Enchanted by You: Timeswept Soulmates (Timeless Brides Book 3)

by Ginny Sterling

  “Did you mind me asking?”

  “No, but there really isn’t much to it.”

  “I was just curious how you married me and not some other woman?”

  “You know how when a woman comes out into society she is paraded in front of every man that is marriageable?” he asked softly. Sabine didn’t know, but she nodded like she understood. She could equate it with being picked for teams in elementary school or something of the sort. No one wanted to be picked last. Is that what he thought? That he’d be picked last?

  “It’s the same for men. If they have established families.”

  “And you don’t?”

  “No. My mother was Tejano and married into the family. While we fit in here, we aren’t exactly upper-class in the East. Dark hair, dark skin? We look more Mexican or Indian and not exactly welcomed in drawing rooms of fine society. I didn’t want to be paraded in front of women that weren’t interested in me. When I came into my money later on, they were suddenly interested and I wasn’t.”

  “No problem. I couldn’t care if you come from an established family or not.”

  “That’s what makes you different, Princess. You didn’t care about money. You smarted back when I was short with you. You’re strong. I like my little spitfire of a wife. Where is your family from? Do I have an angry father I need to worry about? A jilted fiancé?”

  Sabine laughed at the idea of a fiancé and then sobered. “No, my father would have liked you. A lot. You kind of remind me of him, actually. Strong, yet caring,” she said softly. “I miss them.”

  “Where are they from? Do you want to visit?” he offered politely.

  “I don’t think we can.”

  “Is that because you’re embarrassed?”

  “What? No! Not at all,” she said lightly, splashing him. “It’s because they aren’t around for me to see anymore.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah, me, too. I was so focused on moving forward that I didn’t stop to think of how it would affect them or me if things changed.”

  “Would you change it all if you could?”

  “Honestly? No. I wouldn’t,” she said tenderly. “Quit worrying. I promise, no jilted spouse and I couldn’t care less about your money. I felt guilty buying the dress and other goods as it was. There is no one coming for me.”

  “Good, because I would hate to hang for murder. I would hurt anyone that took you from me, my princess,” he said fiercely, pulling her slippery body into his arms causing water to splash out of the tub. She slid into his lap, dangling both legs over the edge of the tub in order to be able to get closer. His gaze met her bold one as she maneuvered herself onto him. The water teased her breasts making her catch her breath.

  “I think I have a really dirty spot that needs attention,” she whispered enticingly, leaning forward so he could cup her breasts. At her words, she knew she had his full attention by the way his body responded. His dark green eyes were heated with passion.

  “Shhh, don’t tell my wife but I think I’m in love,” he whispered. He kissed her tenderly as he ran soap across her heated skin, taking time to lather every inch of her.

  “Oh really? Because I heard your wife is a possessive thing,” Sabine teased, arching towards him in pleasure.

  “Thank goodness,” he said tenderly, brushing her hair out of her face. “Then she’ll never let me go, will she?”

  “I don’t think I ever could, Jack.”

  Chapter Ten

  Sabine had heard the term over the years of people doing the “walk of shame” when leaving their lover’s arms. There was no shame in being married to Jack. It was the applause they received as they walked down the stairs of the hotel from the staff that caused any embarrassment for her. She knew that the bed had squeaked a lot and had worried about this very thing. Jack had no qualms whatsoever. He grinned from ear to ear proudly, asking for the owner. He boldly demanded that the squeaky bed frame be delivered to his home this very afternoon.

  “Oh my gosh,” Sabine said, mortified and covering her face. “Jack, stop it.”

  “I plan on making it squeak every night I am home with you,” he teased, picking her up and twirling her around on the landing just outside the hotel. “And I don’t mean the shithole of a cabin either. Let’s go home.”

  “Why on earth did you let me believe that was your home?” she asked, placing her hand on his arm, stopping him.

  “Because that is what you chose to assume.”

  “And you let me? You could have said something.”

  “I could have, but it’s never been my intent to make you do something you don’t want. I believe it’s time for you to have something of your own. A sense of security and peace.”

  “What makes you think that I don’t?”

  “The way you pull back at times from me.”

  “Just like you pulled away from me when you thought I was a boy?”

  “Exactly. I couldn’t figure out why the desire was there, only that it was present but wrong. I fought it knowing there had to be more to it all.”

  “So, you let me assume that shack was your home because it was a test? You wanted me to assume there was more to you?”

  “No, I wanted to know you wanted me – regardless of my station, my life or my home.”

  “So basically, a test?”

  “Wasn’t your dressing like a boy a test of some sorts?”

  “No, well… I guess it could be looked at that way if you want to spin it like that.”

  “I’m not trying to irritate you, my bride. Rather, let you know that if you will trust me to do right by you, I will. We are a couple, now and forever. We’ll do everything together in our lives.”

  “Then whisk me away, Husband,” she said dramatically, lying her hand on her forehead in a mock faint. “Take me home and do what you will.”

  “Hallelujah,” he teased, wrapping his arms around her again.

