Page 10 of Pocket Full Of Posies (Snowberry #2)

The walk to Dottie’s Diner goes much like the walk to Tall Tails . Kai casually touching me and directing me, when we reach Dottie’s parking lot, his hand finds its way to my waist. I can feel eyes on us, I know people are curious and nosy. But when Kai leans down and whispers in my ear, I completely forget them.

“You okay, Blossom? This isn’t too much for you, is it?”

“No, I’m fine. I’m not going to break down or freak out, I just don’t know how to behave in crowds or public places.”

Kai leans in close, engulfing me in his warmth and strength instantly easing my anxious fidgeting. His nose brushes against the tip of my ear through my hair and it sends a shiver through my body that coalesces between my thighs, forcing my thoughts away from my awkwardness in public interactions and directly on his lips nearly against my skin. I can hear his deep inhale and smothered moan.

“You can’t walk into Dottie’s smelling like that, little blossom.”

“Like what?” I ask breathlessly, needing desperately to know what caused him to moan like that.

“Like you’re looking for a male to fuck. You have me now Daisy, no need to attract every male in the diner. I’ll gladly take care of any need you have.”

His words are like hot honey coating my skin and absorbing into my pores. If he expects me to be less aroused after that statement, he is out of his mind. If anything, it revved me up even further.

“Saying things like that, doesn’t exactly help,” I scold him with little fervor. My protest more of a whimpering plea.

“Well then you’ll just have to stay close to me, so everyone knows you’re mine.”

“I am?”

The proclamation is said with such simple frankness, I can barely comprehend the words. Two simple words that when put together have such great meaning. You’re mine . How have we made it to this point in only a few days of knowing each other? Is it always like this with others? Am I just not experienced enough with relationships to know the normal process?

“Of course, you are, Daisy. I never expected to find you when I went walking through the forest, but I’m thankful that I did.”

I may not be able to hear every minute emotion, but even I can tell he’s surprised by his own words and how true they are.

We stand there in the parking lot, pressed close together and breathing in each other’s air and scents, only getting more aroused with every passing second. Half an hour ago I was excited to be going on a dinner date with Kai. Now I wish I had said no and kept him at home in my greenhouse.

Kai presses a chaste kiss on my lips, not lingering long enough to get pulled in by the overwhelming yearning I know we’re both experiencing.

“Come on, let’s get you fed.”

“Uh huh,” I nod wordlessly, trying to calm my racing heart.

By the time we make it to the front door I’ve managed to force myself into a semblance of calm and collected. At least as much as possible with my social anxiety. An anxiety which doesn’t seem so overbearing when standing next to Kai and held in his strong embrace.

We’re greeted by a young girl working as the hostess tonight and sat in a booth. Kai gestures for me to sit first and then slides in next to me, resting an arm on the vinyl cushion behind us. Instantly my body loosens and I’m able to ease into a comfortable position. It’s as if Kai knew I needed him close to ease my nerves. Secure between him and the wall, I feel safe and protected.

Since it’s been an indeterminate amount of time since I last ate at Dottie’s, I pluck up a menu and start reading it over.

“Oh, my goodness. Daisy?” The astonished and delighted voice of Becca, a fairy who works as a waitress at the diner, draws mine and Kai’s attention away from the menu. “I haven’t seen you in here in ages, and with Kai Kingsley to boot. The two of you are a sight for sore eyes. I thought Donna was pulling my leg when she told me about you two. I’m glad she wasn’t. You look perfect together. Why didn’t I think to pair you up before?”

Becca rambles on in her good natured and animated way, her pink wings fluttering behind her to match her gesticulating hands. From what I hear from Sage and Tobias, Becca is a bit of a matchmaker, or at least attempts to be. Reports are she has yet to be successful in her pairings. One more well-known mismatch being when she tried to hook up Hunter, our mayor, with his own cousin. I cringe considering who she would have paired me with, given the chance.

“Good evening to you too, Becca. What’s good on the menu tonight?”

Becca lists off the evening’s specials, some fancy cut of steak being the most expensive and attracting Kai’s interest.

“Perfect. We’ll have two of those, medium, with grilled mushrooms and loaded baked potato.”

Becca stops midway through writing the order on her notepad and stares down at Kai. I do the same, giving Kai an apologetic smile. He notices both of us and looks back and forth before settling on me.

