Chapter 18
KADENCE
I remember what it was like drowning. The fear. The helplessness. The way your heart pounds against your chest like it wants to be saved even if the rest of you can’t be. The prayers upon prayers you’re mentally screaming to whoever or whatever will listen to you. It is a life altering experience….just like falling in love with Levi. What’s interesting is many of the effects are the same. The fear of him breaking my heart. The helplessness of preventing myself from being head over heels. The way my heart pounds against my chest every time I see him smile. I’ll never forget drowning, but thanks to the man in this bed I’ve managed to move past the lingering anxiety. If he died? There’s not a chance in hell I’d ever be able to get past it.
Marlz gives my shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. “I’m gonna step out for a smoke. Need anything?”
I shake my head, pull my legs up to my chest, and drop my chin onto my knees.
He exits the room leaving me with the nothing but the sounds of my heart thumping and the obnoxious beeping of the machines.
Jellyfish stings affect everyone differently. Levi, the Poseidon of my heart, is apparently more allergic than he ever bothered to mention. Thankfully, the emergency crew waiting on board for worst case scenarios like this saved him before the damage could reach detrimental levels. He wasn’t breathing when they got him on board, but they got him that way shortly after. During the ambulance ride over he passed out due to severe pain...or at least according to the EMT that’s why he did. After the doctor pumped Levi full of pain killers and applied stuff to take down the swelling, he assured us Levi was resting and probably wouldn’t need more than one night at the hospital.
Staring at his sleeping face, I scold, “This is why they have stunt doubles.”
“It is not,” he faintly argues back.
My body flies to the edge of my chair. “Are you awake?”
“Do I talk in my sleep?”
The sarcastic retort receives a wide grin. “I’ll do a live video on Facebook next time you get chatty with your eyelids shut.”
Levi smiles and reprieve burrows itself into my bones. His head angles my direction, eyes burning bright. “Hey, babe.”
I reach my hand over to connect with his. “Don’t. Don’t casually say hi. You scared the shit out of me, asshole.”
He lightly chuckles. “But not enough for you to call me by my name.”
“No.”
Shhhh. Don’t tell him I’m lying!
“Liar.”
“Maybe.”
His thumb gently strokes my hand. “I’ll be okay, Kadence.”
“You don’t even know what’s wrong with you yet!”
“You’re here,” he smoothly counters. “That’s all I need to be okay.”
Ugh. Even in a time of crisis he sounds perfect. See why it makes it hard to believe the shit he says to me.
“You were stung by a jellyfish.”
Levi doesn’t look stunned or even bothered. “Hazard of the water. She’s usually a loving mistress, but even she has a bad mood swing occasionally.”
Regardless of his easy-going disposition, distress clings to my speech. “You could’ve died, Levi. Don’t you get that?”
He doesn’t reply. Instead, he takes a moment to drink me in. My wavy hair is all over the place. I’ve got wrinkles on my shirt from nervously twisting it. There’s even mustard stains on my jeans thanks to Marlz convincing me not to listen to my boyfriend’s pleas on an empty stomach. I look like he should feel, yet he’s staring at me as if I just finished painting the ocean his favorite shade of blue.
“You were the last thing I remember thinking about, Kadence,” he vows with so much adoration in his voice it stumbles me backwards. "You’re the first thing I think about when I wake up. You’re the first thought that pops back into my mind when my brain shifts from the role I’ve become, back to me. The real me. The me who is looking you in the face right now and telling you there’s nothing between Lynn and me. The me who will quit his job right now if it means I get to keep you.”
Tears torment my tone. “I’m not Anna, Levi. I would never ask you to do that.”
“No, but I would because you’re more important than she ever could’ve become. Because you are the most important thing in my life, Kady. From the day we met I’ve been willing to put in whatever it takes to be with you and that’s one thing that will never change. You're it for me. The love of my life. The mother of my kids. The grandmother of their kids.” He forces himself up in spite of the obvious anguish. “You’re not a drop in my ocean, babe. You’re the whole damn thing. The deep dark corners, the cruel currents, the high of a perfect wave and the peace of a calm night. I’d rather learn a new trade than learn to live without you. I love you, Kadence.”
I brush away the fallen tear. “I love you too.”
Levi tugs at my hand until I’m sitting on the edge of his bed. Once I’m there, he places a gentle kiss on my palm, and questions, “Tell me where we go from here.”
His eagerness to please pushes me to apologize. “I say I’m sorry for doubting you.”
The words seem to cause confusion.
“You have proven time and time again, you can be trusted yet my first reaction is still to deem you guilty. You don’t deserve that. You deserve better. You’ve earned better, Levi. I’m sorry for making snap judgements with my heart rather than letting my mind do its part.”
He cocks a grin. “This is one of the only times I wish you would rely on it a bit more.”
I give him a playful push to the shoulder that causes us both to laugh.
Afterwards his expression returns to serious. “Do you want me to quit this movie? Come home?”
Quickly, I shake my head. “No. But I do want you to consider using your stunt double in dangerous scenes.”
“It wasn’t dangerous.”
“Oh, I’m sorry are we not in the hospital?” Pretending to be puzzled, I look around the room, and say, “Is this a surf shop?”
Levi surrenders his hands. “Fine. Let me correct myself. It shouldn’t have been dangerous, but unpredicted shit like that happens. Just know I will never do anything too crazy the same way I will never cheat on you with a co-star or anyone else for that matter.”
Accepting his promise, I flash him a brief smirk before dropping my lips onto his.
Both of his hands pull me closer to him by the nape of my neck. Our tongues take their time exploring one another. Each touch feels electrifying. Each twist titillating. His tongue strokes mine in statements of undying love, and I push back with every inch of my soul.
Levi Stone is more than a never-ending exception to the long list of pros and cons I use to help govern my life. He’s now the only man on this planet I’m always willing to throw them out for.