“Is this okay?” I asked while threading my fingers through Poppy’s hair.
He made a soft, affirmative sound. “It’s nice.”
My heart skipped again. A warmth enveloped my chest, spreading throughout my body.
What was this feeling? And why did I like it so much?
I swallowed, trying to calm my gamboling pulse. This was about Poppy, not me. I could deal with my weird new emotions later.
After steady rinsing, Poppy’s hair was visibly clean. I leaned in for a final examination. As I held the bulk of his wet hair in my palm, the nape of his neck was free, and when I tilted forward, a sweet scent tickled my nose.
Poppy’s scent.
A shiver rolled down my spine.
He smelled... really good. I didn’t have the words to describe it. Silky and warm, reassuring and sweet. He smelled like comfort and hope. I didn’t know somebody couldsmelllike a feeling, but he did.
I lingered for a few seconds too long. I wanted to remain, for time to stop so I could get my fill, but I didn’t want to make Poppy uncomfortable. Fighting against my every screaming instinct, I drew back and cleared my throat.
“There. Now you’re squeaky clean,” I said in a light tone.
He smiled gently back at me, his eyes warm and shy. “Thank you, Violet. I feel much better now.” He perked up. “Oh! You never showed me your surprise.”
I’d forgotten about my promise. The sight of naked Poppy would do that to anyone.
“You’re right,” I said, handing him my satchel. “Here. See for yourself.”
His brows rose. “Me? You trust me with your things?”
“Duh, you silly wolf.”
He flushed, then gingerly opened the latch. He took his time, being as careful as possible when he didn’t need to be, but I appreciated his gentle touch anyway.
“Go ahead and take him out,” I encouraged when the flap was fully open.
With the world’s most careful hands, Poppy lifted Wolfy from the satchel. His eyes went wide with wonder.
“Who is this?” he asked shyly, as if meeting a celebrity.
“That, my friend, is Wolfy,” I said with a grin. “He’s an arctic wolf, like you.”
Poppy smiled from ear to ear. “He’s adorable. I’ve never seen a... What do you call this?”
“A plushie?”
“Hmm... A plushie. It’s wonderful, Violet. His fur is soft, and his eyes are so kind...”
My heart soared to the fucking moon. Hearing Poppy talk about my prized possession like that filled me with supernatural affection. As if Poppy weren’t perfect enough already, it would be impossible for anyone to compete with him now.
“You can hug him, if you want,” I suggested. “Plushies are good for that.”
Poppy did hug Wolfy. And he looked pretty damn adorable doing so.
But then Poppy paused, and his smile faded. His aura of dread returned, floating over him like a haze. As his demeanor changed, so did the feeling in my chest. It transformed from hopeful warmth to unsettled despair.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
He lifted his unfocused gaze into the distance. “I... I don’t think I can go back,” he croaked, hugging Wolfy tighter to his chest. “Everyone hates me.”
