Nobody Else's

by Nell Iris

  Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I woke up the screen and read his messages for a third time.

  Levi: I swear I was going to call you, but I chickened out. Please don’t think I’m a coward for doing this via text…

  Levi: Do you want to go on a date with me?

  Levi Byrne wanted to go on a date with me. He wanted to go on a date with me. My first instinct was to ask ‘why’ but I forced that thought out of my mind. Sure, I’d had a hard time believing he could be interested in me at first. But that night he’d made me dinner…I hadn’t imagined his interest then.

  When my giddiness had subsided enough, so I was sure I could speak without sounding like a fool, I called him.

  He picked up after the first ring. He didn’t say anything, but I could hear him breathing over the line.

  “Levi?”

  Silence. Then a hesitant, “Yes?”

  “I would love to go on a date with you,” I blurted.

  “You would?”

  “Of course.”

  A deep, relieved exhale followed. “Wow.”

  “Yeah, wow.” My smile grew even wider.

  Neither of us said anything for several seconds, just listened to each other breathe. It should have been weird, but it wasn’t.

  “When are you free?” he finally asked.

  “Anytime, really. You know my idea of fun is a good book, so I don’t really have any plans you can interrupt. I’m boring.” As I uttered the words, doubt niggled at the back of my mind. Why couldn’t I be fun and adventurous and have lots of cool friends, instead of being a quiet introvert who laughed at dorky accountant jokes with only one close friend?

  Levi interrupted my thoughts. “You’re not boring. I like you just the way you are.”

  The butterflies woke up again. “You…you do?”

  “Would I ask you out if I didn’t?”

  I chuckled “I guess not. Sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. How about Saturday afternoon? I promised to watch the Hell Sisters tomorrow evening. The parents have a thing at church.”

  “Saturday is perfect.”

  We talked for a couple more minutes and after we hung up, I threw myself on my back on the couch and giggled like a smitten teenager. I was going on a date with Levi.

  Wow.

  * * * *

  Levi: I’ll pick you up at four. Dress causal. And wear your beanie, you look cute in it.

  The time had never moved as slowly as it did on Saturday. Each minute felt like an hour and I hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything all day. I’d even braved the cold temperatures and gone for a walk, trying to get rid of some nervous energy. When I got back, I showered and got dressed, and now I sat on the couch, pretending to read. But not even Harry, Hermione, and Ron could keep my mind from obsessing over our upcoming date. Levi had refused to tell me where we were going despite that I’d asked him several times.

  “You’ll see,” was all he said before changing the subject.

  Considering the casual outfit—my favorite pair of jeans, worn so frequently they were comfy enough to sleep in, a blue polo shirt and a black V-neck sweater—he wouldn’t take me to a fancy restaurant. That was a relief. I hated wearing suits and if it hadn’t been for work, I would have burned them all. If I ever got married, it would have to be to someone who would be okay with me saying our vows in sweatpants, or the deal was off.

  But the question remained: where was he taking me at four PM on a Saturday afternoon?

  The doorbell rang, making me jump. A glance at my phone told me he was five minutes early. I approved.

  I stood and brushed off my sweater. I took a deep breath to try to calm the flutters in my stomach. Then I opened the door.

  “Hi,” Levi said with one side of his mouth quirking up in a shy smile. The chilly weather had painted his cheeks a lovely pink shade, and his eyes shone happily.

  He wore a pair of black jeans so tight I forgot how to breathe for a second. His green utility jacket was unzipped and revealed a charcoal sweater that hugged his body in all the right places. He took my breath away.

  “Hi.” I wanted to put my arms around him and inhale his scent. Hug him tight and finally feel his body pressed against mine. But I did none of those things. “You look great,” I said instead.

  “So do you.” He stepped close, reached for my hand, and weaved our fingers together. He leaned in and rested his cheek to mine. A shiver started at the back of my neck and raced down my spine. We stood like that for several moments, breathing together. His thumb caressed mine and I hummed out a happy sound. His now familiar scent of honey wound itself around me.

