Strands of Love (11 page)

Tim’s rather large hand came down heavily on George’s shoulder.
“Thanks for the help, George. Appreciate it.”

Sam wanted to giggle, but managed to stifle it. George had
been dismissed and he knew it. He didn’t like it either, but there was nothing
else for him to do but leave. He walked slowly to his truck, glancing over his
shoulder several times.

The four of them stood there, watching and waiting until the
last vehicle pulled away. Then Tim turned to her. “You want to tell me what the
hell is really going on?”

Sam should have known better than to try to lie to Tim. He
was too much like her father and always knew when she was telling an untruth.
She raked her fingers through her hair, suddenly fatigued. “It’s a long story.”

“I got time,” Tim informed her.

Jace spun around and walked back into the fields, aiming straight
for the spot where they’d left their weapons and belongings. He tossed Darian
his arm- and wristbands before putting on his own. Jace picked up his sword and
strapped it around his waist before grabbing Darian’s. He strode back and
handed Darian his weapon. Tim’s eyes widened and his rifle came up again. He
aimed right at Jace’s chest.

“You might want to move your hands away from those fancy
swords, boys.”

Only Tim would call two warriors like Jace and Darian boys.
She expected them to bristle beneath the command, but they moved their hands
away from their weapons. And it wasn’t because they were afraid of Tim. She
could see it in their eyes and so could Tim. No, what she saw there wasn’t
anger or fear, but respect. Tim lowered the barrel of his rifle slightly, but
she knew he could aim and fire in the blink of an eye.

“Either of you boys want to tell me what’s going on since it
seems like Sam isn’t going to?”

Jace and Darian shared a look before Jace spoke. “You are
the one who is like a father to Sam?”

Tim gave a curt nod. “I am.”

“Listen, why don’t we go up to the house and talk about
this?” Sam would just as soon they didn’t try to explain what had happened. But
none of the men were paying her any attention. “Or not,” she muttered.

“I am Jace of Hunter Keep from the land of Javara.”

Tim’s eyes narrowed. “Go on.”

Sam held her breath while Jace explained about the tapestry
and Javara. Tim growled when Jace got to the part about the brothers both
sharing her bed. He gave her a hard glare and she shrugged her shoulders,
trying to appear as innocent as possible. When Jace was done, Tim turned to
her. “This true, girl?”

“Yeah.” She didn’t want to talk about it out here in the
blazing sun. She was sweaty, thirsty and the house was so close. Sam decided if
they wanted her opinion they’d have to follow her. She took a step toward it,
not waiting to see who was coming with her.

Tim swore and hurried to her side. “Sam, we need to talk
about this. Maybe you need to see someone. A doctor or something.”

Sam stopped in her tracks and glared at Tim. “I’m not
crazy.”

“Of course not,” he placated.

Throwing her hands in the air, she released a sound of
frustration and stomped to the house, leaving a trail of dust in her wake. The
back door was unlocked and she sighed when she stepped inside. She heard the
men come in behind her, but ignored them and went straight to the sink for some
water. She filled the glass twice before facing them.

“I’m getting out of these dirty clothes and into the
shower.” She wanted to wear her own jeans and T-shirt, to feel more like
herself again. “If you’re still here when I’m done, I’ll talk.” Sam left them
in the kitchen and went up the stairs to her bathroom.

Guilt ate at her with each step she took, but she ignored
it. She’d had to manage in their world with their family and friends, now they
could do the same in hers.

She grabbed some clean clothes, went into the bathroom and
stripped out of the leather garments. The woman staring back at her in the
mirror looked outwardly the same as she had yesterday morning, but inwardly
she’d changed more than she’d ever thought possible.

Sam placed her two hands on the chipped vanity and stared.
“You are in such big trouble.” As much as she wanted to deny it, she cared
about both brothers. Deeply. She wasn’t quite ready to say she loved them. She
couldn’t. It would hurt too much when they went home.

But what if they stayed
? A little voice in the back
of her head whispered the words, but she ignored them. They wouldn’t stay. They
had responsibilities back in Javara, not to mention family.

But what if the tapestry never returned
?

