Married to a firefly • Completed

(21) Someone like you

Levi

When I reached the door, I turned back to face her. "Good night, Poppy."

"I..." She hesitated. "I need to tell you something else. Just so you know."

I leaned against the doorframe and crossed my arms over my chest. "What is it?"

"I don't want Kale to take care of my needs." I saw the blush creeping up her cheeks.

Damn, she definitely had balls bringing up his horrible topic from before. I cleared my throat and had trouble meeting her gaze while I stepped from one foot to the other to calm my nerves. "I can't believe I really said that. I'm sorry", I finally admitted.

I hoped she could see right through me and sensed that I really mean what I said. It would have been the right thing to say either way but I really was sorry and needed her know. My heart ached a little, thinking she might not believe me.

But when I finally lifted my gaze I met hers. "It's okay", she said. "Good night, Sir Crankster."

I couldn't help myself and snorted. "Well, I guess I deserve this one."

She smiled at me warmly and I realized I was debating whether to cut the distance and pull her in for a hug. Or more. I blushed realizing I wanted more than just to hold her. Picturing her falling asleep in my arms suddenly felt natural. My gaze went over her features and met her gaze. She stared right back at me with her beautiful chocolate brown eyes. Maybe I didn't want her to fall asleep but to let me drown in her eyes. Just as I decided I would take the risk and make my move, Rose started crying.

As if Poppy had read my mind, she grinned sheepishly and attempted to get up. Since Dakota had left last night, we still didn't have a night nanny anymore. And while Camila took great care of Rose during the day we couldn't ask her to watch over her at night as well.

Mom and Dad hadn't even said a word, when Kale had told them that I had dismissed Dakota after a heated argument last night. Mom had raised her brow, while Dad had secretly winked at me. Good choice, he had whispered when we were in the kitchen by ourselves loading the dishwasher after dinner.

As much as I didn't want to admit it: it had been a choice, and I definitely had chosen not only the right option but the one that felt better, too. I didn't want anyone to disrespect Poppy in any way and I sure as hell didn't want to have someone throwing themselves at me, when all I had on my mind was my wife of a week.

Hard to believe it had just been two weeks, since she had walked into our house and demanded to take Rosie with her, but instead came out engaged to me. And it was even harder to believe that she had sacrificed herself to ensure Rosie's well-being.

"Stay in bed. I'll get her."

She shook her head. "You watched her last night already. Don't you need to catch up on some sleep?"

"I had almost the whole day to relax and doze off. Well, except for the 12 hours I was worried about you being okay, since you locked yourself into your room."

She blushed again and I felt like an idiot for bringing it up again.

"I'll be fine, sweet cheeks. It's okay. Go to sleep", I said, already retreating.

As always Rosie had been a good baby with me. I had taken her to bed with me, propped her up with like a thousand pillows, so she wouldn't have the chance to even think about falling off my bed. The one time she had woken up it was in fact time for her bottle so she had gotten it cuddling with me, and had went right back to sleep afterwards. She really was the best baby ever.

Somewhere in between feeding her and her falling asleep I had realized I'd miss seeing her sweet face when it was time to let her and Poppy go. Just thinking about it I had felt a cold shiver racing down my back. Which in return had made me question everything that had had happened. Needless to say I hadn't gotten much sleep last night, but it had been worth it. Now I felt confident in my goals for today. It wasn't all about achieving them but just knowing I was heading in the right direction had finally calmed me down enough to fall asleep.

The alarm went off at 6 am but Rosie didn't even blink. I pushed her up so she was laying in the middle of the bed again and went to the adjoining bathroom to take a quick shower.

When I opened the door, Poppy squeaked. Apparently she had forgotten to lock my door again. I smiled at her as she tried to cover herself while getting dressed.

"Get out, Levi", she moaned half-heartedly.

"No way." I dropped my clean clothes on the counter. As far as I could see she was dressed in underwear, so I wouldn't be able to see anything I couldn't have seen if she had ever went swimming with me. Which had me thinking about her injuries and led my gaze to her bandaged arm.

Meanwhile Poppy grabbed for another long sleeved shirt. I took it from her, before she could pull it over her head.

"Hey", she protested and tried to grab it back. But I held it up high above my head, which only meant she was leaning against my bare chest trying to reach her shirt.

I held her pressed up against me until she squirmed to get away. When I finally let her go, she tried to cover her upper body again. I grabbed my shirt and threw it at her.

"Why don't you wear something short-sleeved today? It's hot out there and you've got nothing to hide", I said gently.

She looked up and searched my eyes without saying a word. But I knew she disagreed strongly.

"You don't. You are beautiful the way you are."

"You're just trying to be nice. You've seen it. You know it's hideous."

"Your arm doesn't scare or bother me and even if it did, which just be clear it doesn't, you shouldn't give a crap. It's still bandaged, too. People will have a few days to get used to the idea you were willing to sacrifice your body and life to save Rosie, when they've never faced such a situation."

She blushed and smiled at me. "You're finally calling her Rosie."

"That's all you heard?", I huffed.

She put on my shirt and my heart stopped for a second or two. She looked good in it even though it was a little too big for her small frame. But everyone at school would know she was mine.

"It's so cute coming from someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah, a cool loner, you know?"

I crossed my arms, feeling somewhat exposed. "Is that how you see me?"

"Isn't that how you want to be seen?"

I swallowed. She was right. It was how I had wanted to be seen to save myself from clingy girls. But I seemed Mr. Timberlake had been right: what goes around comes all the way back around. I had wanted to be seen as non-caring bastard and that's exactly what Poppy was thinking of me now. And here I was hoping we would have made some progress in our fake relationship. Apparently not. I sighed in frustration.

"I'll leave so you can take a shower", she said grabbing for her wet plastic arm cover and some of her make-up.

"Leave it here. You'll have the bathroom for yourself in like five minutes. I'll make it quick, I promise."

"Okay", she said simply and walked out on her side of the bathroom, locking her door as if she didn't trust me not to follow her.

I rolled my eyes.