“What? You don’t like steak? They have fried chicken or spaghetti if you’d like.”

I stall, trying to figure out the most polite way to tell him I don’t eat meat, without making him feel humiliated in front of Becca. In my delayed response and fumbling, Becca blurts it out for me.

“Daisy is a vegetarian. She doesn’t eat meat at all. Shouldn’t you know that if you’re dating?”

I want to correct her that we’re not dating, but I also don’t mind her thinking we’re dating, because I want to date him. I’ve never dated before and I think I’d enjoy it with Kai.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Daisy. I didn’t mean to assume.”

“It’s okay, we haven’t really talked about it, so how would you know?”

“We have a delicious stuffed pasta shell and red sauce with fresh parmesan if you’re in the mood for Italian,” Becca offers, easily smoothing over any discomfort.

“That sounds great. Thank you.”

Before Becca can roll away on her skates, which look like a ton of fun, Kai stops her with a lifted hand.

“Wait. I’ll have the same thing as well.”

“You don’t have to change your meal just because of me. I don’t mind if other people eat meat.”

“No, it’s okay. Stuffed shells sound appetizing.” Kai gives me a reassuring smile and the hand resting around my shoulders squeezes gently.

“Alrighty. Two stuffed shells coming right up. Anything to drink?” Becca asks.

Instead of immediately ordering Kai looks to me and waits.

“Iced tea?”

“With lemon.” Kai adds.

Becca rolls away on her skates, with a huge smile plastered on her face, to put in our order.

Turning to face Kai, I fiddle with the frayed hem of my jean shorts under the table. “You didn’t have to do that. I don’t mind if you want to eat a steak.”

“I didn’t do it for you. I told you, stuffed shells sounded better than a steak.” He shrugs and acts like he didn’t just change his entire order to match mine on purpose. He acts all cool and tough, but really he’s a softy.

“Okay, sure.”

“Have you always been a vegetarian?”

“For a long time yeah. I think ever since I met Delphi when I was a kid. I couldn’t imagine eating another creature that was as sweet as her.”

Kai’s thumb brushes over my shoulder and the movement shifts the neckline of my cardigan enough for his finger to connect with my skin. My attention instantly focuses on that touch, but Kai just continues talking as if this is nothing new.

“How old were you when you found Delphi?”

“About ten. She was just a kit, and I heard her crying. She was all alone and when I asked mom if we could bring her home, she said yes. We made a house for her on the back porch so she could learn to live outside like a normal sprite. We didn’t want her becoming completely dependent on us. That wouldn’t be fair, when she is likely to outlive us all. Well, except maybe Tobias.”

Talking about Delphi puts me at ease, and it gets easier to talk to Kai without my heart practically leaping out of my chest through my throat.

“And who’s Tobias?”

“He’s Sage's husband and mate. He’s a fairy. You’ll meet him at dinner tomorrow night.”

“Is he the one who works at Ugly Mug and tells you what coffee you need to order?”

“That’s the one.” I laugh and relax even further.

“And he lives with you and your brother Sage?”

“Yeah. He and Sage moved back to Snowberry when I was born. We’ve always been a pretty close family. Tobias is just as much my brother as Sage is.”

“I wish my family was more like yours,” Kai admits quietly, his voice becoming wistful.

From the little information I’ve managed to pick up on, Kai doesn’t seem to get along well with his family. He mentioned siblings. He has at least two sisters and I still don’t know how Endo is related to him.

“You mentioned your sisters weren’t your only siblings. How many do you have?”

“Total, there are five of us. I’m the middle child. Two older and two younger. Ren is my oldest brother, Airi my sister after him, then me, then Keiko, my favorite sister, followed by youngest brother, Endo. I’m closest with Endo but would choose Keiko’s company over any of them any day.”

Well, now I know how he’s related to Endo. Since non-humans don’t always have physical similarities to our siblings, it’s not as easy to spot familial resemblances.

“Wow. That’s a lot of siblings. Must have been crazy in your house as a kid.”

Kai scoffs. “Not really. We’re all so far apart from each other in age, that by the time the next was born the previous was already grown and on their own. Not to mention we spent more time in exclusive non-human boarding schools, than at home. My childhood was filled with rulers to the knuckles and many hours spent in detention. If you couldn’t tell, I was a bit of a troublemaker.”

