“Amelia! How can I answer your questions when you’re not taking a breath?”

  “Sorry. I’m just so excited.”

  Levi laughed. “I know. Well, he’s called Marcus. He’s…” He tilted his head up to look at him. “How old are you?”

  “Wait. He’s there? Now?” Amelia said.

  “I’m thirty-seven.” Marcus’s voice rumbled through to Levi’s back.

  “Not too old for you then,” Amelia replied. “Good. What does he do?”

  Levi wasn’t sure he wanted to tell her because it might give her ideas, but the choice was taken from him when Marcus said, “I’m a psychologist.”

  “No shit!” Amelia said. “What the hell, Levi? He’s perfect for you!”

  Levi rolled his eyes and sighed. “Just because I’m a mess doesn’t mean I need a permanent therapist in my pocket, sis.”

  “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

  He did. She rightly worried about him and having Marcus, who would understand his quirks and issues, was a blessing.

  “You’re not a mess,” Marcus said, pressing his lips to Levi’s head. “You’re perfect.”

  “Aww. That’s so sweet. You are obviously in very capable hands. I’m going to leave you in peace, but call or message me when you get home safely. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I will. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  He ended the call and closed his eyes, sinking into the feeling of being cared for, even though it was only being held in silence. How often had he wished for this very thing?

  ****

  Chapter 7

  Marcus

  Knowing they were on the same page helped with Marcus’s feeling of insecurity regarding their relationship. Once Levi had agreed to give them a try, something inside Marcus released. He felt lighter, happier. The brief conversation with Levi’s sister had made him smile because he could hear how much she adored her brother. Amelia and Evelyn would get on well together.

  The five-hour train journey home ended, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed himself as much as he had. They had held hands, chatted and watched the lights flash by in the darkened sky. When Levi came out of his shell around him, it was as if the sun had come out. He was enthusiastic about the topics they spoke about. He was expressive in his body movements. He came to life. And Marcus loved it. They had their own cosy nest with Marcus as the barrier to the rest of the carriage, but it made him realise just how secluded Levi must be. As much as he wanted to make a go of their relationship, as he’d mentioned on Arthur’s Seat, would he be capable of being Levi’s bridge to the outside? Only time would tell, but he didn’t want to hurt him.

  As the train entered the station, Marcus held Levi tighter in his embrace, his head tucked beneath Marcus’s chin, and his hand gripped his jumper.

  “Welcome back to London.” Don’s voice came through the speaker. “I hope your journey and your day were good. As you continue on your way today, please remember that life is short. Where there is conflict, there is reasoning. Where there is uncertainty, there is explanation. Where there is worry, there is comfort. Illuminate would like to thank you for taking us along with you on your journey and for trusting in us. Have a wonderful and rewarding future.”

  A moment of silence fell before Levi whispered, “We need to swap numbers.” Marcus understood the desire to stay within their cocoon, but real-life interrupted.

  “Yes. We will. Levi…” Marcus knew in his head and his heart that what he planned to ask was way too early in their relationship, but he couldn’t help the need to voice the question all the same. “Will you come home with me?”

  Levi pulled out of his embrace and gazed at Marcus with an expression Marcus had trouble figuring out. The therapist in him understood facial expressions, but this one threw him. Unless he was too close and didn’t want to see the meaning. Cupping Marcus’s face, Levi pressed a kiss to either side of his mouth, then the centre before speaking.

  “I would love to, but I don’t think we should rush into—”

  “No! I don’t mean…not to do anything…I mean unless you want to…shit.” Marcus took a breath and closed his eyes briefly, facing Levi once more. He could hear the movement of others in the carriage, readying themselves to disembark, but he needed to explain. “It’s too soon to rush into a physical relationship, but I would love to hold you and wake up to you tomorrow. I’d like to make you breakfast and maybe lunch, too. I want to spend more time with you.”

