Ancient Ties (9 page)

Love! By the Gods, this isn’t love
.

He’d been in love once. It wouldn’t happen again. He’d been happy once. But she was dead now, bitterness filling him.

His beautiful, young wife dead far too soon. He couldn’t allow himself to be close to another woman. Close enough to care. To love. The best thing he could do now would be to leave her.

Leave Janney Forrester. He didn’t love her. Would never love her.

By the Gods, this isn’t love. Or anything like it.
“You’re right, Gaius. I’ll leave tonight. She’ll be better off without me underfoot.”

I’ll survive too. I’ve survived all these years without Mellona. A
soldier must not be distracted by a woman. A good woman, anyway.

“A wise decision. Will you come back to the villa and say goodbye?”

“I don’t know, I honestly don’t know,” Marek said, again rubbing his eyes. Her bright sweet face gazed at him with confusion the day she walked into his life. He already missed her.

Clapping Marek on the back, and, in effect, making the decision for him, Gaius said, “Have a safe trip. I’ll give Augusta your regards.”

Accepting that it would be best to leave that night, Marek ordered his horse prepared and his belongings packed. He and his servant, Eligius, began the journey to his villa southwest from Aquae Sulis, across the broad countryside. Although Marek had told Eligius the truth about Janney Forrester, and he trusted his servant with his life; he had no intention of discussing the woman.

They rode all night. Rode hard on the straight, smooth Roman highway.

Heartsore, alone in the entry, Janney watched him leave.

What was she going to do? Where was he going? She glanced

around. Augusta and Gaius had disappeared, too. She wrapped her arms around her waist needing the meager comfort that could provide.

Trudging to the doorway into the garden, Janney heard low voices. A sixth sense guided her, and she warily peeked around the frame. Augusta looked angry and poked at her husband’s chest. It was clear they didn’t realize she was there.

“Did you tell him to be careful with her? She’s not used to our ways.”

Janney froze.
They’re talking about me.

“It doesn’t matter, my dear,” Gaius responded. “You know Marek was planning to leave for his villa in the morning anyway.

He decided to leave tonight instead.”

“But what will we do with her? She can’t stay here indefinitely. The door to the future may not open. It may never open.”

What will they do with me?
Janney chewed on her lip.
They
want to get rid of me.
She pressed back against the wall, one hand holding the doorframe for support, the other pressed to her middle. She felt like throwing up.

“He’s been through so much. Killing that boy, and he’s never really gotten over the death of Mellona. This woman, Janney, maybe she’d be good for him,” Augusta added, as if she were weighing options.

Good for him? They’re talking about me like I’m a band-aid. He
killed someone. A boy?

“The boy was a soldier and they were in battle.”

“Yes, but it still torments him.”

“And what does Mellona have to do with this?”

“Men!” Augusta sounded exasperated. “Gaius, in all these years he’s never loved another woman.”

“Who’s talking about love? He doesn’t love this Janney.”

“Maybe, and maybe not, but it could happen.”

Gaius sighed. “They could hurt each other. What would happen then? She doesn’t belong here.”

I know that. I’m trapped here with people who don’t want me.

Who think I’m going to hurt their precious soldier.

All Janney wanted to do was cry. The big, strong Roman soldier didn’t want her. Well, sexually he did, but apparently, he was too traumatized by battle and in love with some dead woman. What about that woman? Who was she? Why was she so important to him?

She had to get out of there, had to go home. What if she never did?

Keep trying the portal. Keep praying.

She’d thought Augusta and Gaius liked her. Now that she knew the truth, she would act accordingly. She couldn’t stay with them.

“Maybe being together would be the best thing for both of them.”

Janney couldn’t believe she heard Augusta say that. They didn’t want her here so they just made plans for Marek and her.

She shook her head in dismay. Everything was just too hard to figure out right now. She was so tired. Tomorrow. She’d figure it out tomorrow.

By early morning, after sending Eligius ahead to ready the villa, Marek was back where he started, returning to the villa in Aquae Sulis, knowing that he couldn’t ride another mile away from Janney Forrester.

