“Levi, I’m happy to stay if you’re happy for the company.”

  Levi peeked through his fingers. Had he heard Marcus right? He wanted to stay? Why? Instead of answering, he stared at the man, lowering his hands until he could see properly. There didn’t seem to be any negative emotions on his face, and Marcus seemed content to let Levi look his fill. There was a kindle of attraction in his lower stomach, but he ignored it, not wanting to make things uncomfortable because Marcus hadn’t wanted to be there. Levi wouldn’t throw himself at him—even if he was having a good day.

  Marcus linked his fingers, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. Levi swallowed. “I’d like it if you stayed, but don’t feel you have to. This must be uncomfortable for you.”

  Marcus chuckled, the sound sparking against the attraction Levi felt. “It’s more that I wasn’t expecting it than not wanting to be here. I was expecting to meet a client to potentially sign up for therapy sessions. I’m having to alter my mindset to think of this as a…a…” He stumbled on his words.

  “Date?” Levi whispered.

  “Yes. A date. If we can talk for a little while, I can adjust to the new circumstances. If that’s okay with you, that is?”

  “Okay.”

  Marcus smiled, a small dimple appearing at the corner of his mouth. Levi kept his groan inside, but it was his curse to love a man with dimples. “Great. So, what is it you do, Levi?”

  Levi swallowed against his dry throat, wishing the steward would bring his drink. “I’m a voice actor.”

  Marcus’s eyebrows rose. “Wow. I’ve never met a voice actor. How does it work exactly?” Marcus leaned his elbow on the arm of the seat, linking his fingers together, the epitome of relaxed. Levi wished he could borrow even a pinch of that.

  “Um…people send me a script and explain what they want. I record a section so they can see what I can do with it, then send it back. If they are happy with what I did, they ask me to continue.”

  “What kind of work are you sent? Is it books?”

  Levi stalled his answer when Simon placed their drinks in front of them, the ice in his water clinking against the glass. He immediately picked it up and drank, wetting his throat and lowering his temperature. The condensation around the glass cooled his palm. As he placed the glass back on the table, he cupped his other hand around it, wanting the same effect on his other palm.

  “Most of the time, they’re books. Other times, it could be for a TV or radio advert. It could be an animation. It could be anything that needs a voiceover, really.” Levi hated the focus being on him. It was one reason he worked from home as he did. Whenever he spoke to people, he couldn’t help the waver in his voice.

  “Any I might know?” Marcus picked up his cup using his first two fingers and thumb, bringing it to his lips, and Levi expected his pinkie to lift into the air. Not that he’d ever seen that in real life.

  Levi watched one corner of Marcus’s mouth lift, and his stomach fluttered. God, dimples… He cleared his throat. “Um…maybe.” He wasn’t about to expand on it. Finding out other people’s opinions on his work was not his favourite part of the job. But some voices he’d done, he didn’t want to admit to.

  Marcus laughed, the outpouring of humour lifting the melancholy from the earlier misunderstanding. “Okay, don’t tell me. I’ll get it out of you later, I’m sure.” He winked as he replaced his cup.

  Not being able to help but return the smile, Levi ducked his head, hiding behind his hair once more. He needed to get it cut, but he enjoyed being able to use it as a curtain.

  “How did you get into that line of work?” Marcus asked, keeping on with the topic.

  The heat invading his cheeks had Levi brushing his hand over them, trying to dispel it. He wasn’t used to talking so much about himself, although he should have realised he’d need to. It was what being on a date would require, after all.

  “I’d been trying to find a job I could do from home. As you can probably tell, I’m not good at social interaction…”

  “I think you’re doing all right,” Marcus interrupted with a smile. “You were saying?”

  Levi ducked his head again, cursing himself for his tells. “It took a while, but I stumbled upon the job accidentally. A friend asked me to help her with recording an audio file—she needed a male voice—and it, kind of, went from there.”

  “How long have you been doing it now?”

  “About three years.”

  “You must be a pro by now.”

