The Guardian Mist (6 page)

“Yeah. I get hired to take people out into the great outdoors and teach them how to survive. I also run tours along the Appalachian Trail in the summers.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Don’t get what?”

“You get
paid
for that?”

“Yeah, Varinia, I get paid for it. You’ve never taken a tour and had a guide with you? Whitewater rafting? Hiking? Horseback riding? Anything?”

Rin laughed and took a bite of the cake. It was delicious, of course. As if Cassia would have anything less than orgasmic cake at the last-chance party for her daughter to find a man. “No. I’m not exactly an outdoorsy girl.”

“Now that’s a shame,” Roman said, clearly teasing her. “Nature is beautiful and there are so many wonderful things to do outside. You’ve seriously never been camping?”

“In a tent? No. I’ve spent the night in my car when I had to drive cross-country once, but I don’t think that counts.”

“No, that doesn’t count, and it definitely wasn’t safe.” He mock glared at her. “I’d love to take you on one of my overnight hiking trips to show you what you’ve been missing.”

“Really? Um, I don’t do nature very well.”

“Then you haven’t done nature with the right person.”

How he could say something so innocent, but still make it sound dirty, was beyond Rin. And he was so smooth she couldn’t tell if he was doing it on purpose or not. Even though she’d never had the urge to sleep outside with the bugs and in the heat, somehow she knew Roman would make it a completely different, and exciting, experience.

Feeling flustered, and trying to keep herself from agreeing on the spot to go camping with him—and do anything else he might want to do with her—she blurted out, “Where do you live? You told my sister you aren’t from around here, but that could mean you’re from tons of places…”

As if he’d been around her forever rather than the thirty or so minutes they’d spent together, he followed her train of thought easily. “Not too far. I live over in western Pennsylvania. I could’ve driven home tonight, but it’s been a long day and I’m tired. I’d planned on getting a good night’s sleep and heading back in the morning.”

Rin was curious now. It wasn’t every day she met a wilderness guide. Heck, she’d
never
met one. “There’s not much that’s nature-y about Columbus, Ohio.”

“You’d be surprised how many hidden trails there can be in a city, but yeah, I wasn’t hiking or anything today. I spent the day with a group of Girl Scouts. The troop leader hired me to show them some of the things that the Boy Scouts are learning. Apparently, some of the members in the group found out what their brothers were getting to do with
their
troops, and demanded the same thing. I got to show them how to tie knots, pitch tents, and recognize things like poison ivy and oak in the woods. It was awesomely fun, but I’m beat. I had no idea ten little girls could ask so many questions. I swear if I hear the word ‘why’ one more time, I’ll scream.” Roman smiled as he said it, so Rin knew he was teasing.

Every word out of his mouth made Rin want to get to know him better. “So I take it you don’t have kids?”

“Nope. Never been married either. You?”

“No. Not even close. How old are you?” As soon as the question came out of her mouth, Rin was embarrassed. “Oh God, I’m sorry. Don’t answer that, it was extremely rude.”

Roman chuckled. “It’s okay. It’s only fair, since I know that you’re twenty-five today. I’m thirty-four.”

Rin grinned at him, happy she’d guessed his age right earlier. Thirty-four was older than she thought she’d ever be attracted to, but it wasn’t as if she wanted to jump a grandpa’s bones, so she’d take it. “Actually, our birthday isn’t for another couple weeks but Mom didn’t want to chance it.”

“Chance what?”

Lord. She hadn’t meant to say that. “That long story I mentioned earlier, involving soul mates.”

Roman relaxed against his chair. “It’s not like I have anywhere else to be. Hit me.”

“I don’t want to. I’m liking this.”

“This?”

“Us, talking normally, without you looking at me like I’m an escapee from the looney bin.”

“Come on, Varinia, it can’t be that bad. I’m sure I could tell you some things about me that would freak you out just as much.”

“Like what?”

He considered her for a moment before confessing in a low voice, as if there were other people around who would love to hear what he was about to tell her, “I used to sneak out of bed at night when I was little to watch princess movies. I don’t know why we had them, since I don’t have any sisters, but I loved them.”

