Page 173 of Defiant Beta

I shove my window up.

Levi is standing on the street, just outside. Ripped jeans, creased T-shirt, and a sexy grin twisting his lips. Like a bad boy from the wrong side of town here to lead a good girl astray.

He drops whatever was in his hands—stones. They rattle as they roll into the gutter behind him.

He slips his hands into his jeans pockets and grins at me. “Hey, beautiful!”

The way this man throws out beautifuls with his dimpled cheeks and pretty light green eyes will be the death of me.

I rest my elbows on the edge of the window and play it cool. “Hey.”

“You’re a heavy sleeper. I was considering climbing your building.”

“What stopped you?”

“I remembered I can’t climb shit.”

I laugh. “Thanks for not doing it. I might have missed you if you fell and cracked your head open.”

“Might?”

I bite my lip as a bubble of happiness grows in my chest. It’s been far too long since I last saw him. “I would more than miss you, Levi.” My voice is low, but it carries across the feet between us, and his expression softens.

He continues with a smile, “And I didn’t want to scare you if you woke up and found someone hanging off your windowsill.”

“I wouldn’t have been scared. I’d have shoved you off it first and asked questions later.”

His mouth quirks. “That too.”

“Are you here to serenade me?”

“Do you want me to?”

I had a candlelit dinner with Vincent, followed by mind-blowing sex that made me so late for work it wasn’t even funny. Xavier stole me away for a lunch date and a surprise reunion.

Vincent said that Levi and Xavier would give me something I wanted and something I needed.

River was a want.

Does Levi think I need to be serenaded?

I consider it, then shake my head as the wind blows my hair into my face. “No. It would be nice, but that isn’t what I need from you.”

His amusement falls away. “What do you need?”

“A kiss might be nice. Maybe a hug. I missed you.”

“I missed you, too. The kiss and hug can come later. I have something for you.”

My eyes go to his pockets.

He chuckles. “Nothing like that. We have to take a drive.”

“A date?” I perk up.

“In a manner of speaking,” he says enigmatically.

I cock my head, chewing my lip as I study him. It’s late. I’m tired, and it’s freezing out. I’m not exactly eager to leave my cozy bed. “Fine. I’ll bite. What’s the dress code?”

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