It was really difficult to focus as she worked in the kitchen with Rory beside her. She’d given him the task of making the salad while she prepared the honey bourbon–glazed salmon and vegetables.

It was strange how well they worked together. They sat out on the back patio and watched the rain turn to sleet once more as they ate.

“I can’t wait for the snow at the end of the week,” she said, sighing. “I love this time of year. The holidays are just around the corner.”

“What do you do to celebrate?”

“Oh, the usual.” She tucked her feet underneath her and held onto a mug of hot tea.

“I mean… do you usually go to church services?”

She glanced over at him. “Is this your way of asking what my religion is?”

He shrugged. “For a woman who runs a… the kind of store you do, but lives in the kind of house you do…”

She watched his face turn a little pink and smiled.

“I’m a lapsed Catholic.” She tilted her head and looked at him. “You?”

“Same.” He looked out to the dark yard. “You read tarot cards and I noticed star charts. How’d you get into all that?”

It was a question she had been asked many times over the years. She could answer without thinking. “After Johnathan died, I went searching for answers.”

“You found them in all that?”

“No, but I did find something else.”

“What?” he asked, shifting towards her.

“Peace of mind. When some of the questions I was asking had simple answers I couldn’t see without being shown, I realized the answers aren’t in cards or charts.”

“Then… why use them?”

She shifted slightly and set her mug down. “Sometimes, answers are in front of you, but you don’t notice them until someone points them out for you. Cards, charts, readings, that’s a different way of stating the obvious.”

She could tell he was thinking about it. “So, in a sense, you’re doing an inward search?”

“Exactly. Using whatever tools I can to search deeper within. Everyone has these methods. Some use meditation, some flip coins. I use cards and charts.” She shrugged. “What about you?”

He looked a little shocked at first, then thoughtful. “I suppose, I don’t really have time to look inward much.”

“How do you make decisions?” she asked.

“I weigh the pros and cons. Then make a choice.”

“So, the pros of coming up here…”

“It’s a paying job and a mini vacation to somewhere I’ve wanted to visit.”

“You like traveling,” she stated.

“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed. You?”

“I’ve never really been out of Maine.”

“Seriously?” He sat up and looked at her, and she shrugged. “Why not?”

“There’s never been a reason to go out of state.”

“But you mentioned you’d always wanted to go to Machu Picchu.”

“Sure, there and a few other places. But I have my store, my daughter, and now my granddaughter.” She smiled and glanced down at her phone. She was scheduled to Skype with Serenity and Aurora later tonight.

“If you don’t take time for yourself, how do you relax?” he asked.

“Yoga.” She smiled. “I have my friends, I go out.” she shrugged. “Sex is always a wonderful release.”

His eyebrows rose slightly.

“I’d agree, but in a town this size… you must have difficulty finding a willing partner.” He glanced around.

“Not as much as I’d wager you have.” She smiled. “Women have it easier, I think.”

“In that area, we can agree.” He frowned into his teacup. “It’s been almost six months since I went out on a date. Of course, work has kept me busy.”

“Almost seven months for me. Talk about pent-up sexual frustration.” He chuckled. She raised her eyebrows. “You feel it too. I gave you a massage this morning, remember?”

“How could I forget.” He rolled his shoulders. “I already want another one.” He stopped and looked at her. “How do you do it? Staying so active every day? I’ve been here one full day and I’m exhausted.”

“Good, maybe you’ll get a better night’s sleep.”

He stopped and narrowed his eyes at her. “You’ll have to tell me how you do that.”

“Simple, I notice things that others don’t.” She stood up. “I’m heading up.” She reached to take the plates, but he stopped her.

“I’ve got these.” He stood and gathered everything. “It’s the least I can do after the massage this morning.”

“Thank you.” She picked up her phone and followed him back into the kitchen. “If you need anything…”

“I won’t. Goodnight.”

“Night.” She made her way up the stairs towards her rooms.

The entire third floor of the house had been her space for years. A thick wood door blocked the narrow staircase off from the rest of the house. There was an outside entrance that led to the gardens that she only used when she had guests and wanted her privacy.

One of the first things she’d done with the help of an eight-year-old Serenity was paint each of their rooms. Serenity had picked purple walls at first, but during her school years had changed them to taupes and creams to match her desire to fit in.

Crystal’s rooms had remained the same colors since that first summer they lived on the third floor together.

Each wall was a different bright color. There was even a set of colorful handprints in the corner, Serenity’s small handprint next to her own from so many years ago.

