When Spring Came Knocking

When Spring Came Knocking

by Xavier

Noah Sinclair had never been good at asking for help.

Which was ironic, considering he ran a business that quite literally bloomed out of connection--with the soil, the seasons, and a parade of customers whose floral expectations often defied logic or physics. (Roses that glowed blue? Sure. Orchids in a snowstorm? Why not.) But when it came to letting people into his world, Noah shut the garden gate fast.

Still, Sinclair Blooms wasn't just a flower shop. It was a living, breathing love letter to spring. A quiet explosion of color nestled on the corner of Main Street, shaded by a wide old magnolia tree that shed pink petals like confetti every April. The air smelled like heaven--earthy and sweet, a perfume of damp moss and sugar-slick tulips.

It had been Noah's everything for nearly a decade.

Quiet mornings. Bitter coffee. An armful of blooms and nobody to question his playlist. That had always been enough.

Until this spring.

This spring, the town's annual Spring Festival--normally a quaint excuse to drink lavender lemonade and listen to a banjo trio--had turned into a full-blown logistical nightmare. The mayor, ever the visionary, decided it was time to "go big." Naturally, she volunteered for Noah for the starring role of Festival Design Lead.

He hadn't even had time to dodge.

Orders came in like a pollen storm. Brides wanted bespoke flower crowns for their dogs. Children's choirs needed matching corsages. And the church committee requested a full-scale biblical recreation of the Garden of Eden in the town square. With flamingos.

Noah was three bouquets away from a nervous breakdown when someone knocked on the greenhouse door.

In walked the most inappropriate distraction spring had to offer.

Eli Hartwell.

He stepped into Sinclair Blooms like he'd wandered in off the set of a perfume ad--sunglasses still on, sunlight clinging to his shoulders, and a tight white tee doing very little to hide the fact that this man did not skip arm day, abs day or gym at all. His jeans clung in ways that should probably require a permit, and his green eyes--annoyingly bright, annoyingly observant--swept across the shop like he was selecting a lucky flower to flirt with.

He stopped by a display of peach-colored tulips and crouched slightly, squinting at the label like it was written in code.

Noah Sinclair didn't look up from the bouquet he was building--wild hyacinth, French tulips, something vaguely poetic in a ceramic vase. "Hate to break it to you," he said without turning, "but the town's modeling agency closed in, like, 2008. You might be a little lost."

Eli straightened, one corner of his mouth curling. "That obvious, huh?"

Now Noah looked up. Slowly. Sunglasses. Biceps. Smile like a movie poster. The kind of guy you'd expect to sell protein powder or ruin your dating standards for a decade.

"I mean," Noah said dryly, "you are fondling a daffodil like it owes you money."

Eli chuckled, pulling his sunglasses off and sliding them into the collar of his shirt. "You must be Sinclair."

Noah raised a brow. "Depends. Are you here to buy something, or just critique my flowers like they're auditioning for Project Runway?"

Eli offered a hand, completely unbothered. "Eli Hartwell. My sister's doing a booth at the Springwood Makers Fair--she's an interior designer who thinks minimalist beige is a personality trait. She asked me to pick up 'something fresh and seasonal and very aesthetically powerful.'" He made air quotes with exaggerated flair. "And apparently, you're the floral wizard of choice."

"I prefer 'plant sorcerer,'" Noah said, deadpan. "But I'll accept 'wizard' if the tip's good."

Eli's laugh was low and easy. "My sister said you had a sharp tongue. Didn't know it came with sarcasm and cheekbones."

Noah just blinked at him. "What about my cheekbones, Hartwell?."

Eli wandered deeper into the shop. He gestured at a row of soft pink peonies. "These too dramatic?"

"Only if you cry while handing them over."

"Perfect," Eli said, grinning. "My whole aesthetic is emotional himbo."

Noah glanced at him sideways. "Explains the arms."

Eli glanced down at himself, feigning surprise. "Oh wow. Didn't even notice. Do they look big today? I did, like, three push ups before walking in."

"Just three?" Noah said, arranging tulips. "Sure, frat boy!."

Eli leaned on the counter, forearms flexed, all charming menace. "You always this friendly, or am I getting the deluxe floral package?"

"This is the upgraded version," Noah said. "Normally I just glare and hand people cacti."

"Sinclair, you wound me. And here I was thinking I'd be your favorite customer of the day."

"You're definitely the loudest and Biggest Ofcourse!."

Eli smirked. "Loud, hot, here to spend money. Sounds like your dream client."

"Loud, hot, and thinks they're a dream client," Noah corrected. "That's a very specific tax bracket in my world."

Eli let out a genuine laugh, the kind that made Noah's stomach flicker in spite of himself. "Alright, plant sorcerer. Show me what you've got that'll make my sister's booth look like spring exploded--in a tasteful, curated, design-forward way."

Noah gestured toward the back greenhouse. "This way. Try not to touch anything unless it consents."

Eli followed, still grinning. "You say plants don't love me."

"Oh, they do," Noah said under his breath. "They just don't know why yet."

-----------------------

Eli followed Noah into the greenhouse, the air thick with moisture and blooming things. The shift in atmosphere was immediate--warmer, fragrant, like stepping inside a secret. Rows of tulips in every imaginable shade leaned gently in the filtered light, ivy curled lazily from hanging pots, and delicate wildflowers nodded in tiny ceramic vases like they were gossiping.

