Thyme for Love #14

 

Here’s a snippet from my current work in progress, Thyme for Love. Sally and Izzy’s newfound interest in each other reaches a potential stumbling block. Read more here, then come back next week to see if they get this worked out.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘mug’. Return to TUESDAY TALES for more great snippets.

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The alarm sounded far too early for Sally’s liking. After hitting snooze too many times, her alarm threatened to shut off, so she dragged herself out of bed. The dark circles lining her eyes told the story of her restless night.

She groaned. “It’s going to be a looooong day.”

Finally arriving at Crafter’s Cottage, she flipped the sign to open and headed straight back to the coffee pot. The empty mug shook slightly in her hand as she waited for the machine to finish dripping its last drops of mocha salvation.

The morning was slow with few customers. For once Sally was thankful for that. Especially with the mounds of papers consuming the counter for the vendor statements she had to work on. Normally she would have been finished long before lunchtime. Today her mind just wasn’t in gear and concentration was a stranger.

Sally White, she berated herself, get a grip. He’s just a guy. You have a business to run, girl. Stop letting him mess up your mind and interrupt your livelihood. If he calls, he calls. And if he doesn’t, he doesn’t. He’s just a guy.

The lecture to herself didn’t seem to do much good.

She’d find herself staring at an invoice without seeing it. For how long, she didn’t know. Or she’d catch herself gazing out the front window, lost in thought, visions of Izzy and his luscious hair running through her mind. He’s just a guy. Get over it. But the knot in her stomach told another story.

Thyme for Love #13

Sally and Izzy’s newfound interest in each other reaches a potential stumbling block. Read more here, then come back next week to see if they get this worked out. 

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘catch’. Return to TUESDAY TALES for more great snippets.

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“Okay. Another time is fine.” Sally spoke the words as if all was fine. But, something nagged at her about his response. For someone that was so open and honest in his communication, something seemed not quite kosher. He avoided her eyes for the next few minutes. Goodness, they’d only had a few dates. It wasn’t like they owed each other anything. She wondered what she was missing. There was just enough doubt that he was hiding something from her that it cast a cool blanket of water over her lustful thoughts.

Short snippets of conversation were voiced between bites of food. The easy comradery that was always present between the two of them seemed to have dissipated like a mist over the lake.

Sally felt caught in a Catch-22 predicament. She wanted to just come out and ask him more about his plans, to see if this ‘friend’ was truly just that. After all, even at the beginning stages of a relationship as they were, honest communication was vital if it were to go further. She’d learned that lesson long ago. Yet, she didn’t want to pry and have it look like she were insecure and jealous. What to do? What to do?

“You okay?” Izzy asked.

“Perfectly.” Well kind of …

“You seem a little distant right now.”

She debated about how much of her thoughts to share with him. “Ummm, maybe a little. I guess my mind was just wandering.” She laughed. “You know what it’s like being a business owner. Thought seem to invade your mind at odd times, whether you’re in the office or not. Sorry.”

“Don’t I know it. Seems I can never truly escape my fields. I’m always watching the weather, worrying if we’ll get enough rain, or hoping that the grasshoppers don’t consume my crops before I get back.”

“Yeah. We can never just punch out and be done for the day.”

Izzy paused and looked closely at her. “Want to head on back?”

“Maybe that’s a good idea. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day. I have to do all my vendor statements for the month.”

“All righty then.” He stood up and stretched. “I’ll get this packed up and we’ll mosey back towards civilization.”

The ride back was quieter than the trip going to the lake.

Back at Sally’s he retrieved her dish from the ice chest. Catching her hand as she started to walk away, he pulled her back to him, wrapped his arms around her and gave her a peck on top of her head. “I’ll give you a call.”

A to Z Blog Reveal: An April Full of Love

Chrys N. Jay

We’re gearing up for an April full of love … from A to Z.

I’m participating in the BLOGGING FROM A TO Z APRIL CHALLENGE next month, and am working on some new posts to celebrate love. Love has so many facets and nuances as it touches our lives. It’s all not hugs, kisses, and romance. Although we’ll look at those too, we’ll also explore Absence, Brunch (with some delicious recipes of course!), Cures … Infatuation, Old Age Love … Silliness, Ecstasy … all the way to Z. We’ll have a few story snippets here and there too, just to get us all in the mood.

