Tal chuckles and nods. "I'm sure. If I stay, Eli would kick me out anyway, and probably for good reason." He bites his lip. "You have no idea how irresistible you are, do you?"
Giving her a last kiss on the lips, he pulls himself up, forcing Ryan off to the side, though he still pulls her in for a warm hug. "Thanks for the evening. I'll talk with you tomorrow."
"Huh?" Eli lifts his head and smacks his lips, looking around with half-open eyes.
"Nothing," Tal answers. "Go back to lala land."
"Right." Eli blinks and settles back into his comfy chair again, not making anyone quite sure if he was really awake or not.
Tal stifles a laugh. "No wonder Scarlet's out of town, if this is all that's back here."
Reese laughs and starts forward in the sand, keeping Angelica's hand in his. "I haven't done this in years," he admits. "Maybe all this stress at work lately has taught me that I need to step back. When I keep busy but it doesn't overwhelm me, I don't take time for peace and quiet. Only when I start sinking do I remember that these are the moments I would regret not having."
Stopping nearer the water, his toes sink into wet sand and he grins as the lapping water comes up just far enough to wash over his feet and dampen the hem of his jeans. "I think you're right about the younger part," he agrees. "You're gonna have to help me remember this so I don't forget so soon again."
Zach was kind of glad to hear that Beth was in a similar boat as he. He couldn't help but think perhaps God knew what He was doing. Zach knew nothing about where Beth's spiritual life was, but that didn't mean God wouldn't be involved. Maybe He was just giving them both a chance at making new friendships - something they both, apparently, wanted.
Letting Beth stand, Zach opts to stay for a little while longer. If he went home now, he might conk out and never get to work on time.
"Sounds like a plan. Friday. Brookshire. Eleven o'clock." He pats his pocket. "And I got your number if anything changes."
2/16/12
Teenagers
"Poor Holly, sometimes tells me she might be enjoying the time along with the pups."
Ryan couldn't help the smile that spread across her face though in her eyes she was a bit sad that Tal had to leave for the night. She was comfortable and could stay like this for a while longer. Just listing to his heart beat. It was rythimatic, and had a nice lullaby.
"Are you sure you have to go?"
Her own heart beat seemed to match Tal's as she continued to lay on him. Comapired to all her other relationships this one almost felt, real. It was soft, but thrilling, and there was just something special about it. Ryan wasnt sure what but it made the whole thing a lot more worth while.
Ashlee nods taking everything in, holding and turning the bit trying to picture it all in her mind. It made sence how it worked, and how the horse reacted to it. She never new that before though and was happy to now. She really did appreciate Eric showing her.
Watching as Reese threw his phone into the trunk and than shut it Angelica raises an eyebrow. It was odd of him to do that but she wouldn't complain. Maybe he just...didn't want to be bothered right now with everything and have a nice time.
Walking hang in hang with Reese today was one of the days Angelica was happy she had a skirt on. Nothing to get dirty and leave traces of what they had been up too. Looking out at the water she gives a small sigh and the smile stays on her face. It was warm, but not to warm and the small breeze felt good.
Catching his eye Angelica wonders for a moment what was going through his head. Seeing him bend down and take his shows and shocks off she can't help but laugh a little. It almost like they were high school kids skipping class. In a way it felt nice, and made her feel young again. Not taking another second to think about it Angelica slips her heels off and bury her feet right next to Reeses. Looking to him again a twinkle forms in her eyes. This was turning out to be a good day.
"We are definitly going to have to do this more. It's....really nice and makes me feel young. I kind of don't want this day to end."
"How about we wing it and whatever we feel like doing that day..we will."
Giving a small nod and a soft smile Beth understood what Zach was saying. It never was easy meeting new people. This she new all to well. The world was a crule place and people even worse specially for someone different like her.
"I truly understand. I only have one friend and now you so that two people. I'm not the best at it so thank you for asking me for coffee as well. I have a hard time trusting people but there was just something about you. I'm happy the in cling was right."
Standing Beth new it was time to say good night. It was early hours and she new sleep was right around the corner. In the back of Beth's mind she could only hope Friday would come quickly too.
Ryan couldn't help the smile that spread across her face though in her eyes she was a bit sad that Tal had to leave for the night. She was comfortable and could stay like this for a while longer. Just listing to his heart beat. It was rythimatic, and had a nice lullaby.
"Are you sure you have to go?"
Her own heart beat seemed to match Tal's as she continued to lay on him. Comapired to all her other relationships this one almost felt, real. It was soft, but thrilling, and there was just something special about it. Ryan wasnt sure what but it made the whole thing a lot more worth while.
