shit out of me, asshole.”

  He lightly chuckles. “But not enough for you to call me by my name.”

  “No.”

  Shhhh. Don’t tell him I’m lying!

  “Liar.”

  “Maybe.”

  His thumb gently strokes my hand. “I’ll be okay, Kadence.”

  “You don’t even know what’s wrong with you yet!”

  “You’re here,” he smoothly counters. “That’s all I need to be okay.”

  Ugh. Even in a time of crisis he sounds perfect. See why it makes it hard to believe the shit he says to me.

  “You were stung by a jellyfish.”

  Levi doesn’t look stunned or even bothered. “Hazard of the water. She’s usually a loving mistress, but even she has a bad mood swing occasionally.”

  Regardless of his easy-going disposition, distress clings to my speech. “You could’ve died, Levi. Don’t you get that?”

  He doesn’t reply. Instead, he takes a moment to drink me in. My wavy hair is all over the place. I’ve got wrinkles on my shirt from nervously twisting it. There’s even mustard stains on my jeans thanks to Marlz convincing me not to listen to my boyfriend’s pleas on an empty stomach. I look like he should feel, yet he’s staring at me as if I just finished painting the ocean his favorite shade of blue.

  “You were the last thing I remember thinking about, Kadence,” he vows with so much adoration in his voice it stumbles me backwards. "You’re the first thing I think about when I wake up. You’re the first thought that pops back into my mind when my brain shifts from the role I’ve become, back to me. The real me. The me who is looking you in the face right now and telling you there’s nothing between Lynn and me. The me who will quit his job right now if it means I get to keep you.”

  Tears torment my tone. “I’m not Anna, Levi. I would never ask you to do that.”

  “No, but I would because you’re more important than she ever could’ve become. Because you are the most important thing in my life, Kady. From the day we met I’ve been willing to put in whatever it takes to be with you and that’s one thing that will never change. You're it for me. The love of my life. The mother of my kids. The grandmother of their kids.” He forces himself up in spite of the obvious anguish. “You’re not a drop in my ocean, babe. You’re the whole damn thing. The deep dark corners, the cruel currents, the high of a perfect wave and the peace of a calm night. I’d rather learn a new trade than learn to live without you. I love you, Kadence.”

  I brush away the fallen tear. “I love you too.”

  Levi tugs at my hand until I’m sitting on the edge of his bed. Once I’m there, he places a gentle kiss on my palm, and questions, “Tell me where we go from here.”

  His eagerness to please pushes me to apologize. “I say I’m sorry for doubting you.”

  The words seem to cause confusion.

  “You have proven time and time again, you can be trusted yet my first reaction is still to deem you guilty. You don’t deserve that. You deserve better. You’ve earned better, Levi. I’m sorry for making snap judgements with my heart rather than letting my mind do its part.”

  He cocks a grin. “This is one of the only times I wish you would rely on it a bit more.”

  I give him a playful push to the shoulder that causes us both to laugh.

  Afterwards his expression returns to serious. “Do you want me to quit this movie? Come home?”

  Quickly, I shake my head. “No. But I do want you to consider using your stunt double in dangerous scenes.”

  “It wasn’t dangerous.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry are we not in the hospital?” Pretending to be puzzled, I look around the room, and say, “Is this a surf shop?”

  Levi surrenders his hands. “Fine. Let me correct myself. It shouldn’t have been dangerous, but unpredicted shit like that happens. Just know I will never do anything too crazy the same way I will never cheat on you with a co-star or anyone else for that matter.”

  Accepting his promise, I flash him a brief smirk before dropping my lips onto his.

  Both of his hands pull me closer to him by the nape of my neck. Our tongues take their time exploring one another. Each touch feels electrifying. Each twist titillating. His tongue strokes mine in statements of undying love, and I push back with every inch of my soul.

  Levi Stone is more than a never-ending exception to the long list of pros and cons I use to help govern my life. He’s now the only man on this planet I’m always willing to throw them out for.

  EPILOGUE

  Three months later….

  “This is so beautiful!” I gush as we approach the Eiffel Tower.

  “Best birthday gift?”

  The humor in my expression is indisputable. “I don’t know about all that….Henley got me a car one year.”

  His shoulders sag. “A romantic trip to Paris isn’t better than a car?”

  My hand wobbles side to side and Levi playfully slaps it down.

  He’s so easy sometimes.

  “Wanna take a picture before we go up?”

  “Uh…yeah!”

  Levi wraps both his arms around my waist so my back is braced firmly against his front. He allows me to extend my hand to take several selfies in a poor attempt to capture the moment.

  Due to the jellyfish incident, filming was delayed. While it was only a couples of weeks, it put everything else behind, including when he got back home to South Haven. Being the over the top boyfriend he is, he decided to whisk us away for a week alone in Paris. Unfortunately, Astin wasn’t on board with giving the new head of her graphics design department an entire week off just a month after the changes were in effect. However, she was willing to compromise by allowing me a more lax, conference call free existence. I’ve had to answer a few emails and reject a few covers from the sci-fi division, but all of those things only took a couple of hours leaving the rest of my time free for sex and site seeing. Primarily sex. On the plane. In the hotel. He felt me up in the cab ride. Keeping our mouths separate seems like an inconceivable task, and the fact his agent as well as his publicist keeps insisting we cool it down only makes it more fun.

  “Why don’t we have someone else take the picture for us?” Levi suggests. “That way we can actually see the damn tower in it.”

  I reluctantly nod knowing it’s a good idea.

