"Gloves and a hat and you are one of us,” said Maud handing her the last two items.
As they walked up the wooden steps of the general store, Arabella felt all eyes upon her. Of course it was a small town set amongst the Australian bush. It only had one main street with a handful of shops, a small cluster of houses and a smattering of people. She no doubt elicited interest. The sisters had already decided to introduce her as a cousin. This suited Arabella as it saved her trying to think up an excuse for her sudden arrival.
Once inside the general store, Arabella looked around with wide-eyed interest. The store seemed to contain everything within its four walls. Foodstuffs, dress material, hats, farm implements and books. No junk food, magazines or cigarettes. Only things that were needed for everyday survival lined the shelves. As she surveyed her surroundings, only vaguely listening to Maud and Aggie place their order, Arabella wandered through the store touching things to see if they were real. She stopped suddenly when she felt the gazes of two distinct sets of eyes on her. The first pair belonged to a blonde woman in a pale blue dress, about the same age as Arabella. She looked at Arabella as if she had seen a ghost and was excited by it. Weird . But then there was probably not much to interest anyone in a small town so any amount of excitement was valued.
When Arabella caught the other set of eyes fixed on her she froze to the spot. Somehow she knew this man with the ash blond hair but she was not sure how. A feeling of heat suffused her body as she looked at him. They had shared a moment somewhere, somehow, and he was important to her but how exactly? Her eyes roamed his tall lean body as she searched for answers. He was dressed stylishly but simply in a well cut grey serge jacket, vest, starched white shirt and a tie and his long legs were encased in grey serge trousers—yet the fabric could not hide the bulk of a large cock dressed to the left. Arabella stiffened suddenly and looked back up at the man's face. Grey eyes and blond hair. Holy crap! This was the man with the cock.
"Oh my god it's you!” It was the man from her dream. He was standing before her and she was utterly gob smacked. Her heart was pounding like she had run ten miles in a minute and she could barely speak through shock. Dream lovers were just that—part of a dream. They weren't supposed to turn up in reality—but then her reality had taken a sharp ninety degree turn so she was no expert of what was real at the moment.
"Yes it is me.” His eyes were shining in a mixture of happiness and desire. “My wish has come true."
"Wish? What wish? Who are you?” And why was he looking at her as if she had somehow made his day? Arabella could barely work out what was going on in her own day let alone having time to contribute to another's.
"You don't remember me?” Garrett looked at her teasingly as he walked over to her.
Arabella looked up at the man mountain before her and blushed. She remembered one thing about him only too well. He was the man who had driven her to her knees in passion. He was a man who was not supposed to exist. She looked over to where Maud and Aggie were chatting to the storekeeper. At least they appeared oblivious to what was going on with their guest time traveler. Arabella closed her eyes in the hope that when she opened them he would not be there and she would be in her own home in 2008. But he was there and she was still there.
"You were a dream.” A hot, sexy, toe curling dream that made her sigh and wonder but still a dream.
"No I am very much a reality—your reality, as you are mine."
Arabella's eyes opened wide in amazement. The man with the cock was talking yours and mine stuff when Arabella had trouble doing her own single act by herself.
"What the hell are you talking about?” Reverting to snappy bitch form was her best defense when she had no idea what was going on.
"I need to talk to you in private."
A sudden wild thought shot into Arabella's head. She had the feeling she had told him sometime, somewhere that she loved him and he had said it back. Freaky! Arabella had never told anyone that she loved them before, mainly because there had never been anyone to say it to. So why would she have spoken such words to him?
"Look, I am sure you are just part of some subconscious mind overload I had just before I came hurtling back in time. You are a dream. I want you to vanish to wherever dreams go."
"Touch me, I am not a dream and you know it."
"I don't know anything at the moment.” As for touching him? That was just asking for trouble. Eyes off the cock! Not like you have never seen a cock before.
"Arabella, you will talk to me now or I will make it very difficult for you."
He knew her name? What was his name? She stopped dead. Garrett. Frigging hell his name was Garrett something or other . She had no idea what was going on but she knew she wanted no part of this until she could think clearly—and how could he possibly make it any more difficult? She was a twenty-first century woman wearing a corset talking to a dream man she very likely had sex with who might or might not exist in a time she did not belong in. More difficult? I think not.
"Just get away from me.” Arabella stepped back and hit a shelf of dry goods behind her. Although she felt no actual malicious threat from him there was something about him that scared her—something that was all too real.
"You know I can't, Arabella.” Garrett reached out and stroked her face gently. “I love you."