Ashlee nods taking everything in, holding and turning the bit trying to picture it all in her mind. It made sence how it worked, and how the horse reacted to it. She never new that before though and was happy to now. She really did appreciate Eric showing her.
Watching as Reese threw his phone into the trunk and than shut it Angelica raises an eyebrow. It was odd of him to do that but she wouldn't complain. Maybe he just...didn't want to be bothered right now with everything and have a nice time.
Walking hang in hang with Reese today was one of the days Angelica was happy she had a skirt on. Nothing to get dirty and leave traces of what they had been up too. Looking out at the water she gives a small sigh and the smile stays on her face. It was warm, but not to warm and the small breeze felt good.
Catching his eye Angelica wonders for a moment what was going through his head. Seeing him bend down and take his shows and shocks off she can't help but laugh a little. It almost like they were high school kids skipping class. In a way it felt nice, and made her feel young again. Not taking another second to think about it Angelica slips her heels off and bury her feet right next to Reeses. Looking to him again a twinkle forms in her eyes. This was turning out to be a good day.
"We are definitly going to have to do this more. It's....really nice and makes me feel young. I kind of don't want this day to end."
"How about we wing it and whatever we feel like doing that day..we will."
Giving a small nod and a soft smile Beth understood what Zach was saying. It never was easy meeting new people. This she new all to well. The world was a crule place and people even worse specially for someone different like her.
"I truly understand. I only have one friend and now you so that two people. I'm not the best at it so thank you for asking me for coffee as well. I have a hard time trusting people but there was just something about you. I'm happy the in cling was right."
Standing Beth new it was time to say good night. It was early hours and she new sleep was right around the corner. In the back of Beth's mind she could only hope Friday would come quickly too.
All-nighter
Any apprehensions are shoved to the back of Tal's mind, getting them out of the way so he could just enjoy this time with Ryan. Did she know how blessed he felt? He'd never dreamed of holding her in his arms like this. He'd only wanted to right a wrong and make sure she knew she was worth more than she'd been treated before. But in turn, he'd been given a chance of his own. A chance at a relationship. A chance at mutual feelings. A chance at calling Ryan his girl. A chance at falling in love.
The passion is slowly brought down a notch by several slow kisses until Tal pulls back slightly. His heart beat like a drum inside his chest, his pulse racing as he tried to catch his breath. Smiling, he runs a finger down the side of Ryan's face. "You're the best," he whispers. She treated him so differently than other women had. He'd been backstabbed, left and made fun of. But not with this. Not with Ryan.
Sighing deeply, he grins as Ryan moves up and down with his breathing. "I need to get going..." He scrunches his nose, proving he'd rather stay here. "Holly will never forgive me if I get home too late."
Eric follows Ashlee's gaze to the spare bit hanging on the wall. "Oh yeah - that's a bit. There are many different kinds."
Standing, he goes to retrieve it and bring it back, handing it to her so she can feel it. "Those holes in the top are where the bridle connects to it.... then down those shafts at the bottom is where the reins go. That hard bar in the middle - that goes over the horse's tongue in its mouth."
He points everything out as he talks. "A bit is used for maximum control of the horse. Their mouths are very sensitive. Imagine if you had one of these in your mouth - you'd feel every little move, right? That's how it is with the horses. During training, the horse discovers that when the bit is pulled back with the reins, it's uncomfortable - he'll learn that when he stops, that pressure is released so in turn, he'll remember when someone pulls on the reins, he's supposed to stop. The bit can be used for steering too, although with western riding, steering often comes from laying the reins over the horse's neck. At a faster or more urgent pace though, yes, the bit can pull a horse's head around. When you control a horse's head, you control the entire body."
Eric grins a little, not even realizing he'd fallen into teaching mode. "This bit here is harsher than some because of those shafts - it provides more leverage, and, in turn, more power. A rider has to be careful using one like this."
He leans down and rummages through some leather, pulling out a bridle with a different bit. "Now this one... see, it's got two big rings - that's for both the bridle and the reigns, and the bit, see it's hinged in the middle. It's a much gentler bit, but you use it the same way."
Reese grips Angelica's hand, walking with her back outside. Once to his car, he pulls his cell phone off his belt and gives it a good look. Popping the trunk of his car, he tosses his phone inside and shuts the lid again. "Okay. Now it's truly hooky."
Grinning, he slides in behind the wheel. He didn't know why he was doing this. It was far from his norm. As a matter of fact, it went directly against his usual behavior. Maybe he was just so utterly tired of the daily grind that he was willing to do anything just to break out of it for a while. Maybe work was so overwhelming that he needed a short escape just so he could breathe for a while.