Eli paused halfway in and took a slow look around. "Okay, this is actually insane. I feel like I just walked into a Disney movie. Where are the birds that tie my shoelaces?"

Noah didn't look back. "Tried that. They unionized."

Eli huffed a laugh, trailing a finger along a row of bright ranunculus. "This is gorgeous. You're seriously good at this."

"Shocking, right?" Noah said, half-focused on misting a tray of peach blossoms. "Turns out when you water things and don't ghost them emotionally, they thrive."

Eli walked over slowly, hands in his pockets, curiosity and charm in equal measure. "Are you talking to the flowers or to me?"

Noah glanced up, a lazy smile tugging at his mouth. "Whichever one's more likely to listen."

Eli grinned and leaned casually against the edge of the table, pretending to study the bouquet Noah was working on. "So is this where the magic happens? The world-renowned Sinclair aesthetic?"

Noah smirked. "Didn't realize word traveled so fast through the influencer circuit."

"Hey, don't knock the circuit," Eli said, eyeing a bloom like it had secrets. "My sister swears by you. Said if I didn't come here personally and leave with something 'mood-enhancing,' she'd replace me with her yoga instructor for the weekend setup."

"High stakes," Noah murmured. Then--under his breath, barely audible--"Those eyes, though."

Eli blinked. "Sorry, what was that?"

Noah was already turning toward a shelf of vases. "I said: those hydrangeas. Big weekend energy."

"Right," Eli said slowly, clearly not buying it but letting it go. "You always this flirty with customers?"

"Only the ones who wear shirts three sizes too small."

Eli laughed, tugging lightly at the hem of his white tee. "You think this could be tighter?"

"We get it," Noah said, deadpan. "You work out. Gym bro confirmed."

"Excuse you," Eli replied, mock-offended. "I'm a wellness enthusiast with a healthy respect for aesthetics and a mild addiction to compression fabrics."

Noah chuckled, giving Eli a sideways glance. "Honestly, you're dressed like someone who thought they might get photographed buying tulips."

"And I did," Eli said, striking a harmless little pose. "By you. With your eyes."

Noah arched a brow but didn't deny it. "Tell me about the booth. What are we styling for?"

"Minimalist design theme. Clean. Airy. My sister said something about 'refined joy' and 'a bloom that whispers but knows its worth.'"

"Sounds exhausting."

"Tell me about it. I was told to find a 'centerpiece that radiates light tension.'"

Noah huffed a laugh. "You came to the right place. My entire business model is built on light tension."

Eli leaned a little closer. "And you? What do you radiate?"

"Judgment," Noah said simply. "And maybe just enough patience to put up with you for twenty more minutes."

Eli grinned, clearly undeterred. "I like you, Sinclair."

"Of course you do."

Noah picked a few stems from a nearby tray--coral ranunculus, pale green hellebores, and a whisper of lavender--tucking them one by one into a vase. He moved with a calm rhythm, deliberate and focused, clearly in his element.

Eli watched him work, chin in hand. "You really do love this stuff, huh?"

"I'd hope so," Noah said, not looking up. "I built it from scratch. That table over there? I made it. Those hanging pots? Sourced from a woman in Vermont who talks to her clay."

"Cute," Eli said. "Your whole vibe is very... emotionally competent plant dad."

"Not sure if that's a compliment or a very specific Pinterest board."

"It's both," Eli said brightly. "And it's working."

Noah paused, finally meeting his eyes. "You always this charming, or just trying to score free eucalyptus?"

"Honestly? Little of column A, little of 'you're cute when you pretend not to be charmed.'"

Noah blinked, then reached for the ribbon. "You want this arrangement to say 'elegant and intentional,' or 'I made my sister cry with beauty'?"

"Option two, please. Full emotional breakdown."

"Coming right up."

Eli watched him tie the bouquet, quieter now. His eyes lingered--not intense, not obvious, just a moment longer than polite. "You know, if all florists looked like you, Trader Joe's would be out of business."

Noah didn't look up, but a smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. "Flattery and market research? You're really pulling out all the stops."

Eli grinned. "I call it multitasking. Also--just being honest. You're cute, Sinclair."

Noah finally met his eyes, dry as ever. "And you're observant. It's a rare gift in a man who wears shirts that tight."

"Rude," Eli said, laughing as he accepted the finished bouquet. "This shirt happens to be emotionally supportive."

"It's clinging to you like it's in love," Noah muttered.

Eli tilted his head. "That a compliment?"

"From me? That's practically poetry."

Eli gave a mock swoon. "Be still, my gym-hardened heart."

"Just take your flowers before I start charging you extra for emotional labor," Noah said, handing over the bouquet--wrapped neatly, effortlessly beautiful.

"Fine, fine." Eli tapped his card on the reader. "But you should know, I never forget good customer service. Or cute faces."

"You say that to all your vendors?"

"Only the ones who smell like lavender and judgment."

Noah rolled his eyes, trying not to smile. "Enjoy the showcase, Hartwell."

"Oh, I will. You'll be seeing me soon, Sinclair."

The bell above the door chimed as Eli walked out, bouquet in hand, sunlight catching his shoulders like he'd staged the whole exit for dramatic effect.

Noah stood there for a moment too long, eyes fixed on the door before snapping himself out of it with a quiet sigh.

"Absolutely not," he muttered, turning back to his workstation. "We're not doing the hot-client-crush thing this season."

He picked up the next bouquet on the list, trying very hard to focus on stems and color theory and not the way Eli had said Sinclair like it was something personal.