  Marcus finished his cup, then poured another from the teapot, doctoring the tea with a splash of milk and one sugar. He was mesmerised by the movement of Marcus’s hand as he stirred the mixture, his strong-looking fingers taking on an unexpected elegance. He would love to have those skimming across his skin. Fidgeting in his seat, Levi tore his gaze away and observed the passing scenery. The flash of rainbow greenery interspersed with the grey and shine of buildings and structures, along with the clank of the track, gave Levi the confirmation they were speeding away from London. Not that he needed the visual.

  “I am happy to move to another seat if you would prefer me not to be here.” Marcus’s soft words flowed through Levi’s ear, his voice deep and melodious, and it perked up Levi’s little side. It made Levi want to do anything he asked without question.

  Closing his eyes momentarily, Levi inhaled through his nose before facing Marcus fully. “I would like you to stay. But…only if you want to get to know me. Not as a patient. As a man.”

  He swallowed the lump in his throat that had formed from his audacity. Confidence was not a virtue he had, but he was tired. Tired of being alone. Tired of being the odd one out. He wanted someone to want him. Just as he was. Not as someone who needed to be changed or as a stepping-stone. He had no idea where the courage had come from, but the pleased smile he received from Marcus was enough of a boon to make him proud of himself.

  “I would like to get to know you as a man, Levi.” Marcus’s voice had lowered further, and he picked up his cup, holding it aloft. “Shall we toast to it?”

  Levi smiled shyly but lifted his glass, tilting it towards the cup. “Cheers.”

  “Cheers.”

  Their eyes stayed locked as they both sipped and replaced their drinks on the table. Levi leaned himself back, not understanding what passed between them, but also not wanting it to stop. His brain fired up, and his fingers itched to touch, but he was content. He blinked rapidly to dispel the thoughts, causing the moment to be lost, and a melancholy invaded his body. He wanted the connection back.

  “So, what type of therapy do you provide?” Levi asked, watching as Marcus swallowed repeatedly and cleared his throat.

  “I’m a cognitive behavioural therapist.”

  Levi waited for Marcus to expand on his job and, when he didn’t, prompted, “And what does that entail?”

  “Well, I help people with any psychological problems, like eating disorders, depression, anxiety, that kind of thing. I help them correct negative thought patterns in a way which benefits them in the long term.”

  “That sounds rewarding.”

  “Oh, it is. Seeing people at the end of their treatment when they become the person they were meant to be… It’s indescribable.” Marcus glanced down at his linked fingers, a small smile playing around his mouth.

  The emotional well inside Levi grew for the obvious care and love Marcus had for his patients. No one could fake those emotions. It helped settle him more that Marcus was a good guy on the wrong end of a good deed.

  “I bet.” Levi cocked his head. “But I also bet it’s a very draining process. For you, I mean.”

  Marcus’s head jerked back, and his gaze flicked to Levi’s, eyebrows raised. He stared at him for several long seconds, almost more than Levi could stand, but then nodded. “Yeah.” Marcus uttered his answer on an exhale, so soft Levi might not have caught it had he not been focused on the man in front of him. He saw Marcus shake his head gently and lean back in his seat. “Few people realise the toll it takes on the therapist and the patient. Thank you.”

  Nodding once, grateful to have been able to see something few others had, Levi sipped at his water, trying to catch the drips of condensation in his palm held underneath it. Marcus placed a napkin in his hand, and Levi jerked.

  “So you don’t get yourself too wet.” Marcus reached over the table, one hand braced on the surface as he closed the distance between them.

  “Thanks.” Levi wrapped the napkin around the bottom of the glass, ensured the base was flat and put it on the table. There was plenty of space still between them, but Levi felt the stare in his soul.

  ****

  Chapter 3

  Marcus

  Marcus couldn’t help himself. He wanted to tuck Levi in beside him and shelter him from the imperfect world. He settled back in his seat and crossed his legs beneath the table. How could this date—if that was truly what it was—be someone he could be interested in when he hadn’t filled in the details of the matchmaking form himself? Who knew what Evelyn had written for him? She didn’t know anything about his Daddy needs. That meant he’d have a big part of his life that would be a secret—or a surprise.

