Willow Tree

Chapter Four

Merle didn't ring the doorbell or even knock. He simply walked in the front door like he lived there, shooting her a disapproving look for leaving it unlocked like always did. He carried the pizza and a six-pack into the kitchen and laid them both on the counter. They didn't say a word to one another as Vada retrieved two plates from the cupboard, and Merle grabbed the bottle opener magnet off the fridge door. It was as she grabbed a beer stein out of the freezer because she knew that Merle preferred his beer served in a chilled glass that Vada realized how insane it all was. "Merle, what the hell are we doing?"

"What do ya mean, darlin'?" Merle looked confused.

"We act like a couple," Vada laughed. "You drive me to and from work every day. We spend all of our free time together. This is the second dinner we've shared this week, and it's only Monday. Shit, Merle, I even went with you to your niece's birthday party last Saturday. We're a couple...without the fringe benefits." Vada wasn't a stranger to dating, but this was the first time that she'd ever accidentally fallen into a relationship, not to mention in love, without even consciously realizing it was happening.

"Took ya long enough, woman." Merle smirked and took a long swallow from his beer bottle.

"What are you talking about?" Vada put her hands on her hips and glared at him. He was treating all of this like it was one big joke.

"Don't go getting' all bent outta shape." Merle rolled his eyes and walked around the kitchen counter to stand in front of her. "All I's meant was that it took ya long enough to realize yer mine."

"Yo...yours?" Vada damn near choked on her own tongue.

Merle reached up and brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "Yep, sugar, mine. My woman. I didn't wanna scare ya off, so I let ya figure it out on yer own. You's a smart girl, knew ya'd get there eventually."

Vada's head was spinning as she tried to process what Merle was saying. "This," she gestured between them, "is okay with you?"

"More than okay, darlin'," He cupped her cheek in his hand and gently pulled her mouth to his for a soft and surprisingly tender kiss. "Is this okay with ya, baby?" He asked when they parted.

'Baby,' that was a new pet name. she was used to 'darlin' and 'sugar' and when he was irritated with her, 'woman.' Vada decided that she rather liked the sound of 'baby.' "Yeah," she smiled and turned her head, laying a kiss on the palm of his hand, "it's definitely okay with me too."

"Good," he gave her a quick kiss, a mere peck on the lips, before pulling away from her. "Now come on, the pie's getting' cold and I wanna get them shelves together before I head out."

Vada didn't like the sound of that plan, mostly because it ended with Merle leaving. "Counteroffer. We eat dinner and forget about the shelves for the night." She wrapped her arms around his neck and was more than pleased when his hands came up to rest on her hips. "We find some trashy movie on TV, and you come to bed with me. What do you think?" Nervous that he'd reject her, Vada was acting way more confident than she felt and praying that he wouldn't see through her.

Merle chuckled and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. He leaned down so he could whisper in her ear. "I like the way ya think, baby." He kissed the shell of her ear.