“Damn right she’s fucking wrong. Look at me,” Levi snaps. And the tone of his voice has me looking him in the eyes.
I’m taken aback by the clear anger I see written all over his face.
His hands cup my cheeks and his face comes close within a few inches of mine.
“You are the smartest, kindest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever met before in my life. If your mother can’t see that then there’s something wrong with her. Not you. Do you understand me? You are the best person I know. Say it.”
The words get stuck in my throat as I try to swallow the lump his words have just placed there.
“Say it,” Levi demands.
“I’m the best person you know,” I whisper.
His expression relaxes only marginally.
“Good.” He pulls me into a tight hug. I cling to him absorbing his scent and his strength. All at once my emotions for him and the love I feel overwhelm me.
When I pull back slightly my eyes get hung up on his lips and I don’t think before I lean forward and press my lips to his. He stiffens immediately.
It takes me a second to realize he’s not kissing me back but once I do practically dive off the couch. He stares at me stunned and I stare back at him.
“Oh my god”, I mutter as humiliation sweeps through me like a dark cloud.
“Mia,” he murmurs my name.
“Oh my god,” I say louder this time turning away from him.
I can’t. I can’t look at him right now. I can’t believe I just kissed my best friend. The person who means the most to me.
I just singlehandedly ruined everything. Panic takes up residence inside of me swirling around vigorously like a tornado.
“Mia.” The feeling of Levi’s hand touching my arm has that damn spark sliding up my arm again. I hastily jump back almost tripping over myself in the process.
“Damn it, be careful,” he says gently grabbing my hands, so I don’t trip and fall. I pull back immediately once I have my balance. I feel the tears building in my eyes again, and this time I know I won’t be able to stop them from falling.
“I-I have to go. I’m so sorry.” I bolt for the door without looking for him.
“Mia, wait!” Levi yells but I evade his grasp yanking the door open and almost running right into Jayce.
“Whoa!” he says drawing up short.
I don’t stop to see is he says anything else. I hightail it out of the building.
I can hear Levi shouting my name behind me. Once I push through the front door, I duck quickly into the café next door hoping and praying that he didn’t see me come in here.
A few minutes pass and then my phone starts buzzing in my hands. Levi’s number flashes across the screen. I quickly hit the ignore button and it immediately starts ringing again.
Quickly calling yet, another uber. I manage to keep my tears in check until I get into the back seat and give the woman directions to Imani’s place.
Once she’s pulled off, I let the tears of humiliation take over.
Chapter Five
LEVI
I dial Mia’s number for what has to be the tenth time since she ran out on me. It goes straight to voicemail.
“Dammit!” I yell throwing the phone down in disgust. I rake my fingers through my hair as the last half hour replays over in my head. Our conversation and then that kiss.
That. Fucking. Kiss.
It wasn’t much more than the brushing of our lips against each other’s, but it felt like more. Much fucking more. When Mia’s lips touched mine, it was like my world shifted into clear focus.
It sounds cliché as hell but it’s the truth. Never has a kiss affected me so greatly and I know it wasn’t a fluke. It can’t be. Mia means more to me than anybody else in this world.
A knock on my door pulls me from my thoughts. Jayce sticks his head into the room, concern written all over his face. He had a front row seat to Mia running away from me. That look of pure panic on her face is etched into my memory.
“Everybody’s waiting for you man. Are you ready?”
“Nah,” I say getting up from the chair. I grab my jacket from the couch and shrug it on. “I’ve got something to take care of.”
Shock splashes across his face. “You’re leaving now? Dude, I don’t know if I can cover for you.”
Does he really think I can stick around here after that? Shaking my head, I grab my wallet and shove it into my back pocket. “I don’t give a fuck. I need to go. Now.”
Jayce looks me in the eye, and he must see the desperation in mines because he simply nods and steps out of the way. “Go do what you need to do.”
I brush past him and take the back entrance out of the building. Jogging down the stairs, I reach my car in no time dialing Mia as I go. Straight to voicemail.
She will not avoid me forever; I refuse to allow it. That look of panic on her face is something I’ll never forget. The way her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped opened was something I haven’t seen on her often. It’s the type of face a person makes when they feel like they’ve royally screwed up. I know she thinks she messed up our friendship or did some type of irreparable damage, but that’s not the case. In fact, it’s the furthest thing from the truth.
A few minutes later, I’m pulling up in front of her apartment. I give the doorman a nod and take the
