Page 5 of Pocket Full Of Posies (Snowberry #2)

A boy is talking to me. A half-naked, extremely attractive, nymph male to be exact. From what I can see there’s nothing boyish about him, other than his…nope nothing. I’ve got nothing. He’s all masculine male from my point of view. Which at this very moment is mere inches from his toned bicep.

His skin is a creamy ivory, banded with jagged crimson stripes, like a tiger. There’s even a few framing his face along his jawline and temple. Sharp piercing red eyes steal glances down at me as we walk. The gold and gems on his ears glittering every time we walk through a ray of sunlight, matching the single gold chain around his neck and rings on his fingers.

I’m not sure if he’s flaunting his wealth or if he just likes jewelry. His family is wealthy, it could be normal to him to wear so much. Most nymphs, including my brother, have multiple piercings in their ears and wear dangling ornaments. He offered to help me pierce mine years ago, I never wanted to though. My ears and their inadequacy have always been a source of embarrassment. I don’t want to show them off or draw attention to them. Especially since I can’t glamour them around humans. It’s better to just hide them under my hair and forget about them.

That’s hard to do when Kai literally put them on display, practically causing me to melt under his touch. No one has ever touched my ears. And his touch was warm and extremely enjoyable. So much so, I haven’t even bothered to brush my hair back over my ear to hide it like I usually would.

Kai cradles my hand in his elbow like a gentleman and I don’t know what to do with my fingers. My palm feels clammy, and I try not to touch him too much, but his other hand reaches up and presses down on top of mine, trapping my hand between his and his arm.

Any cold I may have felt is instantly warmed under his touch. His body radiating a steady heat. I absorb it like a flower in the sunshine, leaning towards him on instinct. I can feel my flowers blossoming and changing in my hair with my erratic emotions. Apparently so does Kai because his eyes stray to the top of my head and for once I have no idea what flowers are there.

“I like your flowers. They keep changing.”

“Yeah, they do that sometimes.” No way am I going to tell him they reflect my emotions and which ones they represent. He can already hear the emotions in my voice, he doesn’t need to see them changing in real time on my head.

“I like your red hair. Mine’s such a boring shade.”

“Nonsense. I think it’s perfect. Brings out your eyes. Besides, red would clash with your flowers.”

Kai gives me another dazzling smile and even with my diminished abilities I can sense the truth in his words. He really does like my hair, and my eyes.

I turn my attention back to the path in front of us, trying to ignore my racing pulse. I don’t know how to deal with a male speaking to me like this. Complimenting me and smiling at me so much while shirtless.

Guys rarely talk to me. Everyone rarely talks to me. That could partly be my own doing. Ever since dropping out of public high school to be homeschooled, I’ve become a homebody and recluse. Only going into town when necessary.

Guess I’ll have to go into town now, I realize as I grip the quirky pink dinosaur mug in my hand not currently curled around tight muscles. Or I can just give the mug to Tobias to take back to the shop avoiding the need to go into town at all. Yeah, that sounds like a better plan.

Sooner than anticipated, we reach the edge of the wooded area, and I can see the gleam of my greenhouse not far beyond. The time passing faster than desired. When we step across the threshold to the grassy fields behind the outdoor gardens, Kai’s appearance shimmers as his glamour slides effortlessly into place. For a brief moment his human appearance flashes, lacking his stripes, horns and ruby eyes. In their place he’s glamoured a plain white t-shirt, bare skin with no stripes, and hazel eyes. His red hair remains mostly as it is but lacking the other worldly brightness.

In either form he’s beautiful, attractive. I, on the other hand, reach up and tuck my exposed ear back inside my hair, letting it drape across the side of my face, double checking my tail is securely hidden within my overalls. Realizing there are a few people at the nursery that could see us, I force my hand away from his arm and take a healthy step away.

He may have been kind to me so far but he’s still a Kingsley, and they’re known for their dislike of humans and half-breeds, at least when it comes to their personal lives. Working with them is one thing, socializing is another. Members of his family have purchased flowers from us in the past for their many fancy parties, but not once have they invited me or my family.

Equinox celebrations are different, they’re public, open to any non-human who wishes to attend. But the private events they hold at their mansion, only the select invited few are allowed. I doubt Kai would want to be seen walking so closely with me.

Does he even realize I’m half-human? Should I tell him? Probably. It would end any ideas he has about speaking with me again.

Kai notices my distance and sudden quietness. He stops walking and turns to face me, hands loosely tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. Jeans that sit low on his hips, drawing my attention to his narrow waist and the curving v of muscles there. His human glamour conceals his bare chest with a t-shirt, but to me I still see his true shirtless self, which does not help the situation.

“Something wrong, Blossom? I thought we were getting along rather well.” His tone conveys his confusion, but also his interest.

“Do you know what I am?” I blurt out before I lose the tiny bit of nerve I possess.

“You’re a beautiful female I met in the forest,” he answers smoothly as if that’s the only correct answer.