  I could stay like this forever, but far too soon he took a step back. “I’m going to leave this here,” he said and held up a cooler bag I hadn’t noticed before. He put it down without letting go of my hand. “Ready to go?”

  I nodded and reluctantly freed my hand to put on my jacket. When I pulled the beanie down over my ears, he shot me a brilliant smile.

  A few minutes later we were in his car, on our way out of town. I no longer cared where we were going, I was happy just being with him. He held my hand the entire way, only letting go when he needed to shift gears.

  Eventually, he parked outside a huge building that looked like a warehouse. A large sign on the side told me what it was.

  Fluttery Wings Butterfly Garden was written in a curly font, with abstract images of butterflies surrounding the name.

  “Butterfly garden?” I asked as we approached the entrance.

  “Yes. It’s a massive indoor garden with trees and bushes and flowers and loads and loads of butterflies,” he explained. “I’ve been here once before. We visited with the family, but I spent the entire time chasing after Leah. The only time I saw an actual butterfly was when I had to stop her from pulling the wings off one.” He made a horrified face. “I’ve always wanted to come back here with someone who’d appreciate it.”

  I had no idea this place—or butterfly gardens—even existed.

  Levi paid the entrance fee and we watched an introduction video on how to behave during our visit before we were allowed to enter the actual garden.

  It was like stepping through a portal into another world. As if we’d ended up in Narnia.

  It was an honest to goodness garden, only indoors. It was green and lush, with flower beds framing paths winding through the diverse vegetation, inviting us to stroll. Trees created spots of privacy. The sound of streaming water reached my ears, but I couldn’t see the source.

  Levi grabbed my hand and we started along one of the paths. My eyes flitted from one place to the next, trying to take in all the sights at once. Butterflies fluttered all around us. They were everywhere. On the flowers, the bushes, the visitors. It was pure magic.

  I could feel Levi’s gaze on me, and when I turned to look at him, he had a worried glint in his eyes. “You like it?” he asked.

  “It’s incredible.”

  He relaxed and smiled. “I’m glad. I thought you’d like it, but I wasn’t a hundred percent sure. It’s a garden. With butterflies. Not exactly adventurous.”

  “I don’t like adventurous. I like peace and quiet. And beauty,” I said without taking my eyes off him.

  “So do I.”

  We wandered hand in hand in silence, pointing out butterflies that caught our gaze. After a while we sat on a large boulder, watching the amazing surroundings. He held my hand in a firm grip, and I leaned my head on his shoulder. A rustle next to us drew our attention, and we both giggled when a tortoise crawled out from under a flowery bush, looking like it had just woken up.

  “Hello, little friend,” Levi said, and the tortoise turned its head in our direction and gave us a little nod as if it had heard us.

  Laughter bubbled up inside me, and I slapped a palm over my mouth, so I wouldn’t disturb the butterflies. Just then, a butterfly landed on my arm and I froze.

  “Look,” Levi whispered. “It’s BB8.”

  “Who?” I asked b
ehind my hand, afraid to move and scare the creature away.

  “BB8,” he repeated. “The cute little robot from Star Wars.”

  “Did you just compare this beautiful butterfly to a movie robot?” My words were muffled behind my palm, but the crinkles at the corners of his eyes told me he’d heard me.

  “It’s the colors,” he explained. “BB8 is white with orange circles, like your friend there.”

  I moved my head slowly in its direction to get a better look. “It hasn’t got circles. The tips of its wings are orange, but I don’t see circles.”

  “But it’s the same colors.” He pulled out his phone and tapped on it for a while before he turned the screen toward me, so I could see what he was looking at.

  The robot consisted of a smaller sphere on top of a bigger one, and other than the colors, I couldn’t see the likeness. But the look on his face told me he really wanted me to agree, so I nodded and said, “Oh yeah, I see it now.”

  He shoved his phone back into his pocket. “You’re totally humoring me, aren’t you?”

  “Maybe.” I winked. My arm started trembling after holding it in that weird position for a long time. The BB8 butterfly didn’t approve and flapped away.