A while later, he was getting out of the car again, but this time they were at the little beach on the lake. Leaving his jacket in the car, he rolls up the sleeves of his dress shirt, leaving it tucked into his jeans. Waiting for Angelica's hand again, he heads of at a leisurely pace towards the water. Stopping in the gritty sand, he looks down at his shoes, then over at Angelica's shoes. Glancing up, he catches her eye, a new grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. And within seconds, his socks and shoes were off, his toes burying themselves in the warm sand.
"Friday." Zach's eyes light up. "I've got off work too so that's perfect."
Accepting the napkin, he can't help the little bit of surprise on his face. She was actually giving him her number? Cool.
He grins and folds the napkin to slip it into his pocket. "How about... we meet at Brookshire and do that first, then... see what else we want to do that day? I don't know about you, but my preferences change day to day." He chuckles and finishes off his drink.
Glancing at his watch, he grimaces. "You know, I gotta be to work in a couple hours." Laughing though, he shrugs. "Guess this was as good a reason as any for pulling an all-nighter though." He bites his lip. "Thanks... for hanging out. It hasn't been easy for me, making friends."
The passion is slowly brought down a notch by several slow kisses until Tal pulls back slightly. His heart beat like a drum inside his chest, his pulse racing as he tried to catch his breath. Smiling, he runs a finger down the side of Ryan's face. "You're the best," he whispers. She treated him so differently than other women had. He'd been backstabbed, left and made fun of. But not with this. Not with Ryan.
Sighing deeply, he grins as Ryan moves up and down with his breathing. "I need to get going..." He scrunches his nose, proving he'd rather stay here. "Holly will never forgive me if I get home too late."
Eric follows Ashlee's gaze to the spare bit hanging on the wall. "Oh yeah - that's a bit. There are many different kinds."
Standing, he goes to retrieve it and bring it back, handing it to her so she can feel it. "Those holes in the top are where the bridle connects to it.... then down those shafts at the bottom is where the reins go. That hard bar in the middle - that goes over the horse's tongue in its mouth."
He points everything out as he talks. "A bit is used for maximum control of the horse. Their mouths are very sensitive. Imagine if you had one of these in your mouth - you'd feel every little move, right? That's how it is with the horses. During training, the horse discovers that when the bit is pulled back with the reins, it's uncomfortable - he'll learn that when he stops, that pressure is released so in turn, he'll remember when someone pulls on the reins, he's supposed to stop. The bit can be used for steering too, although with western riding, steering often comes from laying the reins over the horse's neck. At a faster or more urgent pace though, yes, the bit can pull a horse's head around. When you control a horse's head, you control the entire body."
Eric grins a little, not even realizing he'd fallen into teaching mode. "This bit here is harsher than some because of those shafts - it provides more leverage, and, in turn, more power. A rider has to be careful using one like this."
He leans down and rummages through some leather, pulling out a bridle with a different bit. "Now this one... see, it's got two big rings - that's for both the bridle and the reigns, and the bit, see it's hinged in the middle. It's a much gentler bit, but you use it the same way."
Reese grips Angelica's hand, walking with her back outside. Once to his car, he pulls his cell phone off his belt and gives it a good look. Popping the trunk of his car, he tosses his phone inside and shuts the lid again. "Okay. Now it's truly hooky."
Grinning, he slides in behind the wheel. He didn't know why he was doing this. It was far from his norm. As a matter of fact, it went directly against his usual behavior. Maybe he was just so utterly tired of the daily grind that he was willing to do anything just to break out of it for a while. Maybe work was so overwhelming that he needed a short escape just so he could breathe for a while.
A while later, he was getting out of the car again, but this time they were at the little beach on the lake. Leaving his jacket in the car, he rolls up the sleeves of his dress shirt, leaving it tucked into his jeans. Waiting for Angelica's hand again, he heads of at a leisurely pace towards the water. Stopping in the gritty sand, he looks down at his shoes, then over at Angelica's shoes. Glancing up, he catches her eye, a new grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. And within seconds, his socks and shoes were off, his toes burying themselves in the warm sand.
"Friday." Zach's eyes light up. "I've got off work too so that's perfect."
Accepting the napkin, he can't help the little bit of surprise on his face. She was actually giving him her number? Cool.
He grins and folds the napkin to slip it into his pocket. "How about... we meet at Brookshire and do that first, then... see what else we want to do that day? I don't know about you, but my preferences change day to day." He chuckles and finishes off his drink.
Glancing at his watch, he grimaces. "You know, I gotta be to work in a couple hours." Laughing though, he shrugs. "Guess this was as good a reason as any for pulling an all-nighter though." He bites his lip. "Thanks... for hanging out. It hasn't been easy for me, making friends."