She’d kept the beads that Serenity had picked out hanging from her four-poster bed, but had tied them up to each post years ago so she didn’t have to struggle with them each time she got in and out of bed.

She’d taken up painting years ago and had canvases scattered about. Most of her favorite work hung on the walls, bringing more color to the space.

She’d replaced the old furniture her parents had given her with her own style years ago. Currently, there was a large purple sofa against one wall, while a bright blue desk sat on another. The only original piece besides the bedframe was the dresser, which she’d sanded and painted a brilliant red.

Even her bathroom had brightly colored towels and items. She’d thought about redecorating several times, but always changed her mind when she looked in the corner at the handprints. She wanted to add Aurora’s to the mix when she was a little older.

After showering, she crawled into her bed and called her daughter.

“Hi, Mom.” Serenity’s smiling face filled the screen. Less than a year ago, her daughter called her Crystal, instead of Mom or Mother. But since they had become closer, she enjoyed hearing the use of her given name disappear between them.

“Hi, did you have a good day?” She settled back on the pillow.

“Yes, Aurora’s decided scooting isn’t fast enough for her.” She chuckled. “She’s actually rolling across the floor now.”

Crystal smiled. “Is she asleep?”

“No, she’s wide awake.” The screen moved and Crystal’s eyes teared up as she watched her granddaughter try to move around on the floor. “She took a nap earlier and I fear she won’t go down for a few more hours.”

“Is Ben there?”

“He’s taking a shower.” The screen moved and her daughter’s face filled the screen again. “I don’t know how you did this all by yourself.” She sighed and closed her eyes as she leaned back on the pillow. “Sometimes I just have to close my eyes, but Aurora has other plans. Ben’s always there to cover for me.”

“You’re lucky.” She rolled slightly and set the phone on the pillow.

Serenity’s eyes opened and a slow smile filled her lips. “So, Rory seems nice.”

“Yes.” She smiled. “Very nice.”

“Ben was telling me some of his past.”

“And?” She sat up a little.

“He was engaged once.”

“He was?” She sat all the way up. “What happened?”

“Apparently, the woman decided she would be better off with someone with more money.”

“He’s better off without her.”

“Broke his heart. After that, he only dated empty-headed women. Or so Ben says.”

“Really?”

“One actually thought he’d take over all her bills.”

Crystal’s eyebrows rose. “Stupid.”

“I agree. Then there was a woman who tried to move in with him after one date. He later found out she was being evicted because she had bought a new car instead of paying her rent.”

Crystal shook her head. “Some people. Not that I haven’t had my own dating problems.”

“Like Joe.” Serenity laughed.

“What was…” She dropped off and sighed. “Yeah, like Joe.”

They laughed together, and she spent almost an hour chatting with both Serenity and Aurora before she shut her phone off and crawled into bed.

The fact that her dreams were filled with Rory’s body parts touching hers only meant that she’d ignored her body and its desires for too long.

Something she planned to rectify soon.

* * *

The next morning Rory woke completely refreshed. He didn’t know if it was the clean eating, the peppermint and lavender essential oil he’d put in the small mister next to his bed, or the fact that he’d dreamed about Crystal’s hands running all over him. Whatever it was, he felt better than he had in a long time.

He even took half an hour before showering to do pushups, sit-ups, and some crunches.

Instead of heading to the office down the hallway, he decided to make his way downstairs. He didn’t have a lot of time to explore the house while Crystal was there, but since he knew she’d be at her morning yoga class, he determined it was a perfect time to look around.

He opened each door on the second floor and was impressed with the four guest rooms and the bathrooms at the end of the halls.

He guessed that a thick door that hid a staircase behind it lead up to her rooms, which he avoided. Still, he was curious to know more about the space.

He made his way downstairs and explored the large library, dining rooms, living rooms, and office space.

He took his laptop out to the patio area and started working. He’d ordered the cable he needed last night so he could connect her hard drive to his laptop. He’d paid for expedited shipping and the cable was due to arrive tomorrow sometime at the shop.

He answered emails, made calls, and worked on a few other client’s accounts until his head ached. His phone rang, and he groaned when the senator’s number popped up on the screen.

“Clark,” he answered. They had been on a first name basis for the past five years. “How’s it going?” Clark Beranger had been a senator from Massachusetts for the past term. He was about ten years older than Rory, yet easily looked three times older.

“Not good, Rory, not at all.” Clark sounded angry.

“What’s up?” He cleared his computer screen and started taking notes. First, he marked the date and time, then he waited.