  Throughout his speech, Levi had his bottom lip secured between his teeth. When Marcus finished talking, Levi pulled their faces closer and kissed Marcus again. Deeper this time, exploring his mouth and gripping the back of his head. When they came up for breath, all Marcus could hear was his heavy breathing.

  “I’d love to, but I’m going to say no.”

  Marcus exhaled and nodded. “You’re right. I know you are, and it should be me that’s saying this. I suppose I’m scared I’ll wake up tomorrow and this will all have been a dream.”

  “That’s one of my worries, too.”

  Marcus inhaled. “But that won’t happen. We’ll swap numbers, and we can message tomorrow to prove it’s not a dream.”

  Marcus dropped another kiss on Levi’s lips and grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet. He hissed when his back spasmed again but brushed it off as quickly as he could when he glanced around at the empty carriage. They were the last to leave, so he quickly tugged on his jacket, watching as Levi mirrored him. He fastened Levi’s zip and grabbed his two bags while Levi grabbed his bag.

  “Good evening, gentlemen. I hope your trip was an enlightening one.” Don was standing on the platform by the open door, smiling with a glint in his eye.

  “Very enlightening, Don,” Marcus replied, holding his hand out to shake. “And one that will stay with me for many years to come, I hope,” he finished, glancing at Levi, who stood slightly behind Marcus, out of sight.

  “I’m glad to hear it. Enjoy the rest of your night.” Don climbed the steps and closed the train door behind him.

  “Whoever came up with this idea was a genius.”

  Levi’s words made Marcus laugh.

  “Let me have your number now, so we don’t forget,” Marcus said, unlocking his phone. It lit up like a Christmas tree with several messages and two missed calls, but he ignored them for the moment. They swapped numbers, and Marcus even sent a message to Levi so he knew it really was Marcus. Then he held out his hand, linked their fingers when Levi slid their palms together and crossed the platform towards the exit.

  “Will you let me see you home safe?” Marcus queried.

  Levi nodded. “Yes. I’d like that.”

  Exiting the station, Marcus scanned the car park, trying to see his sister’s car, but the moment harsh words met his ear, he realised his mistake—he hadn’t told Levi his sister was his taxi. Evelyn stormed towards them, and Levi gripped his hand harder, stepping behind him.

  “Marcus Joseph Evans! If you ever don’t reply to my messages again, I will whip you within an inch of your life. Do you understand me?”

  Evelyn stood in front of them in jeans, a thick jumper and a scarf, complete with a scowl their mother would be proud of.

  “What’s wrong? I messaged you earlier.” Marcus remembered the messages and missed calls he’d ignored. Thoughts of Levi, hiding in Marcus’s shadow, took a back seat for a brief second of panic. “Did something happen to Mum or Brody?”

  Evelyn’s gaze softened. “No, they’re fine. I was worried. You sent me one message and never replied again. I didn’t know what had happened to you.”

  Marcus blew out a breath, his heart rate decreasing. After the accident, Mum had told him they had been trying to ring Dad for an hour before someone got in contact with them about the accident. It had left each of them with different invisible scars.

  Marcus reached forward and pulled Evelyn into a one-armed hug, holding tightly to Levi’s hand. “I’m so sorry, Evelyn. I didn’t think about checking my phone.” He pulled away, cupping her chin. “I’m sorry to have worried you.”

  “It’s all right, I suppose. Just don’t do it again.” Her gaze flicked to Levi and back, a question visible in her expression.

  “I won’t, so long as you don’t go doing things behind my back again,” he replied with raised eyebrows.

  Evelyn had the decency to blush, though a smirk joined it. “You wouldn’t have done it by yourself.”

  Marcus huffed. “You’re right. I also have to thank you.” Marcus pulled gently on Levi’s hand, keeping him partially hidden if he wanted to be. “I wouldn’t have met Levi had I not been on the train.”

  Evelyn beamed and clasped her hands in front of her mouth, a sign she was hiding her need to squeal like a five-year-old. “Nice to meet you, Levi.”

  “And you.”