Rin gawked at Roman for a moment. He looked so sheepish that she couldn’t help the guffaws of laughter that escaped her. She laughed so hard she actually snorted, then covered her face in embarrassment. Could she be any more of a dork?

At his chuckle, she looked up and sighed, still smiling. “Okay, okay. I think that’s more sweet than embarrassing though. But you fessed up, so I will too. But I’m only doing it because in another few weeks, it won’t matter anyway.”

Roman put his hand on her forearm and said seriously, “If you really don’t want to tell me, don’t. It’s fine. I don’t think anything you could say right now would make me think less of you. In case you haven’t realized it, I like you. It probably sounds creepy, but from the second I saw you standing behind me in the lobby, I’ve been drawn to you. And I don’t know what happens in a few weeks, but I really hope that whatever it is
we
have lasts longer than that. Talk to me.”

“Uh, well, okay.” Rin took a deep breath and asked what she’d been thinking since she’d first gotten close enough to Roman to smell him; again, the question seemingly coming out of the blue. “You asked me in the lobby if we’d met before.”

Roman nodded but didn’t speak, letting her get whatever it was she wanted to say out at her own speed.

“I know we haven’t, but the thing is, I feel like I know you from somewhere,” Rin insisted, putting off telling the story of her family legend.

“Wanna hear something weird? I do too, it’s why I asked earlier. But I swear I’ve never laid eyes on you before in my life. There’s no way I would’ve forgotten you.”

Ignoring the warm and gushy feeling she got from his words, Rin asked, “Maybe you met Tina and just forgot? We
are
twins, so even though she looks different from me, you know, with her hair and her clothes and stuff, we’re still identical.”

“No, I haven’t met her either,” Roman denied. “And while she might look different, I’d be able to tell you apart even if you had the same haircut and were wearing the same clothes. You look pretty much exactly alike, from your beautiful green eyes to your cute nose and full lips, but there’s just something about you that makes you very different from Tina.”

“Oh. Um. Thanks.”

“There goes that not-accepting-a-compliment-very-well again.” Roman reached out a hand and ran a finger over her cheek briefly before pulling back. “I’m drawn to you and it’s not about anything that Tina also has. This is gonna sound corny but…it’s as if my soul recognized yours.”

Rin could only stare at him. She felt her heart speed up.

That was it exactly.

Before she could respond, he asked the question that wasn’t all that much of a subject change since they’d been talking about souls. “Now…long story about Tina trying to find her true love?”

“Okay, um, yeah. But you can’t tell anyone here. It would embarrass both Tina and my mom.”

“Of course. I know we just met and you don’t know me at all, but I wouldn’t break your confidence.”

Rin took a deep breath and began the crazy story. “It all started thousands of years ago with a woman named Theodosia and her husband, Lucius…”

“
I
t’s amazing
that the ring has been passed down for hundreds of years from mother to daughter,” Roman said in awe, as if trying to wrap his mind around the possibility.

“I know. Some of the stories about my ancestors I remember, but I know lots of others are lost, which makes me sad. The thing is, though, for some reason, it’s been…broken, for lack of a better word, for the last few generations, and why my mom calls it a curse now instead of a legend. My great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother weren’t lucky enough to find their true loves by the time they were twenty-five.”

“But they still had daughters,” Roman remarked.

Rin looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “You don’t exactly have to be in love to have kids you know.”

Roman nodded his head in sheepish agreement. “Good point. So Tina has only a few more weeks to find the love of her life, otherwise she, and you, will be single for the rest of your lives?”

Rin read the disbelief in his tone and blushed. It sounded so silly when he said it out loud. This was the reason she hadn’t bothered to try to explain it before. But something about Roman had made her think he’d understand. “Basically, yes.” There was no use in expanding her answer if he was going to think she was crazy.

“That is utterly fascinating,” Roman said enthusiastically, resting both elbows on the table in front of him and keeping his eyes on hers.

Rin watched as his biceps flexed under the short-sleeve polo shirt he was wearing. She took a deep breath, inhaling his unique scent as he shifted next to her.