Come join me as we look at the faces of love for 26 posts – all A to Z.

Thyme for Love #12

Sally, a devoted business woman and owner of Crafter’s Cottage, just met an organic farmer interested in being a vendor at the upcoming herb festival. Their meeting to fill out the vendor application turned into a dinner date … and now an outing at the lake. 

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘random’. Return to TUESDAY TALES for more great snippets.

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A stirring in her body told her how much she liked where her mind took her. Delicious thoughts ran through Sally’s mind that had nothing to do with the feast before them. She remembered the way his arms had felt around her. The shiver of anticipation she’d felt when his tongue had …

… “Earth to Sally …”

“Um … I’m sorry. What were you saying? I was lost in thought,” she stammered her flustered reply.

“Are you ready to eat? Steaks are done.”

“Yes I am.” She paused trying to gather her composure. “What … oh, plates.” She fumbled around on the table and grabbed two plates. Handing the chef one, she took a deep breath. “Mmmm, this all smells delicious!”

A pleased smile crossed his face and he placed a juicy sirloin on her plate, followed by two foil packets.

Not much was said as the two consumed the tasty goodies they’d each prepared. Sally looked across the table as Izzy attacked his corn on the cob. Melted butter dripped down his chin. She was overcome with a sudden urge to lick the butter off his chin. Thankfully she was sitting too far away so she wouldn’t make a fool of herself. All of her senses were tingling with the random pictures that ran through her head.

Then, she heard her grandma speaking in the back of her mind. Yore mind’s in the gutter, gal. She giggled.

Izzy glanced at her curiously.

“Just enjoying the moment,” she said. She sure wasn’t going to admit to this handsome man that filled her with lustful desires that she’d just thought of her grandma.

Maybe she’d cook the next meal. At her place. Where they’d be inside and out of sight of prying eyes. “So, I was thinking, maybe I’d give you a taste of my cooking next time. Are you free next weekend?”

“I’d love that! But, not next weekend. I’ve got to run down to Austin.” He looked down at his plate as he continued. “I promised … a friend … that I’d help them … with something.”

Thyme for Love #11

Sally, a devoted business woman and owner of Crafter’s Cottage, just met an organic farmer interested in being a vendor at the upcoming herb festival. Their meeting to fill out the vendor application turned into a dinner date … and now an outing at the lake. 

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘stairs’. Return to TUESDAY TALES for more great snippets.

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The two stood in the grassy edge of the glistening lake, oblivious to anything else except each other’s touch. Sally felt the heat from Izzy’s chest warming her through her cotton tank top. Her fingers slipped up into the hair flowing around his neck. Their soft kiss intensified, neither one wanting to break away. His tongue slid between her lips, gently exploring. A quiet moan echoed in Sally’s throat and heat raced from head to her belly.

Izzy pulled his head back first. He encased her in his arms, cradling her head up against his shoulder. “Woman,” he growled. “What you do to me. “Let’s get back to those coals before I get ideas I shouldn’t be having here on this open shoreline.”

Sally’s mouth opened. No words came out. She just wanted to dissolve into his arms and never leave, like a spineless amoebae, unable to speak, only feel. The capacity to speak finally returned. She tipped her head up and looked into his eyes. “Oh, I don’t think those ideas are any I haven’t had myself.”

“Then I think we have more to talk about later,” he chuckled. Arm around her waist he guided her back towards the picnic area.

Neither spoke again, lost in the presence of each other. Until Sally stopped mid stride. She swiveled her head from side to side and looked from one horizon to the other. “Where are the stairs?”

“Stairs? At the lake? What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t we just step onto the ‘Stairway to Heaven’?”

Hearty laughter burst from Izzy. He wrapped her up in another hug. “A Zepplin fan! You are a girl after my own heart.”

A warm glow surrounded Sally, finding pleasure in their shared humor and laughter. And a common liking of this great classic band. It doesn’t get much better than this, she mused.

A bed of glowing embers, covered with a frosty white glaze, greeted them when they returned. Izzy busied himself with lunch preparations.

Sally peeked over his shoulder as he dropped two foil covered packets on the grill. “What are those?”

“One has corn on the cob in it. With some butter and a few sprinkles of my own rosemary and thyme. The other has some veggies in it. I think I chopped up zucchini, onions and a red pepper. All mine too, of course.”

