Shenanigans (Complete)

Weathering the Storm (2)

Holly's POV

I1 was surprised when Marc came back out. He did close the windows in the work truck, as well as get the emergency bag that was in there with the reflectors on it. Then he appeared in the barn while I was finishing getting the horses locked in. He took the hay cart back and grabbed his bag to follow me back in the house so we could wait out the storm.

"You hungry?" I asked, using a towel to dry off the rest of my hair, as I tossed one to him.

"Starving." He grinned, as he too was working on not being just as soaked. He wandered around the small living room looking at the pictures I had all over as he dried his hair.

I headed to the small kitchen to get things warming up. I tossed him some fry bread while he was waiting. His smile got wider, as he started eating.

I piled two plates with Alfredo sauce, pasta, grilled chicken, and veggies on each plate. I turned to hand it over to him, "thank you."

I was surprised, at how quickly he ate, he finished before I did could get halfway through. I was not a slow eater at all. "Would you like another?" I paused in my eating to get back up to serve another.

"No worries, I can grab some if you don't mind. That way you can eat." His eyes seemed to say he was being nice.

"Ok, knock yourself out." I shrugged taking another bite of food on my plate.

He came back a short time later with another plate full of food. Finishing that one was gone just as I finished. "Do you have a hollow leg?" I asked in surprise.

"Hahahaha," He laughed, "no I just can't stop when the food is so good." Marc winked. Standing, his eyes watched me, "did you want more or are you done?" Reaching for my plate.

"I am full," starting to get back up when my plate was taken from me.

"I am on dish duty, you cooked." He threw over his shoulder already headed to the kitchen.

"You don't have to." Following him into the kitchen still a bit shocked.

"I do, you made great food. Think of it as a complement to the chef." Quickly he leaned down giving me a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you." He stood back to his full height grinning for all he was worth.

I was stunned to silence. I opened my mouth but no words came out. So, I closed it. Turning I went back to my little chair. I flipped open my laptop and pulled up my favorite reading app called Dreame. There I sat back into the chair with a book called, "Leto's Blessing," It was about an off-grid woman and how she fell in love with a wayward Alpha blood werewolf named Joe. I was just getting to the part where they were fighting the evil were bear Barrington and his evil witch mate Liza. The coolest part was I knew the author Marion lived two miles over with her husband and kids. I loved her stories. She had others but this one I read over and over again.

"What are you reading?" I felt Marc lean down near my ear as he looked at the words on the screen.

"Marion out here writes stories, I love reading her stuff." I shrugged.

"Marion the one with a huge pack of dogs, and that big beautiful Fjord horse?" Marc leaned a little closer to look.

"Yep, that is the one." I turned to look and noticed how close our lips were. Suddenly I felt a wave of heat run through me as he leaned just enough in that our mouths lightly brushed each other.

"She seemed a wild type." He chuckled, standing back up to his full height. "I heard she does jousting and mounted archery too." He raised an eyebrow.

"She does!" I grinned up at him. "I normally go over to use her course every so often."

"I heard she also beat some old bouncer guy for laying hands on his wife." He glanced at me with a grin still on his face.

"She did, a year after she moved here. She got a call that he was beating on her. She rode her horse over to the house. Beat him until the sheriff got there. He took them both in. They ended up a cell over." When she told his cellmates that his woman had been pregnant they took over where she left off." If anyone else had gossip in town it was Marion. She never backed down either. I was happy she was my neighbor.

"Good for her." Marc seemed to agree with those events. "I am guessing you look up to her?" I could see he was studying me.

"I do," I agreed, "out of any relationships I have seen hers I love the most. They both have great respect for each other and talk through things." I paused, "she also was the one to help me get to Europe to learning the method of horse training I have." I glanced at the story. "I will forever be in her debt for that."

"Must be why Clint gives her free hay and dog food?" Marc seemed super interested.

"No, she managed to get her sanctuary up and running as long as Clint can use it for animals that get dropped off randomly. She cares for them and finds them new homes." I felt a great deal of pride in what was being done. "Plus she is a half breed, like me. Her dad was killed in Vietnam, a pilot so she was raised by a single mom. Everything she managed she worked hard for."

"Pretty badass." Marc agreed. "But I also think you are right up there with her. Your programs and help to the community are important too." He booped my nose with his finger and winked.

"Perhaps," I didn't believe it but felt those butterflies for what he had said about me. "I envy her relationship with her husband," I uttered quietly to myself as I went back to the story on the screen.