Well, at least she wasn’t biting her lip anymore.

Lee also kept her distance, however small it was. Things still weren’t like they’d been the night before. It wasn’t taking every scrap of self control Tarin had to not scoop Lee up and head back to his room. That was good.

Still. She was playing just a bit coy and it was awful fun to tease.

She agreed that cheesecake really was good. So good, in fact, that Lee couldn’t think of a time that she’d had one that she didn’t like. Tarin noted that, but was still going to have to find a really good one for her birthday in a few months.

Putting a pin in that thought as Lee pointed out that there were other things that fit the category they were discussing, Tarin nodded. ”Like the Mets.” he said, but he uncrossed his arms and straightened up just a bit, a slow grin spreading across his face, ”But let’s be honest, I wasn’t talking about baseball or dessert, and I don’t think you were either.” he said, meeting Lee’s eyes again.

Like the Mets, Tarin said. Lee wasn't so sure of that herself, though the team had been doing well that season from what she had seen. Which was apparently much better than they normally did.

But then that grin started spreading across Tarin's face, and her own smile grew. Lee liked that grin. Liked it a lot.

She had been right. Tarin hadn't been talking about pie. As Tarin straightened up and looked directly at her again, Lee smiled up at him. "No, I was definitely not talking about dessert," Lee replied softly, unconsciously taking that half step forward again. "And while dessert is great, there are things that are much more enjoyable."

Much more enjoyable. Such as how things had been the previous night.

How was it that after how horrendously dark the morning had started they’d ended up here in the kitchen, looking at each other the way they were looking at each other, consciously making an effort to not end up where they’d been the night before?

Maybe that was it. There was strength here. Strength in their connection that somehow made the bad things not so bad…. No, Tarin decided, the bad things were still awful. Worse than awful…but somehow when they were together, it was easier to not dwell on those things. It was easier to think about a world where those things weren’t the way that things were. Lee stepped that little bit closer and Tarin stood there, hands holding onto the edge of the counter so they’d stay where they were supposed to be as she spoke. Spoke and confirmed that neither of them had actually been talking about food or baseball or anything like that. No. They’d been talking about other things.

Lee was so close again though, they were almost touching and Tarin leaned just a little bit closer to quietly say, ”I love it when we’re on the same page.” before leaning that last little bit to give Lee a quick kiss, ”But if you have any morning plans that need to happen, maybe we should go finish that puzzle.” He could be the voice of reason, Tarin just didn’t like to.

Lee wasn't even thinking about how horrible the morning had started. All she was currently thinking about was Tarin. How closet hey were to each other. How little it would take to reach out. To touch him. To kiss him.

And how all of that, and more, just kept getting better and better.

When Tarin spoke, Lee grinned up at him. "Me too," she murmured, leaning in to meet Tarin for the kiss.

A kiss that was disappointingly short.

It all made sense when Tarin continued speaking. Nodding, Lee took a step back again. "That is probably a very good idea," Lee replied with another quick nod. "Not that I can't put most things off. But still probably a very good idea."

That said, Lee turned to make her way back to the table. They really were going to have to get more puzzles.

Ugh. Why was he the voice of reason? Who had thought that was a good idea? Why was Lee listening to him when he was obviously speaking complete and utter nonsense?

That kiss had been far too short, even if he had been the one to make it that way and Tarin sighed as Lee walked away to head back out to the puzzle.

Tarin wondered if he was going to start resenting puzzles. It wasn’t like it was the puzzle’s fault that there were jobs and responsibilities to attend to, but still. Why had he even said that?

Realizing that he was still holding on the counter, Tarin sighed again and let go of the counter, a bit surprised that he’d been holding on to the edge tightly enough that his fingers protested the movement a bit. Maybe he wasn’t as level headed as he was giving himself credit for being.

Still he couldn’t stand in the kitchen all morning, so out Tarin went to the living room where Lee was sure to be working on the puzzle again. Maybe they’d even finish it this time.