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“Why?” Levi asked.
“It’s not important,” Dana said hastily, glaring at Asher.
Asher just smiled at her, but thank God he didn’t say any more.
*
“I’m off to my appointment,” Asher said. “Maggie and the puppies are in my room. Muriel said she’d let Maggie out and check on her and the pups while she’s here. You two kids have fun.”
“Why are you looking at rent houses?” Levi asked Dana after Asher left the room.
“Because I’m tired of living in a high-rise apartment and my lease is going to be up soon. And I want a pet.”
“A rental won’t let you have a miniature donkey either.”
“This isn’t about miniature donkeys. Although, you don’t know that for sure.”
He started to argue but figured what was the point? The easiest thing would be to ask her to move in here with him. But Levi had mixed emotions, to say the least. And that was a commitment he wasn’t sure he was ready for. Possibly Dana wasn’t either.
Nevertheless, he said, “Maybe you should move in here.”
She looked at him for a long moment, her expression inscrutable, before she answered. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Why?” Okay, she’d surprised him. He’d thought she’d at least consider it instead of saying no right off the bat. In his book I don’t think so meant no.
“You don’t really want me to move in with you, Levi.”
“I wouldn’t have asked you if I hadn’t wanted you to live with me.”
She laughed. “Maybe you should move in here? That’s the most lukewarm way of asking the woman you supposedly love—”
“I do love you,” he protested.
“Maybe so, but you don’t want me to move in with you. It’s okay, Levi. I understand.”
“Explain it to me, then.”
Dana closed her laptop but left it on her lap. “Our last attempt at living together was a huge failure. You’re leery of doing it again. I have reservations about it too. We can talk about it another time. Maybe,” she added.
“Let’s talk about it now.” Maybe my ass.
“Why? We’re not moving in together. There’s no need to discuss anything right now.”
“If you don’t want to move in with me—”
“Other way around,” she interrupted.
“Why did you bring it up?” he continued.
“I didn’t. Asher did.”
She’d told Asher but she wouldn’t talk to him? “Why did you tell Asher?”
She set her computer on the coffee table and stood. “Oh, for God’s sake, Levi,” she said, clearly frustrated. “Asher overheard me talking to myself, complaining about the lack of rentals in this town. When I explained he asked me why I didn’t just move in with you. So I told him. And then,” she went on, holding up a hand when he would have interrupted, “you asked me in the most lame-ass way possible to move in with you. So of course I said no.” Her voice had risen exponentially until her last words were fairly shouted.
She crossed her arms and turned her back on him and he distinctly heard a sniff. God, don’t let her cry. Oh, hell, he’d fucked up. He took a step toward her but stopped short of touching her. “I’m sorry. I’m an idiot.”
“Yes,” sniff, “you are.” Sniff.
