Time Travel Romances Boxed Set

by Claire Delacroix

  “He’s scared of monsters, too.”

  “Monsters?” Lilith let her eyes widen, knowing exactly the demon that Jen was fighting tonight. “There’s no monsters here. Your daddy kicked them all out of the house.”

  Jen eyed her solemnly. “There’s a big one, right under my bed. He came back ’cause Daddy’s gone.”

  “Well, we can’t have that!” Lilith said firmly. “We’re going to go up there and tell that monster to get right out from under your bed and go home to his own.”

  Jen bit her lip and frowned. “But he’ll eat you up.”

  “No, he won’t.” Lilith dropped her voice to a whisper. “Because I know a secret about monsters.”

  Jen’s eyes went round and she whispered back. “A secret?”

  Lilith nodded. “Monsters are scared of love. You see, when you love someone, or they love you, you’re never alone. And monsters can’t get you.”

  Jen thought about this, too busy thinking to remember to cry. “I love Bun,” she offered.

  “Oh, that must be why you’re safe.” Lilith heaved a sigh of relief. “And your daddy loves you, and your Nana loves you, too. Why, that monster hasn’t got a chance! Once he knows about all that love, he’ll just disappear.” Lilith snapped her fingers. “Poof!”

  Jen visibly brightened at this news. “We could sing him the Barney song,” she suggested. “That’s about love.” Lilith’s confusion must have shown because Jen patted her hand. “Don’t you know the Barney song?”

  Lilith had to admit she didn’t.

  Jen scrambled to her feet with purpose and took Lilith’s hand, as though Lilith was the one who had come running in tears. It was funny how many of Andrea’s gestures the little girl mimicked. She dragged Lilith toward the stairs. “I’ll teach you and we can sing it together.”

  Fortunately, the Barney song was not overly complicated. By the time they reached Jen’s bedroom the pair of them were singing it together. As they sat on the bed and sang it three more times, Lilith noticed that they weren’t alone.

  D’Artagnan had trailed behind them. He jumped onto the end of Jen’s bed, kneaded the cover to his satisfaction, then curled up to sleep.

  He threw Lilith a glance that dared her to comment on his choice and she knew better than to say anything at all. By the time Lilith turned out the light and left Jen slumbering, it was clear that the little girl had a bright-eyed champion more than ready to defend her from any monster foolish enough to slide under the bed.

  Another change, credited to Jen’s charming of the crusty D’Artagnan. Who would have guessed that the independent cat would melt for a little girl?

  Lilith paused in the hall to listen and heard Jen’s breathing slow. Maybe Jen could get over being afraid to be alone. That would make another change. Lilith decided to mix up some Monster Repellant to let Jen mix into the paint when they did her room the next day, just to help things along.

  Because Lilith knew the mystic power of threes. She had made two transformations, but her Gift warned her that there was going to be a third.

  She hoped it could be the conquering of Jen’s fear. Lilith returned to her painting, keeping one ear tuned to the news, and hoped that Mitch would come home safely.

  Until then, all she could do was keep busy. Fortunately, she wasn’t likely to run out of painting anytime soon.

  This was one transformation that was going to take a while.

  *

  Mitch felt like hell.

  Three days of lectures and networking and being away from home had beat the stuffing out of him. His mind was swimming with possibilities and trends, opportunities and considerations. All he wanted was a little peace and quiet to sort them out. And he wanted to know how everyone was doing at home.

  Oh, he had called a couple of times, smiled at the kids’ stories and warmed to the sound of Lilith’s voice, but tonight a phone call just wouldn’t do. When a group of old cronies settled in to drink on Sunday afternoon, Mitch decided enough was enough. He blew off the last day of meetings, called the airline and changed his flight.

  Eight hours later - after an excruciating wait at O’Hare that he roundly deserved for changing his flight schedule - he was scooping up his garment bag at Pearson and jingling his keys as he headed for the Honda.

  Home.

  And Lilith.

  Mitch couldn’t get there fast enough.

