Thane never stopped staring as Levi got behind the wheel, stayed there a second then got out, opening the hood. He messed with something under the hood while Thane stared at his backside. Levi went back and forth from the hood to the driver’s side seat until he shut the hood and crawled back into the driver’s seat, shut the door, and backed out of the parking space.
Thane added that to the list of things Levi needed. A new car. He would buy him one. Levi was going to be expensive. He didn’t really care about the cost; he’d be worth it. He thought about how the handsome Levi enticed all the men at the club, and suddenly, possessiveness flared on an ugly level, making him slam his laptop lid shut and shove away from the seat. The idea of anyone else touching Levi made him want to punch something. Thane’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t felt that way with Julian or any of the others. No. That would have to be brought up in their agreement. He would ask that Levi remain exclusive to him.
Thane gathered his stuff and went straight upstairs. The boundaries and control he’d enacted when leaving his room earlier left a sour taste in his mouth. Had he thought he’d hold some sort of upper hand by writing a note and leaving cash? Yeah. He sighed. That nailed it. Maybe he should come clean and just admit to himself and Levi that he’d run scared when he left. He should have been in that bed making love to Levi right now.
Stop saying it like that, he scolded himself.
That was the exact reason he’d left the bed. Clarity and purpose. He and Levi needed those two components in their relationship. Levi was a smart, intuitive guy. Surely, he could see through all Thane’s head issues and just let him do things this way until he could work his mind around another solution. He wasn’t asking for the world. He just needed to define all the damn emotion beating him the hell up. He wanted to protect them both from the heartache that was destined to come.
Thane entered the suite and placed the laptop on the dining table as he went for his bedroom. The light was on, the bed still rumpled, and his gaze landed on the bundles of money lying on the floor. His eyes narrowed. Levi hadn’t taken the money.
Thane picked up the stacks and found his note crumpled in a ball by the foot of the bed. Okay. Levi hadn’t agreed to his offer. Thane sat on the edge of the bed, absorbing that blow. Levi had been there last night; he’d been a willing participant and knew full well what a relationship with Thane involved. Levi had even admitted in a moment of sleepy confession that they were good together. It shouldn’t matter that he wanted to compensate Levi.
Wasn’t it better than a traditional relationship? Both parties knew exactly where they stood. Levi would be compensated nicely for his time. Thane would get to enjoy his time with Levi. Neither would have to worry where the other’s headspace would be. He’d even agreed to exclusivity. They should have been set. Win-win, right?
Without even a fuck you, Levi had just left the money there? Thane went for his cell phone. He needed to know why Levi hadn’t taken the money.
He didn’t have Levi’s number. He stared down at the bed where Levi had slept not more than an hour ago. He reached for a pillow and breathed in Levi’s clean, fresh scent that still lingered heavily in the soft down. It was actually their combined scent. The uniqueness of Levi’s scent blended with his. The combination reached out and wrapped around his soul.
No way was Levi getting out of this that easily. He’d made Thane crave things he didn’t want to crave. Levi had to be convinced to do this Thane’s way, the only way to protect them both and allow them to continue having great sex.
With no other choice, Thane went through the corporate personnel files and got Levi’s home address off his application. He found an envelope to place the money inside, and then he was off.
Twenty-five minutes later, he drove through one of the roughest neighborhoods he’d ever actually been to. He turned and passed by an old, rundown apartment complex. They couldn’t be more than one or two bedrooms. The complex gave way to an older neighborhood. Most of the houses were dilapidated and uncared for by both the residents and the city. Kids who should be in school were on street corners, running up to cars. Women lingered around the one street corner closest to the main road.
He kept driving until he spotted Levi’s car. As he came to a stop in front of the house, he looked for an address marker. It wasn’t there. Thane took a closer look around. These little houses were better maintained than the ones closer to the main road. The houses on either side of Levi had fences in the front yard, but Levi’s yard was open. Thane pulled the car into the driveway behind Levi’s. The street didn’t feel so safe.