I laugh again, loudly, before I manage to quiet myself. Colin used to tell me my laugh was too loud. Ant just smiles. “You wouldn’t intentionally drop me, would you?”
“Not you. Never.” His wings flutter around his shoulders, the movement is fascinating.
“Can I feel them?” I can’t stop grinning. “Sorry if that was rude, you can say no. It’s just, I’ve never seen anything like them.”
“You really like them?” The hesitancy in his voice tugs at my chest.
I nod enthusiastically. “You’re beautiful.” My face feels very warm when I recognize my slip-up. “They are beautiful.”
He shakes his head. "You are the one who is beautiful, Piper." He tucks a loose curl behind my ear. "Like a moth to a flame."
He turns quickly. For a brief moment, I worry I’ve offended him somehow, before his wings spread wide again. They fold neatly across his back, draping to ankle length when they are closed, and when he spreads them fully, he is easily wider than he is tall. A wingspan of at least seven or eight feet. There are four individual wings, a top pair with ragged edges, and a bottom that are a little rounder. They are nearly translucent, his silhouette visible through them. Swirling in dark browns and grays and black. Between the wings, along his spine, is a thick patch of dark hair, similar to the scarf that grows around his neck.
“You can touch them, if you like.” His voice is very soft.
I raise a hand up to the wing, pausing just before my hand reaches him. “I won’t hurt you, will I?”
“I trust you,” he says.
I’m not sure I trust myself. I lower my open nervous palm to brush along his top wing. He twitches under my touch and then sighs and presses slightly harder into my hand. It’s soft, but taunt, like touching an open umbrella covered in a fine silt of fuzz.
Sliding my hand across him I finally reach the fur between his wings and run my fingers down through the hair there.
He shudders under my touch and pulls away, turning and grabbing my hand before I can move.
“Sorry, too much?” I ask.
“No, you are wonderful. The center area is…sensitive,” he says calmly. His hands circle mine, large enough to cover them completely, warm and gentle. I stare at our intertwined fingers for a long breath.
“The movies, then?” I ask, finally looking at his face.
His antennas perk up. His mouth arms lift. “May I?” He stretches his arms wide.
I give him an enthusiastic nod, then hesitate, not exactly sure what to do. He moves quickly, easily scooping me up like I weigh nothing at all. One arm beneath my knees, keeping my skirt in a modest position, one arm behind my shoulders in a bridal carry. It’s almost like having my own personal superhero.
“Ready?” His breath is so close that it tickles my hair.
“Don’t go too high.” Fear and excitement spike through my veins.
“I’ve got you, my flame,” he says so softly, I think I may have misunderstood him.
He crouches just a little before leaping in the air. There’s one terrifying moment of free fall, and then his wings catch the air, and we are fucking flying.
I squeal. I don’t care if I am twenty-nine. This is fucking exciting! Who gets to do things like this? Who has a hot sexy stranger literally carrying them through the air? It’s exhilarating.
We aren’t terribly high. He levels out above the three-story buildings, being mindful of wires and telephone poles. Ant cuts easily through the blocks, halving our travel time. With the wind in my hair and Ant's strong arms carrying me, I’m almost sad that it's going to be over quickly.
He’s shockingly strong, the muscles corded in his biceps are like steel holding me firmly against his chest. My arms circle his neck instinctively, digging my fingers into the fur there. Fromthis angle I can examine his face closely, his intense expression as he focuses on the path before us. He’s covered in that sweet vanilla scent. I'm completely at his mercy. He could do anything to me right now, take me anywhere.
I wish that idea didn’t turn me on quite so much.
I chew on my lip and press myself a little tighter against him, my body flooded with adrenaline and endorphins. He lands on the roof of the Artemis Theatre and sets me on my feet. I do an impromptu spin, my skirt twirling around my ankles. I’m practically buzzing with energy. We flew. I flew! It was exactly like every dream I’ve ever had of the experience.
“That was fantastic!” I adjust my glasses, cackling loudly, too excited to care if I am being over-the-top. “That was so cool! You’re amazing, Ant! You can go anywhere? Any time you want? I have so many questions!”
He’s smiling, but seems almost bashful.
“Sorry. Too much. I know.” I roll my eyes and take a step back, but Ant catches me by the waist, stopping my retreat.
