The Mates Pull

30

We pulled up to the familiar lake house and a sense of calm washed over me.

"I'm going to end up falling in love with this place if I keep coming over here."

He smiled at me as he went around to the trunk to get our bags, "I'd be alright with that, so long as I'm allowed to join you of course."

"Of course." I echoed playfully, the house was just as I remembered it and after Braxton took the bags up to the room he came down and turned up the heat.

"I can make a fire later on if you'd like, but for now we'll stick with the heater."

"I'd like that." I agreed to the fire.

"In that case I need to go chop some wood, now you stay here and keep warm."

"I'll come with you" I insisted. "I can help you carry it back."

"Fine then gorgeous, you can help carry it back, but if you get too cold don't hesitate to come back to the house please."

I nodded my agreement and followed him outside.

While we walked we held hands and talked about various things and naturally the topic of Thanksgiving came up.

Since I wasn't talking to anyone at the time, I sort of missed out on Halloween.

"I don't know what you usually do, but my mother and I would love it if you came over for Thanksgiving."

I was touched that he'd wanted to spend a big holiday with me.

"Oh, I usually just eat and then lounge about the house for the rest of the day." I admitted, "I tried to help my mom once but my she's super OCD about her kitchen and other people cooking, so it didn't work out."

"Well the offers on the table."

"I'd love to come over, my mom usually starts cooking the night before so we sort of have Thanksgiving breakfast, it's weird, I know."

"Not weird, My aunt Rebecca usually does an early thanksgiving meal as well so they could over to our house for dinner." He chuckled, "just be prepared to join me in the kitchen...My mother has a cook most of the time, but when it comes to Thanksgiving, my mom insists that we make our own meal so that we can enjoy it more."

We reached the small shed and Braxton found an axe inside then went to the logs of wood stacked on the side of the shed, he took the first log to a stump and swiftly drove the axe down, slicing the wood in two.

In no time Braxton had a nice pile of fire wood.

"So...just a stray thought" I smirked and he looked over at me, "I was over here watching you work and wondering...you said you're strong...can you break the wood in half with your hands?"

He shrugged coolly, "Probably...I've honestly never tried."

"Why?" I asked, "If I was strong I'd test out my strength on everything I could."

"It's never really crossed my mind to be honest." He said picking up an uncut log about the size of his forearm. "Just stand back in case anything flies off okay?"

I did as he said and took a couple of steps away from him and watched as she took the log into both hands and easily ripped it in half."Huh, easier than I thought." He said before he tossed the wood to the pile and cussed, "Shit...splinter." He smirked a little embarrassed.

"Let me see." I said smartly, having had my fair share of splinters I knew exactly how to remove them the fastest.

He showed me exactly where on the tip of his finger it was, I gently touched the area and kept my nail there before I stuck his finger into my mouth.