Erica Clifford - Completed

Nineteen

I'd somehow managed to go the rest of the ride without dad bringing my sudden change up again. And now I was stood in front of the lift and he was still getting his things out. 

"Come on." I whispered to myself with urgency as it slowly reached this floor and the doors opened. 

"You know they say only insane people talk to themselves." I looked up at Levi and froze. Oh no. He stepped into the lift, looking behind me to see if anyone was watching before he pulled me in and quickly hit the door close button. "We need to talk." 

"About what?" 

"You know what." He pressed the button for the roof top, holding the door closed button until it flashed so it wouldn't stop on any other floor. "You avoiding me. I'm sorry I took it too far. I just got lost in the moment. It was out of order." I tilted my head and crossed my arms, leaning back against the mirrored wall and watching him scratch the back of his neck awkwardly. 

"It's fine Levi." 

"What?" He looked up, puzzled. 

"It's fine. I'm sorry I've been distant. It was a mad few days." The lift doors opened. It's surprising how much quicker this moves when the doors aren't open and closing on every door. I stepped outside, pulling my long coat a little tighter as we did. "What did you bring me up here for?" 

"Not here." He smiled and stepped out with me, grabbing my hand and pulling me up another flight of stairs. He was quickly paced but not so fast we were running or I was tripping. "I didn't want us to be disturbed or anything. And this is the only place we won't be." 

A big door stood at the top of the stairs and his free hand pushed the bar down, causing it to open onto the roof. I don't think I've ever been up here. If I needed to get away I'd usually hide in one of the small office areas on the first floor. Under a desk was always the best shout. I'd hide out there for hours. 

He pulled me some more, over to the far side of the roof and behind some air conditioning structure. We definitely wouldn't be seen if someone walked in, that's for sure. 

"Did you tell anyone I kissed you?" I looked up at him and shook my head. 

"Not even Brooke." 

"Not even Brooke? Don't you tell her everything." 

"Everything." I smiled slightly as he took a small step closer and I scrunched my face up. Too slow. I pulled his hand so he was closer and he chuckled slightly. "I am sorry we haven't spoken the last few weeks." 

"No it's okay." His soft smile was back and I could crumble under it. "I get it. You've had a crap few- I'd say weeks but years." He chuckled and I smiled, letting my teeth show as I let out a small giggle too. "How are you today?" 

"I'm good. How are you?" 

"I'm good too." He nodded enthusiastically. 

Is it bad that I wanted to kiss him again? It was so quick last time I didn't get time to really be in the moment. I wanted to savour it. I'd tried remembering it. Tried to feel how his lips felt on mine but it was gone. I had almost no memory of it. I was too sleep deprived and off on coffee to be able to remember. 

"Levi?" 

"Mhm?" 

"I don't remember much from that day." I blinked quickly as I started getting lost in his eyes again. "I remember snippets but I was way too tired. I slept for like 16 hours when I got home." He chuckled. "What happened? I know you kissed me. But that's pretty much all I remember. I don't really remember what led to it."

"Oh. We went for coffee and you told me about all the pressure you'd been under, with your dad, and work, and the promotion he wants to give you and the office, and the whole Mia thing. Then you stormed out and stood in the rain but I think you were too tired to realise it was raining so I pulled you out of it and we just talked whilst it settled. You told me what happened with your ex. The full story. And then we came back to the office, started working in the studio and you sung for me." 

"I sung for you?" 

"Yeah. It was the best sound I'd ever heard in my entire life." He swallowed and somehow, I didn't think it was possible, but his smiled got infinitely bigger. "And I couldn't let you sit there embarrassed thinking you were horrible. And I just. I had to-" He looked down at my lips and back to my eyes, his smile faltering and a blush taking over his cheeks. "I mean-" 

"Do it again." 

"What?" 

"Kiss me." I blinked slowly. "Do it again so I remember it this time." I put our hands behind my back, pulling mine from under his to leave it on me alone.  "Please." 

He looked at my lips again. A little longer this time. Stop taking your time for god's sake Levi. I've been thinking about this for weeks. I furrowed my brow slightly and watched as he smiled a little bit bigger before he pushed his lips into mine. 

It was like the memory of our first kiss suddenly smacked me across the face. I remembered it all now. He tasted like coffee. Bitter and his lips were still warm from it. They weren't now. Now they were cold from the late spring breeze. I appreciated it. They were cooling me down. 

He moved slightly, walking me backwards until my back hit the AC unit and his hands moved down to my hips, pulling me closer to his height ever so slightly and I was now stood on my tiptoes. 

This kiss was more demanding than our last one. Hotter. The intensity was burning into my soul. I wouldn't forget this one. I knew that for sure. 

One of his hands left my hip, pulling up to my cheek. His finger wrapped around to my neck, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. Okay now my knees were going weak. He deepened it slightly, turning his head and putting more pressure behind it before slowly pulling back, leaving ever nerve in my body on fire. 

We stood there, neither of us moving. Panting for air in hopes of regaining some oxygen we had both stolen from each other. 

"I've been thinking about that since the last one." I smiled sweetly as the words rippled off my tongue, 

"Really?" 

"Yeah." 

"Thank god. Me too." He rested his forehead on mine as we both refused to say another word. 

We'd have to go back to normality soon. Back to working and pretending this didn't happen and neither did the first time. But right now, that felt like a betrayal. It felt wrong in so many ways. I didn't want him to take his hands off me. I wanted them on me here right now. And I didn't want anyone else near me. 

Just him.