  He doesn’t allow for me to pick someone from the crowd. He just instantly waves his hand joyfully at a couple strolling by. “Parlez-vous anglais?”

  “Yes,” the tall, distinguished gentleman says. “I do speak English.”

  “Can you take our picture for us?”

  “It would be a pleasure.”

  Pleasure? To take someone’s photo? Feels a little creepy. Hm? Oh, no I’m not worried. We didn’t come completely alone. Steel is around here somewhere just waiting to sneak out of the woodwork if necessary. My boyfriend having his own personal body guard in a foreign country is a pro that keeps on proing.

  Levi moves back my direction though I keep my attention planted on the pair.

  Is there a reason any person should wear sunglasses at dusk? What is that woman trying to hide? A black eye?

  My boyfriend starts to wrap his arm around me when he abruptly stops. “Shit, let me tie my shoe.”

  I drag my attention away from the stranger and drop it down to him. “Why does that-”

  The pi
cture perfect display of him down on his knee with a small black box opened cracks my jaw.

  “What about now, Kadence? Is this the best birthday gift ever?”

  Fashioning any sort of response is impossible.

  “Kady, I don’t wanna be on your five-year plan. I wanna be the one who helps you make it. I wanna be the one who reminds you to include traveling and taking our kids to the circus. I wanna be the one you turn to when it frustrates you, when it defies you, when it challenges you. I don’t want us to have a five-year plan or ten. I want us to have one we keep updating for a lifetime.” Levi lifts the jewelry box closer allowing me to catch a glimpse of the princess cut sapphire ring through my tears. “Marry me?”

  “Yes,” the word is so breathless I’m not sure it’s even heard. “Yes! Yes!”

  Levi tugs the ring out of its holder, slides it on my finger, and slips our mouths together. He parts his lips and lets my tongue praise him the way I wish my words could.

  Oh my gosh!!!!!! Did you know this was coming? Now?! Today?! On my birthday!?!

  “Do you really want all your engagement photos to have your tongue in his mouth?” Adrianna’s voice invades my ears.

  I pull us apart to see her push her sunglasses into her hair. “Wh….”

  “It’d be nice to have at least one we can send to your mother.” Lani adds, strolling towards us from the side, with Calen’s hand in hers.

  “Make that all our mothers,” Maddie corrects. She takes a position beside the man who has his arm draped around Adrianna’s shoulder. “And since they’re still pissed about never getting one from us,” she motions her finger between her and her husband, “let’s make yours really count.”

  My mouth moves, anxious to ask an overload of questions when Henley appears on the other side of Maddie’s husband. “Come on, Kady. Let’s get this shit done. This is like the only night I have off.”

  Originally, I thought that’s why Levi picked Paris. Henley fell in love with an indie foreign film that required her to live here for a few months. The timing felt perfect considering I was moving in with Levi, Lani and Calen had just found their own place, and peace with Maddie had finally been made. I was secretly worried Adrianna would get lonely in a big empty house, but now I see I had nothing to worry about. You know, I swear that guy looks familiar.

  Levi wraps his arms around my waist again. I lean into the hold, placing my now engagement ring covered hand in plain view on his chest.

  All of my friends lift their cell phones and capture this monumental moment.

  And it absolutely is in so many ways. Not just because he proposed or because I finally got to see the Eiffel Tower. This is the perfect example of what happens when you let go and stop trying to plan your entire life. More often than not you’re given something truly better than you could’ve ever designed.

  Did you enjoy reading this story?

  Please consider leaving a review and sharing your love for it!

  Curious about Kadence’s boss, Astin Anderson?

  Check her out in her own series!

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  Check her out in her own standalone novel today!

  Already Written (A Hollywood Exchange Novel)

  When clumsy romance writer, Minka Knight, is asked out on a date by Pierce Wyatt, famous T.V. star, she finds herself in the all too familiar story line where opposites attract. Between their different lifestyles, crazy schedules, and unpredictable meddling friends, being together doesn't seem like the right option. However, as the weeks go by the two discover reality really is stranger than fiction and no love story is already written.

  Remember the Frost Luxury Hotel?

  How about a story featuring the namesake?

  FreeForm:

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  Remember the recently engaged Prince of Doctenn, Henley mentioned?

  Check him and the woman who reluctantly becomes his princess in his own COMPLETED trilogy!

  Duched (Duched Series #1)

  Brie Sanders' entire life is on the brink of change. Her college graduation is just a few months away, she has no idea what to do with her life when the degree is in her hands, and is most likely going to be kicked out of her apartment when her best friend's boyfriend moves in.

  Enter One Nightstand King, Kellan Kenningston, who also happens to be a real life prince as well as a duke.

  From first blinding white smile, Kellan becomes a royal pain in the butt who keeps her laughing and Brie becomes the breath of fresh air he desperately needs.

  Unfortunately, for both of them, this isn't a fairy tale with an immediate happily ever after. The media is a monster that can barely be tamed. Balls are not beautiful and bright. And more often than not, true evil is found in surprising forms.

  Calen’s very pregnant, very fun co-worker has her own series too!

  Find out the story she planned on telling Levi over lunch….

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  But in case you are curious about the storyline you can grab a little more information about it down below!

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  Thank Yous!

  I don’t want to forget anyone or have someone feel they went unappreciated, so let me deliver this beautiful statement to every reader, every author, every blogger, street teamer, PA, family member and stranger who has offered me support. Thank you! You make every long day and late night worth it. You also provide me with more pros than cons every day I get to spend living this big beautiful dream of mine.

  Until next time….

 

 

 
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