Not So Suddenly Soulmates, page 7
“No need. I’m fine, seriously.” She stumbled and he helped her move across the street.
A woman rushed out of the dorm and talked to Rhi for a moment. She scanned the parking lot until her gaze landed on Levi and Claire. “What’s wrong with her? You didn’t drug her, did you?”
Rhi moved away and pulled out her phone.
Claire shook her head. “I’ve been up for thirty-seven hours. I’m doing an experiment, remember?” She moved away from Levi and staggered toward the dorm.
Another woman caught her as she fell through the door.
Levi pointed at Claire. “She popped something while we were at dinner. She said it was Adderall but she hasn’t been able to keep her eyes open since. I didn’t want her to get lost at the hospital and no one know where she was supposed to go if it was anything serious. Otherwise, I would have called an ambulance myself.”
Rhi trotted back over to where they stood. “I called. They’re on their way.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “Thank you for doing that.”
“No problem.” Levi turned to Rhi. “I’m ready to get out of here.”
“Me too.” She handed the woman the bag of takeout. “He ordered extra vegetarian food for her to have as well.”
The woman raised her eyebrows. “Who are you?”
“The Uber driver.” Rhi clutched Levi’s arm. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. You’re still on the clock.”
Levi followed her and sat down in the passenger seat of his car. “That was the weirdest date I’ve been on in a long time.”
Rhi laughed. “You can’t even call that a date. That was a disaster.”
“Agreed. Let’s go eat dinner and you can torture me with that Outlander show you were watching.”
Chapter Thirteen
RHI
May 18th
Rhi yawned on the ride to the twenty-first floor. Sleep had been damn near impossible. Her mind spun.
The almost kiss.
The conversation with her sister-in-law.
Possibly going back to Bryton.
Megan stealing her purse after the concert.
Levi acting like he wanted to jump her bones.
Could things get any weirder?
The elevator stopped at the nineteenth floor and her boss stepped on.
“You look like hell. Late night date?” Delilah Price tapped her black patent leather heels on the tile.
“Just a long weekend.” More like a long two weeks.
“Well, you can always take a personal day or work from home. It’s not like you don’t have internet and access to social media from your apartment.” She smiled.
“Oh, speaking of working from home. What would you think about me telecommuting on a regular basis?”
“Thinking about moving? Where?”
The elevator came to a stop and they both hustled out.
Delilah motioned for Rhi to follow.
“Back home. Levi may be taking over part of my dad’s company.”
Delilah opened the door to her office, shuffled inside, and closed the door behind Rhi. “Did you marry him over the weekend?”
Rhi took the chair across from Delilah’s desk. “No, why?”
“I’ve known my friend Joann for twenty years. We went to grade school and high school together and shared a dorm room in college. When we graduated, we got job offers in different states. Do you know what happened then?” Delilah sat down in her chair and opened her laptop.
“I’m assuming you went to different states.”
“Yeah, because we’re best friends and not married. I have a roommate here and she is a woman I’d consider one of my best friends. If she had a job opportunity, I wouldn’t drop everything and move with her. I’d be happy for her and let her go.”
Rhi shook her head. “Levi and I are different. We’ve been pretty much inseparable since we were in Kindergarten. The longest we’ve been apart was a month and that was pure torture for both of us.”
“Why don’t you two just get married?” Delilah rolled her eyes.
“Right. We’re friends. Nothing more.” Rhi forced a smile. Are Sara and Delilah right? Could I live without Levi? How much would change if we end up with other people?
“Honey, you two have the weirdest friendship I’ve ever seen.” Delilah shook her head. “How far away are you going?”
“Just back to Bryton. But I’d prefer not to do an hour plus commute twice a day.”
“I don’t like it. I’ll think about it…but I don’t like it. You’d still have some required meetings you’d need to come down for but if you end up moving, we’ll see what we can do.”
Rhi smiled. “Thanks, Delilah. I appreciate it.”
“You know, Rhi, you and Levi would make a great couple. The only thing you two are lacking is the sexual part of a relationship and I’m sure that wouldn’t take too long if you two looked past your friendship.”
Rhi took a deep breath. Why is everyone bringing this up now? “Thanks. We’re just friends though.”
“Whatever.” Delilah shooed her toward the door. “Go home and get some rest. No rush on any of the projects. Just make sure you’re up to par when you are here.”
Rhi nodded. “I may try and work a couple hours here.” A yawn escaped.
“Go home. That’s an order. I may fire you if you don’t.” Delilah pointed to the door. “Now.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Rhi smiled and rushed out the door. She wouldn’t get any sleep but she wasn’t going to turn down an afternoon off.
Chapter Fourteen
LEVI
May 18th
Fuck it. Time to go home.
Levi shut his laptop and leaned back in his chair and looked at the clock. He’d completed nothing all day. He sent his boss a quick message, grabbed his stuff, and headed toward the exit.
The elevator door opened and Robby smiled.
Levi stepped inside and nodded at his friend.
