Page 1 of Levi

Chapter One

The incessant chime above the door startled Kinley Wilson from her trance behind the pharmacy counter. Another customer, she sighed heavily, feeling the weight of exhaustion and sleep deprivation weighing her down. Would this day ever end? Her eyes shifted toward the door.

And there he was; Levi Thomas, making her heart skip a beat with just his presence. She quickly looked away, pretending to sort through some prescriptions on the counter, but couldn’t resist stealing glances at him. He glanced in her direction before completely ignoring her, causing a flutter of disappointment in her chest.

“Hey, Levi,” Addison Haines, her boss, greeted him.

Kinley couldn’t help but sneak a peek at him from under lowered lashes. His dark hair brushed against the collar of his coat, and his light gray eyes stood out against his tanned skin. He was undeniably attractive.

Their eyes met for a brief moment before he turned back to Addison. “Hi, Addison. Do you have a prescription ready for Jude?”

“I’ll check. Is he still sick?” Addison asked, typing away on the computer.

“Yeah, he’s got some bug and we don’t want to catch it,” Levi replied.

“I have the prescription. I’m working on it now,” Kinley spoke up, making Levi look at her.

“Okay. I’ll just wander around while I wait,” he said with a smile.

“It won’t take long,” she blushed faintly.

Their gazes lingered for another moment before they both looked away. Kinley bit her lip to contain her smile. This man had been making her heart race since she first saw him.

She couldn’t help but notice how women’s heads turned as he strolled through the store, their eyes devouring his handsome features. And who could blame them? Handsome didn’t even begin to describe Levi’s appearance. She couldn’t help but wonder how old he was, maybe in his early forties. But regardless of his age, he was in great shape. His jeans hugged him in all the right places, drawing her attention to his muscular physique.

His open sheepskin coat revealed a black and white checkered flannel shirt, with a T-shirt underneath. He completed the rugged look with a black felt cowboy hat and leather gloves on his hands but didn’t bother buttoning up his coat despite the cold weather outside. It seemed like he wasn’t bothered by the chill at all. Her gaze drifted downwards, and she had to stifle a groan at the sight of his perfectly fitted jeans peeking out from under his coat. It was no wonder he wasn’t affected by the cold; he probably had enough heat radiating from that area alone. She giggled to herself, but quickly stopped when Addison gave her a questioning look.

Kinley hastily shifted her gaze back to Levi’s face, only to find him looking back at her with a raised eyebrow. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she tried to compose herself. She was usuallyconfident when it came to showing interest in men, but Levi Thomas left her tongue-tied. Not that she would mind tangling tongues with him; he simply outshone any other man around.

He leaned against the wall with a casual air while she couldn’t help but follow his every move with her eyes. Her heart raced and her palms began to sweat each time she saw him. She longed to talk to him, but whenever she tried, the words just wouldn’t come out.

Letting out a sigh, Kinley finished filling the prescription and made her way to the cash register. “Levi? The prescription is ready,” she called out, watching as he pushed off the wall and walked toward her.

She rang up the order, carefully placing the medicine into a bag and sealing it with a staple. “Here you go,” she said with a smile.

“No charge?” Levi’s voice held a hint of surprise.

“His insurance covered it,” Kinley explained.

“Okay, thanks.”

“Sure. So, are you all set for the holidays?” Her attempts at conversation were feeble at best, but she couldn’t help herself around him.

He smirked in response. “Is anyone?”

Kinley laughed. “I guess not. I haven’t even had a chance to get a tree yet.”

“You have plenty of time. It’s not even Thanksgiving yet,” he remarked nonchalantly.

“I know, but I usually get one early. But it’s tough getting one without a truck or SUV. I just have my little car.” She shrugged.

Levi gave her a sly grin. “Maybe Nick needs to start making deliveries then.”

“Or maybe you could let me borrow your truck,” she suggested playfully, laughing when his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Borrow my truck?” He shook his head in amusement.

“You men and your trucks,” she teased.

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