I blush at the compliment but steel my nerves, I can’t let his flirting distract me. I have to tell him, no matter how much I dread the look of disgust and revulsion I know is coming with my confession.

“I’m an earth nymph, but I’m also half-human. I’m a half-breed.” The words come out weak, and no matter how many times I’ve heard them before or thought them in my head, the sound of them still makes me shrink in on myself.

“So?”

His one-word response has my head popping up to glare at him. That’s all he has to say? So?

“So? You’re family…”

“What about my family?”

“They hate half-breeds.”

Kai growls and his playful smirk drops. “My family may have their…ideals, but I don’t hate anybody. I don’t care if you’re half human or half yeti. It doesn’t matter to me either way. I’d still find you distractingly beautiful and completely intriguing.”

His words have my mouth gaping open like a dying fish. How am I supposed to respond to that? I have no idea. Most of the time I have no idea how to reply to others in conversation, now I’m completely lost.

“Did you already know?”

“I guessed as much when I first saw you. It doesn’t change anything.” His tone is truthful.

“Oh, well, okay then. I just thought you should know.”

“I don’t see why it matters, but thank you for telling me. May I continue escorting you back now?” he asks, extending his hand out once again.

He may be comfortable with me being a half-breed, but that doesn’t mean I’m comfortable waltzing into the greenhouse hand in hand with him.

“Sure.”

I cross my arms over my chest and tuck my hands in tight, clearly indicating I won’t be taking his offered hand. He lets it fall to his side, brushing off the denial easily and falling back into step at my side. This time a proper distance away.

“Do you have plans for the rest of the day?” he asks after a moment of silent walking.

“I have work to do in the nursery.” When I don’t elaborate, he raises an eyebrow at me. “I’m preparing bouquets and centerpieces for a wedding later this week.”

“Well, that sounds more entertaining than my plans. I’ll help.”

“What? No, that’s alright. I don’t need any help.”

“I’ll help anyways. I’m very good at observing and complimenting. I can just watch and offer my praise.”

That’s a strange thing to offer, and I don’t like being watched or complimented. Both make me nervous.

“No, no that’s okay—”

“Nonsense. I’m helping. Come on, it'll be fun.”

~

This is not fun. Having Kai watch me arrange the centerpieces has every hair on my body standing on end, and when he compliments my work, it only makes me second guess everything. Even so, I’ve managed to move on to the bouquets. I give Kai a pile of spare flowers I deem unworthy of a bridal bouquet and show him how to properly bind them together.

“How about this? Does this look okay?”

Kai holds up a small grouping of flowers that I wouldn’t normally put together, but somehow, he manages to make it look good.

“Yes, those look great.”

Kai picks up some floral tape and pulls off a generous portion, far too much for the small bundle he’s made. He tries wrapping the stems like I showed him, but the green papery tape gets stuck on itself and within seconds is a tangled mess. He’ll have to start over again.

“Here, let me help.”

I reach across the wooden work table we’re sitting at in the back of the greenhouse and pluck the sticky tangle from his fingers, extricating them one by one from the trap he’s captured them in.

“Thanks. I guess I’m not very good at this part,” he chuckles, letting his long fingers linger on mine a beat too long while grinning at me.

He’s been like that the entire time we’ve been here, sending me heated glances and easy smiles. Every time my ears heat up I have to turn away to hide my blush. He’s being extremely friendly, and I don’t why.

I can’t quite reach across the table to help him properly, so I walk around to his side, picking up the floral tape and pulling only an inch or two free.

“You have to start with a short amount and pull out more as you work it down the base, wrapping it as you go.”

Sticking the end of the tape to the top of the stems, just under the blooms where they gather, I start slowly wrapping the stems, Kai’s hands bumping into mine where he attempts to help.

“That sounds dirty. You know that right?”

“What?”

I look up into his sparkling ruby eyes and think back to what I said. Oh wow, that did sound dirty. And from the grin on his lips, he’s enjoying my blunder.

“Anyway,” my voice comes out high pitched and squeaky as I turn back to focus on our work, “you can’t use too much, or you’ll end up with a mess like before. Just use a little at a time. And make sure to wrap it tight, but not too tight.” I rattle on more instructions trying to ignore his knowing chuckle.

Kai shifts off the stool he’s sitting on and stands, moving behind me to wrap strong arms around either side of me, placing his hands over mine. They still in their winding and my entire body tingles under the warmth of his looming presence behind me.

“Keep going. I want to make sure I get this right,” he murmurs into my ear, his warm breath rustling my hair.

Clearing my throat, I try to focus on the task at hand, literally, but I can’t speak. Whatever caused me to ramble before has now turned my tongue to stone. Together our hands wrap the stems and I reach for the short strand of ribbon I precut for him. He holds the small posy of flowers while I crisscross the ribbon a couple of times before tying a bow, Kai’s finger holding the knot without asking. The entire episode takes place in complete silence.

Once it’s finished, Kai’s hands rest on the table at my sides and I turn in the circle of his arms, holding his posy, a small bouquet of mismatched flowers; one petite pink peony, a few stray jasmines, and even a daisy. All mixed together with stray strands of long grass and leaves.