Kai gives me a mischievous grin and I can tell he’s recalling fond memories of all the trouble he got into in school. I had issues in school as well, but mine involved getting bullied by kids, both human and non-human. Being introverted and unable to glamour made me the strange kid in school, which also made me an easy target for childish taunts.

I know now none of them were being truthfully malicious. It’s just what kids do. But still it was enough to make me ask to be homeschooled. I didn’t have to hide my markings or ears, explain why the grass was literally greener where I sat in the field for lunch, or why I was talking to the flowers. With my parents, Sage, and Tobias I had more than enough educated and intelligent individuals to teach me everything I needed to know.

“What about you, Blossom? Were you a troublemaker? I bet you drove all the boys crazy, didn’t you?”

I laugh with little humor. “Not even close. I left public schooling before my second year of high school to be homeschooled. I didn’t fit in with the other kids and it was just easier for me to stay home.”

“Why is that?” Kai asks, his normally blazing red eyes a soft garnet as he watches me, so engrossed in our conversation.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t glamour myself around humans. I can only hold one for a short period of time, which made it difficult to go to school when I was younger because I couldn’t conceal my ears or my markings. I guess I’m just lucky that my features present as more human and people just assume my markings are tattoos.”

Kai watches me, and I can feel his tail lazily twitching against my bare leg under the table.

“So, your parents were your teachers?”

“And Sage and Tobias. Tobias is really, really old so he knows a lot of stuff. He was my history and language teacher.”

“You speak other languages?”

I blush at his continued interest in me and am given a moment of reprieve as Becca returns with our tea and lemons. Kai removes his arm from the back of the booth to squeeze the lemon and stir in sugar.

“So, you were about to tell me how many languages you speak,” he probes, once he gets his tea just the way he likes it.

“You are relentless, aren’t you?”

He shrugs and smirks, sipping his tea through the straw, but never shifts his gaze away from me. I sigh and give in to telling him more about myself, the little there is to know. But only after taking a long slow drink of my own tea.

“I am fluent in Italian. Tobias wanted me to speak the language of love. He also taught me Latin and Greek, but I forgot those almost as immediately as he taught them to me. And I also know a little Norwegian. Tobias spent a lot of time there and said I should know a language that isn’t as common. Not that I’ve ever had a reason to use them, other than to converse with Tobias.”

“So, you’ve never travelled outside of Snowberry?”

“Never.”

“Why not?”

At risk of sounding like a broken record and repeating myself and the reasons I was homeschooled, since they’re the same main reasons I don’t travel, I take the easy way out.

“Just haven’t. Don’t really feel the need to.”

“Not even to put that love language to use?” Kai’s voice is filled with mirth and teasing, as is his expression.

“Not yet.”

“I love traveling, I've been to Italy many times. Would you be interested in traveling to Italy someday? Maybe I can be your guide.”

“I haven’t really thought about it but, yeah, I think if given the opportunity I’d like to visit other places. But it’s not high on my to do list. I like staying home, seeing to my gardens and flowers.”

“We’re opposite in that way. I like to always be on the move, travelling. I rarely stay in the same place for more than a few months. I think I’ve lived in almost every country at least once.”

“Why is that?”

Kai falters at my question. I don’t think anyone has ever asked him that before. I don’t think he’s ever considered why himself. His eyes fall to the glass of tea in his hand on the table as he considers his answer.

“I think at first it was to escape my parents, and the restrictions of my family. But after a few years, they didn’t care anymore where I was or what I was doing. Yet I continued to move around. My family isn’t known for being overly affectionate and emotional and I think every time I got too close and comfortable in one place with anyone, it scared me. I don’t know how to handle serious emotions. If you haven’t noticed yet, I use humor and flirting to lighten situations and avoid serious conversations.”

He chuckles and shakes his head, his fire red hair brushing against his cheeks and curling around his charcoal horns. His appearance is all fire and heat with sharp features and strong lines, but inside, he’s just as fragile as I am.

“I avoid conversations altogether,” I admit, which has Kai turning to look at me, the edges of his eyes softening. “I don’t even try to talk to people. Instead, I hide out in my greenhouse and behind my flowers, so I don’t have the opportunity to get involved with anyone.”

“You talked to me.”

