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Thank you for caring for my hand,” she said. “Of course.” She stopped and turned into the sunlight, her dark hair glowing with touches of deep red. “And I will find a way to make up for the damages Nathaniel, I promise.” “Aye, you must.” As if pulled by an ethereal rope, he moved closer. “And I know exactly how you will do it.” “Do you?” Her large eyes blinked and her voice whispered of unspoken wishes. “How... how is that?” Negligent of the warning that rang in his ears, he moved another step closer as the urge to pull her near made his hands ache. His eyes grazed her lips as he kissed her already in his mind. Fool! What are you thinking? Blinking, he retraced the conversation to find his place. He cleared his throat. “I will be at supper tomorrow and I request a dish of your delectable carrot pudding.” Her eyes danced as the sun kissed her face and her exhaled breath almost sang of relief. “’Tis not the season for carrots, you know that.” A sweet feminine laugh floated around his shoulders, beckoning him another step closer until their shoes nearly touched. She blinked again and continued though her words came slow and measured. “But, I shall try to find something I can make that will be equally enticing.” She paused and swallowed, her voice airy. “Will you require more in payment?” “To be honest, there is more.” She stalled. “There is?” A kiss. Once again his vision narrowed on her mouth. But before writing a passage in the story of his life he would most certainly regret, he pushed that persistent thought away and kept his expression blank, knowing she would detect the jesting lilt in his voice. “I expect you to make carrot pudding every time I come to supper, when carrots are plentiful, and deliver my mending every Saturday.
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