“Okay…” she said as she swiped down again, this time sending the knife flying across the worktable. “Shit!”
I held back a laugh. “It’s okay. I don’t think your grip was tight enough on that one. And that’s a good example of why we always work away from our bodies.” I reached for the knife and handed it back to her.
“Can you show me? I’m more of a kinetic learner.”
I moved to stand behind her, placing my hands over hers. Standing behind her brought back flashes of grabbing her ass in the closet and ripping off her dress in the previous night’s dream. This was torture. “I’ll try,” I said, attempting to keep my breath calm and steady. “Although you’re a leftie, so it’ll be a bit trickier.” I wrapped her fingers around the knife and guided her hand down, trying not to think of how those same fingers had felt in my hair. “Like this. Firm, yet gentle.”
I could feel her breath catch.Oh God, can she feel my dickpoking into her back?A quick self-check confirmed that it wasn’t. Why did her breath catch, then?
“Firm yet gentle.” She cleared her throat. “Got it,” she whispered.
“Try again.”
This time I let her take the reins and glide our hands along the wood. Her right hand shook a bit, causing the knife to get stuck.
“Damnit,” she said, flustered.
“It’s okay. You just weren’t holding on tight enough. Adjust your grip.” She flexed her fingers, grazing mine as I held the wood. “It’s all in the wrist. Hold the wood firmly and just guide the knife down. You want to clear out all of the blemishes and make it as smooth as you can.”
“All right. Keep it all in my wrist.”
I guided her hand again, making a flawless, clean stroke.
“That was perfect!” I told her.
“Well, I have a good instructor,” she laughed, pleased with herself.
The door to the shop opened and I leaped back.Way to play it cool, Knox.
Vince’s face appeared around the door. “Um,” he paused, looking between Birdie and me. “Mr. Lewellen said he saw Birdie in here looking for the bathroom.”
“Yeah,” she laughed, setting down the piece of wood and my knife. “I got lost trying to find the bathroom and found Knox’s man cave here instead. He was showing me how to carve.”
“Well, everyone is getting ready to leave. I thought you might want to say goodbye to Oliver.”
“Yes, definitely.” She smiled, turning to me. “Thanks for showing me around the shop, Knox.” She waved and followed Vince back into the art room.
Shit. I sat down, suddenly shaky and glad it had only been Vince who walked through that door.
After the day we’d had, I was happy to crack open a beer and toss the red squeaky ball across the living room, watching Eugene gleefully run to catch it.
I still needed to get a few things done around the grounds, though most of them would have to wait until morning. Everything was covered in snow, as was typical this time of year, but we liked to make sure the many statues were cleared off so they didn’t break under the weight of the ice. The walkways from the terrace to the gardens needed to be salted and cleared, and the heater for the front fountain was on the fritz.
I enjoyed working with my hands and appreciated that leading the grounds crew made it possible for me to live on the property. I knew in my heart that Isobel and Leroy would have let me live here regardless, but I hated taking handouts. Besides, I was able to do work I loved. It all worked out.
I headed into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich and feed Eugene. If I didn’t have his dinner out by six in the evening, he became insufferable with the whining and begging. There had even been a few times when the little shit stole my meal off the counter.
As I was digging in the fridge for some sliced ham and my favorite aged cheddar, I heard my phone chime from where it was charging in the living room. I walked over to grab it, pushing down the anxiety I felt nearly every time my phone went off. I knew from years of therapy that it was a lingering trauma response to losing my parents, though that knowledge didn’t erase the worry I felt about the people I loved, especially Oliver and the family.
I opened my phone to a text from Vince.
Vince
So about this afternoon…
What about it? Everything seemed fine.
I’m talking about when I walked in on you and B
