Page 35 of Finding Her Strength

He leans in to kiss me again, but my stomach lets out a growl to rival Levi’s earlier. Embarrassment floods me as he drops his forehead to mine, a quiet chuckle shaking his chest.

“Shall we get some breakfast?” he asks.

“Only if you’ll kiss me again afterward.”

“I can guarantee I will be kissing you again.”

My grin stretches across my face so wide it’s threatening to split my face in half. I’d be embarrassed, but Levi’s smile matches the width of mine, making me feel less alone.

We both get up from the couch, slowly making our way into the kitchen. I start on some coffee while Levi grabs bacon and eggs. Elbow to elbow, we make breakfast together, speaking only a few words while sharing heavy glances that hold an abundance of meaning.

“Are you going to do something with the fork in your hand?” I ask, realizing Levi has mainly just stood next to me the entire time I’ve been cooking breakfast.

“I’m helping.”

“With what?”

“Something important.” He pokes at the bacon with his fork. “See?”

An unexpected laugh bursts from my chest.

“Fine, so I have no idea how to cook. I’m enjoying being next to you while you cook, though.” He grins at me, and for a short moment, I’m swept up in his playful teasing. I’m not thinking about how awkward I am or how he could find someone with fewer broken pieces.

“Me, too.” My lips tip up as Levi leans in to kiss me before I turn back to the stove to finish breakfast.

This feeling of comfort is foreign but so welcome. I bothwant to stay with him all day and have him leave to give me room to analyze the whole night. He’s been so unfailingly patient with me. Despite all my triggers, he’s still here this morning. And God knows why. I’m a mess. Getting involved with me is destined to be a disaster.

I mean, I’m a pretty bad bet in the first place, so why the hell would he even want to date me?

“Why did you want to go on a date with me? Out of all the women falling at your feet, why me?” I ask, my thoughts spilling out of my mouth as we sit down at the breakfast bar with our full plates.

Levi pauses, surprised by my out-of-the-blue question, I’m sure. “Because you captivated me from the moment I met you. You’re the only woman who’s been able to make me stop and sit down.” He levels me with a stare so filled with emotion, I can’t pick everything out. Admiration, desire, strength.

All the things I’ve dreamed of seeing in my partner's eyes are finally reflecting back at me. “I’m a lot of work. I’m still gluing my broken pieces back together and am bound to do things wrong.”

“So am I, sweetheart. We’ll just have to go into this with an abundance of grace, knowing we’re both going to mess up.”

“Okay,” I whisper, overcome with emotions I never believed I’d have a chance at feeling.

Levi grins, then returns to his breakfast. I have too many feelings swirling inside me to eat now, but I’m perfectly content to sit here and enjoy his company.

“I’m starting work on the house next week. I’m hoping I can make it habitable relatively soon so I can sleep there.”

“I can’t wait to see it.”

“It’s a mess right now, but I can’t wait to show you my plans.”

Our conversation flows naturally from one topic to thenext. Our childhood memories, embarrassing stories, everything. It’s amazing to have this connection with another person. I don’t hold back on anything except for my one deep, dark secret.

Maybe one day I’ll tell Levi what happened to me, but not today.

20

LEVI

“Ithink this is worse than the Korneski house we did two years ago,” Max says as we walk through the disaster of a house I bought. Giving it a quick glance, the initial impression would be,yikes.Between the peeling wallpaper, unusable stairwell, and an ugly kitchen from the fifties, it’s a mess. But when you look a little closer, you’ll find original crown molding, beautiful stone fireplaces, and a bone structure waiting for the right person to make it gleam.

“I know, I know. It’s in rough shape, but look at all of the original woodwork in the corners here.” I point to the carved pieces of molding in the corners of the room. “All they need is a bit of sanding, a new stain, and they’ll be back to their original glory.”

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