A Stellar Year

by Krystle Rose

  She slurped from her straw and enjoyed the show. That is until Owen noticed her. Dipping behind a decorative plant, Nomi tried to hide, but it was too late. Owen was crossing the street and calling her name. Awkwardly, she shrunk a few inches and edged out from behind the shrub.

  “Hey,” she greeted as normally as possible. It still sounded peculiar.

  “How’s Tess?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Tess,” he repeated. “Canaan told me she’s in town.”

  “Oh, yeah, she’s fine. I haven’t seen her yet. She’s spending time with her parents.”

  “Makes sense,” Owen replied, still breathing relatively hard.

  She wondered why he was asking. Maybe he was interested in Tess. That thought made her skin burn. Not just because the idea of a player like him taking advantage of her best friend made her fiercely protective, but because that little piece inside of her that she'd been trying to silence was aching for him to have an interest in her, Nomi.

  "She's home for a while then?"

  "Uh-huh," she mumbled.

  “And I'm guessing you're off today.”

  “Yep, just, uh, getting a drink, then heading to the park.”

  Nomi planned to spend a few hours soaking up the midday rays, while they were around, and catching up on her lists. It had been a while since she’d last update them. Now, she shifted the backpack hanging off her shoulder which held the notebook as if Owen had x-ray vision and could read it through the thick canvas material.

  “That sounds nice."

  "I hope so."

  "Mind if I join you?”

  Nomi swallowed hard and her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.

  "What?"

  “I’ll go home and take a shower, then I can meet you there.”

  “Umm… sure.”

  “Great. See you in a bit,” he beamed.

  Jogging away, Owen headed she didn’t know where, leaving her shaken to the core outside of the drink joint.

  Nomi swore she must have stood there for a good five minutes, still reeling from the encounter. Then she realized that she should probably start walking to the park if she were going to meet Owen there in time. His apartment wasn’t far from there and she was sure that he’d drive to the park from his place and Nomi was on foot, so she had better get a move on.

  She had an extra hitch in her giddy up as she made her way down the street to the location. There were a few little parks throughout the city, in the nicer neighborhoods, but this was the one that everybody knew about and she was sure Owen had figured out which one she meant, seeing as Nomi wasn’t driving and this was the nearest one.

  It was big, with a large grassy lawn and playground for the kids. There was also a basketball court and picnic area, as well as a soccer field. Nomi went to the covered patio and took a seat at one of the empty tables to wait for her impromptu date.

  Only it wasn’t a date. Definitely not a date.

  Yet, her senses were buzzing and Nomi’s tongue felt as though it were swollen. That’s how anxious she was at the arrival of Owen. The very fact that he wanted to hang out with her was enough to send her over the moon but add in the fact that they’d be in public together and it almost felt unreal. Or like a setup. But Owen wouldn’t do that to her.

  Right?

  “Hey, look, it’s Tea Pot,” someone said from a few yards away.

  That was enough to bring Nomi back down to Earth. She finished off her smoothie and pushed it away, ignoring the voices approaching from her left. Voices she knew all too well.

  Ronnie Stewart had been her twelfth-grade boyfriend. Back then, he had been tall, lanky, and semi-popular. He played hockey and was pretty well known for fighting on the ice. When he had taken up an interest in Nomi, she had felt like a million bucks. She’d never been with an athlete before, and he was one of the best looking guys that had ever spoken to her. With jet black hair and emerald green eyes, he was a total dreamboat. In her opinion, anyway.

  As it turned out, he liked to pick just as many fights outside of the rink as he did in it. And not just with other guys. Ronnie had a real knack for knowing how to get under someone’s skin and he was especially good at getting to Nomi. He would pick on her until she cried and then he’d tease her some more. Then, when she was a blubbering mess, he’d remind her that no one as good looking and popular as him would ever give her the time of day.

  After all, just look at you, he'd say.

  Yeah, Ronnie had certainly given Nomi a complex. Or rather, he simply reinforced everything that she had already believed about herself, and it stuck. It was something she still hadn’t gotten over and it had been almost 4 years since they had dated.