“Hey, man. Going home already?” Robby glanced at his watch. “Lucky.”
Levi rubbed his neck and yawned. “Can’t focus anymore.”
“I’m so tired of my job. I’d quit in a heartbeat if I had somewhere else to go.” Robby yawned.
“Between you and me, Rhi’s dad asked me if I would be interested in taking over his company.”
“Seriously? Do you need a network administrator?” Robby stood a little straighter.
“Maybe. I’m not sure what positions would be available but if he makes an official offer, I’d be more than happy to see if there’s one for you.”
“What’s Rhi going to do?”
“She’s coming with me.”
The elevator stopped at the first floor.
“You giving her a job too?” Robby stepped out into the lobby.
Levi followed, shaking his head. “Nah. She’s gonna telecommute while she looks for something else.”
Robby snorted. “You two should just get married and get it over with.”
Levi threw his hands up. “You just told me you’d come with me. How is that any different than Rhi going with me?”
“I’d only move if I had something lined up. She’s willing to telecommute or not have a job at all just to go with you. Come on, dude. I saw you two the other night. You were about to get pretty hot and heavy.” Robby bumped Levi’s arm. “Admit it. You’d do her.”
“I’m not going to do her.” With Rhi, it would never be just sex. It couldn’t be. There was so much more there. What would happen to their friendship if they did go there? Could they go back to just being friends?
Robby laughed. “The look on your face says you’re considering it. You two would be perfect for each other. Then maybe the rest of us could slow down trying to keep up with you.”
“Keep up with me?” Levi frowned. “I didn’t know there was a competition.”
“We just want to know when you actually have time to sleep. You bring a different girl home every night and kick her out the next morning. Between the nightly bar run to pick them up and taking them back to the apartment, you have to put in some hours.”
Levi smiled. “It’s not every night, despite how much Rhi jokes. It’s mostly weekends, and if it does happen during the week, there’s no bars. It’s just girls I pick up on the way home.”
Robby clapped him on the back. “If you two ever do get together, Rhi’s going to have to find new and interesting ways to keep you satisfied.” He glanced over his shoulder then back at Levi. “Gotta go. Let me know if you’re moving.”
Levi nodded and traipsed out the front door. What would it be like being with someone on a regular basis? He’d always dreaded running into any girl he’d slept with before. But the thought of Rhi had his head spinning. He yawned as he climbed into his car. Maybe a couple hours of sleep will help my head.
Chapter Fifteen
RHI
May 18th
Rhi wrapped herself in a blanket and curled up on the couch to watch a home remodeling show on Hulu. She shoved a handful of popcorn in her mouth and grabbed the remote, clicking through until she found the next episode. The couple on TV spent a half hour arguing about paint colors. Time for a different show. The front door opened and she glanced back to see Levi walk in. “You’re home early.”
“I could say the same about you.”
“Delilah said I looked like shit and sent me home.”
“She was wrong about you looking like shit but going home early is always a plus.” He glanced at the popcorn. “Chinese takeout?”
“That sounds so much better than this.” Rhi hurried into the kitchen and searched their drawer with takeout menus. “Where’d you order from the other night? It was great.”
“New place on Uber Eats.” He opened the app on his phone and turned it to her. “Same as always?”
“Extra crab Rangoon and egg rolls. I started my period this morning so I’m craving super fattening food.” She shuffled back over to the couch and snuggled into the blanket.
“Gotcha. Fried fattening food with a side order of cheesecake for dessert.”
Rhi moaned. “That sounds wonderful.” She rested her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes. “Hey, did you see the new Marvel movie when it was in theaters? I think it’s on Netflix now.”
“No. I wanted to see it but the girl I was with that weekend had me sit through some romcom that was supposed to make me fall madly in love with her.”
Something cold touched Rhi’s cheek and she jumped.
Levi held up a Pepsi.
“I see how well that worked, considering you’re still single. Was the sex at least good?” She took the bottle. I hope the sex was awful.
Levi laughed and plopped down next to her. “The only thing I remember from that night was that I wanted to see the Marvel movie.”
Rhi smirked and snuggled up next to him. “They should make a rom com about us. We’re funny.”
“Kinda hard to be a rom com when there’s no romance.”
“There’s plenty of romance. Think of how many funny dates we could put in there. Like the time I came home with the guy who tripped over everything. Or all our funny routines in the morning when we kick girls out?”
Levi laughed. “Or the time my dad showed up when you were bringing someone home?”
“OMG that was so awkward…your dad out in the hallway while the guy was dry humping my side.”
“That was hilarious. We both got in on throwing him out.”
“The look on his face when your dad came up behind him and if he wanted to get in on the foursome was priceless.”
“We all had a good laugh at that one.”
“What about the time my mom gave you the sex talk?” Rhi turned around and folded her leg under her so she was facing him.
“Your mother did not give me a sex talk. Your mother walked me through the entire physical process and went through the psychological process as well.” Levi shook his head. “The most embarrassing part was having a girl with me, in public, and being twenty-one.”
