Tuscany Trip

"You sure you're up to it?" Brian asked Khaat, looking closely into her eyes. She looked better, he had to admit.

"I'm fine. They may be on a second honeymoon, but you promised me 5 star royalty. Start bringing it," she looked at him.

"Oh, and the finest hotel suite in Venice doesn't qualify?"

"Not when I've been captive here for days. A gilded cage is still a cage, Brian."

"Ok," he laughed. "You win. But stay close."

"As I recall, it was you who left me," she reprimanded.

"Touche. Okay. We won't get separated. Deal?"

"Deal."

He took them out and they caught a water taxi to the shopping district. He did not want to do a gondola ride. Not yet. That was better at night, he thought. He thought perhaps some shopping and sightseeing first. He took them first into a glass shop where they sold gorgeous pieces of the finest glass in all of Italy. Khaat was delighted at all the beautiful pieces. She decided to buy a couple of glass sculptures in multicolors. She liked them a lot. And then she saw a piece that she knew her mother would be thrilled with. In warm shades of oranges and yellows and reds. To her surprise, as she looked at it closer, it actually was a ceiling light fixture. She bought it for her mother. Brian arranged for their purchases to be delivered to the hotel.

Jessica grinned as she moved beside Khaat looking at all the glass things she cuckled "if my kids were her they woulds claer all this in heart beat " she said jack laughed "ow yeap " he said he stood beside Jessica he saw a small figurie and picked it up , moving to teh counter he wuickly paid for it adn arganeged for it to be delivered to teh hotel with Khaats things he kept his eyes pined on both khaat and jessica as he moved his wearwolf senses always alert to any sounds around them.

Jesica stood with Khaat and cuckled "actually our first was cut shourt , can't remeber why but it was, I intend to make sure he will not cut this short " she chuckled as she looked around the shop with her eyes never leaving Khaat side 2so , tell me abit more about this woman who sems to have takeing alikeing to you?"she asked.

"My father seems to know her rather well, but he's not talking," Khaat frowned. "Brian said Daddy let it slip that her name is Tasha. But I dont' know much more than that. Except that Daddy has encountered her in the past and she's petrified of him for some odd reason. I do know she was wounded badly enough in our last encounter with her that I believed it would slow her down for a bit. But apparently not. Daddy said she is a paid assassin who never quits until her job is done. Daddy must be trying to get her contract cancelled. That's all I can figure, but he won't let me go back to England until he gets her out of the picture. I'm not sure why. Clearly, I am in as much danger here as I would be at home, but he's not talking about that either except to ask me to be patient for awhile longer. It's getting tough. As i said, I really miss Abbey--a lot. It's like leaving half of me behind."

Jessica smiled "I can understand that feeling , and you father , hes told you nothing more " she said hoping to understand the mission more from what she had ben told" ok its going to be doifficult but your dad has his reasons , I hope" she said as jack walked up to them sliping his arms around jessica.

"you two ok ?" he asked glancing to Brian and then khaat "nothing at the moment but thres nothing to say things would change " he said softly to any one glancing it would see as if he was talking softly to his wife but he was talking to both Khaat and Brain "I'll keep my senses keen for anything unushuall "he kissed her neck and took her had "so where too now my laidies of lesure?"

"I know just the place," Brian smiled. "We need another water taxi. Shall we?"

He led everyone to a water taxi and took them to Lido, where one of the finest beaches in the world awaited them. Lido was an island not far from Venice, and the community was picture perfect. Just what he knew people thought an Italian village might be. The village was crowded, but not as crowded as the beach. And he thought that perhaps they might want to spend some time on the beach. He led them to a swimsuit shop. "Beachwear anyone?"

Khaat perused the racks and found a pink suit she really liked. "Jess? What about this one?" she asked. "It has a matching sarong. And I saw a whole rack of rather fancy flipflops when I came in. I'm sure I can find something. "

jess smiled as she looked at the swimsuit Khaat held up "perfect for you , im going with a black one" she said holding up a two peice and matching sarong "Im not so proud of my body after three kids and two births" she chuckled .

Jack moved behind her "as far as im concerned its perfect" he said glancing at Brian and Khaat his mind aways switched on and ready for work "Im glad the beach is not too crouded but khaat stick clse to Brain and same for you jessica I don't want her to do to you waht she did to poor ronata" he felt jessica laughed " jack I am no delicate flower and certaly am not pregnant" she sai swating his arm to prove it "now mister your trunks go, find" she said pushing him to a rack of mens trunks.

Khaat motioned for Brian to come along with her. She went to a rack of men's trunks, knowing what he traditionally preferred. She found a pair of modest light blue trunks that she knew would show off his tan well. "Go," she ordered. "Try those."

"I can't leave you alone," he frowned.

"I'm not. I have Jess and Jack with me. Go. Now." She shoved him into a dressing room area. While he was gone, she found a thin white cotton shirt as a cover up and a pair of printed blue and white flipflops that matched the trunks. She knew he would look very, very sexy. And she was hoping he might meet some gorgeous Italian beauty that would sweep his heart away. Brian needed love in his life, and Khaat was hoping to, more or less, push him into it.

"He so needs a girlfriend," Khaat said. "The man needs to lose his fear that he'll never find a woman who is strong enough to share his dangerous life with him. He deserves a gorgeous woman with an even more beautiful heart. Maybe we'll find one at the beach for him. Don't you tell him I'm matchmaking for him, Jess."

jessica laughed 2ow don't worry about that " she said grinning and turning to Jack"he might be your boss but you dare say anything you'll have you wife to deal with " she said with a sturn look .

Jack shook his head "ah , don't want that don't worry Khaat thats between you and him, though I thought....never mind" he said chukaling to himself as he showed her a pair of black swim trunks "these for me I think" he said and Jess smiled at them.

Brian came back out with the blue trunks in hand. "They're fine," he said.

"Good," Khaat smiled. She found herself a pair of beaded pink flipflops and took the matching sarong to use as a coverup. "Jess? Do you want to try your suit on?" she asked.

She went over and began looking at the sunscreen, knowing they would all need some if they were going to be out on the sun. She chose a bottle and picked four extra large beach towels in four distinctly different solid colors--green, blue, orange, and yellow. That ought to work. They didn't have a lot of colors in the extra large ones, but Khaat preferred them because of the extra width and length. She selected a beachbag for their things. One bag was large enough to hold the belongings of a bunch of wizards. Her eyes were caught by a pair of beach umbrellas. If the sun got to be too much, a pair of umbrellas might be a welcome shield. "Hm. I wonder if I ought to get us a pair of these. What do you think?"

Jess shook her head "nope i know it will fit" she said handing it to Jack "be a good boy and pay" she grined as he walked to the counter she waled over to Khaat "ow that one , the cream one with the tassles looks good, it will keep away any flies and keep the sun of us" she said pulling it from the holder. "HAY JACK, THIS TOO!!" She yelled as she handed him it smiling at him.

"He such a dear , sexy in a swim suit too , humm, gonna have to watch other woman around him" she laughed softly "he knows who he goes home with" she glanced back to him.