  *

  The house was quiet when Mitch unlocked the kitchen door, although the light was still on in the kitchen. It smelled like paint and there was a can of flat ceiling latex open on the counter. The radio was on at a low volume, some sixties ballad echoing softly through the house. Cooley yawned and stretched before getting up to wander across the kitchen to greet Mitch, tail wagging sleepily.

  Mitch scratched the dog’s ears with a grin. “Some killer watchdog,” he teased. “You didn’t even wake up until I was in the house.”

  He put the lid on the paint while Cooley took a pause outside. Mitch locked the kitchen door, turned out the light and left his bags in the hall. He heard the wolfhound collapse under the kitchen table as he climbed the stairs.

  The smell of paint was stronger up here, though the windows were all open. He looked in first on Jen and smiled when he found her smiling in her sleep. D’Artagnan, surprisingly, was curled on the end of Jen’s bed. He lifted his head and treated Mitch to a cold glare as Mitch entered the room.

  “It’s okay, tiger,” Mitch whispered, biting back a smile at the cat’s protectiveness. “I’m just going to say hello.”

  D’Artagnan, unconvinced, kept a wary eye on him all the same.

  Mitch noticed Bun was abandoned on the other side of the room for the first time since they had moved in. It was a good sign, but Mitch scooped up the stuffed toy and tucked it into the bed beside his daughter just in case.

  Her room seemed slightly different, even in the moonlight. Mitch realized that it had been painted, although he couldn’t clearly discern the new colors. There was a wallpaper border about waist high around the room. Plump unicorns pranced through rainbows upon it, daisies scattering to all sides.

  The room felt different, too, Mitch noticed, and it was more than the paint and the border and the sheer curtains wafting in the cool evening breeze.

  Jen’s room felt safe. As secure as a little cocoon. Mitch shook his head, knowing full well who was responsible and wondering whether she would blame it on another spell.

  That made his smile widen. Lilith’s magic was more than welcome around here.

  Mitch kissed Jen’s temple, D’Artagnan only dropping his chin to his paws after Mitch left the room.

  Mitch silently continued to Jason’s room. The little boy was snuggled deep beneath his duvet, his fair hair tousled. It had been painted in here too, some shade that seemed to glow faintly. The room seemed cleaner and brighter, Jason’s indestructible furniture in primary colors looked right at home. There was a book on his desk that Mitch hadn’t noticed before. Insects A - Z.

  He opened the flap and found an inscription in an elegant feminine hand. From the library of Lilith Romano.

  “Lilith lent it to me,” Jason confessed quietly, his voice thick with sleep. Mitch looked down to find his son’s eyes open. “There were bugs in the garden like lights. Lilith said they were fairies, but when I caught one, it was a bug.” He yawned.

  “Lilith let you catch a bug?”

  “Only for a minute so I could see. Then we looked in her book for its picture. It’s a firefly, not a fairy.”

  Jason snuggled deeper as Mitch sat on the side of his bed. “And what did Lilith say about that?”

  Jason smiled sleepily. “That fairies don’t like to be caught and that it changed just to fool me. She said they’re like that.”

  Mitch grinned and hunkered down beside his son. “But the book doesn’t say anything about fairies?”

  Jason shook his head. “Nope. I think she made it up, just for Jen. Like the radio.” His eyes drifted closed.
<
br />   “The radio?”

  “In the kitchen. Lilith left it on at night when she painted, so Jen would know she was there.”

  Mitch’s heart warmed at Lilith’s concern. No wonder Jen was sleeping so contentedly. Mitch brushed the hair back from Jason’s brow as the boy’s breathing deepened. “Sleep well,” he whispered. “It looks as though you’ve all been busy.”

  “Mostly Lilith,” Jason murmured then he rolled to his back and smiled. His eyes opened slightly, the serious gleam there catching Mitch’s attention. “I like her, Dad.” He smiled and pointed past Mitch’s head. “And she gave us the stars.”

  Mitch followed his son’s finger to find the ceiling covered with luminescent stars. There were even a couple of planets glowing softly in the darkness, the sight of them and Jason’s choice of words making Mitch smile.