  They rode out of town and quite some ways. This time, he had her on horseback with him. The other horse was tethered nearby. It wasn’t like before where she rode behind him, clinging for dear life. This time? This time was almost seductive. Jack carried her in front of him on the horse, his arms wrapped around her tenderly. Her head rested on his shoulder as they swayed with the horse’s gait.

  “Jack, why wasn’t it like this before?” she whispered, as she felt his hand climb the front of her dress.

  “Darling, there was no way I would touch you before like this,” he chuckled. “You had me good and fooled. I don’t know how I could have ever thought you anything other than a seductress. But yes, you had me doubting my sanity.”

  On the lone road, she gasped as he unbuttoned her dress and slipped his hand inside to cup her breast boldly. She could feel his body against hers and knew that he was enjoying the movement against each other as much as she.

  “Jack,” she breathed, reaching her arm upwards to cup his head as he kissed her neck tenderly. “How much farther have we got?”

  “I’m in no hurry,” he reassured her, yanking her skirts upwards to find her very center. The feeling of the sun’s rays on her bare skin was sinfully exciting and, combined with the heat of his hands, exhilarating!

  “Well, I certainly am,” she gasped as his hand began to work its magic. “Jack, stop. Someone will come by or see us!” Sabine tried to pull her skirts back down to hide her body, feeling exposed.

  “They had better not or they’ll be shot for trespassing,” he growled, nipping at her earlobe. “This is our land.”

  “Ours? Then we are close by?” she panted, arching against him. The attraction that was growing between them was intoxicating. She imagined this is what an addict must feel like. To have something, the idea of wanting it with a passion and never filling that craving. To think it started with a simple touch of his hand after being pulled from the world she knew.

  “Close? Oh yes,” he agreed, pulling the horse to a stop. “Close, but not close enough.” He yanked the reins to t
he right, leading the horse off the road towards a thicket of trees.

  “Oh?” she said wickedly, seeing his eyes darken with desire and the promise of pleasure.

  “I never claimed to be good enough for you.”

  “No, but I think you may be perfect for me,” she said softly, unbuttoning her gown as they descended down to the grove of trees.

  Jack dismounted and tied the horse. He pulled her bodily from the horse into his arms. The top of her dress gaped wide open revealing her pale skin just above the camisole. She saw his eyes glance down towards the creamy expanse of skin, just before his eyes met hers. His lips crushed against hers as he carried her into the shadowy grove. Tall grasses and bushes around the trees would hide their interlude easily from the road.

  Later that afternoon, they rode a short distance from their hidden idyll. After they had crested the hill, Sabine saw a large grove of trees. As they drew closer, she realized that there was a structure hidden back in the tree line. No wonder the clerk had laughed at the idea of Jack Noble’s home being a shack. Comparing it to some of the other homes she had seen during their brief excursion into the city, few looked as opulent as this house. It looked like something you would see out of Architectural Digest. It wasn’t a very large house, but the sheer beauty of it made up for anything that might be remotely missing. Great, sweeping porches ran from one end of the house to the other, framed with delicate bannisters. Pale shades of yellows and greens contrasted beautifully on the house, making it seem glamorous yet comfortable.

  “This is your home?” she gaped as she took in the sight. Curls of wrought iron reminded her of pictures of the French Quarter. But instead of moss laden trees, there were large pecans that looked hundreds of years old that stood nearby. The house must have been built in the center as to not lose any of the precious shade for the summertime.

  “If you prefer the shack…” he began and Sabine quickly stopped him.

  “Heck no! This is gorgeous! Why would you ever let me think that was going… that we would be living there? You must have had a good laugh at my expense.”

  “I was more curious to see what you would do or say.”

  “Well, now I certainly am curious! Does being a Volunteer pay that well? I mean, seriously? Where I come from, volunteer has a completely different meaning.”

  “My family raised and ran cattle for quite a while until they decided to go back East. The house was built for my mother though she said it was not what she wanted. She wanted modern and lavish. This wasn’t it,” he said with a shrug.

  “It looks pretty posh to me,”

  “My parents had heard of the advances in construction and plumbing back East, but it wasn’t available here yet. Mother didn’t care that she wasn’t welcomed because of her Tejano complexion. She said that if she was going to live a rich life, she would be sure to have it all. They left and I stayed,” he stated bluntly, no signs of regret or pain in his words. It was just that simple to him. “To me? This was home.”

  “It’s beautiful. Honestly, it looks incredibly modern compared to sleeping near a campfire.”

  Dismounting, Jack took Sabine’s hand and led her into the house. The affluent exterior did not match the finished interior. It looked like it was complete, yet not. She had seen photos before of great, old homes with lush painted murals or textured wallpaper. This lacked all the décor… the trimmings. It was far from plush, but lovely nonetheless. Plaster walls and large, paned windows made it feel light and airy, even though it was obvious it had remained closed for some time. The air was thick inside and opening the door stirred up a bit of dust. Small pieces of furniture did not fill the rooms, nor did they look out of place. The house simply did not look very lived in. Even the wood floors showed few markings of scuffing or scratches.

