Falling Slowly

Chapter Nineteen: Here You Are

A/N: This chapter is NOT edited. So if you see any mistakes and such feel free to tell me about them! :) Hope it's not THAT bad xD Happy Reading! 

Beautifully done graphic by my friend Ly ♥

Chapter Nineteen: Here You Are

Liam

The rich, delicious smell of pancakes woke me from my slumber. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Shuffling into the kitchen, I saw Anya whipping up a fresh batch of chocolate chip pancakes like she intended to feed an army. Her hair was pulled to the side in a messy braid as she silently hummed a tune to a song I didn’t recognize.

I leaned against the frame of the door, crossing my arms over my chest and watched her. There was an extra spring to her step as she sang and shimmied around like no one was watching. It was a different side of her; one where her guard was completely down and anyone could walk straight to the door and knock, knowing they’d be welcomed, knowing that they wouldn’t receive the door slammed in their face and rejected.

Anya twirled on her toe and let out a shriek, reeling backwards with her hand to her heart. “You scared me!”

I ran a hand through my messy hair, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “That’s not the response I generally receive in the morning. It’s more like ‘oh Liam, take me now.’”

With an eye roll, she shook her head and wiped her hands on the Kiss The Cook apron she wore. “So," I said, stepping forward. My eyes locked with hers as the thought of pulling Anya to me and kissing her played in my mind. She was undeniably beautiful, the kind of beauty that wasn’t seen right away until you learn to appreciate it for what it’s worth. God. How I wanted to kiss her and feel the softness of her lips on mine, the curves and warmth of her body as I pulled her closer. She must’ve saw something primal in my eyes, because with a shaky laugh, she gestured to the food.

“Um…you want some pancakes?” she asked, turning her back to me. She stacked four on a plate and slid it across the counter effortlessly like she was an experienced chef.

I grabbed a fork and dug in, moaning at the mouthwatering goodness. “These are good. I didn’t know you cooked.”

She turned the stove off and grabbed a plate, sitting across from me. There was a twinkle in her eye when she said, “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

“Like?”

“Like that I want to be a ninja.”

I smiled. “I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true! It’s my life’s goal to reach that level of awesomeness.” She laughed, taking a bite and washing it down with milk. “What about you?”

I took a drink of OJ and said, “I’m an open book. Guess.”

She scoffed. “Yeah. Right. Hmm…in that case.” There was a glint of mischief in her eyes. “You secretly want to be a…girl.”

I ran a hand down my mouth. “That’s exactly it. Then I could look at myself naked. Like in that Scooby-Doo movie where Fred switched-”

“You hated that movie.”

I smirked. “Daphne was fine. The things I’d like to-”

She held up her palm. “Okay! Forget that we ever had this conversation.” She gave out a shaky laugh and got up from the stool, proceeding to wash her dishes.

I stuffed the remaining pieces of delicious fluffiness and washed it down with juice. Visions of a 1950s America television show starring Anya as the little woman, home cooking, and me as the man out earning a paycheck flitted through my head. It was a bit surreal. She swiftly came around and slid the plate and empty glass from their place in front of me and washed them in ten seconds flat. She was like a superhero. Maybe she did have what it took to be a ninja.