her.
Jack.
He didn't say anything at first. He just took a sip of his coffee. He looked like he'd just taken a shower. His shirt was open in the front and she could see… oh god. She could see his chest and stomach. She tore her eyes away from all that glorious man flesh to see the glint of humor in his eyes.
"Sit."
She sat. She sat down so fast that her teeth knocked together. He strolled over leisurely and picked up her plate. He piled on pancakes first, then turned to look at her.
"How long was I out?"
"Fifteen hours give or take. You're a vegetarian right?"
She nodded mutely.
"So, no bacon."
He loaded her plate with fruit and set it down in front of her.
"Eat."
She just stared at him.
"You- did all this?"
He gave her a mildly exasperated look and poured syrup onto her steaming stack of pancakes.
"Eat Janet."
She did. She put the first bite of pancake into her mouth and moaned in ecstasy. She hadn't had real food in- oh god, almost a week. She shoveled in a few more bites, stealing glances at the man who sat across from her, calming sipping his coffee.
Then she noticed something.
He had a dishtowel thrown over his shoulder.
Jack, The Viking, had a God Damn dishtowel thrown over his shoulder like a regular chef!
"How did you learn to cook?"
He stood up and grabbed the empty coffee cup, walking to the counter.
"Coffee?"
"Yes please."
He poured them each a cup from the ancient percolator. It smelled so good. He carried it back over to her and set it down. She grabbed it and inhaled deeply. She'd never smelled anything so good in her life. She'd never tasted anything so good in her life. She looked up at him, realizing he'd saved her after all.
She'd never seen anything so good in her life.
He looked so clean and good and strong. His long wet hair falling to his shoulders in waves. His tight jeans hugging that insanely beautiful body. His dark eyes watching her watch him.
That's when it hit her.
She was in love with him.
Oh dear God, she was in love with The Viking.
She would have run out of the room if she'd had the strength. This was not good. Not good at all. How could she fall in love with someone who wanted nothing to do with her?
She was an idiot, that's how.
She felt tears sting her eyes and bent forward, focusing on her food. She ate in silence for a few minutes, wishing the floor would open a large hole and swallow her up.
"Foster care."
She glanced up at him sharply.
"What?"
"You asked how I learned to cook. When I was six years old I got moved out of the orphanage into foster care."
Her mouth almost dropped open. Jack was talking to her. Jack was talking about himself.
"Mrs. McNealy. She was my first foster mother. I never understood why they called it that though."
Her stupor vanished suddenly. She tried to imagine Jack as a boy but it was impossible. He was so strong and tough.
"She started training me on the first day. There were a couple