Page 106 of Breaking the Habit

Her heart leapt to her throat, and she wasn’t sure whether to be scared or hopeful. “What is it?”

“You know how John Stamos started following me on Twitter and then he showed up at your studio?”

Travis and Lex watched their interaction intently. Riley’s heart thudded in her chest. “Yes…”

“Well this other guy started following me on Instagram and chatting with me about my pictures. Which are mostlyyourpictures. And it turns out he’s the owner of a really sweet gallery in Santa Monica called DRK.” The smile blossomed sweet and slow across Levi’s face. “I went there to go check it out and make sure he was legit. I set up a meeting for you two to talk about your upcoming exhibition there.”

Levi’s words took a moment to sink in. The doctor finished up and took his leave, and Levi swiveled around in the chair to face her.

“You said…DRK?” she asked, barely able to believe her ears.

“Yeah. You heard of it?”

A disbelieving laugh rocketed out of her. “Uh…yeah. I’ve heard of it. It’s…my dream gallery. I never…how did you…” She buried her face in her hands, and a moment later, Levi’s arms were around her.

“I remember when you told me about it,” he whispered into her ear. “The first time I brought you curry.”

“The day I fell in love with you,” she admitted, tears blurring her vision. “Even though I didn’t realize it.”

Travis and Lex cheered for her, and then there was knocking on the door. Nikki and Fiona popped in, and then Gage showed up on the heels of Lila, Amara, Gen, and Cobra. The dressing room was stuffed with friends and family and smiles and laughter. Everyone congratulated Levi, who immediately shared his news about Riley, which only made the excitement reverberate more intensely through the room.

Riley propped her chin on Levi’s chest, the noise of her friends receding to a dull murmur as she took in the sculpted, gorgeous wall of man she called her boyfriend. Her partner. Her lover. Her one true love.

Even a few months in, she knew it was true.

And at the rate things were going now, it would only become more and more true.

“I know you’ve been so focused on your clients and your art,” Levi said in a softer voice, meant just for her. “I didn’t want to let this slip by. You deserve it. And I can’t wait to go to your opening.”

“You are spectacular,” Riley said, her voice sticking in her throat. The tears were back again, and she didn’t know what she’d done to deserve someone like him. A man who gave his body and soul for the people he loved. A man who only knew how to succeed and rise higher.

“Says the spectacular artist whose work makes me cry in the shower,” Levi said.

She snorted. “Really? You cried in the shower?”

“Once. I might have been a little drunk. But yeah, it happened.”

The grin was so wide, it hurt her cheeks. “You make me do other things in the shower.”

“Why there and not in bed with me?”

“Because sometimes we’re not allowed to see each other, and I’m forced to take matters into my own hands,” she teased, running her palms down the strong ridge of his shoulder, over his sculpted biceps, all the way to his thick forearms secured around her waist.

“Mmm. That won’t be the case again. Not tonight. And not for a long time.”

“Better not be,” she said, before Levi caught her lips in a kiss.

A chorus ofooohs erupted in the dressing room.

“Get a room!” Lex called out.

“Riley and Levi sittin’ in a tree…” Cobra began, and the rest of the room picked up the nursery rhyme. Riley looked over in time to see Gage shouting out the words, so much happiness shining on his face.

“All right, guys, all right,” Levi shouted over the din. “We all know where this is heading. We don’t need to sing about it.”

Riley drew her brows together. “You want marriage and a baby carriage?”

Levi blinked, the type of satisfied smile cresting his face that made it difficult for Riley to think straight.

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