Free Ancient Ties by Jane Leopold Quinn Page B

her, she made her feelings completely clear when she slammed the door of her bedchamber, shutting out all three of them.

    Janney, dressed in her Twenty-first Century clothes, barreled back out. “You’re right, Augusta,” she heard Marek growl. “I’m an ass. She didn’t deserve it. I’ll talk to her.”
    “Don’t bother,” she snarled, not looking in his direction.
    “I’m checking the portal.”
    She knew they followed her. Let them. She looked down, her chin quivered, her fingers clenched and unclenched at her sides. Taking a deep breath and opening the door, she looked out. She stepped over the threshold.
    The courtyard.
     

     
    As she leaned her head against the doorframe, Marek tried to brush past her. “Why did you laugh at me?” Janney’s voice quavered, half expecting his rejection.
    He turned, opened his mouth.
    “Don’t bother to deny it.” She glared at him.
    “I didn’t laugh at you.” His voice went low and intimate, his chocolate brown eyes gleaming heatedly.
    “Then what?” She felt her pulse beating in her throat. Oh God, why did she ever ask?
    “Ah…”
    “Damn you! This isn’t worth it. I don’t care…” Janney turned away.
    “I’d wondered…” His hand slid around her arm, turning her back around.
    “Wondered what?” She held herself rigid; the arm he wasn’t holding was stiff at her side, fingers clenched. Her gaze slid up to his eyes. His compelling eyes.
    “If…um…your hair down there,” he nodded toward her crotch, “was naturally yellow.”
    Her eyes widened in shock, her lips parted in a gasp. She’d never thought of something like that. She might as well have been naked after all.
    “You bastard. I can’t believe you said that,” she whispered.
    Even though she was embarrassed to hell, her crotch pulsed heatedly. She pulled herself from his grasp, and before she could think what to do or say, he was gone.

    “You’re doing a lot of damage. Rome will have to buy us some new equipment.”

    Marek grunted his reply. He’d been jousting with a straw and leather training figure. If the form had ever lived, he certainly didn’t at this point. Marek plunged and cut as if he were in the heat of battle, which, in a way, he was. Handing him a cup of water, Gaius urged his friend to take a breather. Marek stretched his arms out above his head, twisting and angling his body to loosen the kinks in his muscles.
     

     
    “Would you spar with an old man and an old friend? You might be just tired out enough by now for me to win.”
    “You’re on,” Marek growled, accepting the challenge.
    Gaius, although fifteen years older, was still a surprisingly good competitor for the younger man. They attracted a crowd of onlookers cheering and making side bets. Gaius, a wily former soldier, made up in cunning what he lacked in strength, and Marek’s sword flew from his hands. Of course, the fact that Marek was angry and distracted hadn’t helped him. Flustered, but generous in defeat to his oldest friend, Marek pounded Gaius’s back. They strolled companionably off for some refreshment.
    “Are you still leaving for your villa tomorrow?” Gaius asked.
    “Yes,” Marek answered shortly, making a pretense of being interested in the contents of his goblet of wine.
    “Maybe now would be the opportune time. The weather is holding. It will be a perfect time to be there. It’s a lovely—”
    “No,” Marek ground out, interrupting. “It’s not a good time.”
    “It might be better to leave before you become too involved.” Gaius didn’t need to add with whom.
    Rubbing his eyes with the heels of both hands, he said quietly, without looking at Gaius, “It’s too late for that, my friend.”
    “Yes,” Gaius replied sadly. “I can see it is. Marek, she wants to go home to her life, her family. She’s going to check that doorway every day.”
    “I’ll take her to my villa.”
    “What would that solve? Even if she went with you, she would still eventually