Page 102 of Sunset Catchers

“Oh” I’m slightly light-headed suddenly.

Levi has a crush on little old me. Okay, sure. It’s not a big deal. A beaker of some new chemicals has been added to my brain to forever alter it, but that’s it.

“Did you really not know that?” he asks, astonished.

“I’m new to this whole having a crush thing!” I say defensively.

“Let me clear this all out for you. My brain is crushing on your brain.” My face relaxes from the scrunch it was in. “My body is hard for your body,” I bite my bottom lip. “I want to sit beside you and read for a few hours,” the corners of my lips twitch. “I want to take you out for dinner then end the night having sex with you and fall asleep cuddling you.” My mouth fully curls up. “So, let’s just date each other.”

I’m smiling like a cupid-struck idiot.

“Let’s date each other,” I agree. Levi’s hand is a warm hug on my sweatpants covered thigh.

“Proceed with your other questions.”

“Isn’t this super unprofessional? What will Kit think?”

“Believe me, Kit won’t care. Almost every couple in my family met through work.”

The last of the tension leaves my body, and I sag into my seat, braiding our fingers together. Not that I was too worried about it, but still, it’s reassuring to know I don’t need to add Office Hoe to my curriculum.

“Just know that if it goes awry between us, I’m going straight to HR,” I say.

“Meaning?”

“Kit and Louise.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“Good.”

“You won’t regret crushing on me, pretty girl.”

“We’ll see about that.”

What I don’t say is that I know I won’t regret crushing on Levi. I’m already not regretting this so much; I think this crush will be the least of my worries when it comes to him.

As soon as I step into my cottage, after Levi kissed me goodbye for now and left me dreamy-eyed on the porch, an unnatural wind swirls through the world, whispering words of my arrival straight into my best friend’s ear three hours away, whose call rings in as I’m dropping my luggage onto my bed.

I’m already laughing when I answer my phone.

“I literally just got back.”

“We have a special connection, you know that babe,” she says. “Soooo, how did that one bed situation go over?”

“I totally let him fuck me.” Because yes, Levi did mostly all the work. Even this morning, when he took me hard and slow while I lay on my back, my head resting on a plump pillow. Junie shrieks excitedly.

“WIN! Tell me everything!” So I do. I tell her every detail about our weekend. “How’s the girth slash length, situation?”

“Junie, I’m telling you, his dick is perfect.”

“Exactly what you deserve, babe. And not to press you, but what’s your plan now?”

“Actually, I was very adult about it, and we had a talk. After offering many options,” she cackles when I tell her about the thrusting buddies thing: “We’re officially dating?”

“Are you asking me?”

“No?” I say, trying to shake that damn question mark. It won’t budge.