Page 30 of Glad You're Here

“Shut up.” I knew I was smiling despite my best efforts to look unimpressed.

“How have you been feeling? Are you in pain?” His warm, brown eyes filled with concern.

“Shut up,” I said again.

Levi rolled his eyes and walked to what looked like his bedroom. “I’m allowed to ask how you’re feeling. I’m allowed to care about you.”

“Fine. Yes, I’m in pain. You?”

“Emotionally, yes, but physically, no.”

“Why are you in emotional pain?”

Levi laughed and leaned back against his pillows. Levi in bed made my heart race. What would we be doing if I was there beside him? I’d brush my lips against his — gentle, teasing. It would drive him crazy, so he’d grab the back of my neck and pull me to him.

Then we’d fuck.

I kept my expression even as I listened to Levi describe his emotional pain. He had no idea what sort of X-rated scene played out in my mind at the sight of him in bed.

“Well,” he began, “I’m an Ex-Mormon in fucking Cedar City, Utah.” He held up one finger. “I’m divorced.” He held up a second finger. “I’m not currently speaking to any member of my family.” Levi held up a third finger. “I hate my job, and the one person that gets me lives in Colorado.” He held up fingers four and five.

I grinned at him. “Moving would solve most of those problems, Levi.”

“Well, shit. Why didn’t I think of that?” He grinned back.

We continued talking about nothing and everything for hours, and he never once asked me why I’d done a video call. Maybe he’d wanted to see my face as much as I’d wanted to see his. When Levi yawned and rubbed his eyes, I knew I should let him go. He had to work in the morning. Ugh. He was probably the hot professor all the college kids secretly fantasized about.

I asked him, “Are you the hot professor that all of your students are crushing on?”

Levi raised both eyebrows and laughed. “Where did that come from?”

I shrugged. “I was just wondering.”

“No, Thea. Accounting classes in Utah are filled with straight, uptight Mormon males. Also, two of my classes are entirely online.” He rubbed his chin and smirked at me. “But do you think I’m a hot professor?”

I rolled my eyes so hard. “No!”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Levi laughed. “What if I put on some glasses and unbutton my shirt a little bit?” He propped up his phone, slipped on a pair of glasses, unbuttoned his shirt, and gave me a smoldering look.

Hot damn. I suddenly had a crazy idea. “Hey, so you live pretty close to a lot of national parks, right?”

Levi pulled off the glasses and narrowed his eyes. “Yeah. Why?”

“I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to see the Grand Canyon.” Bullshit lies. I specifically did not want to see the Grand Canyon because it was so cliché. “What if I came to visit you in the spring? What if we did a national parks road trip?”

Levi sat up and brought his phone closer to his face. “That is the best idea you’ve ever had.”

I laughed. “The best idea I’ve ever had in my entire life? Since you knew me for thirteen days, you would know about every idea I’ve ever had.”

“Was it only thirteen days?” Levi gave me a thoughtful look. “It felt longer.”

It felt like I’d known Levi all my life. Instead of agreeing with him, I laughed at him. “Okay, weirdo. Call me tomorrow, and we’ll work out more details for our trip.” Then, I ended the call. I didn’t want him to see how much I felt or how much I’d missed his face. He had this way of looking into my soul, and I didn’t want him to see it.

Not tonight.

thirteen

Levi

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