The door jerked open before Marek even touched it. Janney gasped. Her blue eyes glittered in surprise, then hardened, narrowed. Marek braced one hand on the hilt of his sword. The other, he propped on the doorframe next to her face. He’d made up his mind; he intended to keep her in his time. The silence stretched between them. Neither blinked, their gazes intent.

Aware that Augusta hovered in the other doorway, Marek focused on the woman standing before him. “Come with me to my villa.”

Janney blinked, physically teetered toward him. She looked bewildered. Lost.

Marek knew he was making a muddle of this, and probably frightened her, looking as stained and dusty as he did. Looking desperate. He had to have her. “Come with me,” his voice seductively low, ordering her. He would not beg.

Janney’s cheeks flushed pink, her eyes wide. He could see her considering her options, the risks of leaving the portal behind, the pleasure he knew that she found in his arms. She tore her gaze from his and turned away.

No!
His stomach plummeted.

She speared her fingers through her hair.

Don’t think about it. Just do it. Just come with me.
Marek stared at her back, silently issuing orders.

“Gaius and I are here for you, both of you.” Finally, Augusta’s words seeped into his brain. She had come to place a hand on Janney’s arm.

Marek frowned. They weren’t exactly the most encouraging words. Obviously, Augusta doubted the wisdom of

what he was doing. That didn’t matter. Janney’s answer was the only thing that mattered.

“Yes,” Janney whispered. She turned to face him. “Yes,” she repeated, louder this time.

Marek’s face relaxed, his lips curved up in a smile. His first since he’d seen her in the baths. He didn’t know what inner struggles brought her to this decision and didn’t care. He had her now. Heat spread through his belly. He was that much closer to having her. That much closer to having her in his bed.

Mt. Olympus

“Yes.” Venus grinned, raising a victorious fist in the air.

Marek shivered suddenly. A breath of heated air, caressed his nape, and crawled sensuously up his scalp, as if…as if something or someone had breathed a message into his ear.

Oh, my God in Heaven. If I don’t get off this horse soon, I’m going
to die.

Janney’s thigh muscles burned. Her bottom ached. Every dammed jounce and jiggle brought tears to her eyes. Janney thanked her lucky stars she had worn her blue jeans and T-shirt beneath her tunic. She was sure the jeans protected her, at least a little, from the blisters and bruises she would have had if her legs were bare. The saddle wasn’t what she was used to seeing in her century or the movies. Marek had said it was a wood frame covered with cloth. To make matters worse, the saddles had no stirrups. Her legs just dangled down adding more strain on her back.

Of course, he doesn’t seem to mind. He doesn’t need stirrups.

What had she been thinking? That this would be some glorious, romantic adventure? Augusta and Gaius hadn’t wanted her so where else was she to go? It wasn’t like she could get a job in Aquae Sulis and support herself.

“How long will it take, Marek?”

“We’ll be there some time tomorrow.” He twisted to look at her, one hand on the reins, the other balanced on the rump of his horse.

“Overnight? We’re going to be out here overnight?” She took in a shaky breath. “Ah…I’m not much of a camper. Um…”

Janney gazed at him.

“I didn’t think you’d want to travel any faster since you’re not much of a rider.”

Her mouth opened to respond, then closed with a snap. He was right, but the superior expression on his face didn’t make it easier to admit. Janney licked her lips but quickly decided to change that habit. Any bounce of the horse could chop her tongue off.

“Oh. Yeah. Well, I appreciate that.” She hoped he recognized her sarcasm.

Marek faced forward again, seemingly forgetting her.

Behind his back, she stuck her tongue out at him. There was no way she could forget him. With admiration and a whole lot of envy, Janney watched Marek handle his horse. The man was power and grace in motion. If she had a talent for drawing, she couldn’t have designed a more perfect male body. Elegant and masterful, his soldier’s body was hard, shoulders and chest broad, waist and hips lean. His short tunic displayed long, rugged thighs hugging the belly of his horse. Strong-muscled, tanned arms sprinkled with dark, silky hair, and thick wrists and fingers easily wielded the reins of his horse.

