sense it actually made. Garrik obviously wanted to get some time alone with her and she could use the walk to work off some of her nervous tension. It hadn’t been easy to chatter on for so long. Genny wasn’t used to talking that much at all. Her brothers ignored her unless they were bellowing for her to do something for them. Most of the servants took their cues from her brothers and ignored her. No one wanted to be seen as being kind to her lest they bring the wrath of the Craddock brothers down on themselves. It was a novelty for her to talk for so long. It was also nerve-racking. Already, sweat had her chemise and dress plastered to her back, making it itch. She’d definitely need another bath later today.
“You can leave your belongings here with Jarmon.” Garrik pushed himself off the ground and stretched his long arms over his head. The move accentuated his wide torso as the muscles in his stomach and chest rippled.
Genny wasn’t sure about leaving her things. The last thing she wanted was Jarmon to poke through her belongings and discover the tapestry she had rolled up in the folds of her other dress.
Sensing her hesitation, Jarmon slowly stood and walked toward her. Catching her chin in his palm, he tilted her face upward. Immediately she was lost in the empathy and understanding that shone from his eyes. “Your belongings are safe with me. I would never trespass by searching through your things.” She could hear the underlying message in his words. Trust me. Trust didn’t come easy to Genny. Too many years of betrayal and abuse at the hands of her brothers made it difficult. But she’d already trusted this man more than she ever had any other. She’d 55
gifted him with her virginity. It seemed silly not to trust him with her few meager belongings.
She’d taken more risks in the past week than she ever had in her entire life.
Reaching down deep to find the remnants of her tattered courage, she nodded. Jarmon smiled. Not the usual slight turning of the corners of his mouth, but a true smile.
Awestruck, Genny couldn’t take her eyes off him as he dropped a quick kiss on her mouth. He seemed to find her expression funny because he chuckled as he tipped her chin up, closing her mouth, which had dropped open.
“If there is anything you need to do before we leave.” Garrik gestured to the woods beyond their campsite. Genny blushed, but hurried off to take care of the call of nature before they left.
As soon as Genny was out of sight, Jarmon turned to his brother. “Be very careful, Garrik.”
Garrik scrubbed his hand over his face and sighed. “You caught that too, did you?” Jarmon nodded. “There are too many discrepancies in her story. She seems very familiar with this world. Even her clothing is locally made.” Garrik sighed as he strapped on his sword and hefted his bow and arrows. “I don’t think that there is much doubt that she is from Javara. The question is, who is she?”
“And why is she lying to us?” Jarmon continued to stare at the woods. “Whoever she is, she is under our care.” He turned to his brother and pinned him with a deadly gaze. “We cannot let anything happen to her. Obviously someone had mistreated her badly.”
Garrik’s eyes were just as deadly as he nodded. “I won’t let down my guard, but truthfully, I think she is safe here.”
“I hope you are right.” Jarmon couldn’t quite shake the feeling that this situation was going to explode in all their faces at some point. Still, there was nothing he could do until Genny was willing to talk to them. Warmth flooded him as he remembered their morning at the river. Genny was naturally a giving, generous woman. Very sensual in nature, yet there was a naivety about her that made him want to protect her.
“If she is not a tapestry bride, that means she will not disappear tomorrow evening.” Garrik’s hand absently stroked the pommel of his sword.
“Tomorrow evening should prove to be very
“You can leave your belongings here with Jarmon.” Garrik pushed himself off the ground and stretched his long arms over his head. The move accentuated his wide torso as the muscles in his stomach and chest rippled.
Genny wasn’t sure about leaving her things. The last thing she wanted was Jarmon to poke through her belongings and discover the tapestry she had rolled up in the folds of her other dress.
Sensing her hesitation, Jarmon slowly stood and walked toward her. Catching her chin in his palm, he tilted her face upward. Immediately she was lost in the empathy and understanding that shone from his eyes. “Your belongings are safe with me. I would never trespass by searching through your things.” She could hear the underlying message in his words. Trust me. Trust didn’t come easy to Genny. Too many years of betrayal and abuse at the hands of her brothers made it difficult. But she’d already trusted this man more than she ever had any other. She’d 55
gifted him with her virginity. It seemed silly not to trust him with her few meager belongings.
She’d taken more risks in the past week than she ever had in her entire life.
Reaching down deep to find the remnants of her tattered courage, she nodded. Jarmon smiled. Not the usual slight turning of the corners of his mouth, but a true smile.
Awestruck, Genny couldn’t take her eyes off him as he dropped a quick kiss on her mouth. He seemed to find her expression funny because he chuckled as he tipped her chin up, closing her mouth, which had dropped open.
“If there is anything you need to do before we leave.” Garrik gestured to the woods beyond their campsite. Genny blushed, but hurried off to take care of the call of nature before they left.
As soon as Genny was out of sight, Jarmon turned to his brother. “Be very careful, Garrik.”
Garrik scrubbed his hand over his face and sighed. “You caught that too, did you?” Jarmon nodded. “There are too many discrepancies in her story. She seems very familiar with this world. Even her clothing is locally made.” Garrik sighed as he strapped on his sword and hefted his bow and arrows. “I don’t think that there is much doubt that she is from Javara. The question is, who is she?”
“And why is she lying to us?” Jarmon continued to stare at the woods. “Whoever she is, she is under our care.” He turned to his brother and pinned him with a deadly gaze. “We cannot let anything happen to her. Obviously someone had mistreated her badly.”
Garrik’s eyes were just as deadly as he nodded. “I won’t let down my guard, but truthfully, I think she is safe here.”
“I hope you are right.” Jarmon couldn’t quite shake the feeling that this situation was going to explode in all their faces at some point. Still, there was nothing he could do until Genny was willing to talk to them. Warmth flooded him as he remembered their morning at the river. Genny was naturally a giving, generous woman. Very sensual in nature, yet there was a naivety about her that made him want to protect her.
“If she is not a tapestry bride, that means she will not disappear tomorrow evening.” Garrik’s hand absently stroked the pommel of his sword.
“Tomorrow evening should prove to be very
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