Page 91 of Taken By Storm

He answered the phone when he saw Maverick’s name.

“Not a good time,” he barked.

Maverick hesitated, probably surprised by the sharpness of his voice. “Afraid you might need to make some. Boone is here.”

Fuck. Levi forgot he’d scheduled to meet with Boone Hansen this morning. If things worked out, Boone would be instrumental in Levi’s plans for his future with Kasi. He was tempted to ask Maverick to reschedule, but he knew Boone had probably gotten up in the middle of the night to make the three-hour drive to be here this morning. It wouldn’t be right to send him away.

“Okay. I’ll be there in twenty.”

“Cool.” Maverick hung up, and Levi tucked his phone back into his jeans’ pocket, studying Kasi’s face.

Somehow, she’d managed to wipe away every emotion.

“Kasi,” he started, raking his hand through the hair she’d mussed up. “We’re not pressing charges against Keith. We would never do that. Never hurt him or you that way.”

She nodded sadly, biting her lower lip. “I know that. Or…I should have known that. It’s just… I’m sorry,” she added with a whisper.

“I don’t need an apology,” he said, trying to hide just how much it hurt that she thought for even a second that he would do something like that.

“Yes. You do. But the thing is…that doesn’t change things. Scottie proposed last night. I’m…I think I’m going to accept.”

“Like hell you are,” he retorted, loudly.

“Please, Levi. Please don’t make this any harder than it already is.”

“I haven’t even started to make this hard, little bear.”

“My mind is made up. You’re not going to change it.”

Levi stared at her for a long time, hating the resolve that had crept in and taken residence in every fiber of her being.

“You haven’t said yes yet?” he asked.

She looked away from him as she shook her head.

“Then don’t. Not until we have a chance to talk. You owe me that much, Kasi.”

Her face started to crumble, but she recovered quickly, drawing on that mask of indifference he never wanted to see on her again.

“I have to go—for now—but this isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”

Kasi offered no reply, her eyes turning toward the kitchen window.

“I’m coming back, Kasi. And when I do, I want real answers.”

Leaving right now felt wrong on every damn level, but staying felt just as wrong.

He prayed that giving her some time to settle down might help, might allow her to calm enough to confide in him and tell him what was wrong and what in the hell was compelling her to even consider Scottie Grover’s proposal.

Heaven help them both if he couldn’t convince her to say no. Because right now, all he wanted to do was toss Kasi over his shoulder, drive her straight to their cabin, and keep her there until she promised to never even think about marrying Scottie again.

Levi walked to her. The way her body stiffened went through him like nails, but he persevered.

Cupping her cheek, he pulled her face upward. It took everything he had not to tell her that he loved her. He did, but didn’t want the first time he said those three little words to come now, in the middle of an argument. And he didn’t want her to think he was using them to get her back.

When he said them, he didn’t want there to be a question in Kasi’s mind that they were sincere.

So, he compromised with himself. Bending down, he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. “I’m coming back,” he vowed.

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