“Jamie is leaving me.” He sighed. “She’s hired a lawyer, one of the best damn ones my money can buy her.”

“I’m sorry to hear—”

“You’ve got to do something. Tell me you’ve done as I asked.”

Rory was silent.

“Tell me you’ve… secured my accounts.”

The senator had asked Rory to hide or lose a few of his foreign accounts. Rory had declined the offer.

“As I said in my email…”

“Damn it!” He heard something slam. “I thought we were friends.”

Rory held in a laugh. “This is business. I could lose my license, my business, my clients’ respect. Not to mention, I could end up in jail. I’m sorry Clark…” The phone went dead and Rory sighed and looked down at his phone screen.

He stewed over the conversation until he got hungry, then he went into the kitchen and found a fresh batch of banana nut muffins. He nibbled on one as he drank some more of that tea she was always making him. He had to admit, the stuff was growing on him.

Even the kidney pain he’d been having for the past few weeks had eased up. Course, the lower stress level when he was focused on one job always made things seem easier, but working in a place this laid back helped even more.

He heard Crystal return from her yoga class and expected her to head upstairs. Instead, she walked into the patio area, and he felt his pants tighten instantly.

Her body should be on the cover of magazines. Once again, the yoga outfit fit like a glove and there was a light layer of sweat that made her skin glisten.

“Morning,” she said, her breath a little hitched. “I see you found the muffins I made.”

He nodded, since he didn’t trust his voice. Once his eyes stopped taking in every curve, every inch of her, he cleared his throat. “How was your class?”

She surprised him by sitting across from him. “It was fine. You should come with me tomorrow. We can show up early, and I can show you a few moves.”

He thought about being alone with her in a room as she bent her body in some of those yoga moves he’d seen on TV and felt his body react immediately.

“Maybe next time. I have a few credit card options for you to look over today. We can—”

She stopped him by holding a hand up. “After I shower.” She tilted her head and looked at him. “You look better today.”

“I slept better. I think the massage helped.”

“Healthy eating as well. I don’t tell most people, because most would freak out and then not enjoy it, but everything I’ve served you so far has been vegetarian.”

“Ben warned me.” He smiled. “Hence the sandwich yesterday.”

She nodded. “I should’ve known.”

“Don’t blame him, he’s a good friend.”

She waved her hand. “Oh, I don’t.” She got up and rolled her shoulders. “If you want, there is oatmeal, yogurt, or toast. I shouldn’t be long, but if you’re hungry…”

“Thanks, the muffin did the trick. I’ll wait for you if I want more.” He finished his tea and set the mug down as she walked from the room.

The woman sure had a way of walking away. Then again, she looked good coming or going.

He stood up and decided a small stroll through the garden in the back would cool him off. He opened the door and smiled at the clear sky and fresh air. He knew there was supposed to be more snow coming, he could feel it in the air, but today, right now, it was perfect weather.

After less than five minutes walking around the massive backyard, he had to admit, the woman knew how to garden. Most of the flowers were covered or dead after the snowstorms they had already seen this year, but he could imagine what the garden would look like in full bloom.

There were three small fountains. One fountain had a statue of a small boy riding a creature that looked like a cross between a dolphin and a mermaid.

There was a large statue in the center of the yard, and he made his way towards it slowly on the stone pathway that cut through the bushes and grass. Off to the side there was a small pale blue building, and he made his way over to it. On one side was a large covered patio area with chairs and a table. He imagined that the vines that hung overhead would bloom with flowers come spring, blanketing the area and shielding it from the sun. It would be a beautiful spot to sit and read on a summer evening.

He tried the door of the building and frowned when he found it unlocked. Stepping inside, he flipped the light switch on and held in a gasp when he saw a fully functional art studio. The room was around twenty by twenty, and it was almost completely filled. A large comfortable white sofa sat under large windows on the back wall that let natural light into the space.

More than four dozen brightly colored canvases leaned against the walls. Every single one spiked his interest, giving him a deeper look into Crystal’s mind. The colors and shapes were mesmerizing even though they were of nothing in particular. Each painting drew him further into her psyche. Time and place were lost as he felt his entire body surrender to the beauty of her work.

“Do you like them?” Crystal asked from the doorway.

He turned towards her. She was dressed in bright blue leggings with a long flowing cream top over a tight matching blue tank top. Her hair was still wet, but she’d tied it up away from her face with a deep purple bandana. She had matching blue earrings and a necklace that lay between her perfect breasts.

She looked as good as her paintings. He’d never wanted anyone as badly as he wanted her at that moment.