Chapter 6: 05- My Boxers Are Dry So Don't Worry About That

05

There are some pretty irrational things I have done in my life like pouring out all of my life savings to open up a bakery and forgetting to add the rent in the equation, and inviting someone over- especially a guy (a hot one), that I just met within the past twenty four hours and it probably wasn’t such the best idea ever, it wasn’t even a good idea to start it.

Bearing in mind that the last boyfriend I had was seven years ago, give me a break.  I started sounding almost rational- well to my ears at least.

But here I was, all giddy and stuff like I was eight years ago with my first boyfriend.

“Hello?  Did you get lost or something?” I answered my phone and unlocked the door to my house. It was Blake and apparently they kind of got lost.  “Wait, turn to the right and you’ll see me by the sidewalk.”

I gestured for Liam to go in first and skipped towards the sidewalk, checking the roads to see any signs of Blake’s car and when I see it on the corner, a loud thunder clap cracked through the clouds and rain poured down. Immediately, I shut off my phone and tucked it in my pocket. I do not want to get electrocuted.

Quickly, I grabbed a yellow colored umbrella that was just coincidentally resting on my porch and opened it up. The last thing I needed was to get wet.

Blake parked just in front of my house and I rushed towards. Allie emerged from the car when the door opened and I tucked her in with me under the umbrella. But here’s my problem, the umbrella is only good for one and since Allie was small, we just fit in perfectly but with Blake, well it’s safe to say he isn’t the smallest person on earth.

“Go ahead.” Blake yelled through the rain when he opened the door. “Get Allie in.”

“What about you?”

“Just go.” He ordered and climbed out of the car. “I don’t want you two getting sick.”

I scooped up Allie as we made our way inside. When I set Allie on the ground, I turned around and found Blake already on my porch, dripping wet. He wasn’t soaked but still wet.

“Oh my god, Blake!” I cried and hurried pulled him inside. “Why didn’t you just wait? I was about to go and get you!”

“Then you’ll be the one drenched.”

“It’s my house, I can change right away.” I sounded like I was making a big deal out of this simple scenario but it wasn’t simple. A hot guy is inside your house, drenched with water with his daughter who was excited to play with your nephew. So it’s not simple. “You on the other hand,”

“Well, can I dry myself off?” Blake suggested, a crooked smile displayed on his lips. “Please?”

“Alright, come on.” As I was just about to lead Blake to the guest room where Liam’s stuff was, Skittles and Bruce started barking at him and his daughter. “Skittles, Bruce, shut it.”

“Doggies!” Allie yelped and clapped her hands.

“Blake, Allie, this is Skittles.” I pat the head of my Labrador retriever and the Shih Tzu followed, “And this is Bruce.”

“Wait,” Blake said as his gaze shifter to me, to my two dogs and back to me. “Skittles is the fluffy one, right?”

“Oh no,” I shook my head and a grin escaped my lips. “Skittles is the big yellow one and Bruce is the tiny fluffy one.”

He didn’t say anything but just nodded with his jaw slightly dropped.

These reactions were mostly what I get whenever I introduced my dogs. They’d think Skittles is Bruce because the name Bruce just sounded so big and manly unlike Skittles than sounded like a lap dog. My sister’s reaction was worse, she started yelling at me for inappropriate naming and that when the time comes that I would have child I wouldn’t be able to name them fitting for who they are.

It was not like I would have a child.

The sound of Blake’s teeth chattering brought me back to my senses as I led him upstairs to the guest room where most of Liam’s stuff was still in bags and boxes. I had managed to clean the room and laundry the sheets so it was pretty much good to go.

“That’s the bathroom.” I pointed to the door on the east of the bed. “I’ll go grab some fresh towels and,” I glanced at him again. His hair was wet and so were his clothes but what about his underwear? “Some clothes that might fit you which is kind of impossible but I’ll try.”

“Only my shirt and pants are wet. My boxers are dry so don’t worry about that.”

I flushed, like I really did and so bad that it was becoming hot. Quickly I left as Blake went in the bathroom, flashing me a smile before he disappeared.

