by Dawn Brower
“I think you’ll say anything to shock me.” He blew out a breath. “What else do I need to know about the car.”
She smiled. “Good. Glad to see you found your bravery again.” She walked back over to the passenger side and held the door open. “Get in.”
Nicholas focused on the door and then slowly moved toward her. He stopped in front of her, then leaned down until there wasn’t much distance between them. His nose was mere centimeters above hers. If she leaned up a little bit she could press her lips to his. Peyton’s breathing became ragged and she was drawn to him. This man tempted her more than anyone ever had. She wanted to kiss him, but she didn’t. Somehow, she kept herself in check.
“If I allow you to drive me in this death vehicle, what assurances do I have that you won’t kill us both?”
Her lips twitched. “None,” she said. “Do you still trust me?”
“How about a reward for my courageousness,” he said huskily.
Peyton snorted. “I have not seen any such thing. Get in the car and quit stalling.”
Nicholas reached out and pulled her against him. She gasped but loved the feel of his body against hers. Peyton lifted her hand and placed it on his chest in a half-hearted attempt to push him away. “Don’t…”
“What?” He ran his hand on her back, and it sent shivers down her spine in its wake. “Seduce you? Now isn’t the place, but if you wish it…”
“No,” she nearly shouted the word. Peyton nibbled on her bottom lip. “What I desire in this moment is for you to get into the bloody car.”
He chuckled softly. “As you wish, my lady.” Nicholas stepped back and slid onto the soft black leather seat. He leaned back against it and bounced up and down a couple times. “This is the softest carriage seat I’ve ever had the pleasure of sitting upon.”
“Not a carriage seat,” she reminded him. “Car seat, and as you’ve never sat on one before…you might find one better at some point.”
“That is true,” he agreed. He turned toward her with a grin. “All right. I’m ready. Take me to London.”
Peyton shook her head, grabbed the safety belt, leaned over him and slid it into the clasp. He took the opportunity to run his hand over her ass while she did it. She jumped, banged her head on the seat, startled by his touch. “Quit being touchy feely. I didn’t give you permission to maul me.”
“My apologies. I thought you were offering yourself to me. I’ll keep my hands to myself. If you would like my attentions in the future, you’ll have to tell me or be the first to…touch.”
“That’s not likely to happen.” If he was allowing her to dictate the rest of their relationship, it was officially dead in the water.
“Perhaps,” he said. “But I will not force myself on a woman. If you truly do not desire me, then I will refrain from courting you further.”
“Courting?” She shook her head in disbelief. “There is no courting happening here.” Peyton waved her finger between the two of them. “We can be friends and nothing more.” She shut the door with a thud and walked around to the driver side. Once she was seated and secured into the car, she started it. The engine roared to life. She sneaked a glance at Nicholas, but he seemed all right so far. Peyton put the car in drive and took off, then Nicholas braced himself—and stayed blissfully silent…
Chapter 8
Nicholas leaned back against the seat and sent up a silent prayer he’d somehow make it out of this excursion alive. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, then opened them again. They were moving faster than he could ever imagined. These automobiles…were amazing inventions. As fast as Peyton was driving, they would make it to London in no time at all. How difficult were they to operate? She seemed to be doing so with ease.
“How long have you been driving?” he asked her.
“Why?” She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “Do you think I’m doing something wrong?”
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know if you were. Why are you defensive? I’m merely curious.”
She’d been quiet since they left Weston Manor. He’d used that time to think and become accustomed to riding in the vehicle. It was more comfortable than a carriage, and more convenient too considering how efficient it appeared to be. Now that he was all right with the movements it made, he didn’t think there was any reason not to have a conversation. It helped to pass the time on journeys, and he wished to know more about her.
“I’ve been driving at least a decade now. I learned before it was legal for me to drive, if I’m being honest. It’s also been more than a year since I’ve been behind the wheel.”
“Why?” He had a feeling he knew the answer, but he wanted it from her.
“I would rather not talk about it.” She tapped the wheel harder. “It’s not my favorite subject.”
Should he let her know he was aware she’d been sick? He wasn’t sure if it would acerbate her irritation or not. It might be better to keep that information to himself. Peyton appeared the type to not like others in on her secrets. “Very well,” he conceded. “What would you like to discuss?”
“Tell me about your time.” She kept her attention focused in front of her. They had already passed a couple of other cars. She didn’t like slowing down unless she had to, it seemed. “Why would you want to leave your family and everything you know?”
“Christian has the title. Not that I want it… He’s welcome to all the responsibilities it comes with. He’s a marquess now, and when my father dies, he’ll be the duke.”
“That doesn’t explain why you left,” she told him. Her tone was almost accusatory. “Are you afraid to tell me?”
“No,” he answered quickly. “I could say the same of you. I’m not the one unwilling to discuss a topic.”
Her mouth formed a thin line and her cheeks reddened. “I thought you were not going to push…”
Nicholas hadn’t wanted to anger her, but her question frustrated him. He didn’t quite understand why he left himself. “And I’m not. I pointed out a flaw in your logic. As to why I’m here…I don’t know. Curiosity got the best of me is the easy answer.”