The smile that stretches across Kai’s face is beautiful in its authenticity. It’s not flirty or seductive, it’s real and boyish, giving me a glimpse of the unguarded male underneath all the posturing and flirting.

“Well, that’s only because you befriended Delphi. If she hadn’t liked you, I would have strangled you with vines.”

My attempt at humor actually works, his posture and demeanor eases and I feel his smile settle into my soul when he looks at me.

“I didn’t know your abilities included villainous superpowers. Are you practicing to be in a comic book?”

“Maybe. I was partial to Poison Ivy.”

After breaking the tension of the serious conversation, we talk easily, the conversation flowing naturally. Starting at my abilities with plants and earth, then his abilities with animals and fire. In the middle of it our food arrives, and we talk while eating. Kai asks about my parents, and I happily tell him all about my botanist human mother and earth nymph father and how they met and married. Deciding to move to Snowberry when they found out my mother was pregnant with me.

Being a hybrid child is filled with unknowns. They had no idea if I would be more human or more nymph and what that meant for my future. They wanted to be somewhere safe and accepting of non-humans. Apparently, no matter where you go there’s always people who will judge you no matter what. At least here in Snowberry I know I won’t be ostracized for being half-human among the local non-human community. It was really only an issue when I was a preteen and teen trying to fit in with the humans.

Now that I think about it, it’s been years since I last heard anyone make a negative comment or remark about me in any way. Maybe I should take Sage’s advice and get out more. Perhaps I should consider Kai’s offer to visit Italy. Tobias would surely approve of me getting to use my Italian.

Why shouldn’t I? I’ve done nothing but hide out in my gardens in fear of what could happen. Not paying attention to what is happening, to life going on around me, and me letting it.

A strange new sense of purpose and optimism grows in my chest. Maybe next time I’ll say yes, instead of using the excuse of working at the nursery to avoid social interactions. The time I’ve spent with Kai has shown me that maybe I can go out, at least minimally. I’m not going to be performing in the holiday talent show anytime soon, but maybe I could attend and watch. From the back. Baby steps, okay. I’m only capable of so much at a time.

Being so engrossed in Kai I haven’t been paying attention to those around us, which I normally would. I’d be worrying about who’s looking at me, what they’re thinking, if they can see my ears, what my flowers are doing. I haven’t thought of one of those things since sitting down with Kai though. As such, I don’t notice Hunter and Lottie approaching our table until they’re standing right in front of us.

“Hello Daisy. It’s nice to see you outside your gardens for a change.” Hunter smiles at me and I feel a little awkward but nothing as uncomfortable as in the past.

“Hi Hunter. Nice to see you, and you too. Lottie, right?” I ask to confirm I wasn’t remembering her name incorrectly. It has happened before. Sometimes I zone out when people talk to me, and names just slip through the cracks.

“Yes. It’s nice to see you again. How is everything at the nursery? Are you all as busy running around preparing for the equinox as we are?”

I relax and smile. This is something I can talk about without bumbling through my words and sounding like a moron.

“Yes. We’ll probably even have to bring in a few of our part time employees to help out soon.”

“I’m so excited to experience my first equinox. Hunter says it’s quite a party. Are you going to be there? I’m told it’s a very important celebration for—” she pauses and looks around before whispering and mouthing exaggeratedly, “Nymphs and fairies.”

Lottie smiles wide and dances a little on her feet in excitement. She’s only just recently discovered the non-human world and is already taking to it better than I ever have. Being a pop star, she’s had a lot of practice with large crowds, singing on stage and being the center of attention. We’re not supposed to know all this, but because Tobias was asked to help deal with the elf problem, we know a little more than the rest of the town. Lottie used to be a famous pop star. Like ‘ travel the world and perform for millions of people’ famous. I would die if I had to perform on stage in front of that many people.

“Oh, um, I’m not sure. I haven’t been before, but my brother always wants me to go with them.”

“I’d be happy to take you.” Kai interjects. “I was going to ask you anyway.”

Shock has me momentarily speechless. No one other than my brother or family has ever asked me to go to the celebration with them.

Only minutes ago, I had internally decided to do more in the community and already that declaration is being tested. Here’s my opportunity to participate in a social event. One that Sage has been trying to get me to attend for years. It’s not much more than a giant party in the woods, with food, music, and dancing.