  Lilith giving his children the stars. Mitch liked the sound of that. And he liked very much the kind of magic a certain witch was spreading around his house. She harmed no one and she certainly made a lot of people happy.

  Mitch could live with that.

  In fact, he really wanted to.

  He kissed an already dozing Jason and crossed the hall to his own room. The lady who had haunted Mitch’s own dreams was curled up on his bed, her feet bare, her hair loosened like a dark cloud behind her. Mitch’s heart skipped at just the sight of her there and he hesitated on the threshold, not want this moment to end too quickly.

  He could stand here and imagine that he really came home to Lilith, that she really was waiting for him, that they really were making a household together. As long as he stood here, he could imagine that she would awaken with a smile and beckon him to bed, that she would curl against him and whisper to him of what had happened in his absence. That he could tell her everything he had learned, everything that troubled him. That they could make love slowly and thoroughly, that they together could make the marriage Mitch had always wanted to have.

  It was there, standing in the doorway of his own bedroom, watching a beautiful woman sleep, that Mitch Davison realized that he was in love.

  And he was in love with the most unlikely woman of all. A winsome witch who believed only in things she couldn’t see, an imaginative and delightful woman who spread fairy dust throughout his house, a generous and giving soul who asked for nothing but his love in return.

  He was ready to give it to her. Because Mitch loved Lilith, as he had never imagined he would love a woman.

  For a long time, Mitch had believed that he would never find love, that he would never take a chance again, that it just hadn’t been worth it. But Lilith had challenged his preconceptions, she had made Mitch rethink all those conclusions that he thought were set in concrete for all time.

  Now, Mitch couldn’t imagine his life without her. He couldn’t imagine his heart not doing this goofy little jump every time she smiled at him, or her image popping up in his mind unexpectedly. To not hear that low voice again, or hear the tinkle of her laughter, or see her dark eyes dance was completely unthinkable.

  Mitch felt as though he had always loved Lilith, though he smiled at that echo of her own conviction. She was starting to infect his nice, orderly thinking with her crazy ideas.

  And oddly enough, he didn’t mind in the least.

  Mitch stepped into the room, not intending to wake her, but Lilith stirred as though she had been waiting for him. Her eyes opened slowly, her gaze fixed on him and she smiled so warmly that Mitch tingled from head to toe.

  “You’re home!” she murmured, with a delight that made Mitch’s heart do that goofy jump. “I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow,” she whispered, her pleasure at his change of plans undisguised.

  It felt damned good to be missed.

  “Couldn’t stay away,” Mitch admitted huskily. “You’ve been busy.”

  Lilith stretched, her toes pointing, then curling contentedly. She nestled into his pillow and smiled sleepily. “I wanted to surprise you. I would have finished the ceilings by tomorrow.”

  “Well, now you’ll have to deal with inexperienced help underfoot.” When Lilith chuckled, Mitch came and sat on the edge of the bed, unable to resist the urge to brush her hair back over her shoulder. “And you have surprised me,” he said gently. “Both kids’ rooms done already is a pretty impressive feat. Especially with them around.”

  Lilith smiled. “All you need is a little creativity.”

  Mitch smiled back. “No magic?”

  Lilith wrinkled her nose, her gaze warm. “It can’t hurt.”

  Her hair was as soft as silk beneath his hand. Mitch run his fingers over it, the dark tendrils curling around his fingers as though they would snare his hand in their softness. He didn’t want this moment to end. “So, what colors are they? I couldn’t see in the darkness.”

  “Mmm, mauve and aqua and mint, nice safe colors for Jen. A sea-washed haven for her. And a crisp yellow for our intrepid explorer.” Mitch caught his breath at the easy way she said “our” but Lilith didn’t notice. “You’ll be amazed how much bigger and brighter the house looks, just with the ceilings repainted.”

  Lilith nestled closer, her hand landing on his. Her fingers were warm and soft, Mitch turned his hand over and held hers tight.

  “What are you going to do in here?” he asked, mostly because he didn’t want her to stop talking. She could do anything she wanted with his bedroom, as far as Mitch was concerned.

