2: dinner & a moviejurisimmortalisSeptember 13 2012, 19:48:16 UTC
The evening was intended to be low-key with no big plans or expectations. Just the two of them spending a little more time together on a night when neither one was chasing down bad guys. Cooking was never really Natalie's forte, but there were two dishes she could actually pull off: crock pot chili and fajitas. Tonight, she'd decided on the latter.
Fajitas were quick and easy to make. The sliced steak, onions and green peppers probably only needed five minutes on the stove. She'd also made guacamole, Mexican rice, salsa, chopped up some lettuce and grated a half a block of pepper-jack cheese. She'd also found a recipe for pineapple margaritas that was surprisingly good. And everything could be pretty much eaten in front of the TV while she and Steve either talked or watched movies.
awww yusss.calledmechampSeptember 14 2012, 01:11:42 UTC
The day had flown by for Steve and his crew. They had captured quite a few bad guys, and were told to go home to their families early. Steve had no family, but he knew someone who he wouldn't mind spending time with. Steve was giddy, he liked her, and he wasn't afraid to show it.
He showed up with a bouquet of fresh flowers picked from the garden his mom had started decades ago, and with some luck, still grew wild. He knocked on her door lightly.
"Hey, you," Natalie greeted his knock with a grin and a light kiss to his lips. "Come in. Come in. I was just about to start dinner."
The townhouse where she lived was smaller than she was used to, but she made it work. The kitchen was close to the front door with the dining area and living room beyond that. Well, what was supposed to be a dining area anyway. The space had been turned into something of a pseudo home office with a desk facing one of the walls. Natalie had also brought a little bit of Texas with her in the form of some Longhorns memorabilia that included a couple of pictures of her in her cheerleading uniform posing with the rest of the squad. Upstairs was a single loft-style bedroom and the only bathroom.
"Aloha." Was his usual greeting. He leaned into the light kiss and followed her inside into the kitchen to put the flowers in a vase. They were beautiful native flowers, full of color and life.
Now it was his turn to observe how she lived. He crossed his arms and walked around the living room to look at all her pictures. He smiled at the cheer leading uniform. No wonder they liked eachother so much. The Jock and the Cheerleader. It was an American dream.
"Nice place." And way cleaner and updated than his place.
"Thanks." The blush coloring her cheeks was both for the flowers and the compliment. "Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes or so. Want a beer?"
As Natalie spoke, she bustled around the tiny galley kitchen with its updated lightly stained wood cabinets and "engineered stone" countertops. She'd sold most of her other furniture before moving, but still kept a few of her favorite pieces like the over-sized and incredibly comfy couch.
"And I promise. I'll try to leave the office at the office."
"Yeah. Thank you." Steve was perusing the photos and looking at all of her personal nicknacks. He was enjoying getting to know her a little better, and the idea of fajitas - homemade - was just so satisfying.
Steve never left the office at the office, if that wasn't evident enough by the bullet holes in the walls of his parents home. Oh well. It was his life, and he loved every second of it.
And those bullet holes probably came with some pretty interesting stories, too. Or so she guessed.
Once the skillet on the cooktop was hot enough, she added a little oil and then the strips of steak. Then Natalie reached into the fridge for a beer and easily twisted the top off. Other things like a bowls of chips, guac and salsa had already been laid out on the breakfast bar separating the kitchen from the rest of the space.
"I also made a couple of pineapple margaritas if you want to try one. They're actually kinda good."
Very interesting stories. Like that one time thugs broke into his house and knocked him out. That was a first.
Steve wanders over to the breakfast bar to find the chips and guac and salsa. It all looked delicious. He was starving but he wouldn't admit that. Sometimes he forgot to eat during the workday. His absentmindedness would get the best of him some days.
"Pineapple margaritas?" He holds a hand over his heart, "A woman after my own heart." Pineapple was his kyrptonite.
"When in Rome, right?" She can't help laughing as she pulls out the two margaritas from the fridge. "Don't get me wrong. I like pineapples. Really. But I just don't think I'll ever get used to them on pizza. Pepperoni and jalapenos? Now, we're talking."
Taking a sip from the salt-rimmed glass, Natalie then turns around and adds the sliced veggies to the meat already sizzling away in the skillet. The scent is definitely mouth watering and reminds her that the bag of pretzels she'd had for lunch just did not last through the afternoon.
"Help yourself to the chips and stuff. This shouldn't take too much longer."
"Must be a North Eastern thing. The whole hating fruit on pizza. Here it's preferred." And that's how he grew up anyways. Pineapple everything. His mom was a pineapple baked goods master and he missed that.
Steve takes a big gulp of his margarita, and licks his lips. "Wow. This is amazing, Natalie." He was pretty sure his stomach was super happy with the upcoming mixture of alcohol and delicious food. He slipped into the kitchen to wrap his arms around her as she moved the sizzling meat around in the skillet. He rested his chin on her shoulder, "Mmmmm. Looks delicious." His stomach may or may not have rumbled.
"Hey, watch it. I'm from Texas where you're more likely to end up with barbecue on your pizza."
She couldn't help but melt a little when Steve wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. She was secretly really beginning to like the affection. A lot. It was so tempting to turn around and give him a good "gawd, I missed you" kiss. But, she knew if she did that, dinner would probably get burned to a crisp. Not a good thing.
With the meat nearly done, she tossed in the veggies and stirred everything around with a pair of tongs. "Think maybe you can let go long enough to toss some tortillas in the microwave?" Her tone was light and teasing.
"Good, because that's pretty much all you're gonna hear out of me for the next, I dunno, six months?"
