Levi looks down at me, his expression softening. “I care about your sister, Brodie. This isn’t just wedding vibes. I want something real with her. This is the start of something, not the end.”
My heart hiccups. “Wow.”
He smiles like I’m adorable.
I mean, I guess he’s said that repeatedly in one way or another, but to say it in front of my brother… That’s serious.
“Damn it,” Brodie says. “This is not the right way to start anything, Levi.”
Levi’s still on top of me, his eyes sparkling with mirth, and a laugh bursts out of me at the ridiculousness of this situation.
“This is not funny,” Brodie says. “Sophie, get your ass in here and save me.”
“What?” I shriek, my heart racing in panic. “Do not call, Sophie—”
“What’s up, bro?” Sophie asks. “Why is Levi on top of Gentry? Oh my god, are they naked? Way to go, Levi.”
“Get out,” I yell. “Get out and take—”
“What is going on in here?” Josephine says. “It’s too early in the morning for this racket.” She pauses, probably taking in the scene. “Clearly, I’ve walked into a situation I want to know nothing about. I’m leaving. Let’s all pretend I was never here.”
“We’re leaving too,” Sophie says.
“Ouch,” Brodie says. “You stepped on my foot, Soph.”
“Sorry,” Sophie says. “I’m trying not to see anything either.”
“You can open your eyes,” Levi says. “Your back is to the room.”
“I’m not taking any chances,” Brodie says.
“Come on,” Sophie says. “I’ll guide you out.”
As soon as the door slams shut, Levi rolls off me, his body shaking as he laughs.
I gasp for air, reality crashing down. “My brother has seen me… He’s seen me…” I can’t even say it. It’s too horrible. “How am I ever going to look him in the face again?”
Levi shifts to look at me, his smile incredulous. “Brodie? The man doesn’t know the meaning of the word shame. And you have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I’m not ashamed. I’m embarrassed.” Maybe I’m a little ashamed. I was shirking my parenting duties to hook up with Levi in a room with an unlocked door. Not very responsible. “What kind of example am I setting for Sophie?”
“Are you trying to teach her to save herself until marriage?”
“No, but it’s not like we’re dating.”
He pulls me back against his body. I can feel his erection pressing into my ass and my whole body wakes back up, somehow ready to go again. “I told you,” he says. “If we kissed, I wasn’t going to just walk away, and we’ve done way more than kissing. We’re definitely dating now.”
“I guess we have to be if I’m going to be a good role model to Sophie and Emily.” I should be upset about this new development, but I’m not. I’m sort of happy about it. “But only as far as they’re concerned, okay? We’re not getting hearts involved. We’re still just testing the waters.” Except I want to do so much more. That terror I’ve been feeling is totally gone. Maybe it was the orgasms, but I think it’s that I’m actually beginning to trust Levi Sullivan might just be the kind of man who actually intends to stick around no matter what.
“Okay,” Levi says cheerfully. Then he kisses my cheek and lets me go. “I’ll talk to them and calm Brodie down while you get a shower.”
What I want to do is have a few more hours in this room with him before reality intrudes, but I am not allowing my siblings to imagine what we might be doing up here.
I shower and dress in my warmest clothes, prepared for a morning visiting reindeer like I promised Emily. I follow the sounds of chatter to the dining room, where a spread of bagels, cream cheese, muffins, and fruit is laid out.
“There she is,” Brodie says as soon as I step into the room. “Tell Levi he has to marry you.”
Levi, conveniently, has a bagel in his mouth and is chewing decidedly slowly. It’s annoying, but I can’t blame him. Knowing my brother, Levi has told him one thousand times already that he doesn’t want to marry me, and Brodie has ignored him.