In my room, I seized a clean downy white towel and tossed it on the bed. I headed towards my closet, internally debating whether I really should rummage through my entire closet just for clothes that might Blake.

I never had a boyfriend past twenty two (or past eighteen) so I never really had guy clothes inside the house. My father was a tale of never to be spoken of and I didn’t have a brother so I literally only owned girl clothes.

As I was about to give up on even starting going through my closet, something in me dinged like I had a light bulb on top of my head just like in movies.

I had many Sugar Rush shirts in various unisex sizes in stock room I have just beside mine. I rushed out and pulled all the sizes available and pants also for Sugar Rush.

I left my room and moved towards the guest where Blake was fortunately still in the bathroom. I left the stuff on the bed and called out to Blake, telling him I left the things on top of the bed.

Hastily I left the room. As much as I want to, I did not plan on waiting for Blake to get out of the washroom only in his boxers. That’d be great like an early Christmas present but no thank you.

I skipped downstairs and found Liam and Allie playing Wii. As soon as my foot made contact with the last step, the wooden stair made a loud creak, gathering the two children and the two dog’s attention.

“Beth where’s dad?” Allie asked as Bruce ran in the direction of her.

“He’s upstairs drying himself. He’ll be back.” I left the last step and down to the wooden floor. “I’ll go bake your cake now.”

Ten minutes later I had all of my ingredients set on the counter. Blake had joined me five minutes ago and must I say he looked delectable with a Sugar Rush shirt over his head. His wet clothes were already in the dryer since he refused to let me put them in the wash.

He sat on one of the bar stools eyeing my every move making me conscious and a tad bit uncomfortable. His stare was glued on to my every move like superglue. I couldn’t be this interesting, could I?

About a good minute or so I gave up with a sigh. “Do I have something on my face?”

“Oh no, nothing at all.” He shook his head with a grin and slid off the bar stool. “You’re interesting, that’s all.”

“I’m interesting?” I pointed to myself. “Whatever.”

“Can I help you with anything?” He was wiping his hands on the kitchen towel that I had tried to lamely hand embroider with my name on it. It looked like a one year was able to hold a crayon and slashed the towel. “I can manage a few things.”

“If you insist.” I mutter and glided the glass bowl where two eggs were in front of him. “Crack these for me will you?”

He took the eggs and started cracking them in one hand. I gaped at that. I’ve been baking for years, cracked thousands of eggs yet I couldn’t even do that! I’ve tried multiple times and it seems like I just don’t have that one talent every single baker that I have met has.

“How on earth are you able to do that?” I was in awe, literally. When almost everyone in your bakery knows how to do that and you don’t, it gets pretty frustrating.

He gave me a toothy grin and placed the second egg on my palm. Covering what now seemed like my small hand over his big one, he guided my finger with his, our skins touching, his fingers over mine.

And I felt my cheeks blushing. My fingers became shaky as my stomach did somersaults.

“Hold it like this.” Blake held my hand over his, somewhat entwining our fingers together. “And use your thumb to push the other half of the shell out.

I tried doing what he said whilst he was leading me but the bottom half of the shell slipped from my grip and fell on the bowl. Groaning at my absolute failure, I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Well, it takes practice.” Blake gave me a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. You’ll get it.”

“I won’t.” I continued mixing the ingredients together. “I’ve tried for years and I just can’t.”

Blake unexpectedly grabbed my hand, holding me at the wrist and studied my obstinate hand as I blushed furiously. “No wonder. You have small hands.”

I pulled my hand from him and looked at it, staring and studying it as if I was waiting for a star to magically appear. “I don’t.”

“Yeah you do. Look.” He grabbed my hand again and this time placed it over his so that our palms were touching. “It’s so tiny.”

“It’s not.”

My fingers were just an inch or so shorter than his. It wasn’t that small. But it’s still the reason why I can’t cracks eggs with one hand.

“So can I help you with anything else?” Blake changed the subjects and I could see him trying to stifle a laugh from looking at my red face. Oh my god. This is just so embarrassing.