  “Tell me about your sister.” Levi’s voice was inquisitive but quiet, his eyes piercing, even from behind the slight curtain of his hair.

  Marcus snorted. “I will beat my sister soundly when I next see her. She means well, but she doesn’t always think before she acts, even when she accuses me of doing the same thing.” He shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Evelyn is a year younger than me but acts older, mostly. She has always taken on the role of carer for both me and my brother, Brody, especially since the accident.”

  He sucked in a breath with the ease he’d spoken the words. Unable to speak about it without pain for a long time, he usually chose not to mention it at all. Being a therapist himself, he knew he still grieved, even all these years later, but he was working through it with his therapist, who was a friend of his.

  “Accident?” Levi asked, leaning closer and resting his arms on the table. “Sorry, it’s none of my business.” He shrank back into the seat again.

  “It’s fine. I…I’m seeing a therapist. He tells me it’s good to talk about it—which I know, anyway. It’s a little difficult taking my own advice, though.” He cleared his throat, staring at his entwined fingers. “Five years ago, my father and I were on our way to meet Mum, Evelyn and Brody at a restaurant for lunch. We’d been collecting some things from the DIY store to fix the back fence while Mum and Evelyn were shopping. Brody would’ve been texting his then-girlfriend, I would’ve thought.” Marcus was adding information Levi didn’t need, but he couldn’t help but give him the entire story, despite wanting to shield him from any pain.

  He squinted out the window, watching the scene unfold in his mind. “Dad and I were waiting at the traffic lights. The next thing I knew, the car was pushed into the middle of the junction.” He paused. “Dad died on the way to the hospital. I barely had a scratch on me, although my back was messed up a bit. Still is at times.” He licked his lips and swallowed, leaning forward and wrapping his hands around his cup as he glanced at Levi. “The lorry driver who hit us from behind had been checking his phone and hadn’t seen we’d stopped. It was worse when the van driver coming in the other direction hadn’t been able to stop and slammed into Dad’s side.”

  “Oh god, I’m so sorry, Marcus.” Levi’s hand covered his wrist, eyebrows drawn together.

  “Thanks.” Another thing that was difficult to do was give thanks when people showed concern. It was an automatic reaction to brush it away and say he was fine when he absolutely wasn’t.

  “Well, if it helps, my sister is a pain in the ass, too.” Levi squeezed Marcus’s forearm, then let go, the heat from his hand remaining for a short time.

  “She is?” Marcus asked, grateful for the change of subject. It gave him the chance to breathe easier.

  “Yes.” Levi sighed, resting his chin in his hand. “She’s always in my face, has been since she was born.” He laughed. “But we’re twins, so that’s not difficult.”

  “Twins! I thought having a sister a year younger was bad enough.”

  “No. You have it easy.”

  They shared a laugh over their drinks as Simon came back to their table.

  “Lunch will be served shortly. Are there any changes you would like to make to your chosen meal?”

  “Not for me, thank you,” Levi replied.

  Marcus shrugged. “I have no idea what my sister chose for me, but she knows me well. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.”

  “I can check for you if you wish,” Simon asked.

  “No, it’s fine. As I said, she’s surprisingly good at knowing what I eat.”

  Simon smiled. “All right. Would you care for more drinks?”

  “Water for me would be great, thanks.”

  “And me, thank you,” Levi agreed.

  Marcus got lost in the emerald of Levi’s gaze. The man had come out of his shell once they’d started talking, especially when Marcus spoke of the loss of his father. The tenderness with which he’d touched Marcus’s hand had shown in his expression, too. Marcus would love to see what Levi would look like when he was completely free and relaxed. Far too soon, Levi dipped his head, hiding from him.

  “Have you visited Edinburgh before?” Marcus hesitated to break the silence but wanted to know Levi better. His swap from client to date had been a lot easier than Marcus had expected it to be. He didn’t know anything about Illuminate Matchmaking, but he was enjoying the conversation all the same.