Sam felt guilty for even thinking such a thing. The last
thing she wanted was for them to be trapped here. This wasn’t their world. They
belonged at Hunter Keep. Indeed, they were Hunter Keep. What would happen to
all those people if they couldn’t go home?

No, Sam was determined to help them find their way back. And
if her heart broke when they left, it was a small price to pay for getting them
home.

Jace studied the older man standing by the table. He held a
long piece of metal in his hand. A
gun
Sam had called it. He would have
liked a closer look at the weapon, but knew better than to ask. Tim was a
warrior. It was in the way he held himself, in his eyes. He would not
relinquish his weapon to a stranger.

“Now that we’re alone, I want the truth,” Tim demanded.

Jace had already told him the truth. Problem was, the older
man didn’t want to hear it. Obviously magic was not well-known or accepted in
Sam’s world. “I have told you the truth. We are from Javara and want to claim
Sam as our own. Never doubt that we will protect her with our lives.”

Tim rubbed his hand over his bushy beard. “You don’t look
like you’re lying and that’s the damnedest thing. I need to call Mary.” Tim
took a small black object out of his pocket. It looked like the one Sam had
that she’d always been checking. A
phone
she’d called it.

Tim pressed buttons and then spoke. “Hey, Mary. I found her.
She’s safe.”

Jace glanced at Darian, but his brother was totally
enthralled by the small box Tim was holding. It was obvious he was talking to
someone. How was that possible? How could those of this world profess not to
believe in the tapestry when they possessed great magic of their own?

“No, I’m not sure what’s going on. She has company.” Tim
paused. “No, I’ll explain later. I will. Okay. Bye.” Tim pressed a button and
put the device back in his pocket. He realized both men were staring at him.
“What?” Tim asked.

Darian motioned to Tim’s pocket. “You spoke to someone
through that box?”

“Yeah.” Tim seemed confused by the question.

“Yet you do not believe in the tapestry when you possess
great magic?” Darian’s words echoed Jace’s thoughts.

“You’re not kidding, are you?” Tim slowly lowered himself
into a chair. “Okay, explain to me again about this tapestry and the world
you’re from. And why the hell it came here and took Sam.”

* * * * *

Sam stepped out of the shower feeling refreshed. She should
feel guilty. She hadn’t offered the brothers anything to drink and wasn’t sure
they knew how to work the taps, although Darian probably did considering he’d
played with them quite a bit on his first trip here.

“Damn it.” She dragged the towel over her skin, wiping away
the water before she dragged on her clean clothes.

When she was wearing underwear, jeans, a T-shirt and
sneakers, she felt much more like herself. Her hair was wet, but she towel
dried it and braided it. She really shouldn’t have left the men alone with Tim.
No telling what Tim might do if he got mad. She knew in her heart neither
Hunter brother would hurt Tim, but still.

She slung the damp towel over the shower rod and hurried out
of the bathroom. She could hear voices as she went down the stairs. They were
still talking. That had to be a good sign. Right?

Sam walked into the kitchen to find Tim sitting at the head
of the table shaking his head at whatever Darian was telling him. They all
turned to stare at her when she walked into the room.

Determined to get through this as quickly as possible, she
raised her chin and walked over to the counter. She turned on the tap, took
down two glasses and filled them with water before handing one to Jace and the
other to his brother. Both men offered their thanks before quickly downing the
water, making her feel worse than ever for not offering it sooner.

“Samantha Rose Calloway.”

She flinched slightly when Tim used her full name, but faced
him squarely. “Yeah?”

“What kind of a mess have you gotten yourself into, girl?”
Tim rubbed his hand over his bearded chin.

She shrugged. “It wasn’t my fault. I was walking the fields,
minding my own business, when I found them.”

Tim sighed. “Don’t rightly know what to do or what to tell
you.”

She frowned at him. “What’s to do? I’m home now.”

Tim pushed to his feet and came around the table to stand in
front of her. “From what I understand, you still have a choice to make. You can
go home with them when this tapestry returns.”

“If it returns,” she muttered. She didn’t look at either
brother. She felt awful for even suggesting such a thing.

“There is that,” Tim agreed. “Of course, either of these men
could choose to stay here. Or even both of them could stay if they were so
inclined.”