-----------------------

It was past 11 pm.

The shops along Mulberry Street had all gone dark, their shutters down and windows glowing dim from forgotten fairy lights and leftover spring bunting. The festival had wrapped hours ago. Even the last of the wandering families and food truck guys had cleared out, leaving the air still and sweet, tinged with distant music and trampled tulip petals.

Noah was still in his shop, because of course he was. A warm lamp glowed behind the counter, casting golden light across the mess he hadn't yet cleaned--loose stems, curling ribbon, a tray of wilting daisies he kept forgetting to toss. He was in the middle of reworking a bridal arrangement that had come back for being "too emotionally orange" when the bell above the door jingled again.

Noah looked up, expecting someone lost or confused or looking for the taco place down the block.

Instead: Eli.

Again.

But this time? Not Calvin Klein and curated charm.

This time Eli walked in like a fitness ad that got lost on the way to a shoot--skin flushed from a workout, Under Armour compression tee clinging to his torso like it had been painted on. The shirt framed his chest and arms with almost comical precision, every muscle line doing the absolute most. His shorts hung low on his hips, the fabric riding high enough to make Noah's brain short-circuit for half a second when he caught sight of Eli's ridiculous thighs--solid, tan, and flexing casually with each step. He held a neon protein shake in one hand like it was an accessory and pushed his sweat-damp hair back with the other.

Noah blinked. "You again."

Eli grinned, slowing just inside the shop. "Say it like you missed me, Sinclair."

Noah made a noncommittal noise, leaning back against the counter. "You say that like you didn't just strut in here dressed like a walking thirst trap."

Eli raised his brows, feigning offense. "This?" He gestured to himself. "This is practical post-leg-day fashion."

Noah's eyes--traitorous, once again--dropped briefly to his quads. He could hear the way Eli's shorts strained when he shifted his weight. "Uh-huh. I'm sure that Under Armour shirt has nothing to do with showing off."

"I was walking back from the community gym," Eli said, stepping closer, unbothered. "Saw your shop light on and figured I'd stop in. Didn't realize I'd be accused of indecent exposure."

"You're lucky I didn't grab the hose," Noah muttered, turning to pretend he was reorganizing peonies.

Eli leaned against the doorway of the greenhouse entrance, sipping his shake like it was a martini. "What, you don't get a lot of surprise drop-ins from guys who look like they just did thirty squats and three sets of curls?"

"Not ones dressed like that," Noah said. "I mean, that shirt... seriously. You think it could get any tighter? Was it vacuum-sealed when you bought it?"

Eli flexed, exaggerated and completely unbothered. "It's called compression. Science, Sinclair."

Noah rolled his eyes, but his gaze lingered--just a second too long. The shirt clung to Eli's torso, sheer in all the wrong places. Or the right ones. The soft, overhead light caught where sweat darkened the fabric, making the outline of his abs practically illegal. His chest rose and fell like he hadn't fully cooled down, the damp hem clinging to the ridges of his stomach, and Noah could swear he saw a vein running down Eli's bicep pulse with the effort of unscrewing his protein shake.

"You know," Noah muttered, half to himself, "your abs are basically visible from space in that thing."

Eli grinned. "I thought you'd be happy to see me like this. Little sweaty. Little pumped." He took a slow sip of his shake, eyes never leaving Noah's. "You do keep the place warm."

Noah choked on absolutely nothing. "Yeah, well... tropical plants."

Eli's smile curled into something softer. "You haven't kicked me out yet, Sinclair." He stepped closer, casually, like he wasn't invading personal space so much as testing gravity. "Maybe you like having me here."

Noah deflected hard, stepping back and grabbing a watering can like it had personally summoned him. "I like silence and stable humidity levels. You bring neither."

"Hmm," Eli hummed, clearly entertained. "Noted."

He glanced around the shop, eyes catching on one of the finished bouquets in the window. "Anyway--my sister loved the bouquet, by the way. Said it made her booth look like something out of a storybook. Everyone kept asking where she got it." He paused. "The festival went great. I figured I'd pop by... you know, personally thank the genius behind the petals."

Noah, still turned toward the succulents, muttered under his breath, "Maybe you can thank me by taking that shirt off. Very slowly."

Eli blinked. "What was that, Sinclair?"

Noah cleared his throat and turned, too fast. "I said I'm glad she liked it. Sorry I was a bit of a bitch last time--we were in launch mode and everything smelled like panic sweat and rosewater."

Eli laughed. "Yeah, you were definitely busy being aggressively competent."

Noah made a face. "That's a compliment where I come from."

"Mmhm," Eli said, wandering toward the greenhouse entrance again, brushing his fingers along a string of ivy. "You always this fun after hours, or am I just special?"

"Mostly exhausted," Noah replied. Then after a beat, "But... maybe a little impressed."

Eli's brows lifted. "Careful. That sounded dangerously close to a compliment."

Noah hesitated, then smirked. "You want to see something cool?"

Eli's grin was instant. "Sinclair. You're inviting me deeper into your mysterious greenhouse? What's next, a secret flower handshake?"

"Shut up, Eli," Noah said, brushing past him toward the inner door. "Just don't knock anything over with your... muscles."

Eli murmured behind him, low and playful, "No promises. If this shirt gets any tighter, I might knock you over by accident."

Noah tried--he really tried--not to react. But the comment landed somewhere between his shoulder blades and slithered lower.

