flower. h.s ✔️

thirty five.

h.

"I know she's pretty but eyes on the road buddy."

My jaw clenched as Ollie spoke and Poppy's eyes met mine in the mirror before I blinked and looked away.

I could kill that little prick.

I caught Ollie leaning into her shoulder and his mouth moving in the mirror but I couldn't hear what he said or if Poppy replied and honestly I didn't care.

"Can see up your skirt Poppy."

A smirk pulled at my lips as the sound of her small feet hitting the carpeted floor of the car echoed slightly and I sucked my teeth.

Part of me now wishes I hadn't told her. There was something absolutely memorising about her snowy thighs and part of me fucking hated myself for staring.

I caught sight of an empty gap on the curb just outside Liam's place and pulled into it, aware of both Poppy and Ollie jerking in their seats.

"This is Liam's house?" Poppy asked as I watched in slight amusement as Ollie climbed over Poppy to get out.

"Being an account manager for Carmichael Holdings pays." I drawled.

I was definitely in the wrong career, fuck me.

As much as I liked Liam, I didn't particularly enjoy coming to his place. Nothing reminded you that your friends were better than you in every aspect than a six bedroom house.

I gritted my teeth as I slammed the door shut behind me, aware of Poppy and Ollie standing on the curb, the former wrapping her arms around herself and the latter bouncing about. The kid was a light weight.

I narrowed my eyes at nothing in particular as I rummaged through the boot, I knew my coat was in here, I just didn't know exactly where.

"Wow." Poppy mumbled just as I finally managed to grab my jacket and I shut the boot easily with one hand before locking the car, the orange lights filling the street momentarily. I glanced at Ollie an amused smirk tugging at my lips before I looked at Poppy.

"Here."

Poppy blinked as I spoke to her, the coat outstretched in my hand and I knew she was cold and part of me hated Ollie for making her wear a costume like that in October. It was fucking freezing out here.

But she also looked really fucking pretty so I couldn't be too mad at him.

"Thank you." Poppy said as she slipped her arms through the coat almost immediately and I watched as her cheeks tinted pink and I simply gave her a smile before flicking my head for the two of them to follow.

I looked at Poppy pointedly as she stood on the doorstep, Ollie was already heading towards the kitchen and I waited for her to finally join me inside and shut the door behind her.

"Drink?" I asked once we were in the kitchen, the music too loud for her to hear me without me bending to her height.

Poppy shook her head making me look at her for a moment, did she not drink? But she'd been drinking at that other shitty party? And at every other party she'd dragged us to, why wasn't she now?

I shook away the thoughts, did I really care? No.

I popped a bottle open and handed it to Ollie who grinned at me before I opened my own, aware of Poppy's eyes following my every movement and I felt something stir in my gut.

"Too pretty for your own good." I muttered lowly.

I caught Poppy's brows furrowing and her mouth opening and I turned away from her motioning for the two of them to follow me outside.