Lara awoke to the golden rays of early morning. She turned to look at
the alarm clock, only to find she had another two hours.
"Damn the sun!" she groused as she curled into a ball under her blankets. No use. Now that she was awake, there was no getting back to sleep. "Might as well hit the shower". She kicked the covers off and pulled herself out of bed. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and took another look at the clock. "Five in the fucking morning. There's got to be a better way". With a huff, Lara made her way to the bathroom.
Hot water caressed her skin, steam loosened her tightened muscles. There was nothing like a hot shower in the morning. The scent of wild herbs wafted through the air. Lara let the shower jets hit her face, hot water erasing the fog of sleep. She felt the heat reawakening the energy in her body. Wringing the last of the conditioner from her long brown hair, Lara turned off the shower. She stepped out and grabbed a towel. Fluffing her hair, she glanced out the windows. "Still dark," she muttered to herself. As she finished drying off, she envisioned a steaming cup of coffee and one - or more - of Hillary's homemade cinnamon rolls. Lara flung the towel to the floor, promising to pick it up later. Right now, she had to get some cinnamon rolls.
"I need some new clothes," Lara announced to her closet. She rummaged through her clothes, wanting something different. She came upon a pale yellow tank with a collar. "Perfect!" she exclaimed. She went to the pants and chose a pair of dark jean high-waters. Now dressed, and with her hair wrapped up in a towel, Lara left her room to find breakfast. She descended the grand staircase just as Bryce came tumbling in from his trailer outside. "Not enough sleep Bryce?" she asked with a lilt of humor. Bryce yawned and flicked her off. Lara giggled.
"For your information Lara, I was up all night upgrading YOUR simulation systems!" Bryce grumbled. "I came in for some coffee".
"Fancy a cinnamon roll?" Lara offered. Bryce gave her a sly smile.
"Now that sounds like fun"!
Lara watched Bryce irreverently lick cinnamon and sugar from his fingers.
"I now see how you've managed to remain single," she remarked sarcastically. Bryce stuck his tongue out at her. "Watch it Bryce," she warned.
"Good morning everyone!" came Hillary's voice from behind. "How is - " He stopped short when he saw the empty cinnamon roll platter. "Good Lord! Those were for dessert tonight!" he exclaimed.
"Sorry Hilly. They're too great a temptation for me," Lara apologized. "And you know Bryce. No self control whatsoever". Bryce wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, in turn rubbing his hand on his baggy jeans.
"Sorry mate. It's not my fault you make the best damn cinnamon rolls in all of England". Hillary only shook his head.
"Next time, I'm putting them under lock and key!" he replied curtly.
"Well gents, if you're finished arguing about cinnamon rolls, I'd like to get to work," Lara announced.
Oh gawd!" Bryce replied in an exasperated tone. "Lara, I haven't tested the new systems yet"! Hillary hit him on the head.
"What better way to test them than a trial run on a simulated Mount Everest?" she replied with a smirk. She got up and headed for the simulation room.
"You're a total idiot!" Hillary barked at Bryce. "Haven't you figured out what not to say around her by now? I was hoping for a day off today"! Hillary didn't wait for an answer. He huffed and walked off. Bryce stood, he cheeks beet red.
"Buggah!" he yelled, and ran to catch up with the others.
"Damn the sun!" she groused as she curled into a ball under her blankets. No use. Now that she was awake, there was no getting back to sleep. "Might as well hit the shower". She kicked the covers off and pulled herself out of bed. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and took another look at the clock. "Five in the fucking morning. There's got to be a better way". With a huff, Lara made her way to the bathroom.
Hot water caressed her skin, steam loosened her tightened muscles. There was nothing like a hot shower in the morning. The scent of wild herbs wafted through the air. Lara let the shower jets hit her face, hot water erasing the fog of sleep. She felt the heat reawakening the energy in her body. Wringing the last of the conditioner from her long brown hair, Lara turned off the shower. She stepped out and grabbed a towel. Fluffing her hair, she glanced out the windows. "Still dark," she muttered to herself. As she finished drying off, she envisioned a steaming cup of coffee and one - or more - of Hillary's homemade cinnamon rolls. Lara flung the towel to the floor, promising to pick it up later. Right now, she had to get some cinnamon rolls.
"I need some new clothes," Lara announced to her closet. She rummaged through her clothes, wanting something different. She came upon a pale yellow tank with a collar. "Perfect!" she exclaimed. She went to the pants and chose a pair of dark jean high-waters. Now dressed, and with her hair wrapped up in a towel, Lara left her room to find breakfast. She descended the grand staircase just as Bryce came tumbling in from his trailer outside. "Not enough sleep Bryce?" she asked with a lilt of humor. Bryce yawned and flicked her off. Lara giggled.
"For your information Lara, I was up all night upgrading YOUR simulation systems!" Bryce grumbled. "I came in for some coffee".
"Fancy a cinnamon roll?" Lara offered. Bryce gave her a sly smile.
"Now that sounds like fun"!
Lara watched Bryce irreverently lick cinnamon and sugar from his fingers.
"I now see how you've managed to remain single," she remarked sarcastically. Bryce stuck his tongue out at her. "Watch it Bryce," she warned.
"Good morning everyone!" came Hillary's voice from behind. "How is - " He stopped short when he saw the empty cinnamon roll platter. "Good Lord! Those were for dessert tonight!" he exclaimed.
"Sorry Hilly. They're too great a temptation for me," Lara apologized. "And you know Bryce. No self control whatsoever". Bryce wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, in turn rubbing his hand on his baggy jeans.
"Sorry mate. It's not my fault you make the best damn cinnamon rolls in all of England". Hillary only shook his head.
"Next time, I'm putting them under lock and key!" he replied curtly.
"Well gents, if you're finished arguing about cinnamon rolls, I'd like to get to work," Lara announced.
Oh gawd!" Bryce replied in an exasperated tone. "Lara, I haven't tested the new systems yet"! Hillary hit him on the head.
"What better way to test them than a trial run on a simulated Mount Everest?" she replied with a smirk. She got up and headed for the simulation room.
"You're a total idiot!" Hillary barked at Bryce. "Haven't you figured out what not to say around her by now? I was hoping for a day off today"! Hillary didn't wait for an answer. He huffed and walked off. Bryce stood, he cheeks beet red.
"Buggah!" he yelled, and ran to catch up with the others.
