Brad woke slowly, he lifted his head cautiously to look at 'Tanaya who he was spooning. He looked around for his watch and spotted it on the arm of the lounge; he reached for it slowly trying not to wake 'Tanaya. The numbers on the face told him it was nearly time for him to get up and get ready for work.
'Tanaya moved slightly as cool air slipped under the cover and she frowned as she rolled over and reached for him in her sleep.
Gently Brad lifted her arm from across his lower ribs and eased it back under the covers.
"What?" 'Tanaya murmured sleepily as she sat up abruptly.
"It's time for me to get up and get ready for work," Brad said quietly, "why don't you lay back down and have a bit more sleep. You said you've got today off."
'Tanaya looked at him trying to gauge his mood, was he regretting what had occurred between them?
"No, I'll get up and make the coffee that way I can get an early start on the housework I want to do today." 'Tanaya said as she pushed the covers down to her knees.
Brad spared a moment to take a long look at her naked body before turning and heading towards the bathroom. "I'm just having a quick shower, I'll be out in five." He called back over his shoulder.
'Tanaya watched him go before heading to her room to grab her dressing gown and put it on. In the kitchen she filled the percolator and turned it on before stacking the previous nights dirty dishes in the sink.
The coffee was ready and she was sitting down sipping a cup when Brad came into the kitchen.
"Yesterday Hank was saying we'd only be doing about a half days work today to finish off the job. The crew might be stopping by the pub for a few drinks afterwards." Brad said easily.
"Okay," 'Tanaya said with a nod. She wondered if anything would change after the previous night, so far it had been the same as every other morning except for waking up in the same bed.
"How's your shoulders and back?" she asked after several minutes silence.
"Not as bad as I had expected. A bit stiff and tender when I move but other than that not too bad." Brad said as he began making himself lunch for the day.
'Tanaya watched silently as Brad made his lunch then cooked a quick breakfast for himself. She noticed he glanced at her several times but said nothing so she remained silent not sure of what to say or do.
He ate quickly and stopped to look at the dirty dishes in the sink as he went to place his plate on the sink.
"I'll do them today, no drama." 'Tanaya said from where she sat at the table.
Brad turned his head to glance her way and gave a faint nod, "Okay, but I do all the dishes tonight."
"I'll make sure to use every pan I own to cook tea," 'Tanaya attempted to joke but her lips trembled suddenly and she looked away.
Brad watched her for a few seconds awkwardly; he didn't know what to say. Wasn't sure how he wanted things between them. Last night had happened on impulse and this morning in the light of day he wasn't too sure if they could make things work with his relationship with Nicolas and Janey thrown into the mix.
A loud knock on the front door made both of them jump and Brad shrugged knowing it was Brent or Matty signalling they were out the front waiting to be picked up for work.
"I'd better get going," Brad said as he picked up the small cooler bag that contained his lunch. He hesitated a moment then paused to drop a quick kiss on a surprised 'Tanaya.
"I'll talk to you this afternoon," he promised as he headed for the door.
'Tanaya sat at the table stunned, she had thought that Brad had regretted what had occurred between them the previous night but now she wasn't too sure. She got to her feet with a sigh and looked around the kitchen at the cleaning she planned to do, she headed towards her room to get clothes to change into after a shower. No time like the present to get to work on cleaning.
* * * * * Brad sipped the icy cold beer and sighed with satisfaction; it was the hottest part of the afternoon and instead of work Hank and the crew were enjoying a cold beer at one of the local pubs.
Brad was listening to the flow of talk around the group at the table but he wasn't really taking it in. He had been doing a lot of thinking during the day and had realised it would be really hard to make things work between him and 'Tanaya.
They would just have to take it one day at a time and he would have to see if he could mediate a peace between 'Tanaya and Janey.
"Hey Brad! You listening?" Matty asked as he slapped him on the shoulder.
Brad gave a start and looked towards him to see what he wanted.
"We were talking about the blonde that works behind the bar here, I think Brent has a bit of a thing for her. He comes in here at least once a week, but only when she's behind the bar." Gerry, one of the other workers said.
Brad glanced towards the bar where a rather pretty buxom blonde was serving drinks before glancing at Brent to see his expression. He could read no hint of the other man's thoughts on the matter and turned to Gerry with a shrug.
"To tell the truth I hadn't noticed," Brad said.
"What's your ex-missus look like?" Gerry asked with a good-natured grin.
"Pardon?" Brad asked slightly confused.
"Come on, it's all over town. You got your ex-missus visiting you each weekend with your kid. Rumour has it she's not so ex, if you know what I mean." Gerry winked as he finished his statement.
