Thane didn’t like the idea, not one bit. Friday nights were their pre-scheduled date nights, per Thane, and the guy had been complaining for over an hour about the inconvenience.
“The money’s too good to pass up.” Levi turned on the hair dryer to help drown out Thane’s continued whining. The smile that had been etched on his face for weeks now only grew broader. Even through the gradual decrease in hours at the PT clinic that had eventually resulted in companywide lay-offs, including his position, this afternoon, Levi had managed to keep a genuine grin on his face. He was finally really happy, and after such a dark time in his life, happy felt amazing. He’d find other work to fill his daytime hours. He’d figure it out and that sense of self-assurance felt great too.
Levi watched in the mirror as a nude, disgruntled Thane came through the bathroom doorway, his stern gaze meeting Levi’s in their reflections. When he got within reach, Thane took the dryer out of his hand, pressed the off button, and tossed the thing on the counter without a care before propping a hip on the edge of the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. “You did that on purpose.”
Of course, he had. How many times could he say that Friday night shifts were too good to pass up? So yeah, turning on the hair dryer had been strategically designed to avoid further discussion. Absolutely.
“I came over early,” he countered and focused on his image in the mirror, using the brush to help keep his hair flipped back off his forehead. “I thought that’d meet our contractual obligations,” he added, now trying to keep a serious look on his face and hoping he could hold his laughter inside at his outrageous statement.
Levi pushed past Thane, placed the brush in the drawer before leaving Thane standing there as he headed to the bedroom. He needed his backpack, but he didn’t see it. He completed a full circle in the bedroom before remembering he’d left it in the living room and taking off in that direction. He dug through the pack and pulled out the uniform, dropping his towel before stepping into the underwear and sliding it up his thighs. He heard a faint moan from across the room, and he couldn’t help but allow his grin to grow. Thane was insatiable.
“You’re killin’ me, babe. I just don’t get what you don’t understand. We agreed Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, Levi. I had great plans in place for you tonight. Arik and Kellus are here. We’re meeting with my chef about the oils then going to dinner and dancing. This is the only night that you can stay out late,” Thane explained. Levi looked over his shoulder at Thane who still hadn’t felt the need to dress. The man was so damn sexy it wasn’t fair. Levi adjusted himself. He was learning that Thane wasn’t shy. In fact, he was most comfortable in no clothes and chose that look very regularly when they were alone together, which made it very hard to leave the man.
“Well, first, it should probably be said that your Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday has changed to include Sunday and Monday morning too. Then we need to factor in you sitting in my section Sunday through Thursday nights. So, technically the three-day thing really ended before it ever got started.” Levi reached for his shorts and began pulling them up. “As for Arik and Kellus…go with them.”
“No, if that were true, the extra time is extra. This is Friday, our designated night,” Thane interrupted.
“You’re so hardheaded. Go to your meeting. Go to dinner. Come dance at the club afterward,” Levi suggested and reached for his button-down. “I have to work. I have bills to pay. I have college to pay for. I tried to explain all this to you from the very beginning.”
“If you’d move in with me, that’d alleviate a lot of your struggle, so who’s the hardheaded one now?” Thane accused, becoming visibly frustrated.
Levi’s smile faltered. He looked closely at Thane, then narrowed his eyes. They had never discussed moving in together. No, certainly Thane didn’t mean that. He was just being the force of nature that was Thane Walker.
“You’re being ridiculous,” Levi finally said, shoving each arm through a sleeve.
“I’m not being ridiculous at all. I love being with you. You promised me Friday and Saturday nights were mine, and the first chance you get, you bail. If you guys lived here, you wouldn’t have to take this shift. Can’t you see? It’s the perfect solution.” Thane threw his hands out and used his arms to speak, circling Levi as he paced. “If you were here, I wouldn’t be so hurt that you ditched me so easily.”
Oh Lord, Thane was being overly dramatic now, working himself into a frenzy. They hadn’t even officially discussed being boyfriends or said the words committed solely to one another, and now Thane had his feelings hurt because Levi didn’t live there?