Non-humans of all kinds come and set up tents and campsites where they congregate and hang out. But Lottie is correct. These types of celebrations are highly attended by nymphs and fairies. Shifters have their full moons; we have the solstice and equinox. Many of us have close connections to the earth and animals when it comes to our abilities, so we celebrate the earth and the changing of seasons. It’s something we’ve always done. I don’t even know how long ago it started. The lack of historical documents recording non-human history accurately means we have no idea where some of our oldest traditions came from.

The equinox celebration lasts nearly forty-eight hours. Beginning at dawn on day one and ending at dusk on day two. Spending two whole days and one night in the designated celebration area. An area that fairies in town mark off with their magic and conceal from human eyes, as well as human interaction. Forming a barrier that acts like a force field, keeping anyone of non-human blood out. It also creates a glamour of an empty quiet forest, so non-humans can be comfortable in their true form without a glamour or worry they might say or do something a human might see and freak out over. People use their abilities freely, fairies fly overhead, magic is present in nearly everything. Or at least so I’m told. Not ever having experienced it, I can only imagine what it’s like.

But I want to experience it, I realize, and with Kai.

“I didn’t realize you two were so close,” Hunter says, breaking my dazed stare at Kai.

Kai looks up at Hunter who stands like a mountain over us still sitting in the pink and teal vinyl booth. He doesn’t show it but somehow, I can sense it in his micromovement shifting on the seat, he’s insulted by Hunter’s insinuation.

“It’s a recent development. That doesn’t make it any less sincere.”

Hunter narrows his eyes at Kai and tilts his nose into the air sniffing. Shifters use their advanced sense of smell to sense changes in a person’s emotions. It’s not as precise as a nymph’s ability to hear lies but they can smell if someone is feeling guilty or deceitful and draw conclusions.

Kai straightens his spine and sits tall and proud. He’s not going to back down from Hunter though I imagine if Hunter asserted his alpha power, he wouldn’t be able to fight it. I really hope they don’t start fighting in Dottie’s over me. I really wouldn’t be able to show my face in town ever again if that happened.

“Time with someone doesn’t determine the significance of the relationship with them. Wouldn’t you agree?” Kai raises an eyebrow in question.

Shifting an arm around Lottie’s waist, Hunter grunts, and poor Lottie looks completely lost at their conversation. I’m not. Shifters scent their mates and know instantly they’re meant to be together. Sometimes it doesn’t happen right away or at their first meeting but once it does happen almost nothing can stop them from being with each other. It’s an instinctual connection. Nymphs choose. We form permanent mate bonds, but we can do it with anyone of our choosing, shifters cannot. Hunter understands how important a person can become in a short amount of time, his current relationship with Lottie proof of that.

Lottie and her bright blue eyes ignore Hunter and Kai’s male posturing and focus on me. “So, what do you say, Daisy? Are you going to come with Kai? I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. It would be a shame if you missed it.”

It’s going to happen again in a few months for the next equinox, but I don’t point that out. Apparently, this equinox is going to be something special. And for the first time in my life I want to go.

“I’d love to go with you, Kai.”

Kai’s head whips around so fast his red hair flutters with the momentum. Blazing ruby eyes burn into me and I feel the heat of his stare all the way to my bare toes and the tip of my tail that curls around my shoulder under my sweater.

“Really?” he questions in astonishment.

“Really. I want to go.”

“Perfect.” Lottie claps her hands excitedly. “We will see you there then. Come on Hunt, let’s leave them alone to enjoy their dinner.” She pulls at Hunter’s arm directing him away from the table.

“Enjoy your meal,” he says nodding at Kai and then me, smiling wider before following Lottie’s insistent directing to leave us alone.

When they’ve returned to their own table on the opposite side of the diner Kai’s posture eases and he slyly looks over at me, a lopsided smile on his face.

“You know we are going to share a tent at the equinox.”

A blush instantly heats my entire face and neck. I most certainly had not thought about sleeping arrangements.

“Well, you’ll just have to make sure there are two beds then.”

His grin only widens. “I most certainly will not. You’re going to have to cuddle with me all night to stay warm, and clothing is optional.”

I smack him in the chest and try to cover up my embarrassment with a laugh. This equinox could very well be the most important of my life, if for nothing more than the possibility of losing my virginity.