“And you said that you have an older half-sister who lives in England who sent the ring? Is Tina wearing it now? I’d love to get a look at it…that is, if we can figure out a way to do that without making your sister think I’m her true love.”

Roman seemed genuinely interested and Rin made a split-second decision. She brought her right hand up from where she’d stuffed it under her thigh and rested it on the table between them. “I’ve got it. I didn’t trust my mom not to do something weird with it. She already tried to get rid of it once, and I promised MacKenzie, my half-sister, that I’d keep it with me at all times.”

Roman reached out to lift her hand, but stopped, his fingers hovering over hers, and asked permission before touching her, and thus the ring. “May I?”

Rin swallowed hard and nodded. “Legend says that when the eldest daughter finds her true love, it turns crimson, but my mom says it’s been gray for as long as she’s had it.”

Rin held her breath and Roman picked up her hand. She shivered as his thumb brushed over the back of her hand as he pulled it closer to examine the ring. He turned her hand one way, then the other. Rin felt his warm, calloused fingers over hers, but couldn’t take her eyes off his face. It was extremely expressive. She could see curiosity, interest, and…confusion?

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“It’s probably a coincidence, but I swear I’ve seen this ring before. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me,” Rin breathed.

“Later. You said the ring is supposed to be black. But it’s not. It’s a dark red right now.”

“What?” Rin looked down at the antique for the first time since she’d sat down with Roman. She gasped in surprise. She’d thought it was more red than black earlier, but now she couldn’t deny it. The ring was definitely crimson and seemed to glow from within. It was the most beautiful stone she’d ever seen in her life.

“I-I don’t understand,” Rin stammered, looking away from her finger to search the room for Tina. She saw her sitting with two of the men she’d been chatting with earlier. She was laughing and smiling at them both.

She turned back to Roman. “I think it might actually be working.”

He smiled at her with a gleam in his eye. “Oh, it’s working all right.”

Rin was too excited and flabbergasted to catch the odd tone in his voice. “I’m afraid to believe. I’m so happy for her. She’s been wanting this her entire life. I should go tell my mom—no, I should wait. I wouldn’t want to get her hopes up in case something goes wrong. Mom would love to see the ring this color though. Oh, Roman, this is amazing!”

He squeezed her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the ring on her finger. She could feel the heat from his lips against her skin, and shivered as a burst of energy seemed to flow from her fingers, up her arm, and settle in her chest. She felt jittery, as if she’d just downed an energy drink, and warmth spread out from her heart to all four of her limbs.

Roman didn’t say a word, but if the look in his eyes was any indication, he’d somehow felt the same thing.

“Think you could get out of here for a bit? Take a walk with me?”

He hadn’t let go of her hand and Rin couldn’t take her eyes off his lips. “I shouldn’t. This is an important—no,
momentous
thing for our family. But…” Rin looked longingly at the door to the ballroom. She wanted to be alone with Roman. She needed it, as if she needed to breathe. She didn’t understand it, but she wanted to say yes more than anything. However, she was also cautious. She’d just met the man tonight, after all. “A walk? Is that code for something else?”

He chuckled and put her hand back on the table, covering it, and the ring, with his own. “No. I’d just like to spend some time with you, get to know you better, have you get to know
me
better. It’s loud in here and I’d love to talk to you without distractions…if you think you can leave your own birthday party.”

“I was going to cut out soon anyway. So yes, I’d like that.”

Roman smiled at her, obviously pleased she’d said yes. “I’ll make sure to keep you safe. Thank you for trusting me.” Roman stood up and kept hold of her hand, forcing her to stand as well. He dropped it, only to rest his warm palm on the small of her back as they walked toward the ballroom door.

Rin’s head spun. Roman’s scent, his seeming interest in her, the ring being crimson for the first time ever…it was all almost too much. But walking next to Roman, being by his side, felt right. She’d follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked.

T
hey made
their way out of the hotel and headed for the downtown area. The neighborhood was well lit and the fountains around the courthouse gave their surroundings a romantic feel. Roman had taken hold of her right hand, interlocking their fingers. Rin looked down and saw the poesy ring shining brightly in the street lamps as they walked, flanked by his fingers.

