He reached over to close the lid to his laptop before shoving it in the bag. “Let’s go home and talk this out. I want to hear every word he said. But first, I’m starving. What do you have for dinner?”
“Leftover spaghetti with that Italian sausage you like,” she answered, waggling her brows, reaching for her cooler.
“Do you have fresh parmesan?” he asked, hanging his computer bag over his shoulder while pushing his phone in his back pocket.
“Of course I do.” As if that were a given.
“That goes a long way toward making all this better.” Thane turned off the lights and started for the door, laughing as Erin gave a squeak in the darkness and scurried toward him.
~~~
Levi had stalled long enough. He’d told Thane he would call, and he needed to, but he couldn’t shake all the unwanted uncertainty that had messed with him all night long. He’d had a hard enough time keeping the brakes on his runaway feelings, keeping himself in check and not falling hopelessly in love with Thane on a daily basis, but to find out Thane was in Maryland, secretly buying a house big enough for him and his brothers to live in…that took this emotional roller coaster to all new heights.
No, he and Thane weren’t to a point of making a home together. That took time of getting to know one another. So, without question, Levi really couldn’t move in with Thane. He’d mentally conjured up point after point, listing all the reasons why it was a bad idea, all night long.
They’d known each other less than six months.
They’d never lived together before.
His school had on-campus living arrangements ready for them.
What would happen if he gave up the campus apartment and it didn’t last with Thane? He’d have nowhere to go. He couldn’t risk that for Luke. Also, something else to consider, his brother would have to change schools again if Thane put him out. What would that do for Luke’s scholarship possibilities?
“Stop, Silva,” Levi muttered as he went through the house, turning off lights. He listened at Logan and Luke’s door, but no sound came from their room. That was good sign. They were staying up far too late with Logan having to be in summer school by eight in the morning. Levi headed to his room and shut the door behind him. He undressed, putting off the call until he was stretched out on his bed. Levi pulled up FaceTime, dialing Thane’s number.
The call went to voicemail. That was probably for the best, but dang it, all night long, he’d been doubting the probability of a long-term live-in relationship, and now he wanted to know why Thane hadn’t picked up the phone. His guy had said to call. No, he’d actually insisted that Levi call him no matter the time. It was almost three in the morning California time so six in the morning Maryland time. Thane had always responded when he spoke as Nathaniel.
See? This was how messed up Thane made him. One minute Levi dreaded the call, and the next, he doubted Thane’s intentions when he didn’t answer. What was wrong with him?
His phone rang before he ever got the device on the nightstand. He automatically slid his thumb over the screen to see a barely awake Thane. The room was dark, and Thane was yawning. “I’m sorry. I knocked the phone to the floor, reaching for it.”
“It’s okay. Go back to sleep,” Levi said, pushing up against the headboard.
“No, no. I’m up,” Thane responded as his eyes closed and stayed closed several long seconds before popping back open. Thane shook his head. “Where are you?”
“At my house. I came home before I called. I had to close,” he said, laughing at the second shake Thane gave. He was tired. Levi got it. He couldn’t have slept much over the last forty-eight hours.
“I wish you’d stayed at the resort while I was gone. Stay tonight. Bring your brothers, but stay the night. I miss our routine.” It was that right there that always snuck past Levi’s defenses. Damn, if Levi’s feeling weren’t so deep for this man. Thane never faltered in making him feel wanted. “What’s wrong? What happened?” Thane asked and yawned again, lifting to a sitting position. The lamp turned on, causing Thane to squint as he moved the phone closer to his face, staring at Levi. “I see that look on your face. What’s freaked you out? Was it Erin tonight? She shouldn’t have said anything, Levi. You really shouldn’t worry about any of that. I was already buying the house…”
“Thane, stop. Seriously. It’s okay.” Levi scrubbed a hand over his face, looked away, and took a deep breath before glancing back. “Did you want us to move in there like she said or was she jumping ahead because that’s what she does?”