Brian tossed another log on the fire and then sat down with Khaat. "How's the pain?" he asked her softly.
"I'm okay," she said. He put his arm around the back of the outdoor loveseat she was seated on, resting his hand on her shoulder. She slid close to him, under his shoulder.
"Go ahead and get comfortable," he smiled. "I won't get up for awhile." She cuddled into his shoulder, her head resting against his neck. "I wonder how many nights we've spent like this," he said gently.
"Not nearly enough to suit me," she said. "Somehow, I'm starting to think I'd like to make my work days a bit shorter so I can come home earlier to you and the girls and maybe have more fires in the firepit than we do. I really liked the nights we did that while I was on maternity leave."
"You mean you're actually thinking of giving up your 18 hour work days?"he laughed. "Well, how long do I have to keep you here in Tuscany before you commit to doing that--for real?"
"Hm...if I stall long enough,..."she laughed,"Maybe I won't decide for a few years." He groaned.
"Oh, I did walk into that one, didn't I?" he groaned. "Ok. Maybe I just need to tell Robert that I forbid you from working more than other human beings."
"Nice try," she said. "He can't stop that either. He's tried."
"But I don't give up. And besides that, I'm better looking than your father anyway."
"Oh really?" she laughed out loud. "Does HE know that?"
"No, And I"m not telling him either," Brian laughed. "That might not be the wisest thing for me to do."
"I dare you," she challenged. He laughed out loud.
"You know I love a challenge, but I refuse to just be plain stupid, Khaat."