Page 66 of Breaking the Habit

She sighed. “He’s…the perfect man.”

“Is he, though?”

“Yes! He’s tall, dark, and handsome. He has incredible hair, even better when it’s longer and got that little wave in it. And his smile…” She tutted. “I just feel like he would be the best husband ever.”

“Wow. This side of you surprises me.” But not only surprised—it also delighted the hell out of him. “I didn’t think you’d have a husband fantasy.”

“Well, I don’t really. Not like some girls.” She shrugged. “But I’ll probably get married someday. Maybe when I’m forty-five and have travelled the world and finally have enough money from selling pictures to buy a house. Maybe then.” Riley’s gaze dropped to his T-shirt. She pushed her fingertips over the fabric, tracing an invisible pattern. “What about you? Will you get married?”

Levi scoffed. “I doubt it. I’ve got a weird situation. I can’t see anyone being into it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Whoever I’d marry would be marrying Gage, too.”

Riley got quiet, searching his face. “Right.”

“I dunno. I’m not really the marrying type. I don’t see the point.” He shrugged, aware how brutally honest he was being. But he wasn’t afraid to be that way with Riley. Which was nice. It wasnewfor him. Hell, it had been since high school that he’d found himself in a situation like this: relaxed and hanging out, no alcohol or acting out involved.

Usually his sober days were reserved for Gage, which mean being his shuttle, his homework helper, and his parent. And ever since Levi had to pivot and restructure his entire life after their parents died, he’d stopped having much of a social life beyond the gym and his nights out, which were all about getting fucked up and fucking girls.

Fucking girls he never saw again. That was the caveat too. A few of them lingered—maybe for a second or a third hookup. Most of them wanted to see him more, but he didn’t let that happen. Which meant that what he was doing with Riley right now was way outside of the norm.

Riley studied him intensely for a few moments. The air between them had shifted, as though she’d been able to glimpse his inner thoughts. That was a scary possibility.

“Why do you go out and get super drunk and fight with people?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“Oh, man.” A laugh whooshed out of him. “Are we playing twenty questions? I didn’t come prepared.”

“You broke that guy’s camera the other day, too,” Riley said.

Levi winced. “Yeah. That’s uh…” He shifted on the bed, unsure how to characterize himself without going into the deep, dark well ofwhy. “I’ve got lots of energy. And some of it’s bad energy. I’m sort of intense. Not sure if you noticed.”

Riley laughed softly, trailing her fingers along the hem of his shirt, flirting with the waistband of his briefs. “Yeah. I might have.”

Levi focused on the ceiling of the bedroom, where strange arcs of golden light splayed out from the various lampshades. “Life is a lot, you know? I like to go party and forget.”

His throat tightened—another uncharacteristic warning signal that he should listen to. Riley made him open up, but she wasn’t just toeing the water, she was diving to the bottom. Somehow, in the past month, she’d managed to wriggle her way into his homeandhis heart. He knew it needed to stop.

But it was hard to find the motivation.

“Why didn’t you go out tonight?”

He knew the technical answer to that question—he was on sex and alcohol prohibition again—but the real reason involved that deep, dark well. Better to sidestep. “Um, I believe it’s my question now.”

Riley nuzzled her head onto his chest. “Okay, fine.”

Levi stalled, using the pause to take a few furtive inhales of her hair. She smelled like patchouli always—the good kind, not the choking, head-shop kind—but today there was another undertone. Something vaguely citrusy.

“If John Stamos is your celebrity lover…who is your celebrity rival?”

She groaned into his ribs. “I don’t wanna talk about this.”

“Come on.” He poked at her sides. “Spill the beans.”

“If I say his name, it gives him power,” Riley protested. “And he already has too much.”

“Now Ihaveto know.”

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