“Calm down!” she raged anew. “Really Lucian?” She gaped at him.
“I was just trying to be helpful.” He shoved his hands into his pants pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I think the mud agrees with you—you’re looking pretty damn hot,” he said, the corners of his mouth lifting into one of his sexy smiles. “See,” he said, pointing down to his growing arousal. “I’m getting some movement.”
“What the fuckever Lucian.” On a normal day, Cecily would have squirmed in her hair from that remark. But not today. No, today, she was too damn tired. And mad. Leaning further back in the chair, she stuck her lip out in a pout, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I know you probably don’t want to hear this but being wet and agrees with you.”
“Yeah right,” she muttered. “I am all dirty.”
“I like you dirty,” he said and gave her a winning smile.
She tried to stay mad, really she did, but Lucian had a way about him, it was almost impossible to stay angry at him. “Is there at least someplace I can wash?”
“There is a bathtub in the other room.”
“This place has running water?” She looked around the room with a doubtful expression.
“Yes. There is running water,” he exhaled as if he was reading her mind.
“I will draw you a bath if you want.”
“That would be wonderful.” She gave him a look filled with gratitude.
Lucian winked at her and walked around the table to the other room. An old claw footed tub took up most of the space in the small room with only a curtain attached to the wall to close the area off. He bent down and turned the faucet on. Water the color of rust sputtered out from the bronze fixture, staining the white tub but it turned clearer after a few minutes. Once it did, he pulled the chained stopper up and inserted it in the drain. Water splashed loudly down into the tub, steam quickly filling the air. He stood back up and walked over to the old bureau in the corner. This held some of his clothes from when he was younger, a teenager, and would fit Cecily. Pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, he placed them on top of an old patchwork quilt lying on the bottom of the wrought iron bed.
In the corner, a big metal container was filled with rolled towels and washcloths. He took out two towels and a washcloth and set them beside the tub. The water was already pretty deep so he reached down and turned off the faucet. A jar of assorted soaps sat on a shelf, as well as shampoo and other toiletries. He grabbed the shampoo, removed the glass lid of the container, pulled out a bar of glycerin soap, and set them both down on the edge of the tub. Satisfied she would have everything she needed he walked back into the other room.
“It’s ready.”
Cecily was nodding off. The sound of his voice made her jerk upright and she nearly fell off the chair.
Lucian reached over and steadied her. “Come on,” he said, holding out his hand.
She gave him a sharp look.
“Come on baby,” he said, shaking his hand for her to take. Finally, she relented. She placed her filthy hand in his, and let him pull her up to standing. Once she was up though, every muscle in her body protested from the action and she almost toppled back over.
“Careful,” Lucian warned, catching her against his body and helped her toward the bathing area.
Cecily looked at the old tub. The water was a light rust color, but at the moment, she didn’t even care. She just wanted to get all the dirt off her body. When Lucian finally released her, she lifted her hand to remove her clothing, stumbling forward.
Again, Lucian grabbed her before she fell. He placed his hands on top of hers. “I’ll help you,” he said pushing her hands away.
“I can do it,” she said, but suddenly was too tired to care or argue, so she let him undress her.
Slowly Lucian helped her out of her shredded silk Dior blouse. “What did you do, roll in mud?” he asked with a disgusted look on his face holding the blouse aloft with two fingers.
She gritted her teeth. “Why yes, Lucian, I did roll in mud. I also lost my favorite shoe in a pit made from it and I also ate it!” By the time she was finished her tirade, tears were falling down her cheeks. “Happy?” she sobbed.
Lucian gathered her in his arms. “Sorry baby,” he said, pushing her hair away from her face. He leaned down and looked into her eyes. “I will make it up to you…I promise.”
“Yeah right,” she scoffed and then sniffed loudly.
Anger flashed in his eyes for a brief moment. “Why don’t you ever believe me?”
“Because you always drop the ball…that’s why!” she screamed at him, the events of the day finally catching up with her.
Lucian let go of her and stepped back. “Are you serious?” he asked a wounded look settling over his face.
Cecily started to feel bad but not bad enough to take the words back. She had been through too much today. “Whatever Lucian,” she said, pushing past him and sat down on the edge of a trunk at the bottom of the bed and pulled off the rest of her clothing.
Raking his hand through his hair, Lucian paced back in forth in front of her and then stopped about to say more but once he saw the weariness on her face he decided against it. “You will feel better after you had a bath.”
“In that?” she railed, and jabbed her finger toward the filthy water. “Yeah right,” she muttered angrily.
Trying to control his irritation, he walked over to the curtain and untied it, pulling it closed. “Take a bath Cecily. We will finish talking later.”
“Lucian…”
He stopped and turned toward her.
“There is a spider on the floor.” She pointed down at it while trying to move her feet out of the way.
Letting out an exasperated sigh he walked over and stomped on it. “See,” he glared at her. “Didn’t drop the ball that time, did I?” He gave her one last sidelong glare and walked out of the room.
Cecily watched his retreating form. “I guess you didn’t,” she muttered so low he couldn’t have possibly have heard her.