  Lilith smiled. “True blue,” she confessed as she met his gaze warmly. “And maybe some silvery stardust to keep things interesting.”

  Mitch grinned. “I like the stars in the kids’ rooms.”

  Lilith rolled to her back and stretched. “Jason had to have planets too, but I refused to lay them out according to the star map enclosed.”

  “You’ll never live that down.”

  “I know,” Lilith sighed and squeezed Mitch’s fingers. “Maybe you can fix them for him.”

  Mitch really liked her implication that they were in this together. Lilith eased back, making room for another on the mattress without slipping free of his hand. She smiled, her voice dropped low. “Get naked and come to bed, Mitch. I want to touch you and know you’re really home.”

  The invitation was everything Mitch could have hoped for. He certainly didn’t need a second request. He peeled off his shirt and dropped his trousers, leaving them in a pile with his socks and shoes. Down to his Jockeys, he slipped between the sheets with a sigh of contentment and reached for Lilith.

  But she hooked a finger in the elastic of his briefs.

  “Everything,” she insisted, the mischievous twinkle in her eye making Mitch’s heart pound.

  “I thought it was too late.”

  Definitely too late for talking,” Lilith confirmed, then winked.

  There was no doubt what she meant.

  Mitch’s mouth went dry. “You’re sure?”

  Her smile broadened. “I missed you. Besides, you’re the one who had to make up your mind,” she teased. “Are you sure?”

  Mitch was.

  Without a doubt.

  But things still weren’t simple.

  He frowned. “Lilith, I wasn’t planning this. I don’t have any condoms.”

  She seemed untroubled by this confession. “So?”

  Mitch might have shed a lot of assumptions, but he hadn’t lost all his practicality. He knew he was as clean as a whistle, but he didn’t want Lilith worrying about anything later.

  “Lilith, it’s the nineties. Aren’t you worried about little biological souvenirs?”

  She laughed then and tapped a fingertip on the end of his nose. “The only man I’ve ever been with, one way or the other, is you. And we didn’t have any condoms those other times either.”

  There really was no arguing with her on that. And she had been supremely unconcerned so far, even though they had done it without protection once.

  Of course, there was one other issue, but Mitch wasn’t going to raise that questio
n again. In fact, he couldn’t think of anything more wonderful than Lilith conceiving his child. She’d be a terrific mother.

  And he’d have another point in his favor when he proposed.

  Let the lovemaking begin.

  Mitch stripped off his Jockeys and cast them across the room with a flourish. He grinned at Lilith’s whistle of admiration, then flicked a finger at the sleeve of her dress. “And what about you?” he challenged softly.

  Without a word, Lilith sat up, then got to her feet. She held his gaze while she unbuttoned her dress with theatrical leisure, bared one shoulder as though dancing to a band only she could hear, then covered it up and playfully bared the other.

  “Tease,” Mitch charged and Lilith laughed.

  “You’re the one determined to take things slowly.” She turned her back on him and shook her shoulders so her dress fell down her back. She tipped back her head and laughed at Mitch when he made a great show of trying to see some flesh behind the curtain of her hair.

  When she spun back to face him, her dress was back on her shoulders but open the whole way down the front. Mitch glimpsed her matching lingerie, the smooth creaminess of her belly. Her legs flashed and he realized he’d never seen them before.

  “You always wear dresses.”

  “It’s my Rom roots showing,” she admitted with a smile and an ease that surprised him. “We’d rather show our breasts than our knees.”

  With that, she flicked back her hair and wriggled the dress off her shoulders. The dress fell around her ankles in a floral swirl, then Lilith stepped out of it, like Botticelli’s Aphrodite stepping off her seashell.

  Mitch’s mouth went dry. Her skin glowed like sun-kissed sandalwood in the pale light. She was smooth and curved like a goddess. She was wearing a feminine froth of a brassiere, the openwork of the white lace contrasting with the golden hue of her skin. Lilith’s curves were achingly feminine. In those lace-edged panties, she was a sight infinitely better than any skinny model in a lingerie catalog.