Ancient Ties (10 page)

His gaze honed in on her mouth. “Yes, Janney, you have to be careful. Your lips are too pretty to bite. Unless I’m doing the biting.”

“Ah…” She was lost in his eyes.

He brushed her hand down his arm and nestled it in his.

Palm to palm, fingers entwined.

Oh.
She let out her breath in a whoosh. Suddenly hot and sticky, soft and quivering inside, Janney entertained carnal thoughts about his long fingers. The night in the peristyle, the only other time he’d touched her; those thick fingers deftly unsnapped her bra. How did he know how to do that? That’s quite a skill for someone unfamiliar with the garment.

Her horse shied, its back end dancing away from Marek. He released her hand to grab the reins and help her gain control over the beast. The spell was broken, though. With a small moan and a deep breath, she forced her gaze away from him to survey the forest surrounding them. Sun filtered through the trees, dust motes floated suspended in the shafts of light. It was so quiet that she could actually hear leaves rustling in the breeze; hear the soft clop of the horses’ hooves along the dirt road. They’d veered off the famous Roman roadway hours ago and were winding their way across beautiful country. She would admire it if she weren’t so close to death. Death by horse.

Janney could not deny her sexual attraction to the man.

Traveling with him was a big risk. She wanted him. He wanted her, obviously, or he wouldn’t have come back for her. He was dangerous. Not physically, but, oh boy, she would have to guard her heart.

They’d been riding companionably, without speaking, for what seemed like forever. Marek finally told her they would camp up ahead near a stream. Stream? Water? Could she soak in it? Could she even get off this beast? Janney sat up straight. She’d slumped so far over in the saddle that she was practically stretched flat along his neck.

They finally stopped in a small clearing with the promised stream bordering one side, and tall, thick, leafy oaks sheltering them on the other three. At the sight of the soft grass and cool fresh water, she almost whimpered aloud with relief. Now if she could just get off this beast without being killed.

Her eyes drooping with fatigue, Janney jerked when Marek’s big, hot palm landed on her thigh. With a couple of flicks of the fingers of his other hand, he motioned her off the horse. Janney couldn’t suppress a glare. She couldn’t ignore his hand.

He wiggled his fingers again. “Swing your leg over his neck.” He slowly shifted his gaze from his hand on her thigh to her face.

Sure, no problem
.

Janney didn’t want him to think she was a wimp, but she’d tried and her leg wouldn’t lift, let alone swing anywhere. God, she was failing the first test—getting off the horse. Had she really believed a hard, jostling, bouncing horse would beat walking?
Hah!

“Are you getting off? We have to make camp.”

Marek’s matter-of-fact tone would have made her furious if she’d had the energy.

He could be a bit more considerate.

His fingers curled around the back of her thigh, slid up high.

Up to her butt cheek. His thumb brushed lazy circles on her hip.

She could feel its warm pressure all the way through the layers of her jeans and tunic. Janney’s heart thudded hard. Her lips parted and she choked back a moan.

“Just swing your foot over and grab my shoulders.” Gruff.

He sounded mad, impatient. Why was he mad?

Confused, Janney didn’t know how he could sound so snippy and still look so sexy.

Bastard.

He was waiting, so she shifted her foot and made a feeble attempt to swing it over the beast. Marek finally helped, pulled her thigh forward and then lifted her off like a baby, his hands under her armpits. The next thing Janney knew, she was clinging to his shoulders and sliding down his front. Her breasts were mashed flat against his hard-muscled chest, and her knee grazed something else that was hard.

His grunt was short and guttural.

God, is that what I think it is?

The breath Janney had been holding burst out on a long,

“Ahhh.” He shifted her lower until she was on her feet, with her stomach pressed into his rigid erection. “Oh man,” she groaned in a breathy whisper, rolling her belly purposely over him. She didn’t know what came over her. She’d never been so brazen.

Her life had taken such an outrageous turn, and she felt so erotically charged. She’d never felt this deep ache all the way to her core. Had never wanted a thick, hard cock inside her this desperately. His cock.

Yes, his cock. Okay, there’s the truth of it.