Even as her heart jumped at the possibility, Sam was shaking
her head. “Their mother would be devastated. Plus, they have a lot of folks
depending on them.”

“And what do you have here, Sam?” Tim asked in a gentle
voice that made tears well in her eyes. “Your parents and John are gone and
you’re struggling every day to hold on to the farm. It’s a hard life for a woman
alone.”

“What are you suggesting?” she cried. How could Tim even
propose such a thing? This was her home. Where she belonged.

Tim pulled her into his strong arms and hugged her. He
smelled slightly of the same soap her father had used and Sam closed her eyes,
inhaled deeply and, for a brief moment, pretended it was her father holding
her.

“I’m not suggesting anything, Sam. I’m telling you to weigh
your options and really think things through before you make any decisions.
Whatever you decide to do, I’ll support you.”

Sam’s head was spinning. Tim was actually suggesting she
leave her home, her only connection to her family, take a leap of faith and go
back to an unknown world with two men she’d met less than two days ago. The
implications were staggering.

Tim released her and took a step back. “Think about it. If
you want to talk, come on over to the house.” He collected his rifle and turned
a hard gaze on the Hunter brothers. “You take good care of her. You hurt her
and it won’t matter if you’re in another world. I’ll find you.”

Jace inclined his head. “You have our word.”

“Good enough.” Tim rubbed his hand across the top of her
head. “You think on what I said, little girl. You know where to find me if you
need me.” He handed her his phone. “You said you lost yours. You call Mary’s
number if you need me.”

Tim departed, leaving her alone with Jace and Darian. She
wasn’t ready to face either of them at the moment. She was so confused. Mostly,
she missed her family—her father, her mother and her brother. She missed her
father’s gruff voice, the way her brother teased her mercilessly and the way
her mother always smelled of honeysuckle soap.

The last two days had rocked her world. First, there was the
threat of losing the farm and everything her family had worked for if she
couldn’t manage to turn things around. Then there was the whole tapestry thing
and the trip to Javara. Was it any wonder she was feeling so emotional?

Sam knew she couldn’t hold it together much longer. She had
to get away before she broke down and started crying like a baby. “There’s food
in the refrigerator if you’re hungry.” She gestured toward the twenty-year-old,
white refrigerator so they’d know what she was talking about. “I’ll be back.”

She walked toward the back door and pushed it open. Tim’s
truck was a cloud of dust in the distance. Sam blinked as the image wavered.
Just dust in her eyes. That’s all.

Darian called her name, but she ignored him and hurried
toward the barn as fast as her feet could carry her. It was empty now, but still
carried the scent of the horses that had once lived there. Practically running
now, she pushed the door open and stepped into the cool shade.

Arrow stepped out of the shadows and meowed at her as if to
ask where the heck she’d been. His food and water dishes were empty. “I’m
sorry.” She worked quickly to fill both bowls and the cat dove into the food
with great zeal. From his reaction, you’d swear the cat hadn’t eaten for a week
instead of a day. And Sam knew darn well the cat caught the occasional mouse to
feast on.

The minute she was finished the chore, the first sob broke
from her lips. Sam stumbled toward a bale of hay in the corner. Before she got
there, strong arms closed around her, protective and sheltering. Arrow hissed
his displeasure at the intrusion and darted away. The cat didn’t like strangers
and would probably stay away as long as Jace and Darian were around.

Sam burst into tears. As appalled as she was by her
emotional outburst, she couldn’t stop it. Now that the dam had burst open,
there was no way to close it.

“Everything will be all right, Sam.” Jace held her in his
arms as he walked toward several bales of hay and sat, settling her on his lap.
Darian lowered himself onto the bale beside them and Jace could feel and see
his brother’s concern.

Was there anything that could make a man feel more helpless
than a woman’s pain and tears? If there was, he hoped never to find out. Jace
ached for Sam, for everything she’d been through and every trial she had yet to
face in her life.

From what Tim had told them and what little Sam had shared,
he knew her life hadn’t been an easy one. All her family was gone and she was
alone. Jace wanted to roar at the heavens, demanding they return her loved ones
to her. But that was impossible.