  “Looking as stoutly as ever,” his friend, Malcom commented.

  “I don’t know. She looked alright when I was dating her.”

  “Wait,” his friend said. “You used to hit that?”

  “Yeah, back in High School. Only I remember her being slightly thinner and a hell of a lot prettier.”

  “Shit,” Malcom laughed.

  They got within a few feet of her and paused, speaking as if she wasn’t there, even though Nomi could clearly see them and hear them. Of course, that was the whole point of their comments. They wanted her to know their ugly opinions of her because they were bullies.

  “I dumped her when I got tired of fucking her. Moved on to Melissa Lee.”

  “Oh yeah! I forgot about her!” Malcolm gave Nomi another disgusted look and scoffed, “Sad to see she hasn’t done anything with herself since then.”

  Ronnie shook his head and hitched his chin toward Nomi, who was doing her best to avoid eye contact. She tried to ignore them, but it was hard not to let their words cut her deeply. Nomi couldn't let them know that, though. She had to stay strong. They'd leave soon. Hopefully.

  "Sad to know I hit that,” Ronnie agreed.

  "I don't blame you. She was easy."

  But that wasn't the case, she wasn’t as loose as they were saying. And she and Ronnie hadn't just had meaningly sex, they'd full-on dated. He hadn’t just hit it and quit it, he had chosen to enter into a relationship with her. Not because she was easy, but because he actually liked her, despite being a ‘teapot.’ Nomi was about to remind him of that when someone else stepped in.

  “Fuck off,” Owen roared from behind her.

  His booming voice rattled Nomi’s entire body. The two men glanced up at Owen, rolled their eyes, and walked away. They knew better than to pick a fight with him and, honestly, there was no use fighting over the likes of Nomi.

  She swiped at a tear that slid down her cheek when they turned their backs to her and bit down on her trembling lip. Owen’s hands grasped onto her shoulders and provided her some comfort. When they were out of hearing distance, he leaned in and asked, “You're okay?”

  "Fine," she lied.

  "Good. Stay here, I'll be right back," Owen instructed her and came around the table in the direction of the two jerks.

  "Stop."

  Owen stopped.

  "I told you, I don't need you to keep playing superhero for me," she snapped.

  "I--"

  "I think I should just go home,” she added in no more than a whisper.

  Struggling to make her legs work, Nomi stood. Her poor muscles felt like jelly and it was difficult to steady herself, but she managed.

  “Come on, Nomi, don’t let them ruin your day.”

  “Too late.”

  She started to walk away and Owen didn’t try to stop her, but he did keep in step with her as Nomi crossed her arms and ducked her head. Heading back down the path, toward the parking lot, she tried to disappear from everyone’s view. Beside her, Owen was fuming, but doing a great job of keeping his cool. He reached for her again, thought better of it, and dropped his hand back down. Nomi ignored him and continued out of the park.

  "I was looking forward to spending time with you."

  "I'm sorry," she said curtly.

  “At least let me giv
e you a ride.”

  Nomi halted and faced him. He was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans and the tennis shoes he’d had on before were now replaced by some Adidas. Owen hadn’t styled his hair, but he didn’t need to. Even disheveled, he looked good. Standing next to him, Nomi felt even more unattractive than she did before.

  “Are you sure you want to be seen with me? The Tea Pot?”

  “What? Of course. Don’t listen to them,” he squabbled.

  “I’m not like the girls you’re usually seen with, Owen. Tall and skinny and beautiful. I’m not popular--”

  “Stop it,” Owen barked, effectively shutting Nomi up. Stepping closer, he got right in her face and told her harshly, “You are beautiful. Inside and out. Screw what anybody else says.”

  Her hands shook and her pulse raced.

  “Now," Owen instructed her, "Get. In. The. Car.”

