Page 15 of Reckless Love

He lets my arm go and slides his hand over the back of his neck. I loved his curls back in the day, and he still has them, but now his hair is shorter on the sides. This look sharpens his features and somehow makes his eyes and full lips stand out even more.

Levi finishes his snack and takes off down the hall. I panic, hoping he won’t go into my office. They haven’t been here since I set everything up, and I thought with us trying to maintain distance, they wouldn’t be over here until the season was over…and I could hide everything by then.

“I really have to…cut this visit short, I’m afraid,” I tell Rhodes.

He looks hurt, but he nods and starts after Levi.

“I can get him!” I rush past him and Levi thinks we’re playing a game.

He starts running and I chase him back into the living room. I swing him up in my arms when I catch him and kiss his neck until he’s cackling.

“Don’t you grow before I see you again, okay?” I say, kissing Levi’s face.

“I gwow, I gwow,” he cries, cracking up.

“Okay, you grow and grow and then you can carry me around,” I tell him.

He frowns and shakes his head. “No, you cawwymeawound,” he says.

I smile happily and kiss his forehead. “Okay, it’s a deal. I’ll carry you around as long as possible and I’ll love you forever.”

“I love you like booty loves cake!” Levi says.

I lose it at that and so does Rhodes.

“Still on the booty, I see.” I set Levi down, still laughing.

“The boy knows what he likes and itisa stellar word…booty.”

Levi laughs now, just hearing the word. He’s been on a booty kick for a while now. He just loves the word and works it into random conversations.

“The other day I walked by and he was just singing, “Booty, booty, booty,” softly as he played,” Rhodes says, chuckling. He swings him up into his arms. “Tell Elle bye-bye.”

Levi’s face curls up and he starts to cry. My own eyes fill almost every time he cries. I can’t stand to see this littleguy cry. Ever.

“I’ll see you soon, okay?” I lean in and kiss his face and when I back up, I meet Rhodes’ eyes. “Yeah, I can’t go without seeing him. We just have to be really careful, okay? I’ll come to you.”

“I’ll do whatever you say,” he says. “And if we have to wait to see you, we will. Levi will be okay.”

“I don’t want to miss out on him and whatever new phrases he starts coming up with,” I say.

I glance out the window and don’t see anyone out there, but I’m regretting cutting our time short. I miss them already.

“You let us know,” Rhodes says. “And it’s not like we can’t FaceTime.”

I smile. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

He leans against the door. “You’re my plus one for Bree and Alex’s wedding this weekend. What are we gonna do about that?”

I make a face. “Can you take someone else?”

“Really?”

I groan. “How about I call Bree and ask her if she thinks anyone would leak that we’re there together…or I could try to get permission to go. I’d feel better about that. I’ll talk to Lisa tomorrow and see what she says.”

His jaw clenches, but he nods. “Okay. Keep me posted.”

When he leaves, I sag against the door and feel the sad quietness in the room without Rhodes and Levi.