It was probably the reason the tapestry had brought her to
Javara in the first place. She was a woman alone, a woman who could make a life
in their world.

But she was still too deeply attached to her family and the
land they owned. Jace couldn’t fault her for that. All he wanted was to return
home. But he wanted her to go with them.

For the first time, he truly understood how unfair the
tapestry was to the women it brought to Javara. His entire life, all he’d
thought about were the benefits of having a tapestry bride—a woman to love,
children, family and a future. He’d never truly understood the magnitude of
what each woman had to give up when they stayed.

Like any world, this one had its problems. Sam’s brother had
been killed in a war and the land seemed harsh and unforgiving. But Sam had
neighbors who cared and people who loved her. She had land and a family legacy.

Asking her to give this all up and step into the unknown
with him and Darian was too much.

“Shh.” He rocked her like he would a child, but the woman in
his arms was no child and his senses stirred. The warmth of her skin enticed
him even as her tears wet his bare chest. He wanted to keep her safe in his
arms and he wanted to strip her naked and fuck her. The polar emotions had him
on edge.

“Sam, you’re home and you’re safe.” Jace didn’t know what to
say to get her to stop crying. He kissed the top of her head before tilting her
back slightly so he could see her face. Her cheeks were blotchy, her eyes red.

He dropped a kiss on her forehead, her nose and both
cheekbones. She sniffed and he could see her trying to pull herself back
together. He rubbed his thumb over her cheek, swiping at the tears rolling down
her face.

When she tried to smile at him, Jace lost it. He kissed her.
There was no stopping him. He slammed his mouth down on hers, plunged his
tongue past her parted lips and took what belonged to him.

Sam gasped, but didn’t push him away. She reached for him,
wrapping her arms around his neck, clinging to him as though she’d never let
him go.

He had to say something to her before this went any further.
She had to know how he felt.

Jace tore his mouth away from hers, not wanting to release
her sweet and salty lips. “I’m sorry, Sam. I didn’t mean to bring the tapestry
back to Javara and send you away.” He thought he’d mastered his temper years
ago, but obviously he hadn’t succeeded as well as he’d hoped. Sam was able to
prick his temper where others could not.

“I know.” She rested her hand on the side of his face, the
one with the scar. Not that Sam seemed to even notice the mark. He placed his
hand over hers, holding it against his skin for a brief moment before turning
it so he could kiss her palm.

“What are we going to do?” Emotional anguish spilled from
her as she asked the question to which he had no answers. Another tear trickled
down the side of her face.

Tim’s suggestions were still echoing in his head. Sam could
still return with them to Javara. Jace hadn’t even entertained such a
possibility, but Tim was right. Sam could change her mind and leave her world behind.

Tim’s other suggestions left Jace reeling. Either he or his
brother or both of them could stay here with her. Jace immediately dismissed
the idea of both of them staying. What would happen to their mother? All their
people? Hunter Keep?

Maybe Darian could stay here with Sam? He was more
easygoing, more able to adapt than Jace was. But how would he live without his
brother? They’d been inseparable since they were boys. Jace could still
remember the day Darian was born, even though he was only three years old. He’d
always felt responsible for his younger brother.

“I don’t know what we will do, Sam.” Jace lifted her until
she was facing him, straddling his lap. “But I know what I want to do at this
moment.” He tugged her shirt from the waistband of her pants and slid his hands
beneath.

He loved the feel of her soft skin against his rough,
calloused palms. Jace didn’t want to face the possibility of losing Sam, of
never being able to touch her again. He needed to love her, to show in the only
way he could how sorry he was for the words he’d spoken in anger.

Jace pushed the shirt up and over her head. Her breasts were
encased in a lacy covering that was the same color as fresh ripe berries. It
was such a contrast to her plain, utilitarian shirt it made him smile. That was
Sam—tough and hardworking on the outside, but soft and womanly on the inside.

His cock was swollen and uncomfortably pressed against the
inside of his pants, but he ignored it. He rubbed his thumbs over the hard nubs
pressing against the delicate material. Her nipples were swollen, ripe and
sweet, and he needed to taste them.