And I’ve seen him naked.
Whew!
That’s a sight she would never forget either.

Ow!
The bones in her bottom already hurt—she hadn’t realized how many bones were there!

Marek was obviously accustomed to long hours of riding, but Janney hadn’t ridden a horse since she was thirteen, and she was pretty sure she never could again. She’d give anything to get off this creature and be on her own two feet again. She didn’t even want to think about getting back up on the monster tomorrow.

Had she really made this decision? To come with him?

Alone? And riding a goddamn horse?

Are you nuts? Do you know what the hell you’re doing?

Stifling a wild laugh, she admitted how crazy all this was.

You, Janney Marie Forrester, are riding a horse across what, in the
Twenty-first Century, is known as the Salisbury Plain, except that now
you’re in Ancient Britannia. And a Roman soldier is your guide. Well,
that pretty much covers it. Oh, and add in the fact that you barely know
him, but that you’re hot for his bod and want to jump his bones, and
have some serious down and dirty sex. Very down and very dirty sex.

Mmm. Oh, yes.

She bit down on her lower lip again.
Crap.
How could she forget the bouncing?

Whatever was going on here—time travel—dream-fantasy—she had made the decision to come with him. For right or wrong, it was a done deal. She could never have imagined this scenario except in some romance novel. Obviously, she had no control over anything anymore and was going to have to take things as they came.
Carpe diem. Seize the day.
It would be an experience. Live for the moment. She supposed she should, but not right now. She was exhausted, and her butt hurt. She needed to distract herself from the pain and agony in her backside.

“Marek, where did you grow up? Here in Britannia?”

He slowed his pace, thank God, to ride next to her. “I was born in a small town near Pompeii.”

“Pompeii! It was destroyed by a volcano.”

“Yes.” He shot her a perplexed look, his brow furrowing.

“Years before I was born. How do you know this?”

“It’s history. Everyone’s heard of Pompeii.”

“You seem to know much about my time.” He bent his head, scrutinizing her. “You don’t seem too surprised by anything you see here.”

“No, I’m not. A lot of it’s familiar. We know a lot about your time…ah…this time.”

“How?”

“Don’t sound so suspicious. I know about this time because people have always been fascinated with the ancient Romans and Greeks.”

“Greeks!” he sneered.

“Yes, and Egyptians. You mentioned Pompeii?”

“Yes. I was born near there. It was covered with lava, so nothing was left. Just the stories.”

“Some archeologists in the eighteen hundreds dug in the area, and now a lot of it has been uncovered and is a tourist attraction.”

“Tourist attraction? What is that?”

“A place people go on vacations, um…on trips away from their work. Anything to do with your world, even here in England is popular. This was my first trip to England, and I couldn’t wait to see the Roman ruins.”

“What happened to my people?” he demanded his dark eyes suddenly sharp.

“Well…unfortunately, I don’t know history as well as I should, but the Roman Empire lasted for a few more centuries after this one. I’m sorry, Marek, I wish I’d studied more of your history so I could tell you things that are more specific. But I had no idea I would be here to tell you.” Janney reached over to touch his arm. She was sure he wondered whether to believe her or not.

He looked down at her hand and instantly lifted his gaze to her eyes. Her heart thumped in her ears. Breath caught in her throat. “Why am I here?”
Here with this man?

She’d heard Augusta and Gaius talking about his past. About his killing a boy in battle. Talking about a woman he still loved.

What would these things have to do with her? He seemed strong and capable, but apparently, there was a hidden story.

“I don’t know, Janney,” he said softly as he covered her hand with his larger one. “But I’m happy you’re here.”

Those words, uttered in his deepest, lowest growl, spiked right to her sex.

He’s happy I’m here.
She couldn’t help smiling, sudden and genuine. When he smiled back, it was as if the years fell away.

She saw a little boy. The boy he’d been at one time.

A boy with the body of a god, five o’clock shadow, or whatever-o’clock it was now, manly jaw, and the sexiest, deepest, brown eyes she’d ever seen. Janney sucked her lower lip between her teeth. “Ow!” she winced. “I have to remember not to bite my lip on a bouncing horse.”