They were quiet for a while, reveling in each other’s company. Roman finally broke the comfortable silence. “Want a mint?” He’d reached into his pocket and was holding a tin of candy in his free hand, holding it out to her. “I’m totally addicted to them. My family makes fun of me, but I can’t remember a time I wasn’t.”

“Are they peppermint?” Rin asked, even though she knew the answer already.

“Yeah. I’ve tried the wintergreen ones, and cinnamon, but I always come back to peppermint.” He shrugged a little self-consciously. “It’s a quirk.”

She shook her head and let go of his hand so he could pop one of the small mints into his mouth. He immediately took hold of her hand again as soon as the tin was back in his pocket.

Rin inhaled deeply, smelling the familiar scents of smoke, cold air, and now peppermint. She felt like she was losing her mind. It couldn’t be possible to have dreamt of Roman her entire life, but the proof was walking next to her and was holding her hand tightly. She decided to find out more about him, using his own words to further the conversation. “Will you tell me more about your family?”

“Sure. You know I have two brothers. We grew up outside Pittsburgh. My parents are still together, they’re celebrating their thirty-fifth anniversary this year.”

“Wow, that’s a long time.” Rin knew she sounded wistful, but couldn’t help it. Roman squeezed her hand.

“They haven’t all been happy, though. There was a time, when my youngest brother was in college, when Mom moved out. They had to work through some things. I think having three boys in the house kept them so busy that they didn’t concentrate on their own relationship. So when all of us left and it was only the two of them, things got weird.”

“But they worked it out?”

“Yeah.” Roman nodded. “Thankfully. They love each other, but they had to learn how to be a couple again rather than just a mom and a dad.”

“You’re lucky.”

“I know,” he agreed without hesitation. “But even if they would’ve gotten divorced, it wouldn’t have changed the way they felt about us.”

Rin nodded and said wistfully, “I never knew my dad. Mom said he was a one-night stand that resulted in us.” She shrugged. “I don’t know if he even knows he’s got two daughters.”

“I’m sorry, Varinia. He’s missing out.”

“Yeah, I know, but I think we missed out too. I love my mom, and I know, if asked, she’d admit to making a lot of huge mistakes in her life.”

“But?”

“You could tell there was a but, huh?” Rin remarked dryly.

“Yeah, I could tell. I feel like I can read you pretty well. Sounds nuts, I know.” Roman shrugged.

Rin squeezed his hand, letting him know she felt the same way, and went on. “My mom has always been obsessed with the legend of the ring. I told you about my half-sister. Mom literally dumped MacKenzie, and the ring, in the hopes that it would end the curse once and for all. But it didn’t. So before me and Tina were born, she had a dream about the ring and the legend, and she’s spent the last twenty-five years grooming Tina to find the love of her life.”

“Can you groom someone for that?”

Rin shrugged immediately. “I have no idea. But if anyone could, it’d be my mom.”

They walked on in silence for a moment, before Roman asked gently, “And you?”

“Me what?”

“What were you doing while Tina was being groomed?”

“Growing up,” Rin told him honestly. “I was mostly left alone. I was allowed to read books as much as I wanted, I could play video games in front of the TV instead of going to ballet lessons. Mom gave me a little money to buy school clothes, although most of it I earned myself, and let me shop by myself instead of her picking out my clothes. I went to a great public high school, where I could blend into the woodwork and not have to worry about being a cheerleader or one of the cool kids.”

Roman stopped and turned to Rin, not letting go of their intertwined hands. He put his free hand on her face. “So you were left to your own devices while Tina got all of your mom’s attention.”

“Yeah, I guess. But Roman, don’t feel sorry for me. I had a safe childhood and I now do what I love—work with computers.”

“Boyfriends?”

“What?”

“Boyfriends. Did you have them growing up?”

“Well, yeah, of course,” Rin told him with a raised eyebrow. “I even dated this one guy for two years. He was the captain of the yearbook club and I thought I was in love with him.”

They started walking again.

“What happened?”

“Nothing dramatic. He was a year older than me and he graduated and went on to college and hooked up with a swimmer. A junior.”

