Unexpected

Chapter 14

Dane

I'm stepping out of the shower when I hear the doorbell, and Bull starts his constant barking. I quickly pull on some clean sweat pants and head towards the living room. As I'm entering from the hallway, I hear Natasha talking to whoever is at the front door.

"Awe, aren't you just the sweetest," she says, oozing fake kindness. I've known her long enough to hear the cattiness behind the words.

To my surprise, I see Mallory standing there. She is holding a tray of cookies. When she looks past Natasha and makes eye contact with me, she turns even more red in the face before darting her eyes toward the ground. 

"Look, Babe, your neighbor has brought us some homemade cookies." She smirks back at me, barely containing her laughter.

She can be such a witch sometimes that I don't know why I continue with whatever this is between us. She places a hand on her hip, causing my tee-shirt to ride up even higher on her naked thigh, reminding me exactly why I keep her around.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?" she challenges me. I give her an irritated look, and I tell her,

"Go get some clothes on."

She pouts but turns back to Mallory.

"Not before I get my share of these. I'm absolutely famished." She winks at Mallory before taking a bite out of one cookie and grabbing another with her other hand. "Mmm, they are so good." She taunts, stopping right in front of me, offering for me to take a bite as well.

"Just go," I ordered her. 

She shrugs her dainty shoulders and heads toward my bedroom. My attention is brought back to Mallory, who looks extremely uncomfortable.

"Cookies?" I question walking over to her.

She shoves the plate into my chest and starts to ramble.

"I'm SO sorry! I was just trying to thank you for mowing my yard, the hot water fix, and the sugar thing. I . . . I didn't know you had company . . . I wouldn't have interrupted if I had known . . ."

"Hey, it's okay." I try to reassure her and take the plate of cookies. My fingers graze hers while doing so, and she jumps at the simple contact. I can't help but smile. She's cute in a dorky kind of way. "Well, per Natasha, they must be pretty delicious. Thanks for making them."

"Um . . . yeah . . . I hope you and your girlfriend enjoy them." She says softly and turns to leave.

"She's not my girlfriend," I feel compelled to clarify that for some reason.

She turns back towards me. "Oh. Okay."

There's this awkward pause between us. I run my hand down my face, feeling irritated with myself.

"Well, anyway, thanks again," I say and reach for the door to close it. 

"Yeah, see ya." She smiles shyly and waves before hurrying away.

I close the door and lean my head against it for a second. Maybe I'm the dork, I think with a smirk. The plate of cookies that I had set down on an end table nearby caught my eye. I grab it with the intention of hiding them from Natasha. Mallory made them for ME, and I do not plan to share.