7. 1 Cookies, contracts and first fights

"I love it when you look at my cookies like they are the best thing in the whole world and then you smile that contagious smile of yours and I want to bake everything and anything to get another one of your smile." - Alex

(Logan)

Logan was very tired and his head was pounding as he stopped his car. It was a long day, and a very long meeting and Alex was constantly on the front of his brain, messing up with his mind.

He felt like there were a thousand knots on his shoulders and everything in his body ached. He opened the door and his body instantly went loose and light, when he smelled what felt like thousand different aromas suffused in the air.

It smelled warm. Like home. It smelled different and he liked it.

He didn't know how he had lived so long in this big house, all alone, and how he was able to walk inside the dark house after every day of work.

Now the lights were on and there was laughter in the kitchen. Alex's followed by a man's.

Now, his body went rigid again, as he walked to the kitchen trying to maintain his calm. It wouldn't do to kill the man she had in his kitchen, but he had to know who that was.

The man was bent under the table. And there was no sign of Alex, as well. "Alex, I am sorry I did this to Logan." A very familiar voice said. Daniel.

What were they doing under the table?

"For God's sake, Daniel, don't worry. It is alright."

"I am so sorry about this. You know."

What were they talking about?

"Just pick it up already. I have another batch in the oven." And then she stood up, her hair flying everywhere and her face was half covered with flour and she jumped up and pressed her hand to her heart when he cleared his throat.

"God, you gave me a heart attack. When did you come? For a moment I thought it was a serial killer or something." She said as she rubbed her hands. "Oh, sorry for this mess. It is your friend."

"Hey, you made some mess, too."

"What are you two doing?"

"I was reading books. And then he came, I thought he was an intruder and he stole the cookies I baked. He wanted me to teach him to make cookies and then he burnt his batch and stole some more from yours. And then he spilled the flour and knocked down a tray of cookies and God, I can go for another hour." She said as she looked up at him. "How was your day? Is your meeting go alright?"

And he melted when she asked that with her eyes filled with eagerness and concern.

"Yes. Of course." He said with a smirk. "They would be lucky to work with me."

"Oh, of course, you smug little jerk." She said with a teasing smile.

He heard a ding. "Oh, it is done." She clapped her hands like a kid. She put on her mitten and took the steaming tray out from the oven. She put it on the counter. "We will let it cool." She said and narrowed her eyes when Daniel was trying to steal a cookie from her tray.

"Daniel, don't you dare touch it. It is for Logan." She slapped his hand away. "You already ate a whole damn batch."

Logan felt his heart swelling when she said that.

"You are so partial, Alex." Danny said with a pout and Logan had to smile. "Man, you are very lucky." He grunted. "I feel so unwanted here."

"Oh, stop being so dramatic." Logan said as he looked at the freshly baked cookies. It was so lush and he could smell its heavenly smell. The chocolate chips were half melted at the perfect top and God, he swear he could feel its taste at the tip of his tongue just by smelling it.

He smiled. "God, this is amazing. You are amazing."

"Can I get that in the record?"

"Don't push your luck." He said as he tried to grab a cookie and she slapped his hand away, too, with a head shake.

"Logan Forte. You didn't wash your hands."

"Sorry mom," He mocked as he washed his hands and finally, finally he could taste her cookie. And it was amazing. World's best cookie. His mom would have his hide if he ever admitted it out loud, but it was the truth.

It was luscious and crunchy and the chocolates just melted in his mouth. He closed his eyes and groaned.

"This is heavenly."

"Thank you." She bowed with a smile and he couldn't take his eyes off her. She was unkempt. Messy. And beautiful. How could she do that? Being that effortlessly beautiful?

There was a bit of a batter on her lips and he stared. "There. You have something there in your lips." He wanted to lick it off, but he couldn't.

He had already made his mind about having her in his life even after the year was over. As a friend. And so he couldn't do anything he really wanted to do to her.

"What?"

"Looks like the batter you stole from my cookies."

"Ah." She smiled and wiped it off.

"Gah. You guys, you are so adorable it hurt my eyes."

"What?"

"I could see hearts winking in your eyes."

"Oh, stop talking nonsense." Logan said and waved his friend off. To which, Danny simply threw a very annoying wink at his direction.

After that, the three of them sat there and talked about Logan's meeting and the disaster that was the kitchen and then Logan ordered pizzas for dinner and they ate together.

After a while, Danny left as Logan did the dishes.

"I can't move." Alex complained as she slouched lazily in the couch. "I feel like I am going to burst."He laughed at her before he walked into his home office. He picked a bunch of documents and his brows wrinkled.

He wondered what she would do if he gave her that and he knew... He knew it would make her angry, but some things are better done than not.

He sighed and put it back down.

There was still time for that.

***