Chapter 10: Missed meals and mischief.
1068 Words
When the sun finally crept over the ridge to show its light and bring a little warmth to Talia’s skin she was finding it hard to get her feet to move to Tanner’s cabin for breakfast. She didn’t want to even think about how he had rushed in to save her last night without even a thought of himself. She was finding it harder and harder to ignore the fact that he was becoming more than a friend and trainer. Somehow that man had gotten under her skin, like a splinter, she just couldn’t ignore him. The worst of it seemed to be that he knew she was on a path that she couldn’t leave and was willing to wait for her. She couldn’t believe it yet at the same time she couldn’t deny it either. Taking a deep breathe she opened the door to the cabin, which Tanner had replaced last night after she refused to spend the night in his cabin. She had actually told him that it didn’t matter that the cabin was open for all the woodland creatures to pay her a visit in the night she was staying put. Just like that he had left the room and come back with a new door, granted it was the door to his cabin’s bathroom but it would work for now.
Tanner’s cell had pinged with a message mid “discussion” about her moving to his cabin while the door to hers was getting repaired. It was perfect timing because she used the moment to tell him that it wasn’t going to happen. She had given him her most determined stare down when he had put the phone back in his pocket. He had left then and she thought he had been upset with her until he came back in with the bathroom door. She had laughed as he said if she was going to be so stubborn that she would have to deal with this door and since he now had to meet an old friend in town later this afternoon he would stop and get a new front door while he was there. She had once again reminded him that she wasn’t paying for it. He had laughed and mocked the hulk voice and stated that since hulk smashed hulk would pay. She had almost choked on her coffee, but it had brought a smile to her face regardless.
She couldn’t tell him that the true reason she was refusing to move into his cabin, even for a couple of nights, was because she didn’t think she could handle being so close him on a daily basis without the barrier of their two separate cabins. She couldn’t deny that she found herself looking at him from the corner of her eye more lately. The man was no slouch to look at sure but it was more than that. His rugged features and piercing green eyes were not something that she hated to look at either. Truthfully he was almost too perfect for her; he had green eyes that always seemed to see right into the soul of a person. She could never hold his stare for long, but he never seemed to mind or say anything when she would look away. His blonde hair was on the darker side, sandier than bleach but it suited his rugged exterior more this way. She laughed as she thought of what Tanner would look like with beach boy blonde instead of his darker locks. It just wouldn’t do, kind of like trying to fit big bird into a little pet shop case, it just is all wrong.
When she came out of her own thoughts she realized that she was already at Tanner’s cabin. She hadn’t even realized her feet had been moving until she was at the door about to knock. It seemed lately that the man had a hold on her thoughts more often than her plans to stop Laurent lately. Thankfully the dream last night served as a reminder to get her head back on straight. She was just about to knock on Tanner’s door when she noticed the note stuck to the handle. Who puts the note on the handle she thought idly as she read the scrawl of Tanner’s handwriting.
“Talia, hey sorry I am not going to be able to enjoy stopping you from poisoning us this morning, but my friend moved up our meeting time. I had to leave before I could tell you this morning, but I didn’t want you to break my kitchen or yours. So, I left you some breakfast on the counter. No, you don’t need to heat it, it should still be hot. That and I like my kitchen to still be standing and working when I get back. Leave the dishes and I will take care of them when I get back. I mean it Talia, leave them there. Enjoy. J Tanner”
He had actually had put a smiley face on the dang thing. What was he twelve? She laughed as she opened the door and the heavenly smell hit her. Lord that man could cook. It smelled as if he had just cooked it minutes before she arrived and her mouth salivated as she smelled the deliciousness that waited for her. Her only regret was that she was actually going to miss their daily playful banter. Then again she could always do the dishes while he was gone and then they could have another shot at that conversation over lunch. She knew if she did it when he had made a point of leaving the dishes in the sink he would make certain to get her back. He was always telling her to leave it and he would get it, she hated feeling like she was freeloading but he would always tell her that the conversation was more than worth the food. She had a wicked smile on her lips when she thought of the note he had left her, she would show him for his poke at her inept kitchen skills, she was so doing those dishes. As she was laughing she shook her head and smiled sadly to herself as she though again that he was going to be the ruin of all her plans if she wasn’t careful.
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