He lay on his side and gazed at Hannah, who had her eyes closed and was raised on her forearms slightly. She looked like a painting in the dim room, the lightning showcasing every inch of her magnificent frame.
“Damn,” Levi whispered.
Their eyes locked, and Hannah’s smile instantly grew.
“Damn yourself,” she replied.
Levi was exhausted but felt incredible at the same time. He rolled over to lay directly next to Hannah as she leaned on her hand, eyes still closed with rapture.
“Have you seriously not come in a while?” he asked.
Levi raised a hand to push the hair out of her face, and when he did, her eyes opened. They swam with an exaggerated daze.
“Not that many times,” she said, smirking. “Usually, that’s reserved for me time.”
Levi was on cloud nine. He had completely forgotten about the fact that the woman was sent to protect him and felt like they had just slept together after their first date. He was truly walking in a dream.
Levi got up from bed to make lavender Earl Grey tea while Hannah quickly washed up in the bathroom. He went to his room to grab a nice fuzzy robe for when she got out. Her comfort was of the most importance to him.
When he came back with the tea, she was leaning up against the wall of the terrace and gazing out at the storm.
He had to stop in his tracks with the tea in his hand. All at once, he felt guilt and that familiar sensation of having something undeserved. Her long hair ran down one side of her body, standing out against the chalk white shade of the fuzzy robe.
Hannah noticed him standing there and flashed him a sweet smile.
“Are you okay over there?” she asked.
Levi gulped, then forced himself forward with the tea in hand.
“Sorry,” he said, handing her the mug. “You’re just quite a sight, standing there, leaning up against the wall in the dark. I had to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”
Hannah wrinkled her nose and turned away, something she did when a compliment hit home. But Levi meant every single word.
“Have you always been good with women?” She held the tea in front of her mouth.
It was then Levi’s turn to grin and laugh. “Heavens, no,” he replied. “My money brings them home, but that’s about it; nothing serious. I’ve always been a bit married to my work.”
Hannah nodded, breathing in the aroma of the tea. She sipped at it, absorbing it with her eyes closed.
“Mmm,” she said. “This is lovely.”
Levi wanted to tell her that she was lovely. Lovely beyond anything he had ever experienced in his entire life. When he had slept with women, that had been it for them. He treated them well until they walked out the front door in the morning, hoping to never hear from them again.
The loneliness was striking and profound, but he always told himself that involving someone in a life that was complicated and messy would only be met with broken hearts. He had kept to himself for so long that he had forgotten about the ease of opening up to someone you care for.
He sipped at his tea and leaned against the wall opposite Hannah. She turned her head to look up at the cloudy sky, her chest rising and falling softly. He felt like a madman, wanting just to stand there and watch her breathe, watch her drink tea, and watch her enjoy herself.
Was everything he had heard in songs about love, about the true partnership, actually true? Was there actually merit to that sensation of insanity?
The L-word scared him immensely, so he let it dissolve away in his mind.
“Thank you,” Hannah said.
Levi raised his eyebrows, thinking he had missed something she had said. “Hmm?”
“For reading the letter,” she said. “I don’t think I could have done that on my own. Having you do that really meant a lot to me.”
Levi could feel his face getting warm as she stepped up to him. He didn’t have his glasses on, so she was a bit blurry in the dark, but gorgeous all the same.