I am taking you home.

When Alexa opened the door of the worker's room the following morning, she stood facing Sheldon, whose hand was raised as if about to knock on the door.

She stared at him and tried to get her mind to function with rational thoughts but all she could think about was last night. He had looked so enticing in his robe all barefooted and manly.

He was the creator of wild dreams and sleepless nights, and with that added to the lumpy couch, sleepless was the operative word.

Her eyes roamed over him looking all captivating and darn sexy for her piece of mind. Her eyes rested on the spot where the buttons of his sweater were undone to reveal not as much as last night but enough of his chest to have her getting all aware of the smooth ridges that lay beneath it.

She quickly blinked and brought her attention back to his face, she saw that he was aware of her blatant scrutiny. What had gotten into her? Was the darn stone some secret love potion that the Shady Stranger had given to make a fool out of her at the expense of her wanting to have... the Angel's Cafe?

Was she being punished for coveting Sheldon his family heirloom?

Well, whatever it was the joke wasn't going to be on her this morning. So, with a raise of her chin, she asked.

"May I help you?"

Sheldon, too, was trying his hardest not to drink in the captivating appearance of Alexa either. If she had not been so focused on being caught aware of ogling him or being punished for wanting to be more than just a waitress at the cafe she would have noticed the tense lines of his jaw, the way he held himself rigid from wanting to reach out to trace the curve of her jawline and push the stray curls that rest there from her attempt at getting her hair in its usual tuck and pin fashion with just her fingers.

His mind was filled with the image of her last night looking all beguiling in her undergarment that ignited in him a fire that could warm the coldest of winter nights. He scowled as he always does when faced with his desire for the woman before him.

He saw her pull herself in a straighter stance and raise her chin with her blue eyes now questioning. Her voice was brisk when she spoke.

"I am taking you home," he replied and got another questioning look.

"Why?"

"In case you have forgotten, someone tried to approach you last night as you left for home. There is no telling if he's not lurking about waiting for when he can have you alone," he told her and was surprised to see her relax and laugh dismissively.

"Mr. McIntosh I am perfectly fine. I don----"

"Alexa, I was not asking; I am telling you," he said, cutting her off in a voice that broke no argument. "I will not wait for the guys at the station so I suggest you get yourself together so we can go."

But---

"We have but an hour until opening. Bertha is already here, and no doubt Sheila and Sonya will be arriving soon, so let's get you home so you can get yourself prepared for work."

"Listen I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and I---"

"I don't have all morning, Alexa," he said, cutting her off again, and she glared at him before she said.

"I need to use the restroom, am I allowed that in your busy schedule?"

"Get moving, Alexa, or I'll take you there just as I plan to take you home," with that said, he turned away, leaving her gaping at him and very much blushing with the implications that such a statement brought to her wayward mind.

"There is no way this darn stone isn't some witchcraft," she mumbled.

When she locked the bathroom door she expelled the breath that she was not aware she was holding. With feet of lead, she walked over to the mirror above the sink and stared at her reflection. Her cheeks were burning red and her eyes radiated emotions she didn't want to face.

How and when did she begin to be affected by Sheldon? He was just the mean Scrooge, and she was upset to the core that he took the Angel's Cafe for granted. He should by no means be the man who set her blood boiling.

It was not going to be easy getting Sheldon Scrooge to the point where she was to restore his hope and renew his faith. The Shady figure had no idea what he was putting her up for.

If she saved Sheldon, she would save the cafe and get the chance she desired, but the rate at how she was seeing Sheldon in all the ways that had her becoming increasingly aware of him, she was sure she would be the one that was going to need saving.

No, that stone was cursed. It was the start of all these mix-up moods she was facing. She made to turn on the faucet and splash water on her heated cheeks when she saw that she held his shirt in her hand.

The shirt! She was going to take it to him when she opened the door and saw him standing there. She remembered how warm and comforting it had felt about her body as the sweet, musky, masculine scent of its owner wafted up to her nose and created havoc on her mind and body.

She best head on home and put herself together. When she returns and is busy with her work activities, it will all fall back to normal. Her routine would set her back on track. Once back to her scheduled life, all would fall into place, and then she would accomplish her task and, in return, get the chance she had been hoping for.

Her mind was centred around this plan when she heard Sheldon in a tone that broke no argument instructing that the decorations be discarded; he did not want to see them in the worker's room when he returned.

She had, in that very instant, made up her mind to use those very decorations and give to the cafe the Christmas spirit that was missing. There had to be a start to chipping away at the brick casing that encased Sheldon McIntosh's feeling.

When she was later sitting in the passenger seat of Sheldon's Chevrolet she was basking in secret delight as to what she had planned. She just had to ensure she found the right timing. The timing was everything, right?

She was happy for this new venture and the excitement to get the cafe all festive was a welcome feat. It was going to be nice to take part in something that did not constitute her leaving like a drifter with nothing but her passing through.

It was wonderful to know that she was doing something other than just spending a few nights and just drifting off again.

Mistle was the longest place she had ever stayed and she can admit she felt at home. She felt her heart filled with a bit of longing at the word. If only Sheldon was taking her home and not another temporary structure that held nothing but two suitcases ready to be packed with her clothes and a few keepsakes she had gathered along with her departure from Penn Brook.

Home....will there ever be such a thing for her?
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Hi 😊

Is Alexa going too far? Should she have left those decorations alone and stick to just being a waitress? Then again she had the matter of making Sheldon a believer by any means necessary.

Leave your comments and vote :)