Marek growled, deep and feral, as his lips fused with hers.

His velvety soft lips became hard and insistent. She gasped, dizzy with the proof of how much she wanted him. He thrust his thick, wet tongue into her mouth. Invading. Searching everywhere.

Teasing her tongue. Drawing it into his mouth. One of his large hands cupped her bottom, squeezing and fondling.

Sobbing, humming frantically, Janney tried to move her head, but his other hand held the nape of her neck, fingers threaded through her hair. The way he held her spoke of possession. Exhausted, sore, alone in a strange place, and vulnerable, she gave in. Holding on for dear life, she kissed him back. He was everything strong and warm. He was safety in her crazy world.

Safe?

Tears prickling her eyes, Janney clung to his neck and greedily responded to his mouth. How could she not? The little hum-growl noises he made in his throat turned her on. The man knew how to kiss.

Janney doubted she could ever be immune to him. Oh, yes, he knew how to kiss. And he knew how to wrap his arms around a woman, holding her while he ravished her mouth.

The horse at her back suddenly stomped its hooves and shifted away. All she had was Marek to cling to. “N-n-n-nh.” Her eyes snapped open and caught the surprise registering on his face as his dark eyelashes flickered up. The glimpse of his deep pink tongue pulling back into his sumptuous mouth tripped a pulse screaming down deep inside her. Janney gasped involuntarily at the fantasy of that tongue spearing into her, and his lips closing around her clit.

“Uhh…God…” She pushed at his shoulders.

“What?” Marek groaned. He looked a combination of startled little boy and frustrated, aroused man. Obviously, he did not care to be interrupted. His lashes swept down, color deepening on his cheekbones, as he dipped his face over hers again. “Put me down,” she moaned weakly. “It’s too much.” God, he looked sexy. Janney’s insides quivered with hot desire.

His reluctance clear, he loosened his hold. Unfortunately, her knees betrayed her. Before she could sag to the ground, he bolstered her up, gripping her upper arms as he straight-armed her away from him. To Janney’s dismay, she cried out with the pain of supporting herself. Stumbling back out of his arms, head reeling, she felt cold and abandoned. All she could focus on at the moment were the pins and needles popping out on the lower half of her body. Blinking back tears, Janney forced herself to stand upright.

Suddenly all business—how could he turn his emotions off so easily—Marek abruptly stalked off, throwing an order over his shoulder, “We need wood for the fire.”

Oh God, she needed his strength again.

Janney paced slowly at first, working out the stiffness in her joints. She searched around the edge of the clearing for small branches or twigs lying on the ground. Her mind raced. He’d been aroused. She didn’t need anymore proof of it than his steel-hard shaft pressing against her soft belly. She had to push him away. Her reaction to him was frighteningly intense. What made her think that she could handle him?

Maybe we can talk about it. Yeah. Talk.

Wandering back to the clearing, she tried to gather her thoughts. She watched him string a rope between two trees where he tethered their horses and the pack mule. Soon all three animals had feedbags hanging around their necks and were munching greedily.

Janney stopped in her search for wood and just stared at him. It was definitely a pleasure to watch him move, so capable and caring of the horses. The muscles in his thighs tensing. The skirt of his tunic creeping up when he bent over to hobble the animals. What-ifs invaded her mind. What if he focused all that hot male attention on her? Could she make love with him and ignore the possibility of having her heart broken again?

“I don’t see any wood,” he interrupted her accusingly. She’d been staring at his thighs, and her thoughts were miles away from the search for wood. Her face flamed in embarrassment.

She was thankful that the sun had dipped below the treetops, and the clearing was in shadows.

“Oh…yeah…wood.” She was supposed to be finding wood.

At least that was something she could do that didn’t require a lot of thinking.

“You’re tired, sit down. I’ll get it.” He clamped his hand on her shoulder and urged her to sit.

Janney glanced up quickly at him. He looked tired, too.

In a few minutes, Marek tromped back to the camp with an armload of wood. He dumped it, squatted to start the fire, then unpacked food and wine, and carefully prepared the small joint of beef that Augusta had sent with them. He threaded a pointed

stick through the meat, balanced it on two forked sticks over the fire to heat, and opened the packets of breads and cheeses.

