“Can’t blame Tina for assuming,” Roman mused. “I have to say, I like your sister a lot more now that she doesn’t have ‘desperate’ tattooed on her forehead.”
Rin knew she should be offended on behalf of her sister, but she agreed with Roman. She simply said, “Me too.”
“There’s something I’ve been wondering about, though,” Roman said, lightly running his hand up and down Rin’s back as he spoke.
“What’s that?”
“If you only got the ring a few weeks or so before your birthday, how would Tina or your mom have known if she’d found her true love without it? I mean, she didn’t have the ring growing up, so she couldn’t be alerted by it changing color if she’d met ‘the one’ years ago, right?”
Rin shrugged. “I’m not sure. But I knew you were the man meant for me after only being in your presence for a few minutes. Maybe it didn’t matter if I had the ring on or not. Maybe it was the reason I recognized your scent in the first place. We’ll never know.”
“I’d like to think it was fated, but Rin, it scares me to death to think of how close we came to never meeting.”
Rin snuggled as close as she could to Roman and breathed his scent deep into her lungs, reassuring herself before she admitted softly, “Me too.”
Sensing she needed a change in subject, Roman asked, “And your mom is dating now too?”
“She’s seeing a realtor.”
Roman chuckled, then sobered. “Have you talked to her about the legend at all?”
“A little,” Rin told him. “She swears that she told the nurses when we were born to mark the oldest and they reported that they had. Who knows if they put the right identification band on the right baby.” She shrugged. “But you know what? I don’t care anymore. I love my mom and Tina. She wasn’t the best parent, but I get that she did what she did out of desperation. Maybe we were a glitch in the cosmic blip of the world. Maybe the ring being reconnected with the sword disrupted something in the cosmos and allowed all three of us to find the men we were meant to be with. I’m just so in love with you that I couldn’t really care.”
Roman pushed Rin until she lay flat on her back on the couch. He leaned down and Rin smelled the peppermint he’d eaten earlier. She’d never get sick of his scent. Ever. She closed her eyes as his mouth brushed her earlobe, then the sensitive skin beneath it.
“The doctor cleared me today for physical activity,” Roman whispered against her skin as he nipped and sucked at her.
“Ummmmm.” Rin’s mind had gone blank. All thoughts of legends and her mom and sister gone as if in a puff of smoke. All she could think about was how good Roman smelled and about how she wanted his lips to keep going down her body.
“I can’t wait until next weekend to make you my wife.”
His words reminded Rin of the question she’d wanted to ask him. “Your family doesn’t think it’s weird that we’re getting married so quickly?”
“No, Varinia. They love you. They love you for me. Gus asked me a week after I was out of the hospital if I’d asked you to marry me yet. When I told him I was waiting for just the right moment, he smacked me on the head and told me to get on with it.”
“Your niece and nephews are cute.”
“Ummmmm.” It was Roman’s turn to ignore her statement. His hand moved up from her waist under her shirt and closed over her naked breast. “I had thought to wait until we were man and wife before making you mine in every way, but I don’t think I can wait another day, let alone seven.” He lifted his head and rested on his elbow on the cushion next to her. He brushed his thumb over her cheek and held her head still. “Will you let me love you?”
“For as long as you’ll have me, every night if possible.”
No more words were spoken between them as Roman’s head dropped and his lips covered Rin’s.
Every time they kissed, Rin felt as if she had come home. His tongue tangled with hers as his hand caressed her nipple, teasing it until it was as hard as a rock under his fingers.
“Lift your arms,” he murmured against her lips.
She did, and the moment her shirt cleared her head, Roman had claimed her mouth again. After several moments, he nipped her lower lip and moved down her body, taking her bra straps over her shoulders as he went.
Rin looked down at the man she loved more than she could’ve ever imagined loving anyone as he concentrated on unhooking her bra. The look in his eyes when she lay under him topless was one she’d never get tired of. He’d seen her before, but it was as if each time was the first for him. His large hands covered her and he squeezed and plumped her breasts.
