Missing [ST]

Thirty Six

"Jooeeyyy!" Leah squealed, brushing away the continuous stream of petals from her hair and shoulders. "Stop it!"

"What? This?"

The cheeky reply was followed by...much of the same.

"Sto-op!" she pleaded through another bout of laughter, shaking her head vigorously towards the ground. She looked up to scold the naughty grin, "You'll break the branches!"

Joey fell into hysterics and slapped a palm to his chest, but at least it meant he wasn't causing any further damage, rustling the fragile branches.

"It's not funny!" Leah whined, picking out more pink flowers from the ends of her hair and flicking them onto the grass. Except, that was a straight lie, and the smile that she couldn't keep away from her face told him so.

Beckoning her with a hand, Joey wiped a teary eye with his wrist.

"Come here, you got a little something-"

"Mhm, y'think?"

Having to listen to the recovery hiccups of laughs, Leah was fighting against a frustrating smile.

"Stop moving your head!" Joey exclaimed, letting go of the strand of hair between his fingers before he tugged too hard.

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

Leah stepped back, ruffling out her hair herself. She was already picking out a petal successfully.

"See? It's really not that hard."

She peaked too soon though, because it slipped between the pinch of her fingers, and she struggled to locate something she couldn't see.

"Leah." Joey caught her wrist, lowering it down. "Stay still."

Leah did. She stayed very still as Joey gently held the side of her face and lifted his chin to find lost, pesky petals to pick out.

She was forced to control her breathing that had puffed out too many laughs in too short a time, and in doing so, found herself lost in his touch. Found her eyes wandering over his handsome features that always softened when she was around, and equally, could brighten with a smile that she adored.

It was only when Joey's hand slowly slipped from her cheek, that Leah realised that he was looking right back at her, with an expression that was hard not to make her insides flip.

"Y-you have..." Joey pointed to his face, which flushed a little pink.

"Oh," Leah acknowledged, dumbly copying his action.

The hesitation for his approval confused her, but then the pad of his thumb swept underneath her eye and revealed a rogue eyelash that he subtly flicked away.

She couldn't even mumble a thanks, because Joey's hand was on her hip. It was nothing more than a light pressure at first, but when she didn't move away, his hand pathed up and rested comfortably on the gentle curve of her waist.

"Leah..." he began, voice low with an unfamiliar desire. "Please stop me if I'm...if I'm out of line."

Like a reflex, Leah placed a palm on his strong chest, putting a temporary hitch to his breathing. He suddenly looked ashen with disappointment, which was not her intention at all.

Swallowing her onset of nerves, Leah moved her tingling fingertips up over the ridge of his collarbone to touch the skin of his neck. They lingered on his Adam's apple that, on cue, disappeared downwards and then bumped back in place.

She was drawn to the light scruff of stubble that darkened the skin around his chin, and it gave his face a rugged definition even if he wouldn't grow it out any further.