“You don’t sound heartbroken about it.”

“Nope. It wasn’t meant to be. What about you? I bet you had a ton of girlfriends in high school.”

“Actually, I didn’t. I thought girls were icky until I was around sixteen.”

Rin laughed. “Icky?”

“Yup. I think I was traumatized by walking in on my father making out with my mom when I was ten.”

“Yeah, that’d do it. But since then?”

“I’ve had my fair share. But I’ll tell you something.”

When he paused, Rin looked up. “What?”

“I’ve never felt about
any
of them the way I’m feeling right now. It’s crazy, I know it is. We just met. But I feel comfortable with you. I already admitted that I used to watch girly princess movies and I have no problem telling you that I used to fantasize about being Prince Charming.”

“From Cinderella?”

“Yup. It was my favorite.”

Rin giggled, then sobered. She looked up at the stoplight instead of at him as they waited to cross a street. She still felt the jolts of electricity in her limbs and stomach. It was insane, but it also felt right. “So, you’re the oldest?”

Roman allowed her to change the subject, as if he knew the topic was making her antsy. “Yeah, Augustus is the youngest and Maximus is the middle child.”

Rin chuckled again at his brothers’ names.

Roman smiled as he steered her around a group of people who’d just come out of a bar, preventing a collision. “Yup. My parents were a bit too into Roman history, kinda like you and your ancestors. They go by Gus and Max.”

Rin shook her head in amusement. Weren’t they a pair, with her own family’s romanticized names. “Are they married?”

“Yes. Both to great women. They each have two kids.”

“Please tell me they didn’t name their kids Caesar or Julius.”

Roman nudged her with his shoulder. “No. They have perfectly normal names. John, Lee, Timothy, and Stephanie.”

“How old are they?”

“Gus’ two are seven and five, and Max’s are six and two.”

“So…Uncle Roman?”

He chuckled. “Yup. I love those little stinkers. But I’m also really glad to get back to my empty house too. Kids are exhausting.”

Rin smiled and teased, “Yeah, you said that already.”

“Well, it’s true. You have much experience with kids?”

Rin shook her head. “No, not really.”

“So you work with computers. What exactly do you do for a living? Hack into top-secret databases?”

She snorted. “Nothing so exciting. I work in an IT department for a large company.”

“I bet you’re still a computer genius,” Roman teased.

“No, not even close. But I do everything from removing viruses from computers to setting up new workstations.”

“You really
aren’t
an outdoors person, are you?” Roman asked seriously.

Rin shook her head a little sadly. “I’m not, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t
like
to be outside. I just haven’t had the chance to do much. Growing up, my mom…well, you already know that she spent a lot of time with Tina, trying to make sure she was prepared to do whatever she could to find the man meant to be hers. She didn’t have a lot of time for ‘boy things.’as she called them.”

Roman was silent for a moment, as if he was trying to find the right way to say what he was thinking. Finally, he asked in a quiet voice, “What if the legend is wrong?”

Rin stopped walking and stared up at Roman in shock. They’d walked around the courthouse twice and were really just killing time. She was enjoying getting to know more about him and hearing about his family. But his words came out of left field. “What?”

“What if it’s wrong?”

“It’s not.”

He didn’t say anything, but continued to stare at her.

“Seriously, Roman. You’ve seen the ring. It’s not wrong.”

He pulled and encouraged her to start walking again. The night was cool, but not cold, and the darkness around them made it seem more intimate somehow.

“Here’s the thing. You said it was the oldest daughter who got the ring, right?”

“Uh-huh. Tina pushed and shoved her way out of my mom first, so she got the short end of the stick, in my eyes.” Rin wasn’t sure where Roman was going with his questioning, but since he didn’t immediately laugh or scoff at the story about the legend earlier, she was willing to hear him out.

“I’m still not clear on how the ring worked for your half-sister, who was
really
your mom’s eldest daughter, but now it’s supposed to work again for your twin, who isn’t technically the oldest, but is the oldest with another man.”