“Mmmmm,” Sally replied. She rubbed her stomach in anticipation. She watched as Izzy wielded his tongs and dropped two cuts of meat next to the side dishes. “Look at those steaks! I’ll never be able to finish mine.”

Izzy gave her a wink. “I’ll bet you’ll be able to hold your own.”

Sally quickly bent over the ice chest to hide the blush in her cheeks. She stood upright, brandishing her bowl with a flourish. “Ta da! My job is done. I think I got the easy end of this deal.”

“Yeah, leaving the hard part up to me. That’s all right.” He sent another wink in her direction. With a sassy smile in place he told her, “I know I’ll have the ‘hard’ part of the job covered.”

 

Thyme for Love #10

 

Sally, a devoted business woman and owner of Crafter’s Cottage, just met an organic farmer interested in being a vendor at the upcoming herb festival. Their meeting to fill out the vendor application turned into a dinner date … and now an outing at the lake.

This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘address’. Return to TUESDAY TALES for more great snippets.

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The drive up I-35 to Ray Roberts Lake went by without either passenger noticing. The windows were down and a warm breeze blew through the truck’s cab. Sally learned more about herbs, farming and growing seasons than she’d thought she’d ever hear. Izzy in turn asked about her business and how it was to deal with so many vendors – all with different personalities and work ethics.

Sally had to admit to herself, silently as she didn’t dare voice her thoughts to Izzy, that she’d initially misjudged him. With his longish hair and easy going charm, she’d first thought that he probably didn’t like to work that hard. Hearing him talk about his business, she discovered that he was just as intense and driven about creating a successful enterprise as she was. His laid back energy was a contrast to her go-go-go style. Yet, they had common goals in mind and they both worked long hours to address what was needed to make them happen.

Sally tucked a loose, blowing strand of hair behind her ear. “This is nice. Today. I think I’ve needed this. Lately it’s all been work, work, work. Especially with the herb festival gearing up.”

“Why’d you take on the extra work? You could have said no.”

“They didn’t ask me. I volunteered. I thought it was a good opportunity for our little town to put on a significant festival and draw large numbers of visitors to Oak Grove Square.”

“I’m excited too. There’s lots of small farmers markets around this time of year. But not one specifically geared towards herbs, which is the largest portion of my growing.” Izzy grinned. “Besides, I think I got the best end of the deal.”

“How’s that?” Sally had a puzzled look on her face. They hadn’t even had the festival yet.

He glanced sideways in her direction. “Look who I’m escorting to the lake for the day. I met the gorgeous herb festival organizer through this.”

A red flush crept up Sally’s cheeks. She stammered and mumbled, not quite sure what to say in reply.

Luckily, the truck slowed and turned right, headed towards the cove ahead of them. The overgrown dirt road took Izzy’s concentration to avoid ruts and bumps, disrupting the conversation.

As they neared the water, he slowly turned into a space where a lone, and slightly decrepit picnic table sat under the shade of a towering pine tree. Izzy jumped out and hurried around the front to help Sally. He put his hands on her waist and lifted her down to the ground. They stood together, neither one wanting to move from the closeness of the other. The looked into each other’s eyes as if frozen in time. Sally felt a warmth coursing through her veins, anticipating a kiss. Izzy tipped his head closer … as a chattering squirrel dashed down the pine’s trunk and over to the picnic bench, where he stood berating the humans invading his space.

They both broke into laughter. Izzy gently stroked the side of her face. “Foiled by a squirrel. Darn wildlife.” With that he stepped away and started unloading the ice chest and other picnic supplies.

He filled the BBQ base with coals and soaked them with starter fluid. As Sally stood by, watching him in manly bar-b-que action, he waited a minute, then dropped a lit match onto the mound. Watching the onyx chunks flare into flame, he waited until they died down to a soft ember glow. “Want to take a walk around the cove while they heat up?”

“Sure! It’s so peaceful here you may not get me to leave.”

Holding out a hand, she slipped her hand into his and they stepped away towards the lake. They’d barely made it to the shoreline when Izzy stopped and turned towards her. He put his hands on her waist and a soft groan escaped his lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck. As their lips met, they fused into a heated unit, unconscious of the blue skies, lapping water or chattering squirrels surrounding them.