  Nomi only hesitated for a moment, then spun on her heels and stomped over to his Subaru. Owen opened the door and allowed her in, then shut it and got in on the other side. They were silent as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

  It was the middle of the week, middle of the day, so both of her parents and Canaan were all three at work. This was great for Nomi because, right now, all she wanted to do was be alone in her bed and cry.

  Owen noticed they weren’t home when he pulled into the driveway and turned off the vehicle.

  “I’m coming in.”

  “No way."

  "I wasn't asking."

  “Go. I’ll be fine.”

  Owen gave her an irritated expression and questioned, “When are you going to learn not to argue with me?”

  He got out and came around to her side just as Nomi was stepping out. She was about to put up more of a fight, but Owen was already urging her to the door with his hand on her hip. Nomi resisted, but only slightly. Somehow, the thought of having him there with her did sort of make her feel better and that was enough to keep her from disputing his presence further.

  She unlocked the front door and went inside, with Owen right behind her. Before he even knew what was happening, Nomi raced up the stairs toward her bedroom. He growled her name and took off after her, begging her to wait up. Nomi pretended not to hear him and jetted into her room, slamming the door as she went inside.

  Crawling into the corner of her mattress, she curled up into a ball and sobbed, staring at the wall. Owen barged in a moment later, sounding breathless and frustrated, but she heard him hesitate. Nomi did her best to hide her face from him and bit her lip to stifle her crying. Then she heard the soft click of her door closing and the creaking of the floor as Owen approached.

  The next thing she knew, he was laying down beside her, his weight sinking in the bed at her back. Nomi didn’t react, she was too overwhelmed as it was. Yet, when his arm went around her waist and his front cuddled up to her back, that sent a whole new feeling through her. Nomi gasped and went tense under his hold. Owen shushed her calmly and held her closer.

  “It’s okay. I'm just going to hold you” he said softly. "It seems like you need it."

  She so did.

  At that realization, Nomi exhaled, and finally permitted her tears to fall. She shook with each ragged sob while Owen cooed into her hair and brushed her forearm with his thumb. Nomi couldn’t remember the last time someone had consoled her like this. Canaan would never take it that far and her parents weren’t exactly good at dealing with complex emotions such as this. Plus, she would never want them to know the torture their baby girl had to endure at the hands of snobs like Ronnie Stewart and Summer Thompson. They’d be heartbroken and one person experiencing the hurt was plenty enough.

  Only Tess and Jenna had been bold enough to hug her as she cried or talk her off the ledge. It occurred to Nomi that no man had ever done that for her, yet here Owen was, holding her flush with his taut body and caressing her while she fell apart in his arms.

  After endless minutes of her bawling, she calmed down enough to stop shaking and her sobs turned into sniffles. Wiping her face clear of dried tears and smudged mascara, Nomi snuggled closer into Owen’s hold.

  “They’re not worth your tears, Nomi.”

  “I know,” she sobbed. “I can’t help it. Men like that are what drove me to give up on relationships.”

  “Those aren’t men. They’re boys.”

  “Well, I’ve let boys like that mistreated me too many times over the years and I’m tired of it."

  "Good. You should strive for better."

  "I deserve to be loved," she concurred proudly, "not bullied.”

  “Exactly. You deserve someone who knows how precious you are. Someone that knows your true worth and desires you for it.”

  That was true, it was what she'd been telling herself for the past few months, yet the moment a jerk like Ronnie or Thomas said or did something like this, it completely derailed her efforts.

  “Huh,” Nomi scoffed at Owen. Shaking her head against the pillow, she enlightened him, “I’ve never had anyone look at me like that, let alone treat me like that.”

  "Never?"

  "No. Men don't see me as someone worth loving. Not even someone to be desired."

  "That's not true."

  "It is," she argued.

  “Aw, sweet, sweet, Nomi,” Owen replied, his mouth hovering over her throat.

  She went stiff at his closeness and held her breath. His fingers skimmed the bare skin of her belly where it peeked out from beneath her shirt. It sent shockwaves through her middle. When she didn’t stop him, Owen explored the area further, tracing along her beltline.

