“What?” he said as if he could tell she was busy thinking and wanted her to share her thoughts.
“Nothing. It’s just...if you’d told me last week that I’d be spending the night with a tall, blond stranger, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
“Because there are no strangers in your world,” he said with a laugh. “You know everyone.”
He didn’t laugh often. She liked the sound of it. “Exactly.”
“Even I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my bike—and those dogs.”
The idea of his leaving didn’t appeal to her. He’d given her a new focus, someone to worry about other than herself. She liked having him here. “I know.”
“I hope...”
“What?” she prompted.
“I hope I didn’t cause what happened.”
At first she didn’t understand what he meant, but then she remembered telling him it was the scare that had made her sick. It probably was. But normal people didn’t get deathly ill from an encounter like that. “No. I wasn’t making sense last night. It was just the flu. Anybody can get the flu.”
“So you’re better?” He didn’t seem convinced.
“I am.”
“Good. Then I’m going to make you something to eat so you’ll stay that way.”
“You’re cooking?”
“Unless you don’t want me in your kitchen.”
She’d rather have him in her bed. But she was also eager for a few minutes of privacy to brush her teeth. “The kitchen’s up for grabs,” she said, hiding a yawn. “Knock yourself out.”
When he got up, he inadvertently gave her a good view of his backside in those briefs. As thin as he was, he had a nice build. But last night hadn’t been about beauty or physique. Only now that she felt well enough to appreciate the sight did his attire, or lack thereof, matter.
Her excitement over his near-nudity withered instantly when Kyle’s voice boomed through the house. “Callie?” He sounded as if he was on a tear. “Where are you?”
She sent Levi a startled glance, but there was no time to say anything, no time for Levi to grab a shirt or a pair of pants. A second later, Kyle stood in the doorway of her bedroom, his jaw hanging open at the sight of Levi in his underwear.
“I was going to ask why you’re not answering your phone, but I think I can guess.” He seemed more shocked than angry.
Levi’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t respond, and Callie was glad he was allowing her to handle Kyle’s surprise visit. “This isn’t what it looks like,” she said. “I was sick last night. It’s fortunate that Levi was here to take care of me.”
“He did that in his underwear, did he?”
“He was sleeping when I started throwing up.”
Kyle’s chest lifted as he took a deep breath. “How could he have heard that from the barn?”
“He wasn’t in the barn. I—I’d asked him to come in because—”
“You could’ve called me,” Kyle broke in. “I would’ve helped you.”
“I know. But I had no warning, and I didn’t realize it would get as bad as it did.”
“What made you sick?”
“The flu.”
“Wait...” He blinked as he shook his head. “Why was he inside again?”
“I didn’t want the two guys who own the dogs that attacked him to come back. They gave us some trouble night before last, remember?”
She purposely didn’t mention that the prospect of the police returning also worried her. She knew how it would make Levi look to say he wanted to avoid them.
Kyle didn’t seem to be listening, anyway. If she had her guess, he was feeling too many conflicting emotions. Shock. Outrage. Possessiveness. Chagrin at the knowledge that he had no right to be possessive.
Once again they were in that no-man’s-land they’d created when they’d slept together.
“Shit,” he said at last.
Levi raised a hand. “Look, I’m leaving in a few days. You have nothing to worry about.”
Kyle eyed him, gave a deep sigh. “I’m not worried about me. Don’t you get that? She deserves someone who’s capable of loving her. Someone who’s stable and can help her build a good life. She wants marriage, kids. Is that what you have to offer?”
“I have nothing to offer. I’m leaving, like I said.”
“Then do it before you hurt her,” he snapped, and walked out.
A second later, Callie heard what she hadn’t noticed before he let himself in—the sound of his truck engine. It flared up, then dimmed as he drove away.
Levi shoved a hand through his hair. “How’d he get in?”
She’d locked the door. Levi had watched her do it after she’d brought him into the house. “He has his own key.”
Lowering his head, he started to leave the room, but she didn’t want him to go just yet. She felt the need to explain.
“Kyle and I have slept together. You were right about that.”
He looked at her but said nothing. She couldn’t even ascertain what he was feeling.
“It’s happened a few times—five or six. But...it’s not what you think. It’s not about love, and it’s not about screwing around just to get off.”
“Then what’s it about?”
She got the impression that he didn’t want to ask but couldn’t resist. “We’re both tired of being alone, I guess.”
He seemed to consider her response. “I can understand that,” he said, and went to get dressed.
* * *
Callie had a doctor’s appointment. She didn’t want to admit that to Levi, didn’t want him asking any questions. But she was also nervous about leaving him there alone. Not because she thought he’d steal from her or harm anything. She was afraid he’d be gone when she came back.
That was really an odd reaction to have to a drifter, someone she’d always known she couldn’t maintain a relationship with. But she couldn’t help it. All morning she kept remembering how it had felt when he’d snuggled up with her. Different from Kyle. Different from any other guy she’d been with—not that there’d been very many. She’d also been unable to get the image of Levi standing by her bed in his briefs, with certain body parts more apparent than usual, out of her mind.
“So do you want me to put Rifle in the fenced yard while I’m gone?” she asked as she stood beneath the ladder Levi was using, holding her purse and her car keys.