“I will never take you for granted, Rin,” he swore, looking up into her eyes as his hands continued to caress her. “I love you. I can’t wait to make you mine.”
“I’m already yours,” Rin breathed as he lowered his head and took one of her nipples into his mouth. She shifted under him, bending her knees and squeezing his torso tightly as he worshiped her body.
“Please, Roman. I want you,” Rin begged.
At her words, he pushed her legs flat on the couch and stood up, holding out his hand. Rin didn’t hesitate and allowed Roman to help her stand.
Without a word, he led the way down the hall to his bedroom. They’d slept together every night in his bed, but Rin’s heart beat fast in her chest, knowing neither of them would sleep for a very long time tonight.
It was much, much later when they lay exhausted and replete in their large bed, legs tangled together, sweat drying on their sated bodies, that Rin said the words she’d repeated in her head over and over since the night they’d been attacked.
“I don’t know you, but I see your face in the clouds.
I’ve never met you, but your smile fills my soul.
Some hear words, I only hear you calling to me.
Time might separate us, but it can’t deny the bond we share.
With dreams only of you, I close my eyes.”
Roman sighed and tightened his hold on her as she continued. “I want those words to be our wedding vows. I’ve never heard anything so beautiful in all my life.”
“Done,” Roman agreed immediately. “Close your eyes, dream only of me, as I will of you.”
Rin snuggled into her love, smiling as her Guardian Mist settled over the two of them. She fell asleep, secure in the knowledge that the fates had finally smiled on her family and delivered her man to her.
* * *
Hours later, in the darkest part of the night, when humans and animals alike are in the deepest sleep, the mist surrounding the couple on the bed swirled around them as Rin dreamed.
She dreamed of a large banquet hall, filled with people wearing costumes from across the ages. It looked like a costume party, except Rin somehow knew the clothes the men and women wore were authentic. There were men in Scottish kilts with brightly colored plaids thrown over their shoulders, huge puffy Regency dresses, togas, powdered hair, corsets, and enough weaponry strapped to the men to make even the most liberal twentieth-century man nervous.
It was a party like none Rin had ever seen. She walked into the room and the people parted in front of her, as if they’d been waiting for her to arrive. Rin looked down, nervous about what was happening, and smiled as she saw the mist around her feet, following along with her. Relieved, she looked up—and saw Roman standing halfway down the makeshift aisle that had formed by the spectators at the banquet hall.
He was standing in a tuxedo, holding a hand out to her. She got closer and smiled when she saw the bow tie he was wearing was camouflage. Leave it to him to put a bit of himself in the formal attire.
“We’ve been waiting for you, Varinia.” He spoke in a quiet voice, but one which was full of love. He kissed the back of her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm as they turned to face the front of the room.
Rin felt the warmth of Roman against her side and was surprised to realize she was now wearing a dark emerald-green dress. It was sleeveless and floor len
gth. The bodice was covered in hundreds of sequins, making it sparkle in the light from the chandeliers overhead. It had a small train, so as they walked forward she felt it flow out behind her gracefully. She felt like a princess. Roman’s fairytale princess.
Looking over to her left, Rin saw her sister and mother. Tina was waving madly and her mom gave her a small smile. Luke was standing next to Tina and there was a man standing behind her mom, but Rin couldn’t make out his face.
Roman nudged her and pointed off to his right with his head. Rin looked and saw her half-sister standing next to her husband. They looked regal and extremely happy. Rin smiled up at Roman.
They came to a halt in front of a group of about a dozen people. The women all had varying shades of red hair, and were dressed in what looked like costumes from different times in history. Their men were all tall and brawny. It dawned on Rin, suddenly, what she was seeing.
These were some of her relatives. Valeria, Antonia, Valeriana, Annie, and Britannia. The women who’d found their true loves, just as she had. She knew without a doubt that they’d had the same fears and worries she’d felt before they’d found their loves. Rin looked each woman in the eye and smiled shyly. Yeah, they knew.
