bag to his family, I got nowhere fast,” he said. “So I finally just accepted it for the gift he intended it to be and learned all I could from it. I’ve even added to the remedies and fixed the lining on the inside,” he finished, opening the bag to show her the repair work he had done.
“Don’t you think Mr. Yazzi would have wanted you to use that knowledge for some purpose?” she asked softly.
“Just ask me,” he replied with a teasing grin and a nod of his chin. “You want a foot massage, don’t you? You and Jess could be sisters except that you are subtle where she is crass and unladylike, if I do say so myself.”
Returning his smile, she said, “No, I don’t want…that.”
“A neck massage then? I’m just as good at that,” he offered, turning off the coffee maker after it finished the brew cycle. Then he poured the mixture into a pitcher half full of ice and covered it so it could steep overnight. Placing the mixture in the fridge, he continued, “Besides, then you can tell Jess all about it since she asks all the time and always gets the same answer—no. I’ll let you keep picking my brain in that therapist way of yours. And, you did eat my cupcakes so it’s poor taste to deny me anything after that.”
“No. I don’t want any massage, and besides, I wasn’t the only one who ate the cupcakes. Jess, Kayla and Tori each had one, too.” She giggled as he took her hand in his and led her into the living room.
“Not a one of you stopped to think, ‘Gee, I bet the hardworking man who was actually given these cupcakes might like one of them.’ Did you?” He laughed as they sat down on her sofa.
“I did think that and even told Rusty that he should save you one….” She giggled some more.
Sitting in the corner of the couch, he angled his body so his weight caused her to either sit awkwardly to avoid touching him, move farther down the couch or allow herself to relax against him. He waited to see what she would do. When she did nothing, he dipped a finger into her hair, smoothed a lock back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Her body slowly shifted into his touch, so he continued filtering his fingers through her soft hair, watching her gradually move toward him until she was leaning against him.
His heart soared. An old story that Mr. Yazzi had told him once came to mind. Two young warriors, eager to make names for themselves with their tribe, came upon a stallion that would be the envy of even the chief. The first young warrior’s haste to claim the stallion and ride it into battle caused the stallion to turn from him completely and run across the prairie lands. Many miles the two warriors had to travel to once again catch up to the stallion. The second young warrior, having learned from the first young warrior’s mistakes, took the time to coax the stallion, learn his ways and become one with him. He was then able to claim him. The stallion’s loyalty to the second young warrior was such that he stuck with the young warrior for a lifetime.
Mr. Yazzi had also told Ian that when the right life partner for him came across his path, he would know it in his heart, in his soul, but not to be too hasty staking his claim. If he was patient with Courtney and coaxed her, perhaps she would trust him and eventually allow him to claim her as his own.
Sitting with her cuddled into his side, he couldn’t help but feel like she was made specifically for him to love. He just had to be patient because she could be skittish and would surely bolt if he rushed things between them.
When her whole body finally relaxed from his ministrations, he said, “In the morning you’ll need to strain the leaves out of the tea and maybe add some sweetener to it. Honey is a natural antibacterial agent, so that’s preferred over sugar. You watched how I made it. It’s pretty easy to do, but if you decide to try again, for another baby I mean, let me know and we’ll change up the recipe to get the
“Don’t you think Mr. Yazzi would have wanted you to use that knowledge for some purpose?” she asked softly.
“Just ask me,” he replied with a teasing grin and a nod of his chin. “You want a foot massage, don’t you? You and Jess could be sisters except that you are subtle where she is crass and unladylike, if I do say so myself.”
Returning his smile, she said, “No, I don’t want…that.”
“A neck massage then? I’m just as good at that,” he offered, turning off the coffee maker after it finished the brew cycle. Then he poured the mixture into a pitcher half full of ice and covered it so it could steep overnight. Placing the mixture in the fridge, he continued, “Besides, then you can tell Jess all about it since she asks all the time and always gets the same answer—no. I’ll let you keep picking my brain in that therapist way of yours. And, you did eat my cupcakes so it’s poor taste to deny me anything after that.”
“No. I don’t want any massage, and besides, I wasn’t the only one who ate the cupcakes. Jess, Kayla and Tori each had one, too.” She giggled as he took her hand in his and led her into the living room.
“Not a one of you stopped to think, ‘Gee, I bet the hardworking man who was actually given these cupcakes might like one of them.’ Did you?” He laughed as they sat down on her sofa.
“I did think that and even told Rusty that he should save you one….” She giggled some more.
Sitting in the corner of the couch, he angled his body so his weight caused her to either sit awkwardly to avoid touching him, move farther down the couch or allow herself to relax against him. He waited to see what she would do. When she did nothing, he dipped a finger into her hair, smoothed a lock back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Her body slowly shifted into his touch, so he continued filtering his fingers through her soft hair, watching her gradually move toward him until she was leaning against him.
His heart soared. An old story that Mr. Yazzi had told him once came to mind. Two young warriors, eager to make names for themselves with their tribe, came upon a stallion that would be the envy of even the chief. The first young warrior’s haste to claim the stallion and ride it into battle caused the stallion to turn from him completely and run across the prairie lands. Many miles the two warriors had to travel to once again catch up to the stallion. The second young warrior, having learned from the first young warrior’s mistakes, took the time to coax the stallion, learn his ways and become one with him. He was then able to claim him. The stallion’s loyalty to the second young warrior was such that he stuck with the young warrior for a lifetime.
Mr. Yazzi had also told Ian that when the right life partner for him came across his path, he would know it in his heart, in his soul, but not to be too hasty staking his claim. If he was patient with Courtney and coaxed her, perhaps she would trust him and eventually allow him to claim her as his own.
Sitting with her cuddled into his side, he couldn’t help but feel like she was made specifically for him to love. He just had to be patient because she could be skittish and would surely bolt if he rushed things between them.
When her whole body finally relaxed from his ministrations, he said, “In the morning you’ll need to strain the leaves out of the tea and maybe add some sweetener to it. Honey is a natural antibacterial agent, so that’s preferred over sugar. You watched how I made it. It’s pretty easy to do, but if you decide to try again, for another baby I mean, let me know and we’ll change up the recipe to get the
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