LITMIR.BIZ

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smokin’ alpha protector, and she’d fought the urge to wrap herself around him like a python. “Gotta go,” he’d said, and Faith had muttered goodbye, and the second Levi was out of earshot, Jeremy’s eyes had widened. “You two are doing it, aren’t you?” he’d whispered gleefully.

      Yes. They were. But it was a little early to be thinking thoughts like perfect or even together. Levi was hard to figure out. On the one hand, he’d come to her apartment door six out of the eight nights since they’d first slept together. And the sex was great. She honestly hadn’t known sex like that really existed outside of Ryan Gosling movies. Skyscraping, mind-blowing, tunnel-of-light great. Before and during sex, and immediately afterward, it felt as if they had something going on, something—she barely even dared to think the word—special.

      Otherwise, not so much. She’d dropped by to see him the other day at the station; he’d asked, “What can I do for you, Faith?” with a completely straight face, like she wanted to discuss her parking tickets (which she really should pay...sleeping with the police chief hadn’t prevented him from ticketing her car in the forty-five seconds she’d been double-parked in front of Lorelei’s).

      Then last night during nooky, he’d put a hand over her mouth, smiling. “You’ll wake the neighbors,” he’d said.

      “Don’t stop,” she’d whispered.

      Hmm. Now that she thought of it, that had been their longest conversation. Levi had been working constantly—there’d been a small crime spree in east Manningsport. He’d gone up to Geneva to have dinner with Sarah (and hadn’t asked her to come...which was fine, but still, she really liked Sarah, and if she and Levi were in something, it’d be nice to see his sister more. Right?).

      So tonight was their first “date,” not that it had been either of their ideas. It was the brainchild of Jeremy—Jeremy, who was dressed in black jeans, a blue striped shirt, untucked, and yellow river man’s sweater with four buttons unopened at the neck. Good old Banana Republic.

      Levi, on the other hand, wore faded jeans with a tear in the knee, work boots and a flannel shirt, and despite her growing irritation with the man, it was getting hard not to rip open that shirt and take a bite.

      But so far, Levi had barely said two words to her. Make that one. He’d said hey when he came in the door, half an hour after he was supposed to be there.

      “I should’ve thought of this years ago,” Jeremy now said. “Faith and Levi. Levi and Faith.” Again with the beaming.

      “Well, years ago, we were together, Jeremy,” Faith said, a trifle testily. Levi said nothing. She resisted the urge to elbow him in the ribs.

      “Right, right! But you two have, you know...chemistry.”

      Faith rolled her eyes. At the moment, the only chemistry she was feeling was acidic. She glanced at Levi, who gave her a six on the Boredom Scale. Nice. Then again, she may have been misreading his glances. Then again on top of that, she was, thus far, nothing more than a booty call.

      “Whoops. Let me check the potatoes,” Jeremy said now. He got up, all male grace, and went into the kitchen.

      And still Levi said nothing.

      “Am I just a booty call to you?” she whispered.

      “What? No,” he answered tersely.

      Wow. Two whole words. “You haven’t taken me out yet,” she countered.

      “I’ve been working.”

      Ooh. Three words now. “Sure.”

      The Boredom Scale jumped to a nine. “Faith, four houses have been broken into in the past ten days. I’m the police chief. I like my job. I have to do my job in order to keep it. I’m sorry I haven’t—”

      “You know what? It’s fine.”

      “I hate that word,” he grumbled.

      Faith gave him a pointed look. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Levi. Please forgive me.”

      “What bug is up your—”

      “Shut up, he’s back.”

      Levi sighed, that typical male women are such pains sigh. This time she did elbow him in the ribs. “Jesus,” he muttered.

      “No, it’s just Jeremy. But close,” Faith shot back.

      “So tell me everything,” Jeremy said. “How did you guys get together?”

      “It’s purely sexual,” Faith said.

      Jeremy laughed. “You’re so cute.”

      “It’s true. I’m adorable.”

      “You are.” He smiled at her. “Isn’t she, Levi?”

      “Yeah. Adorable.” At that moment, his cell rang. “Chief Cooper,” he answered, his face losing that bored affect as he listened. “Okay. Yep. I’m on my way.” He stood up. “Sorry, guys, I have to go. An attempted break-in at the Hedbergs’ house. They think their dog scared off whoever was there.”

      “Have fun,” Faith said, taking another sip of her wine.

      He looked down at her. “I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

      “Whatevs, honeybun.”

      Levi looked at Faith another minute. “Bye,” he said, then leaned in and kissed her, and just like that, her heart softened.

      “Be careful,” she said.

      “Will do.” Then he left, and she and Jeremy were alone in the beautiful living room of the Lyon house, a fire crackling in the huge stone fireplace, wine and cheese on the coffee table.

      She already missed Levi. Even if he was just her life-size sex toy.

      “So,” Jeremy said. “You and Levi. How’s it going?”

      She tucked her feet under her and took another sip of the wine (an oaky chardonnay with an overstated buttery texture, to be honest). “I don’t really know,” she said.

      “The air crackles between you two. It does. It crackles.”

      Faith snorted. “Crackles with irritation, maybe.”

      “Well, you like him, right?”

      Faith had to think about that one. “I like him sometimes. And, once in a great while, I think he likes me. I mean, I know he likes me in some ways—”

      “He does. Of course he does. You’re wonderful.”

      Faith put her wine down. “Can you stop with the compliments, Jeremy? It’s driving me crazy.”

      He sighed. “Okay, yeah, I’m a little...” He paused. “I’d really like to see you happily settled with someone. And I love Levi like a brother. So I’m sorry if I’m a little overly invested here.”

      “I’m sorry, too,” she said. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

      He smiled, that easy, generous, ready smile that won over patients in a heartbeat. “It’s okay. I think I’m owed some snapping.” He paused. “I still feel bad that I couldn’t give you what you wanted, Faith.”

      “It’s okay,” she said. “Water under the bridge.”

      Being here in his beautiful house, where she’d been hundreds of times, the fire, the wine, the elegant furniture and many family photos...she’d been so close to living this life. To having Jeremy, the heir to this vineyard, the town doctor, the guy who was everything she’d ever imagined having in a man.

      The man who loved her with all his heart but had to picture Justin Timberlake to do the deed.

      It occurred to Faith that she’d never thanked Levi for stopping her wedding.

      She took a sip of her wine, which was improving with oxidation. “Can

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