A fun collection of romantic stories involving such characters as Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Miss Muffit and so many more you will recognize set in Modern Times with a fun new fairytale twist.
What if the characters you knew in from your n...
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Considering the condition of their clothes Missy led Webber to her kitchen table and he was grateful for the seat and the warmth of the house. He never did like the cold. It was a wonder why he ever took this job.
"Do you need to see a doctor? Should I call for an ambulance?" Missy asked and again he saw the fear in her eyes.
"I'm sorry I scared you. It's a hazard of the job. I'm fine really. I'd just like to get out of these wet clothes."
Missy looked relieved and then worried all over again. She wished there was some way she could help him. Bear had taken all his stuff when he moved into Goldie's apartment building, and surely she didn't own anything big enough to cover him.
He stood up a little shakily and said, "I hate to ask but would you mind if I changed clothes here? I have a spare set in a gym bag in my truck. I usually try to work out after my shift. I just need to..."
Missy gently pushed him back into his chair and took the keys that he held in his hand. "You sit. I'll get your bag and be right back."
Tino didn't argue, and watched as she headed back out her front door.
Missy found the bag sitting on the passenger side floor and frowned. It was a black bag with a large red spider on it. She shuddered, only this time it had more to due with the image than her contending once again with the cold weather in wet clothes.
She grabbed it and was back inside in less than a minute or two.
"Here," she said, thrusting the bag at him like it was something vile that she was happy to be rid of. "If you want, you can get dressed in my room."
Tino wondered what was up. "D.C. fan?"
"Huh?"
Tino took his keys and the bag from her pointing to the big red spider. "Spiderman symbol," he said, "I'm a bit of a Marvel junkie. Spiderman is my all time favorite, but Black Widow is pretty up there too."
"Ah...no. I'm just not a spider fan."
"Oh," Tino said and looked, well... the only way Missy could describe it was...disappointed.
"I'll be quick, unless you wish to go first. I should have offered that. Sorry, brain's a little addled. It is my fault you got wet and this is your house."
Missy smiled at him. She had a brilliant smile. I warmed him like the sun.
"No, really it's fine. You go first."
"Thanks," Tino said and went into the room. He noticed the damage to her ceiling and cringed. He still had to get out there to finish the job, he hoped he didn't damage her roof when he pulled her gutter down or there goes his bonus and his dreams of adding to his collection.
He had been saving for an adult Brachypelma kiaasi better known as a Mexican Pink. His dealer had found someone willing to sell their adult spider and it came at a pretty hefty price of $400.00.
His parents lovingly warned him there weren't too many jobs for a biologist that specialized in arachnology but his love of the eight-legged creatures won out over reason. Hence him now working as a gutter guy and living in an room he rents from his sister Charlotte that basically is a converted attic space.
She lets him keep his spiders in her basement so, he can't complain. He should have enough money to move out by next year but he knew that meant a house as no other place would rent to him unless he came alone, and it would break his heart to give them away.
So most of his funds went towards that endeavor, but when his dealer called and mentioned that he found what Tino was looking for and that he'd be at the next expo in town, well...he didn't want to pass up the opportunity.
He thought again of Missy's reaction, and frowned as he peeled off his wet clothes and began to dress. "She doesn't like spiders. What a shame."
He'd so love to get to know Missy better, but perhaps it just was not meant to be. "There's no way she'd be interested...
There was a knock on the door.
"Yeah?" Tino called and was surprised when the door opened. He was grateful he was nearly dressed but he was caught with his shirt still in his hand when she peeked in.
"Oh, sorry! I thought..."
Tino smiled at her. "No worries," he said and thankfully put his shirt on.
Missy was mortified. Why didn't she wait for his reply? What was she thinking?
"Did you...want something?" he asked, as she said nothing further and just stood there staring at him as he finished dressing. His smile turned into a grin.
His simple question took on a double meaning for her. Oh, she wanted something all right and she could feel her face flush at her own thoughts.
Tino laughed. He would have loved to have the ability to read minds right now to know what made her turn so bright red.
Shaking her head. Missy willed her brain to function and speak a coherent answer.
"I made some hot chocolate. It's ready if you'd like some and well... I just...uh... wanted to offer to take your wet things and throw them in the dryer."
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Missy chanted quietly in her mind waiting for his answer, wishing she could just melt into the floor.
"Thank you!" he said picking them up from the floor and handing them to her. "That would be most helpful as I still have to finish the job out there and it would be awfully cold to do so without a coat."
He followed her back to her kitchen. The smell of cocoa filled his senses. He took the mug she handed him and took a sip. His eyes lit in surprise.
"Is it okay?" Missy asked, wondering at his reaction.
"I ...wow. I haven't had homemade cocoa since I was a kid."
Missy simply shrugged. She took it for granted, as she never made it any other way. It was how she was raised. "Glad you like it."
"I have some almond rolls on the table if you're hungry," she offered and put his clothes in her dryer before quickly retreating to her bedroom.
She closed the door and sighed. She knew she would never look at this room the same way again. It would permanently have his image, shirtless, imprinted on it. She's been out of the game too long. She hadn't a clue what to do. She felt like a deer caught in the headlights.
He was flirting with her... or at least she thought he was... was he? Ugh! She hated feeling this uncertain. She took her time to dress in something more attractive, without overdoing it, and joined him.
Tino smiled at her the moment she returned. She noticed he didn't take any of the almond rolls and frowned. "Not hungry?"
"I was actually waiting on you." Damn, she just upgraded from cute to hot, Tino thought, looking at her in her soft cashmere sweater, skinny jeans and boots.
"You were?"
"It seemed the polite thing to do."
Missy smiled and joined him at the kitchen table. Placing an almond roll on his plate and one on hers. He delved right in, which made her giggle.
"Sorry," he said swiping the crumbs from his face with the back of his hand. "They looked SO good it was torture to sit here and not indulge."
