“What makes you so sure he would’ve said that?”
“I wasn’t sure he would. I was scared he would. I wanted to work out where his head was at before I brought it up.”
“Maybe he was doing the same with you.”
Maybe. But maybe not … and that was what stayed her hand last night.
If he hadn’t been her anchor, Piper might not have been so hesitant to take a chance, put her emotions on the line, and declare that she wanted more from him than friendship. But this wasn’t a man she could part ways from if he didn’t feel the same. She’d always have Levi in her life. And if he didn’t return her feelings, the knowledge would always sit between them, possibly tainting their anchor relationship.
Plus, she knew he’d hate to hurt her. She knew it would pain him to say they didn’t want the same things. She didn’t want to put him in that position.
So, all in all, it had seemed wiser to keep a lid on everything unless or until she felt they were on the same page. The problem was … “I couldn’t sense how he felt about it. He’ll be back soon, and I don’t know what to expect. I don’t know whether I should act normal. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my demon from bitch-slapping him if he proclaims that last night was a mistake.”
“The entity still wants him, then?”
“It wants all of him. It’s formed a minor attachment to him.” Which was absolutely nothing to be blasé about. “How he acts this morning will either break it or strengthen it.”
“What about you? What do you want?”
Piper drew in a long breath. “Something I very much doubt he’ll ever offer.” A full-on relationship. Not one that was shallow, short, or casual. Something that was real and true. But Levi … he didn’t do ‘serious’ or ‘long-term.’ So, well, she was pretty much fucked.
Hearing the key turn in the front door lock, Piper tensed. Her pulse kicking up, she quickly said her goodbyes to Olive and ended the call.
Levi stalked into the living room, all smolder and animal grace, his face a mask of frustration. She didn’t get the feeling that the emotion was directed at her; no, the source of it had to be whatever he’d learned from his meeting with Knox. Or perhaps, more to the point, what he hadn’t learned.
Ignoring how her feminine parts perked up at the gorgeous sight of him, she said, “I take it you have no good news to impart.”
A muscle in his cheek ticked. “Lester alibied both Sefton and Jasper.”
“You think he lied,” she sensed. As it happened, she suspected the same.
“I do. I simply can’t prove it.” His gaze roamed over her face, drinking in every detail. “You look better. You slept well?”
“I did.” Better than she had in a while, and she suspected it might have had something to do with Levi being at her side. “You?”
“I didn’t sleep. Wasn’t tired.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Then what did you do?”
“Watched over you. Read a book on my phone. Listened to a podcast. Watched over you some more.”
A slight ache built in her throat. “You didn’t need to stay with me.”
He stared at her for a long moment and then scratched the side of his jaw. “We need to talk.”
Something about the way he said it made her feel defensive. She pushed to her feet in case she needed to make a sharp exit to save him from her demon’s wrath. “If you’re going to tell me that I shouldn’t read anything into what happened last night—”
“That’s not what I’m going to say.”
Her hackles went down. “Oh. Okay.” Trying not to be too hopeful, she asked, “So what’s up?”
He crossed to her, each step fluid and purposeful. Then he was all up in her space. Like right up in it. Close enough that she felt the warmth of his body heat.
“I suggest,” he began, toying with a lock of her hair, “we form a new agreement.”
And all her hopes died in an instant. Simply crashed and burned. Her demon narrowed its eyes, not pleased by his suggestion but not ruling out that he would crush its own hopes. Piper, on the other hand, didn’t have its optimism.
Her heart heavy, she sighed. “Levi—”
“Hear me out.”
“There’s really no point. I’m not going to agree to whatever you have in mind,” she stated firmly, her voice edged with annoyance. It would have hurt to hear him declare that he wanted them to simply be friends, but to hear him actually suggest yet another ‘agreement’ that essentially allowed him to have his cake and eat it hurt her more.
“Maybe you won’t.” He lightly cupped the side of her face. “But I have to ask. I need to know if you would have said yes.”