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.
Marek inexplicably broke the mood. He took a bite of cheese and stood smoothly and moved away gracefully. Janney felt him standing behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see his legs, long and straight, his feet in sandals. She’d never been a big fan of sandals on men, or men’s feet, for that matter, but he certainly could sell the look. Dusty, long-boned, his feet were huge. Janney’s face heated involuntarily, and she almost giggled out loud. She knew what big feet meant.
I guess in this case, it’s true. I’ve seen it.
Oh, God, don’t think about that.
Janney couldn’t deny it. She knew where all this was heading. The only question was when. Then what? How long before he tired of her?
Marek came back to the fire, knelt, his tunic stretched tightly across the muscles of his thighs. Outside the circle of firelight, everything was dim and indistinct. The only sounds
were the chirping of what sounded like crickets and the sigh of an occasional breeze twisting the leaves.
Janney couldn’t help but focus on his bigness. He was a strong man, and he’d been gentle with her. Kind and sweet with Gaius and Augusta. She stared into the fire, her thoughts whirling, heart tripping. She knew he was right across from her, but couldn’t look up, afraid of what she might see. Afraid of how tempted she was.
She finally did look up at him. Marek now sat Indian-style across from her. She couldn’t see his mouth or chin as he sat, head bowed, hunched over the fire. The light flickered over his scrunched up nose and brow. She leaned toward him, but resisted the urge to reach for him. It would start something she really wasn’t ready for. The quiet stretched out, relieved only by the crackle of the flames, a stomp or snuffle of one of the animals. Her hand rose involuntarily. She wanted to touch him, pat him. Not caress him. Certainly not that. His bare knee was within her reach.
What did he wear under his tunic? Her brows lifted, she bit her lower lip. She didn’t want to dwell on those thoughts, but it wasn’t every day that she sat before a crackling fire in the English countryside with a handsome man, let alone a Roman soldier.
Oh, and yes, don’t forget the two thousand years in the past part.
Marek looked up, his glance caught by her upraised hand.
Their eyes locked. His dark eyes glowed. Janney’s mind went completely blank for a second, then—wham! Too many thoughts slammed through. Gasping at the pain-pleasure prickling at her, the ache in the tips of her breasts and the surge of heat and wetness between her thighs, she knew she wanted him. Wanted him to take her in his arms, press his lips on hers, and—Janney crossed her arms across her chest, squirmed, the movement only bringing more pressure to her sensitive areas.
Between her thighs, her jeans felt too tight. She tried to wrench herself back to reality.
Ha! Reality. What is reality? What were we talking about?
She had no idea any more. She just knew she had to control her hungry, clamoring body. She wanted him, and it was killing her. Making love—having sex—was irrevocable. Once it happened, she knew her heart would be involved. Could she risk it?
Janney felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She had to keep him talking. “You have a villa? That’s where
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.
Marek inexplicably broke the mood. He took a bite of cheese and stood smoothly and moved away gracefully. Janney felt him standing behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see his legs, long and straight, his feet in sandals. She’d never been a big fan of sandals on men, or men’s feet, for that matter, but he certainly could sell the look. Dusty, long-boned, his feet were huge. Janney’s face heated involuntarily, and she almost giggled out loud. She knew what big feet meant.
I guess in this case, it’s true. I’ve seen it.
Oh, God, don’t think about that.
Janney couldn’t deny it. She knew where all this was heading. The only question was when. Then what? How long before he tired of her?
Marek came back to the fire, knelt, his tunic stretched tightly across the muscles of his thighs. Outside the circle of firelight, everything was dim and indistinct. The only sounds
were the chirping of what sounded like crickets and the sigh of an occasional breeze twisting the leaves.
Janney couldn’t help but focus on his bigness. He was a strong man, and he’d been gentle with her. Kind and sweet with Gaius and Augusta. She stared into the fire, her thoughts whirling, heart tripping. She knew he was right across from her, but couldn’t look up, afraid of what she might see. Afraid of how tempted she was.
She finally did look up at him. Marek now sat Indian-style across from her. She couldn’t see his mouth or chin as he sat, head bowed, hunched over the fire. The light flickered over his scrunched up nose and brow. She leaned toward him, but resisted the urge to reach for him. It would start something she really wasn’t ready for. The quiet stretched out, relieved only by the crackle of the flames, a stomp or snuffle of one of the animals. Her hand rose involuntarily. She wanted to touch him, pat him. Not caress him. Certainly not that. His bare knee was within her reach.
What did he wear under his tunic? Her brows lifted, she bit her lower lip. She didn’t want to dwell on those thoughts, but it wasn’t every day that she sat before a crackling fire in the English countryside with a handsome man, let alone a Roman soldier.
Oh, and yes, don’t forget the two thousand years in the past part.
Marek looked up, his glance caught by her upraised hand.
Their eyes locked. His dark eyes glowed. Janney’s mind went completely blank for a second, then—wham! Too many thoughts slammed through. Gasping at the pain-pleasure prickling at her, the ache in the tips of her breasts and the surge of heat and wetness between her thighs, she knew she wanted him. Wanted him to take her in his arms, press his lips on hers, and—Janney crossed her arms across her chest, squirmed, the movement only bringing more pressure to her sensitive areas.
Between her thighs, her jeans felt too tight. She tried to wrench herself back to reality.
Ha! Reality. What is reality? What were we talking about?
She had no idea any more. She just knew she had to control her hungry, clamoring body. She wanted him, and it was killing her. Making love—having sex—was irrevocable. Once it happened, she knew her heart would be involved. Could she risk it?
Janney felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She had to keep him talking. “You have a villa? That’s where
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