"What are you, nuts?” Arabella pushed his hand away. The face stroking had been nice up until the declaration of love. “You don't even know me! The only thing I remember about you is you are a part of a dream and you have a very large cock. It's not the basis for a relationship."
Garrett chuckled at her words.
"I am glad to hear you enjoyed being with me, honey. I hope to be spending more time with you and inside you soon."
A hot flush shot through Arabella's body at his words. Inside you soon . Arabella slapped her own face to pull her back to reality—such as it was at the moment. The pain assured her this was the truth and this man was not a dream. But what then? Had her life suddenly become like Lost ?
"Great cock or not, back off, buddy."
"I need to talk to you,” Garrett said as he reached over and grabbed her elbow. “Come with me now or else."
"Or else what?” What could he possibly do to make her act against her own will?
Garrett leant down and whispered close to Arabella.
"I'll tell everyone you dropped naked to you hands and knees and begged me to fuck you hard and fast."
Arabella's eyes opened wide in horror. Oh crap . Now she remembered. She had done exactly that, and he had done exactly that. Part of her knew she should be denying what happened or challenging him over the truth. However deep down inside where it counted she knew in her heart she had been with him and this was no dream. But that did not mean she had to go along with him and his plans. It was freaky enough being in 1888 without having to deal with someone who was supposed to exist only in a dream.
"You wouldn't. This is 1888 and a gentleman would never do anything as vulgar as that to embarrass a lady.” Granted the Rainey sisters were open-minded what with time travelers dropping in but she knew they would most likely be horrified at such sluttish behavior.
"I'm not a gentlemen, honey.” Garrett's voice was low and husky. “I will give you until the count of three. One—"
"No!” Arabella exclaimed softly through gritted teeth as she stamped her booted heel. She wasn't going to be pushed into anything. “We have nothing to talk about."
"Oh but we do. Two—"
"Fuck off,” Arabella hissed, shivering as the warm breath from his mouth touched her face.
"Three.” He looked at Arabella meaningfully. “Can I have everyone's attention please?"
Arabella grabbed Garrett's arm quickly. Pushy bastard.
"Okay.” Her eyes shot daggers into his.
"Excellent.” Garrett turned and looked at the other people in the store. “I just wanted to say good day to you all.” He held out his arm for Arabella. She latched on, her
eyes narrowed with anger.
The Rainey sisters nodded and smiled as their curious gazes went to Arabella as if trying to assess what was going on.
"You are the son of a motherless goat,” Arabella snapped quietly as Garrett started to escort her from the store.
"Are you all right, Arabella?” Maud looked at her visitor with concern.
"I'm just fine, Maud. I'll be back presently.” Arabella could see the two sisters smile and exchange significant looks. “Oh great, no doubt they are thinking bloody destiny and frigging paths,” she muttered under her breath.
"What?” Garrett asked as he led Arabella down the steps of the store.
"None of your business.” She did not want to go anywhere with him. She was confused and when Arabella was confused she chose attack rather than defense. Arabella tried to pull her fingers from his arm but Garrett placed his over hers. His palm was warm and strong and if they were normal people with normal lives she would have welcomed the touch. But nothing was normal and she had a feeling holding hands with this man would only lead to other things being held, caressed, fondled, fucked. “Where are we going?” Arabella stumbled over a rock as Garrett drew her along a rough path. There was tall grass and trees and the small stretch of the main street of town was nowhere to be seen.
Garrett helped her over a log and down to the bank of a creek.
"Just walk with me and be a good girl, honey."
"Never been a good girl in my life so why should I start now?"
"You are beautiful when you are angry."
"And you are a bastard,” Arabella responded over sweetly as she looked at the plentiful water gurgling along in the creek. Clearly there was no drought in 1888. In 2008 this creek would have been dust or maybe buried by a housing estate. That would be a shame as this was a peaceful and secluded place. She looked up at the man beside her as she snatched her hand from his arm.
Garrett shook his head mockingly and chuckled as he stood before her.
"Ladies don't swear in 1888, Arabella."
"I'm not a lady and I'm only here on a technicality.” Once she worked out how to go home Arabella was out of there. “Besides you are not even real."
"Oh I am very real and so are you. What do you remember about us?” Garrett smiled as heat seeped into Arabella's cheeks. “Making love to you is forever imprinted on my mind as well.” His hands descended on her shoulders, massaging gently.
"Back off, buddy!” Arabella thrust her palms against his chest to push him away. It was a bad move as her hands molded themselves to the hard planes of his pecs. Oh yeah nice but wrong—definitely wrong in ayes please let me be all bad with you way. Yet as wrong as it was she could not drag herself away. They seemed to have a mind of their own as did the rest of her body. Her inner thighs were sweating and her heart was pounding while her mind was trying to stay on the moral high ground. Part of her kept thinking he was just a dream while the other part knew for a fact he was a real flesh and blood man she had to deal with.