  “You aren’t here much, are you?” she asked quietly as the realization dawned on her. He didn’t live here most of the time. Did he plan on leaving her alone here and taking off once again? That was something they had never really discussed. She had assumed that when he asked her to marry him so quickly, that he had a change of heart and was ready to settle down. With her.

  “I haven’t been, no.”

  “How long do you stay gone when you head out?” she asked quietly, feeling a bit sick to her stomach as she saw him dropping his saddlebag onto a wooden bench that ran the length of the hall.

  “Sabine,” he said gently, taking her hands in his. “I have a duty to the Volunteers and I have a duty to my wife. I plan on only going when I have to.”

  Nodding, she felt vaguely uncomfortable at being left alone. “You’ll need to teach me how to shoot. I hate guns,” she admitted and reminded him again. “I’m pretty sure that if the need arose, I could point it in the right direction but I’m not sure if I could pull the trigger.”

  “You’ll be fine,” he said absently as he walked off down the single hallway. She saw he was glancing in several rooms and then ran up the large staircase, taking the steps two at a time.

  “Are you looking for something?”

  “Just checking to make sure its empty and that there are no squatters. I’m gonna make sure there is a place for our new bed when it arrives, too,” he called down. Flushing with embarrassment, she said nothing and just looked around her new home.

  Glancing in the kitchen area, she saw the lack of modern “essentials” that homes in her time had. No microwaves, no fridges. She was surprised at how pleased she was simply seeing a pump and basin that would serve as a sink. A grand cast iron stove cook stove took up a good portion of the wall. Curved black claw feet and silver trim made it look almost ornamental in nature. The kettle and skillet on top showed that it was actually used. While it might not be a microwave, it was a definite improvement over an open fire. A sideboard held a few dishes as well as a few cups sitting upside down on a shelf. Large glass jars held what looked to be sugar, coffee and flour.

  “Different. Yet some things never change,” she whispered aloud to herself as she saw that it was almost similar to her own glass jars she had on her countertop. She had thought Jack would change and stay with her. Yet, here he was admitting he would leave. The males her friends had dated had, in their ways, picked up and left. Would he be the same? Had she fallen into the same mold as the others?

  Jack emerged from the stairs after inspecting the upper floors with a wide smile. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek happily, causing Sabine to pull back and look away. She wasn’t a plaything to be used and tossed aside. A toy to pull out and play with when he wanted to. She was a person, a woman, his wife because he asked and she fell right into his arms.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Just a bit tired,” she fibbed. Boy, if that wasn’t a fake line she didn’t know what was! “I think it’s the travel and excitement of the day. Maybe I should lay down.” At his sudden grin, she tagged on, “Alone.”

  Seeing his crestfallen look, she knew she had surmised correctly. He had wanted to make lo - eh hem! - fool around. Love wasn’t a light switch nor a term to be bantered around lightly. She had meant her words the other day. But his actions did not back up his words. Her body and heart weren’t his to be flicked off and on, dammit. She ached to reach out and touch him, to have him touch her… but that was because she felt a bond. The bond must be simply one-sided if he intended to leave again when called upon. She craved contact with him, and had mistakenly thought he was wanting the same.

  Shoulders sagging, she stepped away and walked up the stairs. No tour of her new home, no enthusiasm. It was her alone in a new location, a new place yet again. This song and dance routine was getting old. First Eve, now Jack. She heard his voice mutter something downstairs before slamming the door to the house. The stillness of the musty rooms felt so hollow, so barren, like her soul. Finding a small trundle bed in a room, she cracked open the window and lay down, numb. Staring at the plaster wall, she felt hot tears slip down her face into her hairline. Things between them must be so
fragile and tender. She had turned him away and he had left.

  Because of her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sabine must have fallen asleep eventually. Her body ached and cramped at sleeping in the worn bed. She had climbed atop the coverlet and drifted off. It had been a long, emotional few days and, frankly, she had been exhausted. She just didn’t realize how much! The sun was rising in the distance. Sitting up, she realized Jack had not returned to wake her. Standing, she tiptoed through the silent house. She stopped several times, wondering if he was nearby or in another room sleeping. Perhaps, he had already gotten up for the day. She was hurt that he hadn’t come back to check on her. Coming down the stairs, she saw that the front door was not locked either.

  This pissed her off.

  He left, didn’t lock the door and left me up there alone and undefended, she thought, flabbergasted. People didn’t leave doors unlocked back home where she came from! She told him that she couldn’t fire a gun. If someone had come in, a squatter like he had mentioned, then she would have been completely defenseless… to an extent. Self-defense would only help so much, right? Guns, corsets and the frou-frou dress would cause a massive detriment to her defending herself if needed.

  “Jack?” she called out, ready to pick a fight and inform him that the door needed to be locked. She also wanted to find out where he slept and why he didn’t simply try to talk to her, to be with her! The man was confusing!

  “Well, you have to decide what you want,” Eve said simply, poofing into the room. She stood tall on the staircase with a very nonchalant look to her face. Pulling a red apple out of nowhere with a flick of her wrist, she took a big bite.

  “Welp? Whadda you expect of him?” Eve asked Sabine, smacking loudly on the apple.