The greenhouse was dim and soft around the edges, lit only by a few overhead string lights and the faint moonlight slipping in through the glass ceiling. The air was heavy with warmth and green things breathing quietly in the night. Noah stepped ahead, motioning toward a long workbench at the back, past rows of drowsy tulips and trailing jasmine.

"Come on. Since you barged in, might as well show you something cool."

"Is this your version of 'wanna come up and see my etchings'?" Eli teased, stepping carefully between planters. His quads tensed with every step--long, strong legs in those stupid gym shorts, muscles sculpted and unfair.

Noah glanced over his shoulder, biting back a smirk. "I swear, Hartwell. One more dumb pickup line and I'm making you water every single orchid in here by hand."

Eli clutched his shake to his chest, eyes wide. "God forbid I touch something delicate."

Noah rolled his eyes, stopping in front of a table framed by tall stalks of flowering hellebores and foxglove. At the center was a wide ceramic dish filled with what looked like tiny, glowing moss, humming faintly under a custom-built grow lamp.

"Whoa," Eli said, voice softer now. "That's... kind of magical."

"It's luminescent sphagnum," Noah said, suddenly bashful. "Bioluminescent spores react to moisture and heat. I've been testing it for a few weeks--wanted to see if it could thrive in a semi-enclosed setup. And well--"

"It's thriving," Eli said, stepping closer. "This is seriously cool. Like--Next Level cool."

Noah laughed. "Wow. That might be the highest praise I've ever gotten from you."

"Yeah, well," Eli murmured, brushing his fingers along the ceramic edge. "You're kind of a plant wizard, Sinclair."

Noah looked at him sidelong. "And you're still standing here despite being surrounded by aggressive wholesomeness. Progress."

Eli grinned. "You're not as grumpy as you pretend to be."

"And you're not as shallow as the Under Armour you're wearing."

Eli flexed his arm. "You noticed."

"Oh, please. That shirt's practically a second skin. I could see your abs pulsing when you breathed."

Eli laughed, cheeks a little flushed. "Was hoping you'd say something like that."

"Leave the protein shake," Noah said, turning toward a side table where an old electric kettle sat tucked among dusty seed catalogues. "Since you're here. I'll make you tea. Chamomile okay?"

"Are we bonding?" Eli teased. "Because this feels suspiciously domestic."

Noah snorted. "Don't flatter yourself. I just don't like people drinking synthetically flavored chalk around my seedlings."

Eli set the shaker down with a grin, then watched as Noah moved around the kettle--precise, familiar, relaxed. For a moment, there was no sarcasm. Just quiet steam and the smell of earth and something tender growing.

"You always this... peaceful when the shop's closed?" Eli asked, his voice lower, more curious now.

Noah glanced up at him, not smiling, but not guarded either. "It's different when no one's asking for anything. When it's just... the plants and me."

Eli leaned against the table. "That sounds kind of lonely."

"Sometimes," Noah admitted, pouring hot water into a pair of mismatched mugs. "But it's mine. I built it. Every shelf. Every vine. Even that moody cactus in the front who hates everyone."

Eli accepted the mug Noah handed him, fingers brushing briefly. "Sounds like someone else I know."

Noah smirked. "Which one?"

"You," Eli said, looking over the rim of the mug as he sipped. "All prickly and self-sufficient. But secretly soft in the middle."

"That's slander," Noah muttered.

"It's charming," Eli said softly. "So are you, if you ever stop talking."

Noah opened his mouth, then closed it again. He looked at Eli like he wasn't sure what to say next. So instead, he turned to the moss again and adjusted the lamp angle.

They stood there in the quiet for a beat too long. Two men in a humid greenhouse, past midnight, drinking tea like they hadn't just been flirting shamelessly a moment ago.

"I know i told you this earlier but I really liked the bouquet," Eli said finally. "My sister loved it too. Whole booth smelled like actual spring."

"I'm glad," Noah said, voice lower now. "Thank you Eli. And Once.. Again.. I am Sorry... I was... a little bitchy the first time. Work stress."

Eli just smirked, setting his tea aside and lowering himself onto the old wooden bench tucked against the greenhouse wall. The cushions were faded from sun, floral-patterned and soft with age, like everything else in the place -- cozy in a way that didn't try to be.

Noah sat beside him after a beat, careful not to sit too close. They sipped in silence for a few seconds, the kind that stretched wide and loaded -- the moss still glowing faintly at the edge of their vision, casting a strange, gentle hue.

"So," Eli finally said, elbow brushing against Noah's. "Is this what you do most nights? Brew chamomile tea and emotionally confuse attractive men in tiny shorts?"

Noah snorted, smiling behind his mug. "Only when the moon's right."

Eli turned toward him, his voice dropping just enough to make Noah's pulse flicker. "You're cute when you're nervous, you know that?"

Noah glanced sideways, lips twitching. "Who says I'm nervous?"

Eli raised a brow. "Your hands are shaking."

Noah looked down, and yeah, the mug was trembling just a little in his grip.

Eli took it from him gently, placed it down on the bench behind them. Then he leaned in, slow, unhurried. His body still smelled like cedarwood and sweat and spring air, warm from the gym and the walk, alive.

Noah didn't move -- didn't even breathe -- as Eli's hand came up to gently trace the edge of his jaw.

"Don't freak out," Eli murmured. "Just... wanted to try something."

Then he kissed him.

Soft. Testing. Like he wasn't sure if it would break.