He did though. His lips twitched and a slight smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he walked back into the main room and sat heavily in a chair at the end of the table. Leaning forward, he let out a weary sigh and propped his elbows on the table, threading his fingers through his hair. Cecily was right, he knew. He did tend to drop the ball but in his defense, it seemed like the odds were stacked against him. It had been that way since he was a child. When he fell, he never had anyone to pick him back up, brush him off, and tell him everything would be all right. So what did that teach him? It taught him not to try. It also taught him not to care. But now he was a man. If someone believed in him now, maybe he would have the wherewithal not to drop the ball this time. Maybe he could change…maybe. Time would tell.
The truth can set you free
THE PASTTHE HIDDEN GLENN
“YOU have been gone for some time then?” Darias asked, sitting on the floor of the forest across from her.
“Huh?” Marguerite pulled her gaze off the rabbit, and looked over at him. A piece of juicy meat was halfway to her mouth. Again, she felt the familiar stirrings in the pit of her stomach. Lowering the rabbit, she gave him a questioning stare.
“From your home,” he elaborated and took another bite of rabbit.
“Yes,” she agreed. The firelight cast a faint glow on his face and the surrounding area. “It has been a while though, so I don’t miss it as much as you would think. Sometimes it even feels as though I have not left at all.” That statement was true enough. She was, after all, in the very same place she had spent most of her life. Only now, she was in a different time.
He nodded his head and took another bite of rabbit.
Once he swallowed he asked, “What do you miss most?”
“What I miss most is…” You, she wanted to say but held her tongue. He probably would not understand what she meant. “Oh, a little of this and that,” she said, waving her hand in the air and shoved mo
re rabbit in her mouth to keep from having to answer more.
“Where do you live then?” He gave her a curious look.
She choked, and then swallowed the bit of rabbit she had in her mouth and shook her head like she did not know what he was asking. “Who me?” she finally squeaked out.
Darias looked over his shoulder and then back to her. “I do not see anyone else here.” He lifted his dark brow in question. “Do you?”
“No.” She gave him a wide-eyed look and shook her head, pushing her unruly hair off her forehead with the back of her hand. “I ah, live… um…” Trying to choose her words carefully, she chewed on her lip.
After a couple of minutes of silence, he exhaled and reached into his tunic. “I found this…” He held her necklace aloft. The chain swung haphazardly in the air, making the red stone glitter in the firelight. “I feel I have seen this before,” he commented, giving her and the necklace another one of his curious looks. “I wonder why that is?”
Because you have, she wanted to yell. “I… ah…”
“Is it yours then?” he interrupted. “I feel it belongs to you…”
For affirmation, she nodded her head.
“It is quite pretty,” he said, offhandedly.
“It’s a family heirloom.”
As if in agreement, he shook his head and after he studied it for a moment more, he held it out to her. The moment her fingers touched his…the damn broke and his memories rushed forward.
“Gah!”
Darias fell backward against the cold floor of the forest in anguish. Lifting his hands to his head, long buried memories poured forth from the farthest reaches of his mind. Every memory ripped into him, tearing him apart as though someone was lashing him with a whip. His body recoiled from the blows, but there was no escape from the pain.
Time ceased to have meaning.
He closed his eyes, absorbing everyone. He was stranded in an abyss of nothingness, floundering. Not able to breathe or think he did the only thing he could…he endured it.
“Darias!” she yelled, and crawled up beside him. Reaching out, she placed her hand on his arm. He jerked away lost in his misery.
Tears streamed down her face, watching the man she loved more than anything in the world suffering silently within. Desperate to make it better for him she looked for a sign, seeking guidance of what to do to help but this time there was none.
“Oh, Darias,” she cried, the sound getting lost in his groans of pain. The harsh reality of what was happening to him nearly crippled her. What if he did not get better? Fear wound its way around her heart, making her own breath push from her lungs as a tightness encircled her chest.
“Why is this happening to me?” he rasped, burying his face in his hands.
She did not have the answer he sought. Another tremor shook him, and she gathered him into her arms tighter. “I am here,” she soothed, running her hand over his long hair, holding him, trying to absorb his pain and give him comfort by letting him know he was not alone.
When the tremors finally subsided and his head fell limply to her chest, she still clung to him, not letting him go. And she never would…ever.
Dinner is served
THE PRESENTTHE CABIN IN THE WOODS
WHEN Cecily finally stood up from her bath, the water lapping around her legs and feet was a dark brown. Reaching down, she pulled out the stopper. Slowly the water receded and once it finally drained, she turned back on the water to rinse, not only the tub out, but her body as well. When she was satisfied she was as clean as possible she turned off the water and tucked a towel under her arms. Flipping over, she wrapped the second towel around her head as well. There was a definite chill was in the air now.
Looking around the small room, she decided it wasn’t as bad as she had originally thought. The room was small but it also had a cozy cottage feel to it. The old wrought iron bed looked comfortable as well. She had to stop herself from climbing into it. Quickly, she dried off and slid on the sweatpants and t-shirt Lucian had set out for her. The pants were too long so she sat down on the truck and rolled up the bottoms. Her own clothing was in a pile at her feet and the squished spider was still on the floor. Across the room stood a pedestal sink with a Venetian mirror, hanging over the top.
