The Writer
Mary-Margaret had been staring at a blank screen for two hours. A successful Young Adult novelist, she had faced more than her fair share of "Block Days" but, this was different.
This was serious.
"Snow- Snow Ugh!" she tried to conjure a sentence but, it was deleted as soon as it was typed. "This is hopeless!"
"No," A sweet voice cut in, firm hands closing the laptop abruptly. "This is going on a vacation because its beautiful owner needs her beauty "David- I wasn't!" she tried to protest but, before Mary-Margaret Blanchard knew what hit those same gorgeous hands had swivelled her around to face him.
He was her neighbour, of four years and tonight had offered to "babysit" her while she started Shattered Hearts- a follow up novel following her heroine; Snow White on the run from her stepmother and… the man she loves.
"Yes. You are." His cerulean eyes are playful, yet, serious, he watched her pour her heart and soul into Snow Falls to reap moderate success and a legion of loyal followers all dying for the next installment. He was so damn proud but, she had to come first, before it all. The woman he loved was falling apart at the seams.
Mary-Margaret held his gaze as he helped her gently up. "What's that smell?" she asked, suddenly more alert, she gasped "Macaroni and Cheese!"
He smiled radiantly as she looked up at him.
"What did I do to deserve a man like you?"
David pondered, savouring her happiness and decided to take a chance. "Now will you admit that Charming is based on me?"
"Nice try." she smirked, he would have to do an awful lot more than making a midnight feast to get that out of her.
"Come on!" David exclaimed a shocked, hilarious fan once more, her having exclaimed that she intended to leave the story on a bitter cliff-hanger. "You gotta give me more than that."
Mary-Margaret laughed musically, playing with the last morsel of food against the bowl and then deciding to leave it. "She drinks the potion and then… you have to wait six months like everyone else."
"I cooked you dinner."
"Thank you." she beamed genuinely grateful but, he was like a dog with a replenished bone firing question after question.
"But, does he know? Can he reverse it? Why the hell would she take it after all she's been through?"
"She's in pain David. She wants to forget it."
"Pain or him?"
The question hangs in the air.
"Losing him."
"But they'll find each other." David states.
"They'll always find each other." she replies rewarding him at last with the hopeful heart of the next novel.
"I knew it!"
"Yeah you did." she says gleefully. "So, how was work?"
He was a vet-tech at the local shelter and he loved his job but, he loved being with her more.
"The puppies miss you."
"Ha. I miss them too."
Dessert was Ben and Jerry's with her nestled into his chest while he directed the last spoonful dangerously close to her nose.
"David- Don't you-"
"Dare?" he teased and then bopped her nose with the cold chocolate spoon waiting for the playful shriek but, it never came.
Her kiss did.
A soft, slow, lingering kiss that she only ended to put the bowl and spoon in the sink.
He had barely had time to register before she was on the other side of the room filling the bowl with warm water and squeezing the amber liquid disturbing it until bubbles appeared.
"You kissed me."
And now she was washing the dishes, like a frightened but, excited doe.
If only he could feel how her heart was bursting out of her chest. He had kissed back for a rapid moment before she left them on their very own cliff-hanger.
"Yes." she breathed, as she felt his arms softly lace around her warmth filling her entire body.
Killing the water, she laughs as he repeats his earlier actions but, this time, he dips his head to catch her lips once, twice and she moves with him so that they steadily find themselves kissing passionately in the centre of the room. Fiery arms around his neck he has to ask: "Is this part of your research?"
Her eyes are glazed and puzzled. "Huh?" Pulling her in for another kiss he laughs as she completely misses the reference.
"You are tired."
She rests and rubs her nose against his. "Not that tired."
"I should go." he says painfully reluctantly.
"Come on!" she whines exactly as he did before.
He kisses the crown of her for-head earning a sweet moan. "But, I love you!" she insists like the siren she is already forming in her mind.
She means it.
She has never meant anything more in her life. He breathes huskily and kisses her again tracing her spine with delicate finger-tips.
"I love you. So much."
"Don't you dare leave."
But, he still continues to back away he wants to do this right.
"I love you." he reiterates lovingly holding her gaze as passion bubbles up inside of them both.
"I'll call you in the morning."
"David."
"Charming." he can hear just as he leaves.
That's when she decides, she's done with cliff-hangers.