Brad was silent as he stared at Gerry until the other man shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"There's nothing going on between Janey and I other then me getting to see my son," Brad said in a controlled voice.
"You're talking about young Janetta Wilkinson aren't you?" Hank said in the tense silence.
"Yeah," Brad's tone was guarded; he had learnt quickly to watch what he said in this small town.
"My oldest boy went to school with her sister and my second boy was a year behind Janey in school, from what I know of the family she's a nice girl." Hank said levelly.
"She's doing a great job with our son," Brad said with a sober nod.
"Janey is really nice. Rather quiet and shy but really nice." Matty piped up in her defence.
"Obviously not too shy," Gerry said with a smirk. He caught Brad watching him without any expression on his face and felt a chill go down his spine.
"That didn't come out right, I didn't mean no disrespect." Gerry said awkwardly.
Brad gave a brief nod before finishing his beer abruptly, "I think I'll call it quits with just the one beer." He said as he got to his feet.
"See you later," Hank said.
"Later," Brent said.
The others were silent as Brad left the table and headed for the front door of the pub.
Outside the hot air hit Brad in the face with a blast. He squinted as he glanced at the sun over the end of the street and headed in the direction of the house where 'Tanaya lived. It was hard to think of it as his home, even temporarily.
He paused outside the supermarket, thought for a moment then headed inside to get a supply of condoms. He was realistic enough to admit that he and 'Tanaya would probably end up having sex again even though he felt it was smart to end whatever was between them here and now.
Near the checkout Brad found himself picking out a bunch of flowers for 'Tanaya and shook his head with a rueful grin. Flowers and plans to cool the relationship down just didn't go together in his books.
Brad could hear the radio blasting away from the front gate and walked up to the front door with a silly grin on his face. It felt good to be about to walk into a house where his woman was waiting for him.
As he opened the front door he realised it was 'Tanaya's voice singing along with the music and he followed the sound through the house to the kitchen where he found her taking a tray of muffins from the oven.
"I hope they're apple cinnamon," Brad said from the doorway.
"Oh! You gave me a fright!" 'Tanaya exclaimed as she turned around to face him.
"I guess I got these for you," Brad said as he stepped forward and held the flowers out to her.
'Tanaya looked at the flowers with a faint smile, "You guess?"
"Yeah, I just type of picked them up without thinking about it. Then I realised they remind me of you," Brad said awkwardly.
'Tanaya looked at the arrangement of tigerlillies, an array of golden orange and dark brown flowers surrounded by lush dark green leaves. She took them from him and carried them to the sink; the flowers in one hand and the tray of muffins in the other.
"Thank you, they're beautiful." 'Tanaya said placing the muffin tray on a cooling rack and the flowers on the sink draining board.
Brad watched as she put the flowers in a large glass jar and placed them in the middle of the table before glancing at him once again.
"The rest of the guys are down at the pub having a few beers. I had the one beer and decided to come back here." Brad told her.
'Tanaya studied him silently for a few seconds before giving a silent nod; she turned back to the stove and checked a second tray of muffins before speaking.
"So did the flowers come before or after what you got in your hand?" 'Tanaya asked curiously.
Brad looked down at his hands to find that the packet of condoms was clearly visible through the plastic shopping bag. He looked up to find 'Tanaya watching him with what looked like mild interest.
"You probably won't believe me but the flowers have nothing to do with these," Brad said as he lifted the offending bag to waist height, "I got the flowers without really thinking about them. They type of remind me of you." Brad finished awkwardly.
"So the flowers remind you of me? Or do the condoms?" 'Tanaya asked dryly.
"Looks like I really shot myself in my foot doesn't it?" Brad asked sheepishly, he looked down at the floor and then looked up at 'Tanaya once more.
'Tanaya couldn't help but notice the chagrined look on Brad's face, she realised he actually was telling the truth that the flowers had nothing to do with him buying the condoms.
"I don't know about having shot yourself in the foot but it sure looks like you got caught with your hand in the cookie jar," 'Tanaya said evenly, she didn't intend to let him off scot free.
"Well I might go put these with my stuff," Brad said with a self-conscious shrug.
'Tanaya watched as he headed for the spare room where he kept his belongings, she turned back to the muffins and found it impossible not to smile as her gaze brushed over the flowers on the table.
She was still smiling when Brad returned to the kitchen a few minutes later, she was removing the last of the muffins from the oven and humming along to the music that was coming from the radio.
"They look good enough to eat," Brad remarked smoothly.