Could the ground just open up and swallow me down fifty feet under?

This is more embarrassing than the time in third grade when I slipped in a puddle of mud during picture day and had to change into something more… embarrassing like a stained shirt from the clinic because it was the only thing that fit me.

I couldn’t speak anymore. I couldn’t even look him in the eye so I just glided the bowl I was whisking to him. He took hold of the whisk and I went on greasing the pans.

The awkward silence was eating me alive. I wanted to talk to him. Who doesn’t want to talk a good looking guy in your kitchen wearing some of your clothes? Well they aren’t literally my clothes but it’ll do.

Closing the oven door, I heard a loud sigh from behind me. Blake was leaning on the counter and he looked drained, the complete opposite of me. I was used to doing these kinds of stuff and I guess baking wasn’t really in his daily agenda.

“You okay?” I asked him worried that he might pass out. Baking tired him out and he looked kind of cute with his eyes closed.  After placing the stuff in the dishwasher I took a pitcher of water from the fridge and a ceramic mug. “You look like you need a cup of water.”

He groaned. Oh yes he did. “Yes please.”

I was smug. I cannot believe that something as simple as baking a cake would tire the man out. Who knew? I bet he goes to the gym for five hours straight and he still could go out and pick up girls.

The last bit made my blood boil. I don’t know where this newfound jealousy I had was coming from. Who was I to be jealous? I just met the man for Christ’s sake!

And I don’t even know if he picks up girls. I mean what good dad would even though he’s already single? He still has his princess Allie.

“Penny for your thoughts Bethany?”

The way my name rolls out from his tongue made me squirm in the inside. He sounded sexy saying it and it appears that my name was made for him to be calling. Honestly I never liked my name but the way he says it makes me love it.

“I was just thinking of… Liam and Allie.” Lies, I thought to myself. You were thinking of how sexy he says your name.

He nodded and bought my lie. Tipping the mug on his lips, he takes a gulp and I could see his throat muscles move as he did so.

I shifted my gaze, realizing I was outright checking him out.

“You love Liam don’t you?”

“To death.” I laughed. “Even if he asks for cakes early in the morning, or is an occasional brat.”

“You treat him like he’s your own.” He glances at his back where Liam and Allie were still playing Wii. The way he looked at Allie made me melt. He was looking over his princess with my prince.

“He’s everything I have.” I mutter under my breath and looked away. “Apart from Sugar Rush, my dogs, and my sister, he’s all I have. I know he’s not my own child but there’s just something. At least he won’t hurt me, like the rest of the male population has.”

Blake shifted his gaze from Allie to me. His expression changed to something in a mixture of curiosity, pity, and sympathy.

I could see a tiny light smoldered in his gray eyes, piercing mine and I felt somewhat naked, like he could see through my soul. “I didn’t do anything to hurt you, right?”

Yet. Not yet.

I gave a meek nod. I’ve said too much already. “I think your clothes are already dry. I’ll go and take them out of the dryer.”

“I’ll go with.”

“No, it’s fine. Watch over them.” I gestured to the two children in the living. “Wii is not the safest game in the world, trust me. Oh and please try not to burn the kitchen. I just had it renovated.”

His chuckle resonates throughout the kitchen and living room.

______________________________________

Oooh a little something something.

So what did you guys think? I'm having a hard time incorporating a little bit of Beth's drama here so please bear with me. I'm not a professional and I do not proof read, ever.

Could you guys please  suggest a cast for this story? I've been watching The Voice too much recently and the image of Blake Shelton pops in my mind everytime i think of Blake here- not that I'm complaining though but my description of my Blake (yes he's mine for now) and Blake Shelton is just way too different.

In case you're wondering, my updates as of now are constant , like I have been updating twice a week, because classes haven't started yet (I live in the Philippines so classes start on June). And I'm in college now! Isn't that just great? (I'm being sarcastic here).

Music music music. I don't know what to put up so suggest some too for this chapter and the ones before :)

I'd put a stop on my A/N here cause' it's getting quite long now.