Jillian Chantal

This week, Tuesday Tales, a group of authors writing to prompts each week, we have an awesome photo prompt. I am a massive fan of romantic fires. In the picture prompts, the writers are limited to 300 words.  This time I have 305. Just ignore that last sentence. It’s five words.  Be sure to check out the other writers’ entries with the same picture here. 

She left and after a hot bath, some Excedrin and bundling up in her thick terrycloth robe, she started a fire. Relaxing on the couch in front of the fireplace, she dozed throughout the afternoon.

The doorbell startled her. Standing, she tightened the sash around her waist and peered through the peephole. Ian. Lanett smiled, glad to have him come by to check on her.

When she opened the door, he waggled a bottle of red wine close to her face. “I thought you might need some. Medicinal purposes only, of course.”

“Kind of like doctor’s orders?” She stepped back to let him in.

“You might say that.” In his other hand was a carry-bag.

“What’s in there?”

“Take-out. I figured you might be hungry.”

“Famished actually. I came home early and skipped lunch.”

Ian stepped into the living room. “That fire is brilliant. Perfect for a cozy dinner.”

Lanett grabbed some wine glasses from the rack by the television. “Pour and I’ll get some plates.”

In the kitchen, she thought about her attire and considered changing but decided against it. After all, she did have on undergarments. It wasn’t like she’d be eating dinner with him naked under her robe.

Her cheeks still seemed hot when she returned to the living room. They must’ve been because he stepped over and touched her forehead. “Are you overheated?”

“No. I’m fine.” Suddenly nervous with him standing so close, Lanett fumbled the plates and almost dropped them.

Ian’s hands darted out to steady her and rescue the china. His hand brushed hers.

In her heightened sense of awareness of the heat emanating from him as opposed to the fire, Lanett thought she might actually have a coronary. And that made her laugh. At least if she did, she was with a doctor. How handy would that be?