Rin sighed in relief. He wasn’t mocking her, he was just confused. “Honestly? I’m not either, but MacKenzie trusted me enough to send it to me, and you’ve seen it for yourself. It’s not gray anymore; it has to be true. One of those guys Tina was with tonight has to be her true love.”

“So, your sister was born first.”

“Yup.”

“By how long?”

“How many minutes?”

When Roman nodded, Rin told him, “Not minutes. About thirty seconds.”

“And you’re
sure
she’s the oldest?”

Rin stopped abruptly again, next to a bench this time. “Yeah, Roman. She’s the oldest. The nurses marked her ID bracelet when she was still in the nursery so my mom would know who came out first. What are you getting at?”

“Can we sit?” Roman gestured at the wooden bench next to them.

Rin nodded and sat at the edge of the bench, suddenly uneasy at what Roman was implying. He turned toward her and took both of her hands in his and held them tightly.

“Here’s the thing. I’m not a very spiritual man. And I’ve lived my life without much thought to the supernatural and legends and stuff. But the second I met you, I felt…different. As if I was just where I was supposed to be. Maybe I chose that hotel at random, or maybe I was guided to it for a reason. But the first time I touched you, I swear to God, my heart skipped a beat. I’ve never believed in love at first sight, but something happened between us.

“What if the legend applies to both of you? Or the nurses made a mistake and
you’re
really the oldest? Or for this generation, it applies to all the daughters of your mom?”

Rin didn’t know what to say, but it didn’t matter as he continued on enthusiastically.

“You said it yourself, when you got the ring it was gray, but now it’s not. It’s bright red, beautiful. What if
we’re
meant for each other and it changed colors because
you
met
me
?”

It was impossible.

But somehow, it wasn’t.

“When I was little, I had nightmares,” Rin told him.

“Varinia—”

She held up a hand to forestall his comment. “It’s related. Promise.”

He nodded and gestured for her to continue.

“They were awful. My earliest memory is of waking up after a bad dream. I was probably three or so. I don’t always remember what they’re about, but all I know is that I’m lost, or surrounded, or trapped, or being chased, or somehow threatened. I’m scared out of my mind…but then a misty fog rolls in. It surrounds me, and should scare the crap out of me
more
, if that’s possible. But it’s as if it’s putting itself between me and whatever it is that’s frightening me in my dreams. It forms a barrier between me and the bad thing in my nightmare. It wraps itself around my legs, then my waist, then my chest…and instead of smothering me, it comforts me. It’s like a warm blanket wrapped around me, keeping me safe.”

“I think most children have those kinds of dreams. I know my niece and nephews have them.”

“The fog that envelops me smells like smoke. Like a cold fall day. Like
peppermint
. It smells exactly like
you
do, Roman.”

He didn’t say anything to her absurd statement, just stared into her eyes before bringing his hand up and palming the side of her head. Rin closed her eyes and rested her head against his hand, letting him take her weight for a moment. She swallowed hard then looked up at him.

Roman was leaning forward, his face very close to her own. She bit her lip but didn’t say a word. A million thoughts were running through her head. It
was
weird that the ring was now crimson, but her entire life she’d been told that Tina was the important daughter. Tina was the oldest. Tina was the key to breaking the curse.

But here, with Roman, she suddenly wasn’t sure about anything anymore.

“I want to kiss you, Varinia.” Roman’s voice was low and rumbly.

Rin nodded her head infinitesimally, but knew he felt it because he licked his lips as if readying himself for her.

She copied his movements and waited.

He didn’t leave her waiting long. Before she could take another breath, his lips were on hers. His hand curled around the back of her head, directing her to tilt it a bit more so the angle was better. Rin had half-expected him to give her a small peck, but was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t bother with preliminaries. His tongue caressed her lips and when she opened for him, surged inside as if he’d done it a thousand times instead of just once.

His delicious scent seeped into her pores as he kissed her, a thousand times stronger than if she’d simply sniffed him. The mint he’d eaten earlier was still fresh on his breath and she could also somehow taste the wood smoke that permeated every fiber of her being. She inhaled as their tongues dueled, bringing his delicious scent into her lungs and shivering at the lust that coursed through her.