Athalia Quinn

22 - Boyfriend

He frowns.

I tilt my head.

"Oh! I mean, yay it's you, Levi!" I hop onto the couch so I can wrap my arms around his neck from where he stands behind it.

He buries his head in my neck, breathing me in. With his arms securing my waist, he lifts me so I can wrap my legs around his.

He pulls his head out and looks at my lips for a split second before kissing me. Good gosh, I almost forgot what it was like to be kissed by him. The simple act of his lips on mine sets the butterflies in my stomach flying.

I make a noise, and he kisses me harder like he wants to capture it.

Against his lips, I whisper, "I missed you."

He makes little circles against my hip with the pad of his finger. He kisses me once more, and I almost start to feel stupid for admitting that I missed him, until he breathes, "I missed you too, baby."

I grin and hide my face in his neck.

We stay like that for a while, breathing each other in and enjoying each others presence after three days of going without it.

Loud talking ruins the moment as the rest of the guys plus Frannie stroll inside. I lift my face and smile, offering a small wave to them.

"Sugar plum!" Nick exclaims, running towards me.

He tries to rip me away from Levi, but Levi must be way stronger, because he simply turns his back to Nick. But I pat Levi's arm so he can drop me, and Nick squeezes me in a hug the second I hit the ground.

We both pretend not to hear the very mean name Levi calls him.

Fisher and River join the hug in less than a heartbeat, and I can barely breath.

"You smell so good, pretty lady," Fisher says, earning a warning snarl from Levi. "Uh oh, bossman's angry."

"When is he not?" River says, rolling his eyes.

"Guys--" I attempt as my lungs are getting squeezed. "Guys, I—I can't really breathe—"

The second I got the words out, Levi swooped me away from the hug, pulling me to his side.

I pat his arm in thanks, and note Frannie standing by the door. She was looking at River—oh, she so needs to tell me everything—but when she feels my eyes on her, she smirks at me.

I run to her, hugging her the instant I reach her.

"Missed you, girl," Frannie tells me.

"Missed you, too." I add quietly, "I want all the details, by the way."

She acts innocent, brows pushing together. "What—uh, what do you mean?"

I narrow my eyes, and jerk my head to River.

She is going to try to brush it off, but she must've chosen otherwise, because she sighs and nods with a smile she attempts to keep off her face.

"Did you clean?" Maxen asks, standing in the kitchen and examining the black marble countertops.

I nod, explaining that, to my embarrassment, I had made a bit of a mess after staying her for a couple days.

I turn to smile sheepishly at Levi, but find him smirking.

I walk over to him, needing to crane my neck to look at his eyes. "What?"

"You stayed here?" He asks, gently taking a strand of my hair and playing with it.