  His breath was hot on her neck as he nuzzled her and Nomi went limp again, shuddering a breath. That encouraged him to lay a soft, wet kiss onto the sensitive spot between her shoulder and neck.

  "Owen?" She uttered.

  "Yes?"

  “What are you doing?”

  “Showing you what it is to be desired,” he said close to her ear.

  His fingers slid under the waistband of her pants and she nearly melted at just that. Then he was touching her and all else was lost. Owen’s warm fingers were sliding over her center, atop the cotton fabric of her panties and Nomi found herself wanting more.

  She couldn’t believe this was happening. If it were a dream, she was willing to indulge in it because this was beyond anything she could have ever imagined. Dizzy with wanting, she whimpered.

  “Do you want me to touch you, Nomi?”

  “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes.

  Owen tickled her sex with teasing strokes that nearly broke her. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out in ecstasy from it. He plied her lips with his forefinger, causing a shockwave through her middle. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't function. Her natural inclinations were taking over and Nomi moaned slightly.

  Owen nudged her shoulder with his nose and let his tongue flick at her collar bone, causing her neck to go limp and her head to land softly on his chest. Nomi reached behind her to clutch his head and let her eyes flutter shut.

  He tickled her clit through the underwear and caused a rapid reaction of anticipation to wash through her. It had been far too long since a man had brought her any kind of sexual pleasure. In fact, it had been months since Nomi had ventured to pleasing herself. The build-up had reached its breaking point and, with Owen treating himself to the feel of her, it wouldn’t be long before the floodgates burst.

  Again and again, he swiped his thumb over the nub of her clitoris, his fingers brushing over the slit of her lips. Even through the fabric of her panties, Nomi was sure he could feel how wet she was becoming. Owen said nothing of it, though, and left a trail of kisses from her ear, down her throat, mumbling unintelligible words against her skin as he went.

  She gripped his thick hair in her hand and sighed in bliss, her other hand laying on his arm, clenching and releasing with every wave of ecstasy that came over her. With a talented touch, Owen continued to pet her, reveling in the rea
ctions he got from Nomi. His teeth scraped her earlobe and he rasped her name. It sounded so incredibly good to hear him say it like that. Never could she have fantasized of hearing her name hanging off his lips in that manner. She wanted to hear it a thousand times, but she'd settle for the one, for now.

  Just as she had anticipated, Nomi was falling over the edge of ecstasy far too quickly. But then, how could she stop it? With Owen's hands on her and his voice in her ear, there was no way Nomi could control herself.

  She moaned and squeezed her eyelids tighter, letting the sensations take over her. Owen slowed his movements, drawing out the feelings as jolt after jolt radiated through her. Maybe it was the thrill of coming at no more than his touch, perhaps it was the sheer realization of who was giving her this blistering orgasm that rocked her beyond the threshold and back again, or simply the fact that she hadn’t had any sort of pleasure from a man in more than six months that was causing her to have this intense of climax. It was probably a mixture of all of the above. Whatever the case, Nomi had never experienced anything like it.

  When she spiraled down again, Owen was there to catch her. His hand now massaged her thigh, his lips strumming the chords in her neck. She sighed contentedly.

  "That was so hot," he said.

  Nomi hummed and released his hair to cup his face. She was inclined to agree. This was bliss.

  "God, I wish I was dick deep inside you right now."

  That statement changed everything. Nomi's eyes shot open and she froze in his hold. There was no way she'd heard what she thought she just heard. He wasn't that careless, was he?

  "What?" She croaked.

  "I said I wish I was fucking you, baby. Mmm, I want you bad."

  Jesus!

  Kicking away from him, Nomi scrambled to a sitting position. A rush of fury and embarrassment filled her from head to toe. She was just another snack in the sack to him. Owen was only trying to get laid and had taken advantage of her emotional state to get what he wanted. He was no better than the rest. God, she'd been so stupid to believe that wasn't the case, to begin with. Angry at herself for letting that happen, she pushed him away and commanded through clenched teeth, "Get out."