Tuscany Trip

Khaat had finally cried herself into a light sleep, and Brian had been glad to see she was trying to let go of Rob. Having her hang onto a man who didn't care about her really wasn't good for her. He wanted her to find a man she could be happy with. Sure he'd miss the girls, but maybe Khaat would let him to go being Uncle Brian.

He stayed with her awhile, just holding her. Then he rose and got up, and went to his room. He found Khaat had put away the sightseeing brochures in his bag. Clearly she had given up on their going to Venice. He didn't know why, but she had put it out of her mind. Well, he hadn't given up quite so easily. If she wanted to go to Venice, they would go. If she wanted to buy Venice, somehow he would find a way. He got the brochures out again, and, leaving her door open so he could see in from his room across the hall, he sat on his bed, sprawling the brochures all over the bed and began to plan out a couple of days in Venice for them. He planned on surprising her with it. They didn't have much time left in Italy, and he wanted to be sure that she had good memories of it. He put into motion ideas for getting there, where to stay, what to see, where to go to eat, all of it. It promised to be a wonderful trip. At the slightest hint of being disturbed by anyone, he swept the brochures off the bed and hid them. He didn't want anyone to know what he had planned. No one.

Ronata shivered at the now cool air around them she moved way from him "ok I think we should go inside its getting cold out" she said moving back in. She had never felt the cold before but the thin top she wore left little covered.

Steven moved inside with her his hand holding hers he smiled seeing the ring still on her finger "so when do you think we could set a date ?" he asked seeing her turn to face him and give a sigh.

"Steven I told you already , once this is all settled and over then I will think about the date but not right now" she said letting go of his hand to move to the kitchen she set the percolator to brew fresh coffee for every one knowing sooner or later Brian or Khaat would want a cup.

Khaat woke, feeling less achy. She felt bettter. She was a little surprised to see Brian had let her sleep alone. She rose and found him in his room, hastily hiding something. She just laughed.

"Its a surprise," he told her.

"Okay. That's fine by me. "

"But you stay out of my room now," He eyed her. "Go get a book or something. I'm going to put dinner together. Go find something to do." She laughed as he shooed her out of his bedroom and shut the door. She found a mystery novel she had bought a couple of years ago and had not had time to read. He took her downstairs with him and found her a place on the terrace in the sun.

He made a fire in the firepit, and put a large flat grilling grate over the fire in order for it to get really hot. Then he went into the kitchen and prepared some top notch salmon fillets and mariated them in a lime marinade. He fixed a number of vegetables on some steel skewers and prepared them so that there was plenty. He took it all outside and put the vegetable skewers on the hot grill. He wasn't going to add the fish until the last minute.

Ronata heard voices and looked up as Brian move past her to the kitchen she moved to watch him prepare lunch watching his every move so she could use it when she got home. She smiled as she saw Khaat sitting reading as she took a carrot and ate it a she moved back to Steven "good book?" she asked it had been the first time she had spoken since Khaat's attack in the dress shop.

"I don't know. I bought this book at least 2 years ago and I just haven't had time to read it. It looked good. Its about a chef who gets involved in a murder mystery. Do you like to read? My father reads incessantly. He had a four floor library in his farmhouse. It started out as a small study, and now its grown from there to the basement, to the second floor, and up into the attic. He has thousands and thousands of books--on every subject. Its a wonderful place to go curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book. Its one of my favorite rooms in their house, really.

Ronata smiled as she heard Khaat talking about the book "I use to read mysterys , I'd go out to the woods behind the house and it in a tree for hours just reading , till my mom called me back for supper " she said and smiled "as I grew up I guess it just got left behind " she moved to lean against steven who put his arm around her , Ronata looked at Khaat as he spoke again "would you like a coffee , fresh made?" she said sitting back up of him.

steven chuckled and looked at Khaat "she's trying to impress" he said grining as Ronata turrned to face him with alook of a scowl. but he just chuckled and stood up "hey its ok to impress but not when you have done nothing wrong." he moved past her to the kitchen poring himself a coffee and one for Khaat.

"thanks, Steven," she said. The coffee smelled good. She watched Brian come in and he headed for the kitchen. He began to work on some sort of dessert. It made her smile. He was doing something with fresh berries. Khaat decided he was just going to leave him to it.

"I want to build up my tan while I"m here again. I think its suffering a bit. And I do need to start working about a bit more. I dont want to go soft from not doing anything. I'm trying to get Brian to spar with me a bit, maybe exercise some with me. He's a bit hesitant. But I think if I aggravate him enough, he'll start working out with me a bit."

Steven smiled as he sipped his own coffee "sounds goo might join ya, .my musles have been feeling a bit stiff latly" he said roling his arm abck , he feltr Ronata place her hands on hsi shoulder s and begin to rub them gently "ow thats good but save it for after the work outs , thats when they will be put to better use " he said taking her hand in his.

Ronata chuckled 2sure , she watched Brian out side and decide to take a quick look at what he was up too. Walking from the living room she moved out side to teh fire pit "need any help?" she asked looking at the samon sat by the hot grill he stood beside "looks intresting ?" she said a light bresse caught her and she looked up and out across the sea smiling as it felt fresh against her skin. she turned to fdace Brian "you know stevens getting abit slow latly I was wondering if he and you couls spare some time maybe, you know get him back in shape , I would but ... right now I can't " she looked at Steven "boss's orders " she said chuckaling.

"He's not your boss," Brian said. "I am. He's your boyfriend. He might have some ideas about what he does or does not want you to do. But he's not your employer or a healer either one. When it comes to work, you don't take your orders from him. You take them from me or Robert. Or from Khaat if you're at Sparks. And if he overprotects you too much you won't have the strength built up that you need at delivery. You need to stay in shape as much as possible. Working out would be good for all of us, most likely. How are you at running or jogging? That might be a good place to start. And Khaat and I love to run. She and I try to run at least 3 times a week, usually more. She's missed running for a week or two, and I don't want her to get rusty at it and lose muscle tone. Are either of you interested in running with us after dinner?"

Ronata smiled " yes sir , and I so told him that earlier. " she said "a good run sounds great, just the thing to losen up the muscles " she said smiling " and tighten up others, I use to horse ride back on my mothers farm, one would make me chase her before she would let me ride , I think she though it was doing me good, I also swim too but not very well at it, you saw that back at your house, I was getting better though. " she said but pulled her self back "I'll get fresh towels to put down in the basement buy the gym equipment " she said and moved back inside and past Khaat she nodded then moved to a storage cupboard taking down several towels she smiled " Im going to run after lunch. time I got back in shape " she said looking at Steven she could see he was not happy but she just shook ehr head walking down to teh machines , standing at one she slipped of ehr boots and steped up , turning it on she gently walked it feeling that this was a good thing. Quickly she turned it off had walked back up stairs bots in hand