“See? Amusing romance at its finest.”
“But that’s not romance. Romance is a special dinner. Or getting your girl’s favorite foods, watching her favorite movie, and cuddling on the couch.”
Rhi quirked her brow. “Are you trying to say you’re romancing me?”
“What? No. I mean. It’s different between friends and girlfriends, right?” Levi rubbed his neck.
Rhi looked up at him. “Why does it have to be? If you had a steady girlfriend, you’d do the same thing with her as you do with me.”
“Do I have to keep reminding you about the confirmed bachelor status?”
“But what happens if you meet the right girl? The one who makes you want to spend the rest of your life with her?”
“The only girl I would be okay spending eternity with is you.”
Rhi straightened herself on the couch, her eyes wide. “Do you even realize what you just said?”
“What? We could live together for the rest of our lives like this and never have a problem.”
“So we live out the rest of our lives sleeping around and coming home to each other?” She rubbed her forehead. Could she even do that? She wanted to settle down someday. Maybe even have a family of her own.
“I mean, I’m sure sleeping around will get old eventually but us living together won’t. Who knows you as well as I do?”
Rhi blew out a breath and nodded. “That’s true.” She picked up the remote and turned on the movie. “How long until food gets here?” Everything he’d said recently had her spinning in a different direction.
“Almost an hour. They’re busy.” He put his feet up on the coffee table and pulled her in close.
“Did I tell you Megan called me right before you got home?”
“And you answered?”
“I don’t know why but yeah. She tried to apologize. Said something about bad acid at the concert but I didn’t see her take anything.”
“Is there such a thing as good acid? And it’s not easy to see, but she sounded pretty sober when she talked to the police.” Levi laid down and pulled her into a spooning position.
“Yeah, Uncle Cory had me get all new cards and signed me up for a credit monitoring service. If she has any of my card numbers, she can’t use them. If she tries to sign up for anything, I’ll be notified.”
“Good. One less thing you have to worry about.”
Rhi stared at the television but couldn’t say what the movie was about.
Levi ran his fingers up and down her arm sending heat through her body.
Why had she never felt this before when he touched her?
His fingers traveled down her hip and thigh then he moved them back up again.
She turned over so she was facing him.
He opened one eye. “Kind of hard to watch the TV that way, isn’t it?”
“Even harder when your eyes are closed.” She snickered. “You’re half asleep and confusing me with some bimbo you’ll sleep with tonight, aren’t you?”
Levi laughed. “No one in this world could ever confuse you for a bimbo. Especially me.”
Rhi stared at him for a moment, his lips calling her name. Her skin hummed everywhere their bodies touched.
“I have another funny story for our movie. Remember the time you went on a date and the guy’s card got declined. You had to call me because you didn’t have your wallet.”
Rhi blushed. “And you made fun of me and him the entire way there.” That night never did get better.
“Right. And of course I get there and announce—”
Rhi planted her lips on his, cutting his words off in an instant. She pulled away just as quick.
Levi’s hand curled around the back of her neck and he tugged her back to him. His lips moved over hers, tracing his tongue over her lower lip.
Rhi’s eyes drifted closed. Her tongue danced with his as fire ripped through her body.
Levi rolled on top of her as he deepened the kiss.
Rhi moaned against his lips.
The doorbell rang, bringing their kiss to an abrupt stop.
Levi rolled off her and pushed himselfsat up then rested his head in his hands. “Uh, can you get that?”
Rhi sat up and nodded. She rose off the couch, scurried to the door, and opened it.
“Delivery for Rhi Edgerly?”
“That’s me.” She took the bag from him. “Did we tip you?”
“Yes, very well, thank you.” The man smiled. “Have a great day.”
Rhi shut the door then put the bags on the table. She dropped into her chair.
Levi slid into the seat next to her. “Still think I’m a bad kisser?”
She scanned his face, the humor she expected to see there was absent. “No.”
“Scale of one to ten?”
“Are you seriously joking right now?”
“Of course. We just kissed after seventeen years of friendship, and if I don’t joke with you now, I may do it again.”
Rhi gaped at him. She grabbed the carton of crab Rangoon and took one out of the box. “You can quit joking now.”
“I’m serious. If I stop joking, I’ll be kissing you again.” Levi took one from the container. “So on a scale of one to ten, how good?”
Rhi sighed. “Not to stoke your ego, but ten. Maybe not lifetime but it’s one of the best kisses I’ve had in a long time. How about you? Where do I stack up?”
Levi took a bite of food, chewed it slowly, and waited until he swallowed before giving her a smirk. “You’re right on the cusp between ten and eleven.”
Rhi rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. There’s no eleven. It’s one through ten.”
“There’s always an eleven. Because there’s the best you’ve had as a ten and the eleven then becomes better than the best.” Levi chuckled.
“Okay, you can stop with the jokes now. You’ve had better. I get it. No need to rub it in.” She stood to grab plates and forks from the cabinet.
“What if I’m not joking?” Levi took the plates and forks from her and laid them out on the table.