Noah froze, eyes wide, heart thudding against his ribs. He kissed back -- barely -- and then pulled away just as quickly, breath hitching.

"Wait, I... I forgot to grab something," he said, standing up too fast, knocking into the side table as he moved. "Just--hang on."

Eli stood too, brow furrowed, voice firmer now. "Enough, Sinclair. What's wrong with you?"

Noah stopped halfway across the greenhouse, back tense.

"You're giving me mixed signals," Eli continued, stepping closer. "One minute you're flirting. Talking about my arms, my abs. Making me tea in the middle of the night. Showing me your private glow-in-the-dark moss like I'm special or something. And the next--you run."

Noah turned, cheeks flushed. "I didn't run."

"You practically sprinted."

"I just--" he swallowed. "I didn't expect you to actually kiss me."

Eli tilted his head. "Why not?"

Noah blinked, at a loss.

Eli stepped closer. "Do you not want me to kiss you?"

Noah stared at him. The way the light caught his lashes, the sweat-slick stretch of his Under Armour shirt across his chest, the way those damn gym shorts clung to thighs that looked sculpted by divine intention.

"No," Noah said quietly. "I do. I really do."

He swallowed, eyes wide and unsure. "I just--" He laughed nervously, shook his head. "I've never done this before. Like... kissed a guy. I mean, until now. I want to. I really do. But it's new. I don't wanna mess it up."

Eli's expression softened immediately. The teasing charm dropped just enough to reveal something warmer underneath. He stepped closer, slowly, carefully, like Noah was a skittish deer and not a grown man who regularly handled thorned roses like it was therapy.

"Hey," Eli murmured, voice low and calm. "You're not messing anything up. We're just two guys, standing in a greenhouse, surrounded by romantic plants, under soft lighting... classic moment."

Noah gave a breathy laugh, but it trembled. "I don't get it," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're like... you're all confident. Hot. Like, cover-of-a-magazine hot. And I'm just some guy who names his houseplants and gets stressed about aphid infestations."

Eli smirked gently, shaking his head. "You're not 'just some guy,' Sinclair. You're a plant sorcerer with great forearms and a sharp tongue." He leaned in, his hand lightly brushing against Noah's wrist. "Also? You're cute when you spiral."

Noah looked at him, then down at the space between them. "You really think I'm cute?"

Eli smiled. "I've thought that since the moment you insulted my taste in peonies."

Noah laughed, finally--really laughed, letting some of the tension roll off. He met Eli's eyes, still nervous but braver now. "Okay," he breathed, nodding. "Okay."

Eli leaned in, this time close enough that Noah could feel the heat of his breath, the faint scent of gym sweat and cologne still clinging to him from earlier. Slowly, Noah tilted his chin up.

Their lips met.

It was slow at first, a cautious brush--tentative, testing. But when neither pulled away, it deepened, grew, heat blooming between them like one of Noah's late-blooming camellias. Eli's hand slid to Noah's waist, steadying him, grounding him. Noah's fingers found the hem of Eli's shirt, curling there like he needed something solid to hold onto.

Eli pulled back just a breath, resting his forehead against Noah's. "See?" he whispered. "Not so scary."

"You're still terrifying," Noah murmured. "But in like, a hot way."

Eli grinned and kissed him again, this time with more heat, more promise. Noah melted into it, his hands moving up, dragging over the ridges of Eli's shoulders, fingertips brushing the damp edges of his compression shirt.

"God, your mouth is dangerous," Noah breathed when they broke for air.

Eli chuckled, voice husky. "Yours isn't exactly G-rated either."

Noah was already leaning back in, hungrier this time, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Eli pressed closer, hands cupping Noah's face, thumbs brushing the edge of his jaw. Their bodies aligned slowly, chest to chest, heat moving between them in waves.

A soft moan escaped Noah before he could catch it, and Eli's response was a low growl of approval, his hands roaming down to Noah's hips, pulling him flush.

"Fuck," Noah murmured as his fingers grazed Eli's shoulder, then slid down the curve of his bicep. "These shoulders... your body... feels so fucking good to touch."

Eli tilted his head, grinning. "I knew you'd been eyeing me since the second I walked in, Sinclair. Should've just asked for a feel."

Noah's eyes dropped, watching the fabric of the compression shirt cling to Eli's abs, still damp with sweat. "I don't think I could've handled the answer."

"Good thing I'm a generous man," Eli said, hooking his thumbs under the hem of his shirt. "Here. I'll give you a better look."

He tugged the Under Armour shirt upward, but it clung stubbornly to his skin, slick from the gym. "Shit. Stuck--hold on--"

Noah watched, breath catching at the way the shirt rode up over Eli's hard stomach, revealing every sharp dip and V-line. "Need a hand, gym bro?"

"Obviously," Eli laughed. "C'mon, plant daddy. Don't leave me hangin' like this."

Noah stepped forward, sliding his hands under the shirt, the heat of Eli's skin humming against his palms. Carefully, he helped tug the shirt up, inch by slow inch--past Eli's chest, up over his arms, finally pulling it off. The shirt dropped to the floor, forgotten.

Noah blinked. "Holy. Shit."

Eli stood there, flushed and gleaming, chest rising and falling in the soft greenhouse light. His pecs looked carved, abs tight and defined, hips sloped perfectly into those scandalous gym shorts clinging to his thighs. Noah swallowed.

"Still think I'm 'just a gym bro'?" Eli teased, stepping closer.

