Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Hope’s POV

“You’re late.”

Levi’s voice cut through the cold morning air the moment I arrived at the meeting place.

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The sun hadn’t even risen yet. The city was still stuck in that strange hour between night and morning where the streets were quiet, and the world felt like it hadn’t fully woken up.

We had to meet up ridiculously early because the photoshoot location was outdoors-Albany, specifically-which meant around two hours of driving from Manhattan.

Apollo wanted something completely opposite from Levi’s usual image.

They wanted the Ice King himself thrown into the desert scenery. Snow in the heat.

It was a pretty genius concept.

Beth told me yesterday that the company celebrated when Levi agreed because they’ve put a lot of thought into this

concept.

“Sorry,” I muttered between breaths after sprinting here because Freya decided to interrogate me a while ago. “Only by a few minutes, though.”

Levi clicked his tongue. “Get inside the car.”

I frowned and looked around for the company van, but found nothing in the lot. Still confused, I climbed inside. The second the door shut behind me, I turned toward him.

“Where’s Beth and Aiden?”

“They already went ahead.”

That made my eyebrows pull together.

“Wait.”

I grabbed the door handle. “Beth told me we would go together.”

The handle didn’t move. Levi had already locked the door!

“…Why is the door locked?”

“Just stay here.”

His sigh sounded exhausted rather than annoyed, which somehow made me stop moving.

“It’s even more absurd that you’re driving,” I muttered while crossing my arms. “I heard we were taking the company van, Levi.”

“I don’t like going inside other people’s cars.”

Then, before I could argue further, he started driving. The city lights slowly passed outside the window.

I glanced at him. His expression looked exactly the same as always, but the dark circles beneath his eyes somehow looked darker.

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Chapter 46

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Levi always looked tired. Even when he looked ridiculously handsome, there was always exhaustion hiding somewhere.

He looked worse today, though.

Before I could stop myself, I leaned closer. I must have lost my mind because the next thing I knew, I had already poked his cheek.

The car slightly jerked, and I immediately retreated my finger.

Why did I do that?

“What are you doing?”

His voice perfectly matched the chaos happening inside my brain.

I cleared my throat, redirecting the conversation. “Did you get any sleep?”

He briefly looked at me.

Instead of answering, he asked, “Did YOU get any sleep?”

I puffed my cheeks. .

Honestly, I also didn’t get any sleep. Ever since Mrs. Tundra gave me and Beth that ultimatum, sleeping properly felt like a reach. And now that Levi finally agreed to this photoshoot, it felt like someone removed a giant weight from my chest.

I should have slept better. Instead, I somehow slept worse because of my excitement.

“It’s not important whether I slept or not.”

My body betrayed me at the last second because a small lawn escaped my lips. Wonderful.

Levi shook his head, but I went back to the important question.

“Well? Did you sleep, Levi?”

He kept his eyes on the road.

“I told you before already. I don’t sleep well.”

“You slept well that day, though,” I muttered, the memory appearing in my head. The day we were locked inside the rink, laying awkwardly on a bench, he slept quite well.

I quickly looked outside the window.

“You should have slept last night,” I continued. “I think we’ll be shooting the entire day under the heat.”

I looked back at him.

“You need the best rest of your life.”

“You really nag like a mom,” he said in response. I was about to retort, but stopped when I saw the softness in his eyes.

“You’re not one to talk between the two of us,” he deadpanned. “You also didn’t get any sleep, did you?”

“Sleep,” he said, his voice suddenly becoming firm. It didn’t sound like a request, but an order.

Despite the sleepiness crushing me, I stubbornly shook my head.

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Chapter 46

“No.”

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Why was I suddenly sleepy now? Was it because his car was cleaner than most hotel rooms? Or because it smelled like him?

It wasn’t strong or overwhelming-just faint enough that it somehow felt comfortable.

“I can’t do that,” I shook my head again. “You need someone to talk to during the drive.”

I pointed at him. “Otherwise you’ll fall asleep too.”

He clicked his tongue.

“I’m used to driving alone, Hope. I’ve always done these things without anyone’s company.”

His fingers remained relaxed on the steering wheel.

“I’m not going to fall asleep because someone isn’t talking.”

His voice itself was making me sleepy, making the situation feel even more unfair.

When did this happen? When did Levi become someone I felt comfortable enough around to fall asleep beside?

When we first met, I thought he was terrifying. Well-terrifying AND hot. Yet somehow, somewhere, things changed.

I kept talking despite my eyes becoming heavier.

I turned toward him. He was glancing at me occasionally.

“No one should be used to being alone.”

My voice came out quieter.

He didn’t respond.

The traffic light turned red and the car stopped.

I could feel him looking at me properly then. At this point, everything looked slightly blurry.

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