“But that isn’t the entirety of it.”
She was far too intuitive for her own good. “It surprises me at times how much you seem to understand me when I don’t even know myself that well.”
“I don’t.” She shrugged. “Know you that is. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have to ask you questions. That’s actually kind of odd for me. I…” She sighed. “Everyone in my family has certain gifts. Mine gives me insight of sorts.”
“So you can read me,” he upbraided her. Should he share his gift with her? If he did she might not feel so…odd. Nicholas wasn’t certain if he should or if he was comfortable telling her about that part of himself. He didn’t know if he believed Elizabeth about it either. She may have been wrong about his ability.
She shook her head. “No, I can’t; that’s what I’m trying to say. You’re a blank slate. There have been no visions where you are concerned. I’ve never experienced that in my entire life. Everyone has a future, but you…nothing. It’s as if your future either doesn’t exist or…”
“Or what?” His heart raced inside of his chest. What could that mean? Had he messed up by coming to the present? Should he return home?
“It might be still undecided. You changed things by coming here, and time hasn’t caught up with you, or you haven’t made a decision which way you’re going to go. Every little thing makes a difference. Before you came here, you were in the past, and I don’t see the past. It could be as simple as that.”
“You have visions of the future?” He wondered what that must be like. “Do you see your own?”
“Not exactly,” she said and nibbled on her bottom lip. Peyton seemed to do that a lot. It must be a nervous tic of hers. “I can see pieces, but they are usually connected to someone I love. The big things like love, death, children… I don’t see those. The one I had that comes close to that was when I had a vision o
f Eve. It showed her donating bone marrow, and I had to interpret that it was meant for me. I was nowhere in the vision. If she hadn’t come back…”
“You would have died,” he finished for her. His mother had mentioned organ transplants in her journal, and had detailed all the organs that had been successful transplanted. At the time, he couldn’t fathom why she’d included it, but had been fascinated nonetheless. She must have felt a need after Trenton went back in time to retrieve Eve. It was the one thing that made sense. There was no way anyone in the nineteenth century or even much later than that would be capable of doing any of those procedures. They might be able to do a blood transfusion, but actual organ donations…that seemed impossible.
Her face lost all of its color. “I didn’t mean to tell you any of that.”
“Your secrets are safe with me,” he said quietly. “Besides, who would I tell? We know all the same people, and they are probably already aware you were sick.”
“I’m surprised you understood,” she finally said. “That’s advanced medical knowledge.”
“You forget my mother was a trained surgeon from this time,” he reminded her.
“Oh yeah...” She tilted her head to the side. “She shared that knowledge with you?”
Nicholas smiled. “Mother is very progressive.” He wasn’t certain if Peyton was aware of his mother’s journal. It might be best to keep that information in the family.
“I don’t know much about her. Though I have been ill for some time now. No one shared anything that might stress me out or make my illness worsen somehow. Sometimes they forget I’m in remission.”
“Well, if you’re not worried about stress…”
She glanced quickly at him and then back at the road. “What do you want?”
“Teach me to drive.” He might come to regret the asking, but it might take her mind off of things she’d rather forget.
“Absolutely not,” she said vehemently. “I didn’t survive leukemia only to die in a horrible car crash. That’s something that can wait until we return to Weston. Bradford or Trenton can take that task on. My heart wouldn’t survive it.”
“Now who’s afraid?” he teased.
“Damn straight,” she agreed. “I’m not stupid.”
No, she wasn’t. The more he learned about her, the more he liked it. He was glad he came to the twenty-first century. Meeting her was life altering. Nicholas couldn’t imagine not having her as part of his life. She was fast becoming the most important person in his life.
“How long until we reach London?”
“Soon,” was all she said, then reached over and pushed a button. Music filled the car. That must be her sign she was done talking. He sighed. The music was horrid and loud, and he couldn’t understand a word of the song. Did she honestly like this torture for the ears? If he could discern the best way to turn the bloody nonsense off he would. As it was he had to suffer through it. He’d let her win for now. They were still staying overnight, and he hoped to charm her until he won her heart. She already owned his.
Peyton had admitted too much. She hadn’t wanted him to know about her illness. It might make him see her as weak. Perhaps it was for the best. If he was aware of her illness, she could easily use it as an excuse to keep him at a distance. When he pushed, and she believed he would, she would explain in depth how her death might come sooner rather than later. Cancer had a nasty way of coming back and destroying lives. Her family had already paid enough. She wouldn’t allow anyone else she loved to go through it with her.
She pulled into a shopping center and parked the car. Peyton wasn’t sure what he wanted to purchase or what he might like. A shopping center seemed like the best option for finding clothes.
“What is this place?”
“This is where we will buy everything you need.”
