With that resolve, both she and Levi pushed aside their wandering thoughts and focused on the task at hand. As Addison carried the brazier closer to the carrier, Levi approached her quietly, handing her a bottle of lemon water with a few slices of cucumber inside and a bar of milk chocolate.
A small gesture, but one that spoke volumes.
"Here, take some first," Levi said as he handed her the items. "We’ve been working nonstop. Don’t forget to take care of yourself, have something sweet for extra energy, and rest whenever you can. Don’t push yourself too hard."
Seeing Levi approach, Addison broke into a wide smile. She carefully set the brazier down near the hot-air balloon’s carrier, beside the two guards working there, before turning back to him.
"Thank you, Princess, for all your hard work. Beta Levi is right, rest for a bit and let us handle the rest," one guard said, offering Levi a grateful smile.
Addison didn’t try to act tough. She followed Levi to the side and slipped off the thick gloves from her hands. Before she could put them away, Levi popped a chocolate into her mouth, took the gloves from her hands, and handed her the lemon water with his other hand.
Seeing his care, Addison rose on her tiptoes and planted a feather-light kiss on his cheek, her eyes sparkling mischievously like a cat that had just stolen a fish. "Thank you, Levi," she murmured, instinctively licking her lips where his had brushed against her skin.
Levi felt the soft press of her lips on his cheek, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as his gaze lingered on her lips. A dark heat pooled in his chest and churned low in his abdomen, growing stronger with every heartbeat.
"Addie, are you teasing me?" Levi asked, his voice husky as his gaze trailed from her lips up to her golden eyes. Addison caught the dark desire swirling in his stare like a bottomless pit and felt her stomach flutter.
Now that she was confronting her feelings for Levi, she realized she had never truly seen this side of him. He had always been proper, a gentleman, and almost mild-mannered around her. Yet seeing this raw intensity made something stir deep within her, an unfamiliar pull that made her want to throw herself into his arms.
A shiver ran through her at the thought, and she almost let out a whimper, but she managed to bite the inside of her cheek and anchor herself back to reality.
’God... that was so hot of him...’ Addison thought, lowering her eyes to hide the longing and desire shining behind them. Her thick lashes veiled her downcast gaze, yet Levi noticed the subtle tremble in her eyelids, the faint flush on her ears, and the sudden sharp intake of her breath.
He understood, she had caught the desire swirling in his eyes, and he wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore. After their earlier conversation, he had decided there was no point in holding back. If Zion and Maxwell could enjoy the bold moves, why should he always play it safe? From now on, he would take bolder steps, and Addison’s reaction only made the choice feel all the more irresistible.
Because of everything that had kept him busy earlier, Levi had almost forgotten the gloom and negativity that had crashed into him like a ton of bricks. He didn’t even understand why his emotions had been swinging so wildly.
One moment, he had wanted to reject their mate bond, to set Addison free, and to protect her from the shadows as nothing more than a silent guardian. The next, he wanted her entirely to himself.

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