"Didn't you enjoy having me hot and hard up inside you? I thought you did."
Well of course she did. But that was not the point.
"What is it we're here to discuss?” Arabella managed to pull her hands from his chest and tried to look pissed off as opposed to confused, as confusion indicated a degree of wanting to believe whereas pissed off meant you were not going to believe anything anyone told you. Added to that her corset was pinching her skin so looking pissed off wasn't a stretch.
"I brought you back to 1888, honey."
Arabella raised her eyebrow cynically at him. Gorgeous and insane. What a shame. She had no idea how she came to be in 1888 but she did not believe this man had magical powers.
"Uh-huh, sure you did."
"How do you think you got back?"
I have no bloody idea.
"You bought my sister's book."
Arabella's eyes widened at his words.
"Amy Louisa is your sister?” That in itself was amazing. The other thing that stopped her in her tracks was she remembered that in her dream he had told her not to let go of the book. Coincidence or some joke the cosmos was playing on her?
Garrett reached out and clasped her hand in his in formal introduction.
"Garrett Robillard. Amy Louisa is my sister."
Arabella tried to pull her hand from his but he held fast.
"Okay, I'll bite. How did you bring me back in time?” If she knew the ‘how’ then maybe she could get back to 2008 under her own steam. Of course this sounded good in theory but as she had sucked badly at science in school she hoped it had nothing to do with chemistry or physics. Added to the fact she was not even sure he was real. Could a dream give her directions home?
"I believe you are connected to my sister. Do you believe in reincarnation, honey?"
Arabella's interest was piqued despite herself.
"There is a belief that the same group of people follow each other through each life cycle—the same family, the same friends and the same lovers."
Arabella was open-minded to a lot of things but this one was not possible.
"All my family are deceased and I have no lovers in 2008 so that blows your theory."
"I am sad about your lack of family but very happy to hear there are no lovers.” Garrett smiled at her softly.
"And your point is?” And why was he caressing her hand in a way that made her want him caressing other parts of her body?
"I believe that you are connected to Amy Louisa,” Garrett explained as he slowly started to pull Arabella closer towards him. “It was no fluke you bought her book. You were meant to do that."
"Fine, okay, I bought the book and maybe there is some freaky connection there.” This would explain why she had those dreams of a woman who needed her help. Was that Amy Louisa? “But how did you supposedly bring me back?"
"I have been dreaming about you for the last three weeks.” Garrett slid his hands around her waist and nestled her close against his body. “When did you buy the book, honey?"
Bloody hell! She had bought the book three weeks ago!
"Well, I haven't been dreaming about you.” It was a lie of course—she had been dreaming about a man. A gentle, kind, loving and sexy man with ash blond hair and storm grey eyes. It turned out she had been dreaming about Garrett Robillard. Was he like the dream? Was anyone like a dream? Arabella doubted it so she intended to tread warily with this man that she might or might not have had sex with. When did my life become a soap opera? She had a million questions to ask but all of the possible answers she could be given scared her. So as she was wont to do she hunkered down inside herself for protection until she could analyze what was going on.
"I dreamt of a woman who held my sister's book. A woman with long brown hair and green eyes. A woman who wanted to love and be loved. I dreamt of you, Arabella."
Oh boy, that sounds like me but...
The look in Garrett's eyes was sincere and loving. The feel of his body against hers was both thrilling and safe. How could that be? Surely one negated the other. She could feel his cock pushing hard against the fabric that separated them and knew that this was all very real.
"I don't believe a word of it.” To Arabella's ears her own words seemed forced and fake. Okay maybe she was starting to believe in this incredible thing that had happened to her but that did not mean she had to go along with it. “Look the thing is, I get that I'm back here for a reason but it's not you. Once I find the reason I'm out of here. I'm not back in 1888 for you."
"Believe whatever is easiest for you to accept, honey.” Garrett smiled at her as if he understood her hesitation. “The book was not the only thing that connected us. You know that. Two people cannot be forced together against their will. I willed you to come to me and you came because you wanted to."
"Let me go.” Arabella pushed her hands against his chest. This was happening way to fast. She needed space and time to think. She could not do that with Garrett holding her so close. She could only
think of one thing and it had everything to do with the impatient cock between them. “This is just some crazy dream that I'll wake up from” But you are bloody awake .
Lust in Time Page 4