A woman dressed in a long white robe stepped forward, a handsome man in a toga by her side.
“Welcome, Varinia. I have waited a long time to meet you. I am Theodosia. We have been watching you and your family, and are happy to have you join us. The road to love is never an easy one, as any of us could tell you.” She gestured to the women standing near her, then continued.
“Thank you for taking care of The Lucius Ring. Go and live your life. Be happy. You will be blessed with many children, and your daughter, and her daughter, and all the daughters to come, will find their true loves without the worry of the legend hanging over their heads. The ring has come to rest where it belongs, with The Theodosia Sword. Thank you for bringing the ring full circle and being open to finding your true love.”
Rin opened her mouth to say something, though she wasn’t sure what, when the mist at her feet rose up and obscured her vision from everyone in the room. It was as if they were suddenly caught in a thick fog bank. Rin turned into Roman and clutched him tightly, sighing in relief when she felt his arms band around her. One of his hands settled on her lower back and the other between her shoulder blades. She inhaled, knowing she’d never get enough of his peppermint, smoky scent.
It could’ve been hours or minutes, but the next thing Rin knew, she was stirring in Roman’s bed, her nose buried in the space between his neck and shoulder. One leg was thrown over his and one of Roman’s hands was resting on her hip.
Rin smiled, loving that her ancestors had visited her in her dream, and that she would never have to worry about her own daughter having to go through the same angst her family had for generations.
Dreams only of you. How true the legend was.
“Sleep well?” Roman asked in a gruff voice, obviously still half asleep himself.
“Yeah. I love you.”
“Love you too. I’m not ready to get up yet…ten more minutes?”
Ten more minutes of snuggling up to her man without a care in the world? Absolutely.
“Ten more minutes, Roman.”
Rin put her head back down and inhaled deeply, contentment spreading throughout her body. She had a million things to do. Work. Finish planning a wedding. Call her sister. Arrange a trip to England to meet MacKenzie…the list went on and on. But here in Roman’s arms, time ceased to pass. It was just her and the love of her life. Everything else could wait.
* THE END *
Books by Susan Stoker
Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Series
Justice for Mackenzie
Justice for Mickie
Justice for Corrie
Justice for Laine
Shelter for Elizabeth
Justice for Boone (Sept 2016)
Shelter for Adeline (TBA)
Justice for Sidney (TBA)
Shelter for Blythe (TBA)
Justice for Milena (TBA)
Shelter for Sophie (TBA)
Justice for Kinley (TBA)
Shelter for Promise (TBA)
Shelter for Koren (TBA)
Shelter for Penelope (TBA)
Delta Force Heroes Series:
Rescuing Rayne
Assisting Aimee (loosely related to this series)
Rescuing Emily (July 2016)
Rescuing Harley (Nov 2016)
Rescuing Kassie (TBA)
Rescuing Casey (TBA)
Rescuing Wendy (TBA)
Rescuing Mary (TBA)
SEAL of Protection:
Protecting Caroline
Protecting Alabama
Protecting Fiona
Marrying Caroline (novella)
Protecting Summer
Protecting Cheyenne
Protecting Jessyka
Protecting Julie (novella)
Protecting Melody
Protecting the Future
Beyond Reality Series:
Outback Hearts
Flaming Hearts
Frozen Hearts
Anthology:
Ever My Love: The Lore of the Lucius Ring (July 2016)
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
The Lore of the Lucius Ring—Prologue
Of Love and Legend
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Books by Kathryn Le Veque
Forever Her Champion
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue
Books by Suzan Tisdale
Breath from the Sea
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Books by Eliza Knight
Only You
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Epilogue
Books by Cheryl Bolen
Call of the Wild Wind
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Books by Sabrina York
The Guardian Mist
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Books by Susan Stoker
Ever My Love: The Lore of the Lucius Ring (The Legend of the Theodosia Sword Book 2) Page 48