  I flung my arm around Levi’s neck and pulled him close, not giving a damn if anyone looked at us. He came willingly and buried his face in the crook of my neck.

  I burrowed my nose into his hair. “Thank you for bringing me here. I love it.”

  He slid his arm around my waist and squeezed me tight. “Does that mean you’ll go on another date with me?”

  “Does that mean this date is already over?”

  “No!”

  And it wasn’t. We stayed in the butterfly garden until it closed for the day and then he drove us back to my apartment. But instead of dropping me off and saying goodbye, he parked and followed me upstairs.

  Inside, he grabbed the cooler bag I’d forgotten about, took my hand, and led me to the living room. He shoved the coffee table out of the way, grabbed a blanket from the bag, and spread it over the thick rug. Then he emptied the cooler, putting containers of stuff on the blanket. When he was done, he looked up at me. “I hope this is okay,” he said. “I know you like a quiet evening at home, and it’s not really picnic season, so I thought…” He made a sweeping motion with his hand over the feast. “Would you please join me?”

  My hand flew to my chest. I couldn’t believe he already knew me so well that he’d come up with this perfect date.

  “I’d love to.” I sank down next to him on the floor.

  The food he’d brought looked fantastic. It was sandwiches, mini quiches, and fruit cut into smaller pieces. Nothing fancy, but it made my stomach rumble loudly.

  “This is amazing, Levi.” I was touched by his thoughtfulness and generous nature. My throat closed up and my chin trembled.

  I had to touch him, so I laid a palm on his knee, leaned in and pressed a kiss to his smooth cheek. The smile he gave me when I pulled away made me think that the butterflies from the garden had followed us home and taken up residence in my stomach.

  Chapter 8: Levi

  Virgo (August 23—September 22)

  The fire signs are dominating the skies and you will find ample opportunities to satisfy your needs. Expect to be set on fire by someone close to you and make sure you have something to put it out with in case things get too heated. Something golden will work, if you’re into that. My chosen fire extinguisher is white, sticky, and salty and comes out of a hose. Get it?

  * * * *

  “I want to kiss you. Can I kiss you?” I’d been dying to kiss Beckett all day, ever since he’d opened the door when I’d picked him up but wanted our first kiss to be in private, not surrounded by families and flying creatures. And now he was so close; the scents from the abundant garden flowers clung to his hair and drew me in as if I’d been one of the butterflies. I couldn’t wait any longer to feel his beard on my face, to touch him for real, and to kiss him until neither of us could breathe.

  Beckett’s gaze fell to my mouth and I licked my lips. Slowly and deliberately.

  “Yes,” he said, voice low and hoarse.

  I leaned in and he gasped as our noses touched. I ran my hand up his arm, over his shoulder, and cupped his cheek. Finally, I had his beard under my fingertips. It was soft and so much silkier than I’d imagined. I ran my fingers through it and his breath stuttered.

  “Levi, please,” he whispered, and I couldn’t resist the desperation in his voice. I slid my hand down his neck, closed the distance, and pressed my mouth against his. There was no tongue. No exchange of saliva. Just his warm lips against mine. Our breaths mingling. His hand gripping my waist.

  Something fell into place. Righted itself. Something I’d waited for my entire life but not found until this moment when I finally was allowed to touch this amazing man.

  When I pulled back, he whimpered. His eyes were closed, and a small smile played in the corners of his mouth. He radiated happiness. I nudged his nose with mine before I kissed him again, with a little more pressure this time.

  Tingles raced through my body and my heart fluttered in my chest like a butterfly wing. If this was my reaction to a chaste kiss, what would happen when we introduced tongue or got naked? A ten-alarm fire?

  This time Beckett broke the kiss. His eyelids were heavy, and he smiled at me. It was a lazy, sexy smile, one I’d never seen before. I tightened the grip on his neck to stop him from moving away.

  “Wow,” he said. “That was some kiss.”

  I nodded. “I want to stay the night,” I blurted, but even if I hadn’t planned on doing it so bluntly, I didn’t regret saying it.