The room had a very feminine feel to it, which she thought was odd. After she brushed her hair and teeth three times, she walked out from behind the curtain.
Lucian was leaning down in front of the roaring fire in the hearth, his long dark hair falling forward blocking his profile from her. Still she couldn’t help admiring his fine form, the way his muscles strained against his black t-shirt as he stoked the fire. A bowl was on the table and a bottle of water alongside a pack of crackers. She walked over to it and looked inside the bowl.
It was chicken noodle soup. Her stomach rumbled.
Lucian turned and looked at her over his shoulder. “Better,” he asked.
She gave him a small smile. “Yes.”
“I bet you are starving.”
“I am.”
“What are you waiting for, sit down and eat.”
She pulled out the chair and sat down, pulling her leg up and tucking it underneath. Lifting the spoon, she filled it with soup and took a bite. It was nice and hot and tasted so good. Funny, she didn’t think soup could taste that good but it did. “Thanks for making me food.”
“No problem,” he said, giving her a small smile from over his shoulder.
“Where did you get the food?” she asked, taking a stack of crackers out of the package and crumpling them in the top of her soup.
Standing, he brushed his hands off on the back of his jeans, pulled out a chair at the opposite end of the table, and sat down. “I brought some stuff with me.”
Cecily took another bite of her soup and gave him a curious look.
“I can cook.”
“I see.”
“Why do you look so surprised?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I never thought of you as someone who would cook.”
“Well I have to eat.” He pulled the pack of crackers over and took one out. “I mostly open cans.” He gave her another one of his boyish grins and bit the cracker.
“Mmm,” she said, blowing on the soup and taking another bite. “Well it tastes like homemade.”
“That’s what the can said.”
Cecily laughed.
“Home-style Chicken Noodle soup…made with real chicken.” He lifted his eyebrows up and down.
“What else would chicken noodle soup have in it if not chicken?” She took a bite of cracker.
“Hell if I know…cat.”
An unexpected burst of laughter, forced cracker crumbs from her mouth littering the top of the table.
“I just cleaned that.” He gave her a feigned look of horror.
“You clean too?” She kept laughing.
“It’s a tough job, I’ll admit, but someone has got to do it.”
“Oh Lucian…” Her laughter died down and she gave him a wan smile. “I am sorry for yelling at you.”
“You can always make it up to me.” He wiggled his brows at her.
A small knot formed in the pit of her stomach and her face grew serious.
Lucian caught the look and not understanding the reasoning behind it added, “Babe, I was kidding.”
She pushed the bowl away. “I know. It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
Exhaling heavily, she grabbed the water bottle and started to peel the label off. “I didn’t find out much.”
Lucian sat back in his chair, contemplating her. “I didn’t think you would.” When she gave him a sharp look he added, “Reed is not someone who easily divulges our families…ah…secrets.”
“What does that mean?” She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear that had fallen forward. “Why did you send me there if you knew he wouldn’t help me?”
“I wanted you to give him the paper.”
“Well I did do that.”
“You did!” he exclaimed, not able to keep the expectancy from his voice. “Was he surprised?”
She scoffed. “I dare say he was.” She pulled at the label. Tearing off a piece, it floated absently to the table. “Surprised is putting it mildly.”
“So are you going to fill me in or …?”
Letting out a pent up breath she tore off another bit of the label, not looking at him. “Your brother married Raven.”
“What?” Lucian nearly came out of his seat.
“Yeah, I know.” She gave him a sympathetic look of understanding. “I was just as shocked as you.”
“I don’t understand.” He dragged his hands through his hair, holding it in place. “What did he do that for?”
“Got me…” She shrugged. “I wondered the same thing.”
Lucian dropped his hands and splayed them on top of the table. “You are going to have to start at the beginning and make sure you tell me everything.”
The fire had died down to mere coals by the time Cecily finished her recounting of the events.
“Fuck!” He ran his hands over his face, and leaned back further in the chair. Dropping his hands, he sat forward. “Did anyone see you leave?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I snuck out early this morning. And as far as I know the power is still out because the house was still really dark and dank…dismal. I was relieved when I finally got outside. That place gives me that creeps.” She shivered, remembering the strange noises she heard coming from the walls in her room.
Lucian stood up and tossed another log on the dying embers in the fire. When he stood up, he placed the palms of his hands on the mantle. “Where is your car?” he asked, looking over his shoulder toward her once more.
“I pulled it off the road.”
“Why didn’t you drive it here?”
“The flooding from the storm made it impossible to drive any further. I had to walk the rest of the way on foot.”
“You walked all that way…for me?”
She gave him a halfhearted smile. “I’m here aren’t I?”
“I don’t get it?” Lucian pushed off the mantle and began pacing. “What good would marrying her do?” He stopped. “Is she rich?”
Now and Forever:: A NEW ADULT TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE NOVEL (RAVENHURST SERIES Book 5) Page 13