Noah's hand drifted up without thinking, fingers brushing over Eli's stomach, tracing the line down the middle. "You're... insane. How is this real?"

Eli leaned in, voice low. "You can touch. If you want."

Noah hesitated only a second--then his palms were roaming Eli's torso, slow and reverent, mapping each ridge of muscle. He dropped his mouth to Eli's chest, tongue flicking against a nipple, earning a sharp inhale.

"Fuck, Sinclair," Eli groaned, eyes fluttering shut. "You're really doing this."

Noah looked up, mouth swollen. "Can I? Please?"

Eli smiled, brushing Noah's hair from his forehead. "You can do anything you want to me."

That flipped something in Noah. He kissed Eli again, harder now, more confident. Their mouths crashed, hands gripping, groping, finding each other in the low light.

Eli pulled Noah's shirt off next, tossing it somewhere into the vines. "Damn," he murmured, sliding his palms over Noah's waist, up his back. "So much for skinny. You've been hiding all this under flannel?"

Noah flushed but didn't stop him. "Guess you bring out the exhibitionist in me."

Their bodies pressed together, bare chest to bare chest, heat and sweat and hunger radiating off them. Eli kissed down Noah's neck, then lower, lips trailing over his collarbone, his chest, his stomach.

Noah's head fell back, a shiver racking through him. "Jesus... Eli..."

Eli's hands slid to Noah's waistband, thumbs teasing the top of his shorts. "Can I?"

"Yeah," Noah whispered. "God, yes."

Eli peeled the shorts down slowly, revealing black boxer briefs stretched tight over Noah's aching hard-on. He whistled low. "Well damn. Look who's packing."

Noah laughed breathlessly. "Shut up and kiss me."

Eli kissed him again, deep and filthy, fingers slipping beneath the waistband and cupping him through the fabric. Noah gasped into the kiss, hips jerking forward.

"Fuck," Eli said, mouth against Noah's throat. "You feel so good. Can't wait to taste you."

Noah shuddered as Eli pressed him back onto the greenhouse bench, wood creaking softly beneath them. The string lights glowed above, casting a golden sheen over their bare skin, filtering through leafy ivy and trailing jasmine. The air smelled like earth and chamomile tea. The grass outside steamed slightly with spring's lingering warmth.

Noah sat, legs parted, breath shallow. Eli dropped to his knees in front of him on the grass, eyes gleaming in the low light.

"I've wanted to get on my knees for you since the second I walked in," Eli murmured, hands sliding up Noah's thighs. "You looked at me like you wanted to eat me alive."

"And now look at you," Noah breathed, voice thick. "On the ground. Worshipping your florist."

Eli grinned, kissing the inside of Noah's thigh. "Exactly where I wanna be."

He hooked his thumbs into Noah's briefs, dragging them down achingly slow. Noah's cock sprang free, flushed and hard, tip already leaking. Eli let out a quiet, reverent whistle.

"Jesus, Sinclair."

Noah rolled his eyes, lips twitching. "You're the one who said you wanted a taste."

Eli didn't need another word.

He leaned in and licked a stripe up Noah's cock, slow and firm, savoring every inch like he'd been starving for it. Noah choked on a groan, one hand flying into Eli's hair.

"Fuck--Eli--"

Eli wrapped his lips around the head, tongue teasing just beneath the tip of Noah's cock before he took him deeper, inch by inch. His hands gripped Noah's hips, holding him steady, letting his throat work around him in smooth, steady pulls. Every time he pulled back, it was only to look up and watch Noah completely unravel.

Noah couldn't breathe. Could barely think. His hands tightened, knees trembling as Eli's mouth worked him mercilessly, worshipfully. Each flick of his tongue was skilled, deliberate.

"Holy shit--Eli--you're gonna make me--"

But Eli didn't stop.

Instead, he pulled off with a slick pop, lips swollen, eyes dark. "Not yet."

Noah whined, hips bucking up on instinct, but Eli gripped his thighs and flipped him forward gently, guiding him to rest on his knees on the bench, arms braced on the backrest, ass up. The wood was cool under his chest; the air was warm everywhere else.

Noah's whole body shivered as Eli's hands smoothed over the curve of his ass, squeezing, spreading. He heard Eli moan under his breath.

"I've dreamed about this," Eli murmured. "You don't even know."

And then--Eli leaned in.

His tongue dragged slowly between Noah's cheeks, licking a firm stripe from base to tip before circling his entrance. Noah nearly lost his balance.

"Fuck!" he gasped, eyes fluttering shut.

Eli ate Noah's hole out with the same hunger he'd shown moments before--slow, focused, obscene. His hands held Noah steady as his tongue pushed in, teasing and flicking, licking deeper until Noah was grinding back into his face, mouth open in disbelief.

Noah had never felt anything like it--like being devoured and worshipped all at once.

"Eli," he gasped. "God. You're--fuck--"

Eli chuckled against him, voice low and smug. "Still think I'm just a gym bro?"

Noah groaned, incoherent, gripping the bench so hard his knuckles ached.

Eli pulled back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, then leaned forward to kiss the small of Noah's back. "You taste fucking amazing."

He stood slowly, towering behind him, then gently turned Noah around. "Come here."

Noah obeyed, a little dizzy from the attention, and found himself back on the grass, on his knees now--mirroring Eli earlier.

Eli stepped up onto the bench and sat down, legs spread. His hands went to the waistband of his black Calvin Klein trunks--still on, but barely. The thick outline of his cock was impossible to ignore now, straining hard against the damp, clinging fabric.

