Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,66

his jacket and the sight of him in the jeans that fit tight across his thighs and the black crew neck sweater that accentuated the muscular body made her hungry for something other than whatever they were about to eat.

He’d always been attractive, so how had she never felt this attraction before?

Was it just their shared history and the magic of the moment messing with her head and her heart?

No. That should only be making her feel guilty or sad or anxious.

In that moment, she felt none of that. She just felt a desire to be with him, to let go of the what-ifs and what-comes-next and what-it-all-means questions that continued to surface. She needed a break from conflict and drama and he was giving her that. And for right now, she’d take it. This dinner didn’t have to mean anything more than two friends eating together. She knew he wouldn’t push for anything she wasn’t willing to give.

She took a deep breath and released it slowly, catching his attention.

A look of concern flashed in his dark eyes. “Is this too much?”

She shook her head. “It’s really amazing...thank you.” He was making an effort—for her. He was opening himself up when she knew it must be just as hard for him as it was for her to push aside all the reasons they shouldn’t be doing this.

He finished pouring his own glass of champagne, then raised his glass in the air. “To...reconnecting,” he said.

Such an understated way to put what was happening between them, but she would be hard-pressed to define it any better, so she clinked her glass to his and took a sip. The liquid tasted sweet on her tongue and warmed her as she swallowed. A few more sips and maybe her pulse would start to settle down a little.

Levi sipped his own drink, his eyes locked on hers over the rim of his glass.

Okay, nope. Pulse was just increasing.

“You look really beautiful...can I say that?” He looked like he was afraid of spooking her and she understood. She’d been so on edge since arriving and it hadn’t taken much to switch her moods from hot to cold.

She nodded. Compliments were okay, right? Friends complimented one another. “You look nice too.” More than nice.

“Are you hungry?” he asked.

“I’m not in a rush to eat.” This rare moment of letting go and forgetting about the mess she was in wouldn’t last long enough, so she didn’t want to hurry it.

Levi smiled and leaned back against his cushions. “So, life in LA—how is it?”

Of all the questions he could have asked, this was probably the most complicated and difficult to answer. “It’s different.” Growing up in Wild River wasn’t exactly as secluded as other parts of Alaska, but it still wasn’t busy, fast-paced California. “It took a little while to get used to. The traffic and crowds and the noise. The city always seems to be in motion—day and night. There’s an overall feeling of hustling.” That part she did enjoy; being busy kept her from being alone with her thoughts and feelings too often, but she kept that part to herself.

“The heat must be nice though,” Levi said.

“The heat is definitely a perk. I live close to the beach, so I run every morning along the pier and swim in the ocean almost all year round. The workout scene in LA is no joke. Rollerbladers, cyclists, people working out on the equipment on the public beaches. It’s definitely a community vibe in itself.”

“Well, the city is definitely full of beautiful people,” he said.

“Yeah...it’s almost a little too much. Like here, you see an attractive person and you can appreciate the beauty, but in LA, everyone is beautiful, and in a way, it dims the appeal of outside appearances.” And unfortunately, it took too much time and commitment to invest in someone long enough to see who they truly were...and if she was being honest, she wasn’t ready to.

Was she ready to see Levi?

He nodded. “And your job...you enjoy protecting the rich and famous?”

Another tough one. “I do.” She’d leave it at that.

Unfortunately, in true Levi nature, he pressed for more. “But you could have specialized in other aspects, right? Property? Events? Why pick personal security detail for Hollywood?”

She sighed. “I think I was attracted to the idea of film, being on set,” she admitted. “I actually enjoy that part most—watching the camera crew and sneaking peeks at the takes and sometimes getting to watch the postproduction editing of