Even with the hood vent on high, the scent of sizzling meat and veggies filled the space. Natalie gave the skillet one last toss before taking it off the heat and setting it on the counter next to all the other condiments. And, no, she couldn't resist getting in a quick peek at Steve's backside while he stood at the microwave.
"So, since I'm pretty much table-less, do you want to eat at the bar or in front of the TV? Either one works for me."
The microwave beeped and Steve pulled out the tortillas to place them on the breakfast bar next to the fajita mix. His stomach was really growling now, and he felt like he could eat everything she fed him.
"We can sit in front of the TV, if you'd like. I'm okay with anything, babe."
"Couch it is." The plates were in one of the cupboards, and Natalie pulled two off a shelf before handing one to Steve. "Thought we could just get what we wanted here and then go sit."
She demonstrated by putting together a couple of soft tacos with the meat and veggies. She then piled on the lettuce, cheese and guacamole. Next, she added a pile of rice to her plate along with a handful of chips and salsa. She grabbed her drink and plate, and went to sit on the sofa with one long leg tucked under her.
Reply
Fajitas were quick and easy to make. The sliced steak, onions and green peppers probably only needed five minutes on the stove. She'd also made guacamole, Mexican rice, salsa, chopped up some lettuce and grated a half a block of pepper-jack cheese. She'd also found a recipe for pineapple margaritas that was surprisingly good. And everything could be pretty much eaten in front of the TV while she and Steve either talked or watched movies.
Reply
He showed up with a bouquet of fresh flowers picked from the garden his mom had started decades ago, and with some luck, still grew wild. He knocked on her door lightly.
Reply
The townhouse where she lived was smaller than she was used to, but she made it work. The kitchen was close to the front door with the dining area and living room beyond that. Well, what was supposed to be a dining area anyway. The space had been turned into something of a pseudo home office with a desk facing one of the walls. Natalie had also brought a little bit of Texas with her in the form of some Longhorns memorabilia that included a couple of pictures of her in her cheerleading uniform posing with the rest of the squad. Upstairs was a single loft-style bedroom and the only bathroom.
Reply
Now it was his turn to observe how she lived. He crossed his arms and walked around the living room to look at all her pictures. He smiled at the cheer leading uniform. No wonder they liked eachother so much. The Jock and the Cheerleader. It was an American dream.
"Nice place." And way cleaner and updated than his place.
Reply
As Natalie spoke, she bustled around the tiny galley kitchen with its updated lightly stained wood cabinets and "engineered stone" countertops. She'd sold most of her other furniture before moving, but still kept a few of her favorite pieces like the over-sized and incredibly comfy couch.
"And I promise. I'll try to leave the office at the office."
Reply
Steve never left the office at the office, if that wasn't evident enough by the bullet holes in the walls of his parents home. Oh well. It was his life, and he loved every second of it.
Reply
Once the skillet on the cooktop was hot enough, she added a little oil and then the strips of steak. Then Natalie reached into the fridge for a beer and easily twisted the top off. Other things like a bowls of chips, guac and salsa had already been laid out on the breakfast bar separating the kitchen from the rest of the space.
"I also made a couple of pineapple margaritas if you want to try one. They're actually kinda good."
Reply
Steve wanders over to the breakfast bar to find the chips and guac and salsa. It all looked delicious. He was starving but he wouldn't admit that. Sometimes he forgot to eat during the workday. His absentmindedness would get the best of him some days.
"Pineapple margaritas?" He holds a hand over his heart, "A woman after my own heart." Pineapple was his kyrptonite.
Reply
Taking a sip from the salt-rimmed glass, Natalie then turns around and adds the sliced veggies to the meat already sizzling away in the skillet. The scent is definitely mouth watering and reminds her that the bag of pretzels she'd had for lunch just did not last through the afternoon.
"Help yourself to the chips and stuff. This shouldn't take too much longer."
Reply
Steve takes a big gulp of his margarita, and licks his lips. "Wow. This is amazing, Natalie." He was pretty sure his stomach was super happy with the upcoming mixture of alcohol and delicious food. He slipped into the kitchen to wrap his arms around her as she moved the sizzling meat around in the skillet. He rested his chin on her shoulder, "Mmmmm. Looks delicious." His stomach may or may not have rumbled.
Reply
She couldn't help but melt a little when Steve wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. She was secretly really beginning to like the affection. A lot. It was so tempting to turn around and give him a good "gawd, I missed you" kiss. But, she knew if she did that, dinner would probably get burned to a crisp. Not a good thing.
With the meat nearly done, she tossed in the veggies and stirred everything around with a pair of tongs. "Think maybe you can let go long enough to toss some tortillas in the microwave?" Her tone was light and teasing.
Reply
Reluctantly, he let go and went for the tortillas. He separated them by paper towels and popped them in the microwave.
Reply
Even with the hood vent on high, the scent of sizzling meat and veggies filled the space. Natalie gave the skillet one last toss before taking it off the heat and setting it on the counter next to all the other condiments. And, no, she couldn't resist getting in a quick peek at Steve's backside while he stood at the microwave.
"So, since I'm pretty much table-less, do you want to eat at the bar or in front of the TV? Either one works for me."
Reply
"We can sit in front of the TV, if you'd like. I'm okay with anything, babe."
Reply
She demonstrated by putting together a couple of soft tacos with the meat and veggies. She then piled on the lettuce, cheese and guacamole. Next, she added a pile of rice to her plate along with a handful of chips and salsa. She grabbed her drink and plate, and went to sit on the sofa with one long leg tucked under her.
"Any preference on movies?"
Reply
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