  “I have.” Levi nodded, his face lighting up. “When we were younger, we spent our school holidays in caravans up and down the country. Edinburgh, and the area surrounding it, was always a favourite of ours.”

  He could just imagine Levi in a caravan, though why the image was so clear, he had no idea.

  “I’ve never stayed in a caravan. We always went abroad for our holidays. It was my parents’ favourite choice. It’s only as I got older, I began visiting places in the UK.”

  “We only ever went abroad once, to Paris. It was good, but I preferred the caravan, and so did the rest of us. I love being outside in the fresh air: gardens, fields, places where there are few people. It’s why I have a large allotment. I love taking care of the plants, and I have vegetables growing there, too.” Levi stopped, eyes widening. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to talk so much.”

  “You’ve not been talking too much. I’m enjoying what you’re saying.” Marcus explained further, hoping he didn’t sound overboard with the praise. “You light up when you talk about your garden and plants. It’s lovely to see. I can tell you enjoy it.”

  Levi beamed, and Marcus’s stomach somersaulted. “I do.”

  Marcus exhaled slowly, trying to stop the erratic pulse of his heart. “Did you ever consider becoming a gardener or landscaper?”

  Simon interrupted their conversation, arriving with their lunch. “Here we are, gentlemen. Two club sandwiches and two glasses of water. Is there anything else you need?” he asked as he placed the plates in front of them.

  “I think we’re okay.” Marcus raised his eyebrows in question at Levi, who nodded back before smiling at Simon.

  “Very good. I’m a call away should you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Simon,” Levi said.

  “You’re welcome.”

  They arranged their plates and glasses, and Marcus had to stop himself from checking in on Levi and making sure he had everything he needed.

  Levi surprised him and picked up the conversation from where they’d stopped. “I couldn’t do those jobs. There’s too much interaction needed for it.” He speared a lettuce leaf and folded it into his mouth. Seeing him eating healthily made Marcus smile.

  “Don’t you interact with your clients now?” Marcus picked up his sandwich and took a bite, moaning at the taste. Club sandwiches were up there in the top ten of his favourite foods. Evelyn knew him well. Levi was quiet for a moment, and Marcus glanced up with a frown. He stared at Marcus, mouth gaping. Marcus finished his mouthful, putting down his sandwich. “Everything okay?”

  Levi blinked and shook his head once. “Yeah, sorry. Um…” He coughed and took a drink. “No, I don’t interact with my clients. My PA does that for me.”

  Marcus swallowed, wiping his hands on a napkin. Leaning one forearm across his front to rest on, he reached the other hand forward, playing with the edge of his plate. “I’m going to put my therapist hat on for a moment. Do you want to be able to interact more, or are you happy as you are?”

  Levi slowly chewed the food in his mouth as he gazed out of the window, a frown on his face. Turning back to face Marcus, Levi answered, “I would love to be able to go out to a restaurant, occasionally, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. I have three friends who come around—not all at once, mind you, but I’m able to talk to them. Probably because they have been my friends since school.”

  Marcus nodded. If Levi wanted to, it was something he could help him with. He wouldn’t suggest it at that moment because Levi didn’t really know him, and it would ruin their camaraderie. He might mention it later if they continued to get on well. His heart hurt for the man, though. Not being able to wander wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted, could be something Marcus could help with.

  “So, what are your plans for Edinburgh?” he asked, changing the subject.

  “Arthur’s Seat.”

  Marcus chuckled at the instantaneous and enthusiastic response. “A nice open space.”

  Levi nodded, fidgeting with his fork and pushing his hair behind his ear. “Um…would you like to come with me?”

  Marcus’s shoulders released their tension. He hadn’t wanted to ask if Levi wanted to spend more time with him—he hadn’t wanted to seem pushy—so he was glad Levi had brought it up. “I’d love to. I’m probably not wearing the best clothes for it, but yeah.”