  Understanding Levi’s anxious nature, Marcus didn’t bring him into the limelight anymore than he already was. “We’ll meet you at your car in a second, Evelyn.”

  His sister smiled and nodded, returning to wait in her car.

  “I’m sorry, Levi. I forgot Evelyn had dropped me off until we got here. She had dropped me off after we’d decided the cost of parking my car would be astronomical. I should have warned you about meeting a member of my family.” Marcus spoke softly, not wanting to air Levi’s anxiety without his permission.

  “It’s fine. I may not talk much, though.”

  Marcus squeezed his hand, glancing at him as they wandered across the road to the car. “Not a problem. Evelyn can talk for England.”

  “I heard that, asshole,” she said through her open window.

  “You were supposed to, darling sister.”

  Levi rewarded Marcus with a chuckle, and his heart soared when a whisper in his ear declared, “She’s going to get on well with Amelia and Helena.”

  A foregone conclusion their families would meet.

  Marcus was overjoyed.

  They piled into Evelyn’s car, Levi sitting alone in the back at his request, and after a brief eyebrow raise from his sister, they headed towards Levi’s home.

  He glanced over his shoulder at Levi, winking at him, and received a smile in return.

  He didn’t know what he had done to deserve the man, but he damn well wouldn’t argue.

  Evelyn asked them questions about Edinburgh, to which Marcus replied. She raised her eyebrows again, but he shook his head, asking her, without words, to leave it alone for now. He’d explain later. He reached his arm around the back of the seat and grasped Levi’s knee. Levi squeezed his hand, then let go.

  “Here we are,” Evelyn said, parking at the curb.

  “Thank you,” Levi murmured and climbed out.

  “You’re welcome,” she replied before he shut the door. She frowned.

  Marcus smiled at her. “Give me a minute, and I’ll explain.”

  She nodded, and he got out, slipping his hand into Levi’s as they wandered up to the door of his apartment building.

  “I’m really sorry about that,” Marcus said. “I truly didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

  “It’s okay. These things happen, and I have to deal with them. That’s what my therapist keeps telling me, anyway.”

  “It’s true, but I still could’ve warned you so you weren’t blindsided.” Marcus put his arms around him, holding him close. “I had a wonderful time today, Levi. Thank you. Will you let me call you tomorrow?”

  Levi peered up at him, looking decidedly smaller than he had earlier in the day. “I’d love that. You need to remind me it wasn’t a dream.”

  “I can do that. What are your plans for tonight?”

  “Sleep,” Levi groaned.

  Marcus chuckled. “I want you to drink a glass of water, have a shower, brush your teeth and climb into bed. I want you refreshed, ready for a new day.”

  “Okay.” He lifted onto his toes and slid his arms around Marcus’s neck. “I like it when I don’t have to decide what needs to be done.”

  “Then I can help you. Tomorrow or the day after, or whenever you’re ready, we can discuss what we want from this, okay?”

  Levi nodded, and Marcus kissed him. He kept it as chaste as he could, knowing his sister was watching, but he couldn’t resist the allure of the boy in his arms. It took far longer than it should have to pull himself away, and Levi’s glassy eyes had him groaning.

  “Go before I forget myself,” Marcus said. “Sleep well, little one.”

  Levi smiled and let himself into the building, and Marcus watched until he disappeared into the lift. He blew out a breath, and though it felt like he was leaving something behind, he climbed back into his sister’s car.

  “Intriguing,” she said, setting off for Marcus’s home.

  “He’s a nice guy, Evelyn. It’s not my place to say, but I will explain that he has anxiety issues. Meeting new people is difficult, and he can seem abrupt, but it’s his coping mechanism. I’d completely forgotten you were picking me up, and I hadn’t warned him. That’s why he was so quiet.”

  “Understood. He seems nice.”

  “He’s amazing.”

  “Where are you going from here?” she asked.

  Marcus exhaled slowly. “I’ll contact him tomorrow and see what happens.”

