Surely Nick felt the twitch of her fingers at the mention of him flirting with another, but she said nothing. Perhaps he was thinking of the red-head he spoke with at the dinner where they first met. Whoever was on his mind, his smile was like nothing she had ever received, but still her hand kept running through his thick brunette hair. She even leaned over as much as her corset would permit, letting the wide brim of her hat cast a comfortable shadow over his face.

“Oh! I had forgotten about our little wager. I suppose we’ll have to come up with something else to race for now that I’ve enjoyed your warmth as I slept.” Claire shuddered at just the memory of being held in such an intimate way.

It was then, under the warmth of the sun with such pleasant conversation, that she realized they could possibly, probably be friends. Love in a marriage was a fairytale girls hoped for, but eventually found to be unrealistic. To find a man whom one could rely on financially [i]and[/i] speak with comfortably? Even that was rare, and she should be content with such a thing.

[i] “Now, if you are asking about business,”[/i] he continued with a sigh, [i]“I cannot possibly express how much relieved I am to be forced into vacation by this injury. If I can redo that night, I would still trace the steps that led me to that gunpoint if only to have a few days to myself. So to answer your question, no. No, I don’t enjoy working and I don’t have the passion for it.” Claire let him kiss her hand, going limp in his hold. “Money is a good motivation though. I am working for the money that will provide for me and my future family. How many children do you want?” [/i]His blush made her giggle, but she managed to keep her own pale complexion and simply ran her thumb along that pink tint on his cheek.

[i]“You don’t have to answer that.”[/i]

“No, that’s all right, I don’t mind. I can’t say I haven’t thought about it,” she replied coolly, remembering she was talking to a [i]friend[/i] and ignoring that this was the man she would be having said children with. “I believe three is a lovely number, if there are no complications with the first two,” Claire smiled, looking out toward the water. She had heard stories of mothers bearing children despite previous issues, and she had no desire to push her luck if there was a problem, even with modern medicine. Her closest friends had teased she did not possess “child bearing hips” to begin with, but it didn’t [i]really[/i] mean anything. She would do just fine with three.

“One is too little. It was no fun growing up without a playmate, and I would have learned to share a lot sooner if I had had a reason to do so,” she smirked, twisting Nick’s hair along a gloved finger, looking down at him again. “Four…well, then they would out number us two to one, and that would just be asking for trouble,” Claire grinned, eating a few more grapes now that the mood had changed. "How many children would you like to have?"

“You know, I never would have guessed that about you and your work. And I’m glad you want to work so many hours to provide, it’s a wonderful reason to go, but…Nick, do not forget to actually enjoy that which you are working for. Else what is the point in having it?” she asked, giving him a weak smile. “Or find something else that makes you happy, gives you reason to get up in the morning. What I mean to say is- I’m proud of you for your business, but remember to spend time doing what you [i]do[/i] have a passion for, Nicholas. Whether it be your family, spending your day riding alone, or that [i]red head[/i] you’ll be flirting with at my party,” Claire added with a grin. “I’m not trying to steal you away, I promise, but simply remind you to be happy with something or someone in this world. I’m afraid you’ll wake up one day with regret if work, something you do not enjoy, is all you have lived for.”

At that moment a beautiful black and orange butterfly landed on Nicholas' knee. Claire gasped softly, her hand moving to lightly grasp his shoulder. "Nick, will look at that! You have good luck coming your way," she giggled, looking from the tiny creature down to his gaze.