"Hmm." She nods.
"Come on. Let's put your things in the house; then I'll give you a tour."
I ask her as I take the other luggage handle and walk her bags up the split tree six steps to the log cabin's front porch. "Are you thirsty? Can I get you some water?"
She hesitates, looking at me, then the cabin, then the steps, and back again. I wait patiently as her situation sinks in. Then she lifts her foot to the first step, and I smile, knowing she's at least not going to insist on being rescued immediately.
"Do you have a bottle of booze?"
"Beer? Yeah. I got beer." I chuckle.
"No. Booze!" She stands next to me on the porch, staring at the rustic original carved from a tree wood-paneled door.
"I got booze too."
She nods, then walks up to the door and pushes it open. I try not to laugh as she scans the interior.
The log cabin is a simple two-room 'rustic' open area design with all the modern-day essentials updated twenty years ago. One huge room makes up the living quarters, and the other is a bathroom.
She steps inside and asks, "Where is it?"
I step in behind her and clarify, "The booze?"
"Of course!" She nods. "You can't expect me to remain calm … sober."
I laugh out loud as I leave the luggage where it sits and walk across to the full-size, fully-stocked refrigerator. Opening the freezer compartment, I pull out my own special recipe of whiskey.
She reaches for the bottle. I smirk as I twist the top off for her. "The frost. It makes the top stick."
She smirks back at me, takes it, and downs a big gulp. She pauses, letting the fire from the cinnamon-based blaze burn out before she says, "That's good stuff!"
I reach for it, but she hugs it. "No. Get your own."
I laugh out loud. "That is my own."
She takes another big gulp and repeats the pause as the blaze of fire from the booze soothes her nerves. She says as she relinquishes the bottle. "That's really good stuff!"
I take a hit of the booze too. "Yeah, it's my own special blend."
I toast her with it. "I call it Blazing Fire. Its kiss is as smooth as a summer breeze."
"You're lying. You made that up." She rolls her eyes.
I chuckle as I put the bottle back in the freezer. "It's best served chilled. Otherwise, the bite will light a fire in your gut."
I open the lower fridge and remove two bottles of water. I open them and then hand her one. "Drink up. You need to hydrate after your long walk in the heat."
She sighs but drinks, walking around, trying to ignore the only elephant in the room.
I ask, "Have you eaten?"
"Not hungry." She states dismissively. Then stops walking. Defiantly, she states, "So, where are you going to sleep?"
I smirk, nodding to the bed. "Right there."
"So… where am I going to sleep?"
My grin makes her blush. "Right next to me."