  “I’m glad it worked out.”

  Marcus glared at her. “You really should’ve told me.” She winced. “I went in there, talking about sessions and references, and Levi looked at me like I was speaking another language. When he realised I didn’t know anything about why I was there, he was so upset, Evelyn.” His heart broke all over again when he thought about how they started. “I watched him turn into a shell of himself. It was awful. I felt like an ogre.”

  “I’m so sorry, Marcus. I didn’t think about the repercussions. I just wanted you to find someone. You deserve it.”

  “What did you put on my application, anyway? They seemed to know far much more about me than I thought you did.”

  Evelyn bit her lip and stared resolutely at the road. “Never mind. That’s a discussion for another day when I’m not exhausted and in pain.”

  “Your back?”

  Marcus nodded. “Sitting for so long was torturous, even in those comfortable seats.”

  “You ended up with a good guy, though.”

  “He’s definitely a gift.”

  Marcus hoped tomorrow would bring good news for them both.

  ****

  Chapter 8

  Levi

  Levi had no hope of sleeping that night. He was too wound up from everything he’d experienced and too worried it would all disappear again. How could he have found the best person for him? It was all too much for him.

  As was usual when he stressed and couldn’t sleep, but also couldn’t use work as an escape, he fell into a book. It took a little while for him to lose himself in the words, but it was only when his stomach growled that it dragged him from the fictional world into reality, and everything came crashing back into his brain. He’d been reading for three hours, making it three in the morning, and it probably wasn’t the best time to eat, but he needed something to keep him going. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, images and concerns as he made a sandwich and grabbed an apple. By the time he sat on the sofa, facing a blank TV, his stomach was in knots again, and he wasn’t sure he could eat.

  He debated putting the food back, but his phone distracted him. He’d had a message he hadn’t noticed.

  MARCUS: I know you won’t get this until you get up, but make sure you eat and drink. I know there are lots of things to think about, and I promise we will discuss them. I’m not a figment of your imagination. So excited to see where this goes, little one. M x

  Levi’s cheeks ached from how wide his smile was. As long as this message didn’t disappear into thin air as well as his dream man, everything would be okay. Marcus had sent the message while Levi had been reading, so he was more than likely asleep now, but Levi sent a message back, anyway, wanting Marcus to wake to a reply.

  LEVI: I’m eating a sandwich and an apple right now. I’m looking forward to seeing you again. I won’t believe you’re not imaginary until I do. Hope you slept well. L x

  He took a bite of his sandwich and reached for the remote, flicking through the streaming service until he reached the TV show he was currently re-enjoying. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen it about ten times, but he loved it all the same. He was halfway through his apple when his phone chimed.

  MARCUS: Why are you eating at three in the morning? Why aren’t you asleep, little one? x

  LEVI: Too much running around in my head. x

  MARCUS: Anything I can help with? x

  He would’ve liked Marcus to take over and stop him from having to think. If they decided to make a go of things, Marcus would be his Daddy and would take all the decisions from Levi, leaving his mind clear. At least, he hoped that was how it happened.

  LEVI: I suppose I’m just trying to figure out how we’ll work. x

  MARCUS: I can imagine that’s worrying you. If you can’t sleep now, would you like to talk through some things? x

  LEVI: Aren’t you tired? x

  MARCUS: Yes, but I also can’t sleep because I’m too excited to see my boy. x

  LEVI: If you’re sure. x

  Levi’s stomach churned again, and this time, he put his half-finished apple on his plate. He wasn’t sure what topic they would start with because it seemed like they had so much to discuss. His thoughts cut off when his phone rang, and his eyes widened. Why was Marcus calling? He thought they were going to talk over messages. It would be easier for him if they did. Could he explain what he needed? Could he… He pressed the answer button before the phone sent the call to voicemail. He inhaled.

  “Hello.”

  “Hello, little one. I thought it would be easier to talk rather than message because it’s so easy to misunderstand that way.”