“Well, here you go. All done.”

I hold up the posy for his inspection, imbuing it with my magic. The blooms perk up and open their pedals, releasing their floral scents. He doesn’t move, other than his eyes, to angle down to where I hold it in the small space between us, lips parting to flash his pointy canines.

“Perfect. You should do this professionally.”

The joke eases my tension and I relax, leaning against the table behind me. Just as I think Kai is going to release me from his hold and step back, his tail caresses my ankle. Circling and sliding up to my calf.

Parts of me that usually remain dormant, except when I’m alone, spark to life. My nipples instantly harden as a breath catches in my throat. If I weren’t holding onto the flowers for dear life, I fear I might have reached out and ran my hands up the bare expanse of his chest.

What in the love of mother earth is going on?

I don’t have the slightest clue, but I need space, distance from Kai and his skin and heat and musky man scent. Oh crap, he smells so good. How had I not noticed before?

“Here you go,” I say an octave too loudly and forcefully thrust the flowers into his chest, forcing him to remove a hand to grab them before they fall.

With his arm removed, I have a clear path of escape and take it. Quickly scurrying back to the opposite side of the table, picking up a flower and cutting its stem before placing it in the vase where I have the flowers for the bouquet arranged.

“I’ve never made a bouquet before,” Kai muses, turning the flowers in between his fingers. “Maybe you could hire me on? You know, for the busy season. I’m sure everyone would love my work. Look at this, I’m a floral genius.”

He is in fact not a floral genius, but I appreciate his dedication to trying. Tucking his masterpiece into the back pocket of his jeans, Kai claps his hands and rubs them together like a villain mastermind.

“Ok what’s next, I’m on a roll here.”

“Well first off what you just made is called a posy. You might want to get the terminology right before you go announcing yourself as a floral genius.”

Kai looks at me quizzically, his lips quirked to one side. “Posy? Isn’t that a flower?”

“No. A posy is a small bouquet. So, what you have right there is a pocket full of posies.” I point to the flowers poking out from his back pocket. It really is ironic he happened to tuck them in his pocket.

“Like the song?”

“Exactly like the song. Except that was referring to bubonic plague victims that carried around posies in their pockets to cover the smell of their rotting flesh.”

Kai’s eyes go comically wide, and I’ve managed to make his jaw go slack for once. I bite my lips between my teeth to stifle a laugh. I don’t think there are many people who can catch Kai off guard.

“You’re joking right?”

“Sort of. It hasn’t been proven, but there were speculations about it. I kind of like the creepy history of it.”

“You’re a little weirdo, aren’t you?”

“Only when it comes to plants and flowers.”

Over Kai’s shoulder, I see Sage round a wall of hydrangeas. He does a double take and stops dead in his tracks. His expression shifting from relaxed to confused, then enraged. I follow the trajectory of his glare and realize he’s staring daggers into Kai’s back. He must know who he is, or at least his family, because I’ve never met him before today. But I also hide out in my greenhouse and avoid social interactions altogether. Not a big surprise I didn’t know who he was when we first met.

Kai catches my distant expression and turns in his seat, catching Sage’s glare before he drops it to a flat expression. Turning back around Kai gives me a sheepish smile.

“I think I’ve taken up enough of your time. I’ll come see you again soon though. You can tell me more stories about nursery rhymes that have disturbing historical origins.”

He stands and smirks at me once more, flashing a fang, then he’s gone. Strolling past Sage and out of the greenhouse with the posy of flowers still sticking out of his back pocket.

“You shouldn’t be hanging out with him, Daisy. I know I told you to make more friends but not him.” Sage sits in the stool Kai just vacated and doesn’t look happy one bit.

“Why? What’s wrong with Kai? He seemed nice to me.”

“Oh, he’s very nice. With every female he meets. He’s a relentless flirt and slut. If he’s being friendly, it’s because he only wants one thing from you.”

My tail tightens around my waist and I try to see Kai as Sage sees him. Yes, he is very flirtatious, but as for being a slut? I couldn’t say. I don’t know his past. And so what if he is? There’s nothing wrong with having numerous sexual partners. Some of us aren’t lucky enough to even have one sexual partner. Not that I choose to still be a virgin at twenty-three. Well, in the sense that I’ve never been with a real male. My secret toy collection doesn’t count.

“And what exactly is it you think he wants from me? All he did was walk with me and then make a few flower arrangements.”

“Huh,” is all he says. Like it’s completely unfathomable a guy like Kai could be interested in me for any reason other than casual sex. “I still don’t like him. He’ll only end up hurting you in the end.”

“Well, I liked spending time with him.”

Sage also doesn’t like that. “Just promise me you’ll be careful, Daiz. He has a reputation and I’d hate to see you become part of it.”

I stare at the flowers in the vase, ignoring Sages pleading eyes, and mindlessly move them around. We sit in silence for another minute before Sage gets up to help a customer and leaves me to stew in my thoughts of everything that happened today with Kai. Particularly when his tail stroked me.