He scrunched up his face. “This place looks…” Nicholas grimaced. “More crowded than a ton ball, and those were hard to move around in at times. We’re actually going in there.” He pointed toward the shopping center. “With all those people?” A lot had changed in the past couple of centuries. He wasn’t sure he liked it, but he’d hold judgment for now. The clothing material was different, but for the most part they still functioned as they should. He might even become well accustomed to the automobile. It certainly helped in arriving at destinations much faster…
“It’s not that bad. Quit whining and get out of the car.”
“I would but I am uncertain how to remove this strap you put around me.” He pulled on the seat belt. “What is it for? Was this your way of making sure I remained your prisoner in the car?”
Her laughter echoed around the vehicle. “I wasn’t trying to trap you. Push the button there.” She tapped where it was fastened. “Then it will release and go back in to place.”
Nicholas pressed the button and stared at in awe. “What a fascinating device. What is it meant to do if not keep me strapped to the seat?”
“Well, I suppose it is meant to do that…but for safety reasons. On the off chance we are in an accident it’s meant to save your life.”
His face paled. “I knew this vehicle was a death trap. Perhaps I do not want to learn how to drive. Even if it is convenient to use a vehicle for transportation.” Nicholas shuddered.
“It’s not that bad, you big baby,” she said then opened her car door. “Let’s go. We don’t have time to waste.”
Truthfully, they could take all the time they wanted. She didn’t have any place she needed to be, and Nicholas, well, he wasn’t even supposed to be there. So what did it matter if they rushed inside and then returned to Weston Manor in record time? They were supposed to stay overnight. Regina had arranged a hotel suite for them at the Savoy. Peyton would rather avoid that part if she could.
Nicholas studied the door handle then pulled on it. He sat for a moment before he pushed the door all the way open and then stepped outside. “That wasn’t so bad.”
“Never said it would be,” Peyton told him. “Now that all the dramatics are finished, can we go inside?”
As they had driven through London, Nicholas had stared at everything like a wide-eyed schoolboy. That wonderment still reflected in his eyes. This trip was chalked full of new things, and the man was in a bit of culture shock. He had a lot of adapting to do if he expected to stay in the twenty-first century. “Lead the way,” he said, but his voice still held a bit of unease in it.
Peyton gave him a reassuring smile. “It will be fine. I promise. Now follow me. I will be with you through it all. Regina gave me enough money to splurge on five wardrobes if need be.”
“I doubt I’ll need that many clothes.” He frowned. “But I’ll trust your judgment.”
He stayed by her side as they entered the shopping center. She took him to the first department store they encountered and then went to the men’s section. “Does anything here interest you?”
Nicholas scanned the area but said nothing. Peyton sighed and grabbed his hand, then led him to a display of pants. She held up a pair of black dress slacks. “What do you think of these.”
He shrugged. “They look serviceable.”
“You really have no opinion?”
“I have no fashion sense,” he told her. “I leave my clothing design to my tailor and valet. They are aware of what works for me, and I cannot be bothered with such trivial things.”
“You are such a guy.” She shook her head in disgust. “You appear to be the same size as Bradford. Regina gave me his sizes so that will save the trying on clothes part if you want to skip it.”
“Are we not having them tailored to fit me?” He drew his eyebrows together. “This is all…different.”
“That’s what happens when you decide to make a change. You came here to have a new experience. Roll with it.” She was being careful and choosing her words so if anyone overheard they would think he was from some other country or something. Mentioning time travel publicly might lead to something neither one of them wanted to d
eal with. Most people would think them both addled.
“Roll with it?” His eyes glazed over a bit. “You say strange things at times.”
“Back at you, buddy,” she said as she patted his arm. “Since you have no preference, let’s grab a little of everything. You can decide later if something isn’t to your liking. The only way to know for certain is to try everything anyway.”
“Sounds reasonable.” He lifted his hand and brushed it over a sweater. It was a bright red and looked incredibly soft. “I like this. It reminds me of you.”
“You sure you want a sweater that reminds you of a lady?” It made her insides tingle a little. Did he like to think of her? What did that mean exactly? Did she like that he thought of her? It was a conundrum she wasn’t certain she wanted to unravel…
He quirked one side of his mouth up into a sinful smile that made her insides quiver with need. “Oh, yes.” His voice was like warm honey mixed in whisky—it burned as it soothed her. “Touching it will be akin to stroking your lovely hair. It’s soft and warm. Much like you.”
Oh God. He was trying to kill her. She cleared her throat. “Um, okay,” Peyton said and grabbed one of the sweaters in his size. “Though you might not need this for a month or so. It’s not that cold.”
“It’s best to be prepared for the inevitable, don’t you think?”
There was something in that statement that put her on edge. Did he think that she would give in to his charm? Was it obvious how he made her feel?
Peyton ignored him and continued to gather all the items he’d need in the clothing section, then detoured to the shoes. She picked out sneakers and dress shoes, guessing at his size. If it was wrong…too bad. He should have been more willing to try things on. After she had everything, she took them to the cashier to purchase. Nicholas had remained silent through it all, but she wasn’t fooled. He had a satisfied smile on his face as if he won some sort of battle. She’d show him the error of his ways…later.