"The grass is soft," Eli said, tone playful but dark with desire. "Won't hurt your knees, pretty boy."

Noah smirked, flushed and panting. "You're insufferable."

"You love it," Eli said, fingers toying with the hem of his shorts. "You wanna see what you've been eyeing all night, Sinclair?"

Noah stared up at him, breath hitching as Eli's cock pressed thick and heavy beneath the taut fabric, the outline unmistakable.

"Don't just look, Sinclair," Eli murmured, voice husky. "Get closer."

Noah hesitated for half a second--then leaned in. His nose brushed the bulge first, light and cautious, the heat of Eli's cock radiating through the cotton. The scent--clean sweat, musk, a hint of the chamomile from earlier--hit him hard. He dragged his mouth along the ridge of it, breath ghosting over the wet spot already forming.

"Fuck," Eli breathed, hand resting lightly on Noah's hair. "Just like that."

Noah nuzzled deeper, lips parting slightly, letting his tongue peek out, dragging over the cloth until it was damp. His cheeks flushed with the sheer intimacy of it. The heat. The taste of him, even through the barrier.

"Goddamn," Eli groaned, shifting his hips slightly. "You're gonna kill me. Let me help you."

He lifted his hips, fingers curling in the waistband. The fabric peeled away slow, sticky from sweat, catching on the curve of his cock before it popped free--thick, flushed, already leaking at the tip. Noah blinked.

"Jesus Christ," he whispered. "That's... that was inside those little shorts?"

Eli laughed, low and warm. "You sound offended."

"I just wasn't expecting... all that."

Eli leaned forward slightly, brushing a thumb along Noah's jaw. "You'll get used to it. One inch at a time."

Noah snorted, then swallowed hard. "I've never... done this."

Eli's expression softened, the cocky edge giving way to something gentler. "I know. You're doing fine. Just start slow. Use your tongue. Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

Noah nodded, exhaling, and leaned in again. He licked the tip first--slowly, hesitantly--tasting the slickness there. Eli inhaled sharply.

"Yeah," he whispered. "That's it. You've got this."

Noah's mouth parted more, lips wrapping around the head as his hand came up, tentative fingers circling the base. He sucked lightly, tongue moving in slow, curious swirls.

"Shit," Eli muttered, head falling back. "For a first-timer, you're already making me see stars."

Noah pulled back slightly, eyes flicking up. "Should I... do more?"

Eli looked down at him, eyes dark. "Take what you want, Sinclair. Go slow, breathe through your nose. And keep those pretty lips tight."

Noah obeyed. He took more in, inch by inch, getting used to the weight of it, the taste, the feel of Eli twitching in his mouth. Eli's hand slid into his hair again, not pushing, just grounding him.

"Fuck," Eli groaned, hips shifting slightly as Noah's pace increased. "You sure you haven't done this before? You suck cock like you've been practicing in your sleep."

Noah hummed around him, and Eli shuddered.

"That was not an invitation to hum," Eli gasped. "Unless you're trying to make me lose it in under five minutes."

Noah pulled off, breathless, lips swollen. "Maybe I am."

Eli's eyes blazed.

"Your turn's coming, plant boy," he said, voice low and dangerous. "But right now? I want you right back where you were. Mouth on my cock. Nice and slow."

Noah went back down, slower this time, more confident. He took more, working his mouth and hand in rhythm, tracing his tongue along the underside of the shaft, teasing the tip. The greenhouse was thick with heat and breath and the wet sounds of lips and skin, all wrapped in the scent of flowers and sex and something brand new blooming between them.

Noah smirked, a little more confident now, licking a stripe up the shaft before wrapping his lips around him again.

Eli let out a low, guttural sound--half praise, half hunger--as Noah took him deeper this time, his mouth warm and eager, lips stretched around his cock in a way that made Eli's thighs tense and his breath catch. His hand cupped the back of Noah's head gently, guiding him just enough. "Yeah, just like that... fuck, Sinclair."

Noah hummed, the vibration making Eli curse again. He pulled back slowly, mouth slick, a string of saliva catching on his lip as he looked up through his lashes, flushed and a little dazed.

"Holy shit," Eli said, hand brushing back a loose curl from Noah's forehead. "You're gonna ruin me."

Noah smirked. "That's the plan."

He kissed the tip, slowly, teasingly, before crawling up Eli's body, settling in his lap. Their chests brushed--bare skin against bare skin--bodies still overheated from everything that had come before. The greenhouse around them felt thick with humidity, scent of flowers and sweat clinging to every breath.

Eli's hands curled around Noah's hips, thumbs tracing the indent of his waist. "You sure about this?" he murmured, voice rough. "We don't have to rush it."

Noah leaned in, lips brushing his jaw. "I don't want to wait."

They kissed again--deeper, messier this time, all tongue and need. Eli gripped his thighs, fingers pressing into the softness just beneath muscle, and groaned into his mouth.

"You keep grinding like that," Eli whispered against Noah's lips, "and I'm gonna lose every ounce of self-control."

"Maybe I want that."

Eli laughed, a hot puff of breath against his skin, before flipping them both with a smooth, fluid motion. Noah landed on his back in the soft grass, gasping, legs around Eli's waist, his heart pounding so loud he swore the whole damn greenhouse could hear it.

Eli hovered over him, eyes dark and full of heat. "Look at you," he murmured, one hand running down Noah's chest, across his stomach, slow and reverent. "You're driving me crazy."

