and Seth continue to bicker, and I look over at Levi as my thoughts darken. He doesn’t notice my attention, which is also something I’ve noticed a lot of lately.
He looks like such the boy next door. All-American type with the looks that could probably put him as the front cover model for J. Crew or something, but underneath is a simmering anger I’ve only recently been privy to. He wasn’t always like this. When we first met, he was amazing, and I really had high hopes that he would be someone worth exploring a relationship with. But I’m not sure what to do with this new easily angered and controlling side of him.
“Are you excited to hit up Nate’s place?” Nikki asks me, clearly done fighting with her boyfriend since she’s now taking a big forkful of her own pasta with a look of pure pleasure. She doesn’t notice that her question has now caused a dark cloud to settle over my side of the table.
“Who is Nate?” Levi asks her in a hard tone. His question might be directed at Nikki, but the anger is all for me.
“A friend,” I tell him, ignoring him much like he’s been ignoring me for most of the evening.
“What kind of friend?” His words come out sharp and forcefully.
I shrug and keep chewing. I look up when I see Nikki stop her fork’s upward path to her mouth; the utensil paused halfway to her mouth as she looks at him with wide eyes, not used to seeing this side of him.
I take a fortifying breath for patience and turn so that I’m looking at him. He’s so handsome, even when he’s pissed. His blond hair is cut short, but long on the top. His blue eyes are narrowed, but that just makes the sharp edges of his facial features stand out more. Add the tan that I’m pretty sure he gets with the help of a tanning bed, and he really should be making my heart beat with desire.
But it doesn’t.
Because it only does that for the man I can’t have.
Yet another reason I can’t keep dragging this on with him. It’s very clear that I’m just not feeling like a girl should when she’s in a relationship with one man, but still in love with another.
A cold flash of rage flickers in his eyes when I continue my silence and I shake off the chill that skirts down my spine.
What the hell was that?
“I grew up with him,” I finally say, feeling the goose bumps pebble across my skin. “He’s a childhood friend and nothing more,” I assure him.
“Let’s hope so,” he says through thin lips. “How come I haven’t met this friend before?” he adds.
I look back at Nikki, her fork still in the middle of its journey to her mouth; only now, half of her fettuccini is hanging off. Her eyes say it all, but then she mouths creepy, and I can’t even deny it.
“We aren’t that close anymore, Lev. I see him once a month during the family dinner.”
“If he’s close enough to attend the infamous family dinner, I would say he’s someone I should have met by now,” he growls through clenched teeth.
I give him what I hope is a reassuring smile, not interested in having to deal with his one of his ‘dark moods’ when we’re in public.
“Don’t be like that. I told you, I grew up with him and his parents are good friends with mine. He’s just a friend.” A friend I’m in love with, I silently add.
“Maybe it’s finally time you took me to a family dinner then, babe. You’ve kept me from your family long enough, and it’s time they meet the new man in your life.”
I can tell he’s seconds away from the rage in his voice becoming a scene, so I do the only thing I can to stop the train wreck from happening. I lie through my teeth.
“Of course, it is. Next time, I promise,” I placate him.
Yeah, I’m thinking it’s definitely past time I call a stop to things between Levi and myself.
Things didn’t get any better from there. He returned to his meal after a good two minutes of just looking at me and breathing hard. He only talked to Seth and even that was with short and impatient responses. If Seth noticed, he didn’t care. By the time I had finished my food, my head was throbbing with what promised to be one hell of a