Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,62

caressed his body...his entire body.

What was she thinking? What was she feeling?

Did she want to continue exploring what they’d opened themselves up to in the shed just moments before? Or had one impulsive time with him been enough? Would her common sense kick in? Or was she ready to consider a new future—with him in it. Not as her friend, but as something more.

And when all of this was over, where would they go from here?

The unknown and the uncertainty were terrifying. He’d taken a leap of faith into stormy waves and he just hoped he could breathe with his head underwater.

Right now, he’d give them both a little space and time—as much as physically possible given the circumstances. If she wanted to talk or needed him, she knew where to find him. He’d move at her pace, on her agenda.

Approaching the office door, he shut it a little too hard and loud and closed the window blinds to block the sight of her.

Then he collapsed onto his sofa next to a sleeping Smokester and allowed all the years of unexpressed heartache to come crashing in all around him.

* * *

OH SHIT, OH SHIT, oh shit...

Levi was obviously spiraling. The loud bang of his office door had Leslie frozen. Was he pissed? Was he annoyed? Had she done something wrong?

Well, obviously it hadn’t been the right thing. Having sex with him was arguably the dumbest thing she could have done. She felt guilty as shit, but she wasn’t really regretting her actions. Or at least, she hadn’t been...

What did she do? Go to him and talk about what happened?

And say what?

She had no idea where they went from here or what it had meant.

“What’s his problem?” Selena asked, coming up behind her with a meaty-looking sandwich that was definitely not vegan or gluten-free.

“I have no idea.” That much was true. It could be that he regretted what happened or it could be that he was annoyed at her for the impulsive act, then her not being able to reciprocate feelings beyond a physical connection.

But what did he expect?

She’d only recently learned he had feelings for her. She’d kept her own heart guarded for so long, it had been a huge step just allowing herself a brief moment of connection in any way with a man—with her best friend.

She loved Levi...but could she ever have the same feelings for him that he had for her? Could she ever be in love with him? She didn’t know. She’d never allowed herself to think of him in that way before.

And now she knew she was attracted to him...but real love? Like what she’d had before...

“I thought actresses didn’t eat carbs,” she said grumpily.

“I eat carbs. Don’t project your prejudices against skinny, rich, famous people on me,” Selena said, sitting next to her. “Besides, this is gluten-free. Levi got Chad to pick some up at the grocery store when he was made aware of my dietary requirements.”

Oh, for the love of... Why was everyone catering to the star? First her brother with his cauliflower substitute risotto and now Chad? In LA everyone did what Selena wanted—sure they were paid to, but here in Wild River people were expected to fend for themselves. No one had ever doted on Leslie this way. Not that she wanted them to.

“Can we look up TMZ?” Selena asked, moving even closer to see the laptop.

Leslie inched away. “No.”

“Entertainment Weekly?”

Leslie sighed. “No.” The last thing she needed at that moment was to see her face with a wanted sticker all over the internet. For a brief respite out in the shed, she’d forgotten all about the mess she was in, the stalker trying to kill her client and the fact that they were thousands of miles away from where they needed to be and that sooner or later they’d have to go back.

“How was the cabin?” Selena asked, with a mouthful of sandwich.

“Completely destroyed,” Leslie said, feeling yet another tug at her chest and not entirely because of the cabin.

Levi loved her—she still couldn’t quite believe it.

“Is that what’s got you upset?” the star asked carefully, any trace of her annoying self disappearing.

It would be easier to allow her to think that was all it was, but Selena looked remorseful when she glanced at her. “No...that’s not it. I’m just trying to figure out a way to get us out of this mess as quickly as possible.”

And put some distance between her and Levi before she could do something stupid