Noah swallowed, voice low. "Then do something about it."

Eli leaned in, mouth brushing the shell of his ear. "With pleasure."

He kissed down Noah's chest, licking a stripe between his pecs, biting gently at the space just above his navel. Noah gasped, fisting his hands in the grass, hips arching toward him.

"I want to touch you everywhere," Eli murmured, dragging his tongue down one thigh, then the other, lips ghosting over his skin. "Want to make you forget your own name."

Noah's breath hitched. "Eli..."

"Shh," he said, pressing a kiss to the inside of his knee. "Let me."

Noah's breath hitched as Eli shifted forward, settling between his thighs with a reverence that made his chest ache. The soft rustle of leaves overhead mingled with the hum of the world outside--a faint breeze through the greenhouse, the occasional creak of wood, and the sound of his own heartbeat drumming in his ears.

Eli kissed along his thigh, slow and unhurried, like he had all night to learn the shape of him. And maybe he did. His hands slid up Noah's calves, over his knees, then higher still--fingertips dragging a path that made Noah shiver.

"You okay?" Eli asked, voice low, lips brushing skin.

Noah nodded. "Yeah. Just... I don't think anyone's ever looked at me like that."

Eli glanced up. "Like what?"

"Like you actually want me. Not just... what I can give you."

Eli exhaled, something softer than a laugh in his throat. "I don't want just anything from you, Sinclair. I want you. All of you. Smart mouth, moody florist vibes, sarcasm, and all."

That earned a huff of laughter from Noah. "You're such a sap."

"Comes with the plant territory," Eli said, grinning as he leaned in again.

And then there were no more words--just hands and mouths and breath. Eli kissed along the hollow of Noah's hip, mouthing at the skin, trailing upward until he reached his chest. He pushed Noah gently down into the soft grass, straddling his thighs as their bodies aligned, heat meeting heat through barely-there fabric.

Noah arched under him, fingers clutching at Eli's back. "Please," he whispered. "Just... whatever you want."

Eli looked down at him like he was the only thing that mattered. "I've got you."

He leaned in, their lips meeting again--this time slower, deeper. Tongues brushing, hands exploring, their bodies pressed close in the quiet glow of the greenhouse. The string lights above them flickered in soft golden loops, casting shadows that danced with every shift and sigh.

Noah moaned into Eli's mouth as their hips moved together, breath syncing, desire rising. They didn't rush it. They didn't have to. Every moment was a build--fingers sliding beneath fabric, lips dragging over skin, the subtle grind of friction that made both of them gasp.

When Eli finally moved to pull Noah's shirt off, he did it like unwrapping a gift--slow, deliberate, eyes hungry. He traced every inch he revealed with a hand, a mouth, a murmured compliment.

And when Noah undressed him in return--those gym shorts peeled down to reveal muscle and heat and want--they were both already trembling.

The world narrowed to the feel of skin on skin, to the slide of sweat-slick bodies moving together under the hush of the night. Noah's hand curled in Eli's hair. Eli's lips found his throat again. And the tension between them--weeks of flirtation, of glances, of almosts--finally, finally cracked open.

Afterward, they lay tangled together on the soft grass beneath the glowing string lights, the scent of chamomile and soil lingering in the air. Eli's fingers traced idle shapes along Noah's bare shoulder, his breath steady and slow against the side of his neck.

Noah had one arm draped over Eli's chest, his other hand curled gently at his waist, anchoring himself. His skin was still warm, flushed from where Eli had kissed and touched and held him like he was something precious. And maybe, just maybe, he was.

Eli broke the silence first, his voice quiet but sure. "You okay?"

Noah nodded into his chest. "Yeah. I... I don't think I've ever felt this okay."

"Good," Eli murmured, pulling him closer. "You're kinda stuck with me now, though. Just so you know."

Noah smiled. "Is that a warning or a promise?"

"Depends how much sass you're planning to give me in the morning."

Noah laughed softly. "I don't even know how to not sass you. You showed up in a compression shirt and tried to flirt with plant metaphors."

"Worked, didn't it?"

Noah lifted his head, brushing a kiss against Eli's jaw. "Yeah," he said quietly. "It really did."

They fell into a comfortable silence again, just the two of them and the late-night hum of the greenhouse around them. Through the fogged panes, the moonlight filtered in silver and soft. The vines swayed gently overhead. The world outside was asleep.

"You think we'll regret this?" Noah asked eventually, not really sure where the question came from--just that it was there, resting somewhere under his ribs.

Eli didn't hesitate. "No. I think we'll remember this forever."

Noah let out a breath. His fingers brushed over Eli's chest, right where his heart beat steady and strong. "I didn't think anyone would ever... look at me like this. Want me like this."

Eli tilted his head, catching Noah's gaze. "I've wanted you from the moment you called me a 'walking thirst trap.'"

"That's how you knew it was love."

"Exactly," Eli grinned, cupping Noah's face, thumb brushing his cheek. "Sinclair, I'm serious. I don't know what this is yet, but I want to find out. With you."

Noah kissed him--slow, sweet, and full of something terrifyingly close to hope.

"I'd like that," he whispered. "You in your stupid shorts, me in my apron, figuring it out."

They curled closer together as the night deepened around them, breath syncing, skin still humming from every touch. And when they finally dozed off--bodies warm, limbs tangled, hearts still racing--they did it wrapped in something quiet and beautiful.

Something just beginning.

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