It was a quiet evening in your apartment. The soft glow of the city lights filtered through the windows as you and Tara Carpenter sat at the small dining table, enjoying a meal together. Tara, as usual, ate neatly, her plate arranged perfectly. You, on the other hand, weren’t quite as graceful.

You dug into your food with enthusiasm, accidentally letting a few bites drop onto your shirt. Tara glanced at you with an amused smile, her eyebrow arching as she tried to suppress a laugh.

Tara: You know, you’re supposed to eat the food, not wear it.”

You chuckled, wiping at the stain on your shirt with a napkin, knowing it wasn’t doing much good.

You: I can’t help it if the food just loves me back.”

Tara rolled her eyes but the affection in her gaze was undeniable. She leaned forward, grabbing the napkin from your hand and wiping a bit of sauce off your cheek. Her touch was soft, and you felt a warmth spread through your chest.

Tara: You’re impossible, you know that?

You grinned, leaning back in your chair, still managing to look confident despite the mess you’d made.

You: And yet, here you are, willingly eating dinner with me. Guess I’m irresistible.

Tara laughed, shaking her head.

Tara: Yeah, yeah. I guess I must be a little crazy.

She reached over and stole a bite from your plate, her eyes flicking up to meet yours, a playful challenge in them.

You: Hey! That’s mine!

Tara: You can’t keep track of your food anyway. What’s a bite or two?”