  “Yeah?”

  “Mhm.”

  “I’d love that,” he said and then his mouth was on mine again, pressing light kisses on my lips, in the corner of my mouth, on my cheek. His beard on my skin was soft and rough at the same time and sent shivers down my spine. He moved closer until his front was pressed against my side, kissed his way down my neck, and hid his face in my shoulder. I threw my arms around him and rested my cheek on the top of his head.

  “Let’s go to bed,” I murmured, and he nodded. We stayed like that for a few more heartbeats until we got off the floor. I grabbed his hand. “Show me your bedroom?”

  He nodded again and soon we stood facing each other next to his bed. He made no move to touch me. Instead, he turned his head and stared at the floor as he rubbed his hands on his pants’ legs. Something was clearly wrong.

  I took a step closer. Reached out, cradled his face, and nudged his head until he looked at me. “Have you changed your mind? It’s okay, you know.”

  “No, that’s not it.”

  “Then what is it? Tell me.” I swept my thumbs over the sensitive skin under his eyes. Nudged his nose with mine. “Whatever it is, it’s okay.”

  “It’s just…” He closed his eyes. “You’re so gorgeous, and I’m…”

  It dawned on me then. “Also gorgeous.” I let go of his face and skimmed my palms down his neck, his arms, and rested them on his waist for a second before grabbing the hem of his sweater. “Can I take this off?”

  “S-sure.” He stretched his arms toward the ceiling and let me pull the garment over his head. I threw it somewhere, before putting my hands on his hips.

  “Let me know if something feels uncomfortable and I’ll stop.” He gave me a slight nod and I let my hands roam. I pulled the polo shirt out of his pants. Snuck my hands under the fabric and let out a happy whimper when my palms made contact with his hairy belly. His mouth fell open as I spread my fingers wide. “Can I take off this one, too?” I tugged on the shirt.

  “Yeah. And…you, too?”

  “Sure! Race you!” I fisted the back of my sweater and yanked it over my head. He caught on and we ripped off our clothes and dropped them on the floor without bothering to see where they landed.

  The ridiculousness of the flying garments made Beckett’s tension drain away. He chuckled
as he yanked off his socks but hesitated with the hands on the waistband of his boxer briefs.

  I fell to my knees and buried my face in his stomach. He had lots of hair on his chest that continued down his stomach and disappeared into his underwear. It wasn’t curly or coarse, but straight and soft. I moaned into his skin and his hand landed on my head. As I breathed in his scent, I slid my palms up his legs, over the back of his thighs. Rested them on his ass.

  “Levi,” he whispered. I looked up. Met his gaze. His pupils were blown, and his hand trembled on my head. I hooked my fingers in his underwear but didn’t move to take them off. He gave me a slight nod and I pulled them down, helping him to kick them away.

  I sat back on my heels so I could take in all of him. His fur, his small pebbled nipples, and his hard cock all made my mouth water and I was dying to taste him. I reached out for him again. Skimmed my palm over his thighs. Combed my fingers through the hair on his belly, his chest. I got to my feet and stepped close.

  “Take off your underwear?” he asked in a thick voice.

  I nodded and did as he asked, and he whimpered when I freed my cock from its prison and it slapped against my stomach.

  He grabbed me then. Pulled me close as if he couldn’t stand being parted from me any longer. Hugged me tight until our bodies touched from chest to knees. “You’re so beautiful,” he said.

  I walked him backward until his knees touched the edge of the bed. “So are you.” I nudged him until he got the message and lay down on the bed. I crawled after him, straddling him, and plastered myself against him. I adjusted my hips and when our dicks touched, a jolt of electricity raced through me, making me grunt.

  Beckett clawed at my shoulders, and he threw his legs around my hips, pressing his heels into the back of my thighs. I licked along the seam of his lips and when he opened up, I kissed him. Our tongues dueled, my breath was ragged in his mouth, and his beard raspy against my lips. His hands roamed wherever he could reach, caressing, grabbing, worshipping. I wedged a hand between our bodies and grabbed our cocks.