Levi’s hand drifted toward his face, his fingers lightly brushing across his trimmed beard before sliding to his neck, tangling in the short hairs there. “This has been a much-needed mental break. I forgot myself tonight. I needed that.”
“Hmm, I could say the same thing. You’re really good company.” Thane turned his head slightly to the left, kissing Levi’s temple.
“We’re good together,” Levi said, emphasizing what Thane already knew. Levi let out a jaw-cracking yawn. “If I don’t get up and leave, I’ll probably end up falling asleep.”
“Don’t leave yet. Sleep. I like you here in my arms.”
Levi seemed on board as he snuggled close enough his head lay partially on Thane’s pillow, but mostly in the crook of his neck. The whole left side of his body was covered in Levi Silva, and Thane found himself drawing the covers up, tucking Levi in, making sure he was warm. Levi’s soft snores had warm breath caressing Thane’s chest. He liked that a lot. He felt renewed. Thane tightened his hold on Levi’s body and let himself revel in the feeling.
There was no question in Thane’s mind—he could lie just like this forever. Cuddling wasn’t something he normally did. He closed his eyes, breathing Levi in, even as warning bells rang in the farthest recesses of his mind. He refused to pay them any attention. He’d never had a situation in his life where he fit so well with another person.
Thane’s eyelids slid open. He stared at the darkness of the room while his heart ached. This was exactly what he’d done before. He was all-in then reality came crashing back.
But his emotions had never been as strong as this. His heart had connected tonight. He wanted more of these moments with this man. Nevertheless, the infatuation he was feeling was the getting-to-know-each-other, the butterflies, the learning-each-other part of any new relationship. Everything was fresh and new to both of them right now and didn’t count in the overall big picture of what happened after. The main reason he’d created safeguards was to avoid ever being caught off guard again. Newness didn’t replace reason, no matter how good it felt.
He’d never in his life experienced the raw, organic sense of peace and needing he had with Levi. His arms tightened around the body resting on his. He never wanted to let him go. He ran his hand up Levi’s back, and Levi shifted, arms and legs wrapping all around him, Levi’s lips moving over his skin, placing a kiss along his jaw.
“You make me feel wanted,” Levi whispered, running his nose along the length of Thane’s skin. As suddenly as he woke, the silent snores were back, and Levi was completely asleep again.
Thane couldn’t push Levi’s words out of his head as he lay there thinking about the evening and how much he loved the feel of this man in his arms. Admittedly, a little more than he should. Their night together had been a fairytale—an enchanting, magical dream with no basis in reality. Levi had somehow wedged his way into Thane’s heart in just a matter of a few hours. But Thane couldn’t risk starting a relationship, not with this man. He’d ruin everything, like always. He’d break Levi, make him jaded, and it would ultimately crush Thane’s heart to hurt Levi.
Even though Thane knew what he needed to do, he still couldn’t release Levi from his arms. What if Levi was the one? What if they were meant to be? The thought caused him to lean over and place a kiss against the exposed skin of Levi’s shoulder. Levi could certainly be his prince charming, not completely out of the question.
What the hell was wrong with him? He had to stop this line of thinking. He couldn’t entertain the thought of forever with anyone, especially someone like Levi, because forever wasn’t real. He knew this; his parents were prime examples. There wasn’t a happily ever after; he learned that a long time ago.
So, why did his heart say differently? The weird emotional tingles he’d felt could be blamed on the newness of the whole situation; plus, he hadn’t had sex in a while. Yeah, that was where all the crazy thoughts were coming from, had to be.
He’d met this beautiful man on the club floor wearing nothing but a tiny scrap of shiny material. He’d been so shy and somewhat standoffish, but Thane had been instantly taken with Levi, almost to the point of obsession. Not only by his boy-next-door good looks, but he’d quickly found out Levi was kind, smart, and wise beyond his twenty-six years. Levi flipped every switch he had.
Was he confusing lust with love? Yes, and he couldn’t go there again. That was the bottom line. Never again. Unfortunately, Thane had just discovered his weakness: sexy, sweet, smart but vulnerable men with auburn hair and green eyes. No. He chastised himself; he wouldn’t do this again. He hadn’t dug in and found out what made Levi such a guarded man, because the less he knew, the less involved he was in Levi’s life, the better off they both were.