Sitting close to the fire, Janney basked in its warmth.

Almost dozing, she stirred at the sound of juices from the beef spitting and popping into the fire. Marek leaned forward, cut off a portion, and handed her a plate of meat and cheese along with a cup of wine. Reclining back on his saddle, he appeared relaxed, as if he hadn’t just fired her every sexual pulse point. She stuffed meat and cheese in her mouth not caring what he might think of her. Sexual attraction aside, she was starving.

“Why do you think we can understand each other’s language?” she asked as she chewed. “Augusta thinks it’s the gods.”

“Yes, the Gods,” Marek agreed confidently.

“I guess.” Janney wasn’t so sure. “A lot of our words come from Latin.”

“Your words are the same?”

“They’re not necessarily the same. I think most of our medical terms are in Latin. And plant names. If you look in a dictionary, a lot of words have a Latin source.”

Marek watched her intently.

“The Catholic Church used to hold services in Latin. I’ll bet there are some priests who could talk to you in your language.

You’ve certainly heard about Christianity even up here in Britannia, haven’t you?”

“Yes.” Marek sounded disdainful.

Janney bristled, “Don’t look like that, my friend.

Christianity went on to become the most powerful religion in the world. Your gods and goddesses are just interesting stories now. I mean in my time.”

“Janney Forrester! Don’t say things like that out loud.”

Marek actually glanced around him in alarm. “They’ll hear you.”

“What can they do to me? Marek, are you still saying they interfere in people’s lives? They did this? Brought me here?

Why?”

“Brought you here to me.”

Her heart warmed at his possessiveness. “You mean like a dating service?” She laughed at her own silliness. It must be nerves and exhaustion.

“What is a dating service?”

“Someone who brings lonely, single people together.”

“Oh, a matchmaker.”

“Yes.”

“Are you lonely, Janney?” his voice suddenly soft.

Was I? Am I?
Janney closed her eyes against her memories.

She’d been with Ed for a long time and had still been lonely most of the time, if she was honest with herself. Now, she was as alone as anyone could be.

“No. Certainly not.” Of course, she was lying. Marek remained silent, his gaze never leaving her face. She didn’t know why he didn’t pursue the subject, but figured like most men, he didn’t care about a woman’s personal life. Thank goodness, because she wasn’t going to tell him what a failure she’d been with Ed. Or about the death of her father and what a hole that left in her life.

What did he want from her? He was trying every way to seduce her. Or was she imagining it because she wanted him to seduce her?

He was not really talking about himself. It had to be as hard for him to make sense of this time travel thing as it was for her.

Janney smiled. She felt a sudden protectiveness for the man.

After all, she had the advantage of twenty centuries of science and technology, of inventions, of horrendous and miraculous happenings. In some respects, maybe it was easier for her to accept the unexplainable.

Janney decided to start over at the basics. “How old are you?” It was impossible to guess. She knew the life expectancy in ancient times was much less than in her time. The texture of his skin told tales of long years outside.

“I’ve lived thirty-eight years.” Marek leaned forward and stirred the fire higher. “How old are you?”

“I’m thirty-four.”

He took a bite of his food and continued. “I was twenty years of age when I was posted to the land of the Picts. I patrolled the wall built by the Emperor Antoninus Pius.”

“The country is called Scotland now, and parts of the Antonine Wall are still standing. Hadrian’s Wall, also.” This was the most interesting, and handsome history teacher she’d ever had. And the food was great, too.

Janney frowned as she rattled away, “Who’s the emperor now? I’m not exactly clear on my emperors. I can’t believe my time is almost two thousand years after yours. I mean this time.

Now.” She shook her head. “I just can’t believe this.”

“Marcus Aurelius is the new emperor, along with Lucius Verus.”

“Oh, are you related?”

“No.” Marek smiled. “It is hard to accept that you are from the future,” he continued.

Leaping flames drew her gaze up. Their eyes met and held.

There was no mistaking the intense desire in his dark eyes. In one shocking moment, her body flamed, her belly clenched in recognition that he felt the same as she did.