A Break in Time

by Michelle Miles

  “Is that so?” He turned his steely gaze on her, sending a delicious shiver up her spine.

  “Yes,” she replied icily, remaining obstinate.

  “So, if you can take care of yourself, why did I have to save your ass from Sovold?”

  “You had to bring him up, didn’t you?” She was cornered, though, and she knew it. “What happened there was completely beyond our control.”

  “Listen.” He leaned close. “You need me. I need you. Let’s stop pretending, okay?”

  “I don’t know what you mean.” She gave him her best innocent look.

  “Yes, you do.”

  He reached for her and tingling excitement jolted through her as his fingers traced down her arm, then rested on the back of her hand. With his touch, she tried to deny the pulsing knot in her stomach, tried to shove away desire coursing through her.

  But it was there. Her eyes drifted closed while she allowed herself to bask in the fantasy of Dane’s mouth on her skin. His hand slid up her arm, leaving goose bumps in his wake and igniting that passion once again. Hot breath was on her neck, the warmth of his mouth on her earlobe as he gently sucked, then nipped with his teeth.

  When she felt the small, sharp pain, she realized it was not a daydream. A tiny gasp escaped before she shoved him away.

  “Dane, not here.”

  He flopped back into his chair, yet her heart still beat a fast cadence in her chest. “Tell me, Skye, why you think you and I shared the same dream earlier.” He leaned closer, his eyes half-closed, as if he meant to kiss her again.

  Her pulse fluttered wildly as his gaze pinned her. She clutched her fork as he inched closer still.

  “My dream. When I was holding you while you slept.”

  “How can that be?” She forced her voice to remain calm, even though it wanted to quiver. Being so near to him make her world feel off kilter.

  “You’re the scientist’s daughter. You tell me.” He wound a lock of her hair around his forefinger.

  “I may be the scientist’s daughter, but I didn’t exactly follow in Daddy’s footsteps.”

  Instead she frittered away her college years at frat parties with her fiancé, Stuart, who left her shortly before graduation—and their wedding—for her then best friend, Mae. Mazaltof.

  Pulling herself back to the present, her best guess was it had something to do with the time bender. That was the only thing binding them to each other. And every time they pushed the button and made a leap, it somehow connected them. They had made two jumps together, holding onto each other.

  “I think so, too,” he said.

  “Think so what?”

  “That it’s the time bender and it’s connecting us. That is what you were thinking, right? Among other things.”

  Surprise siphoned the blood from her face. She shoved his hand away.

  “I’ll take your stunned silence as a yes. It was just a guess so don’t worry. I can’t read your mind.” He paused and gave her a wink. “Yet.”

  Before she could say anything else, Ridgewood strode over, a broad smile on his clean-shaven face. Dane slipped an arm around her shoulders as if to mark her as his territory.

  Boys are so stupid sometimes.

  “I trust you two are having a good time?” he asked cheerfully.

  “Of course we are.”

  “King Ecotzin hopes you enjoy the meal.” Ridgewood examined their plates and saw their untouched food. “Is it not to your liking? It would be an insult not to eat it.”

  “It’s wonderful,” Skye picked up a sliced apple.

  So far, Dane had let her answer the questions while he played the part of the big dog—or whatever he was doing.

  “I think all this traveling has put Dane in a foul mood,” she said, giving him a sly glance.

  “I see. Perhaps some entertainment will cheer you then, Mr. Fortune.” He motioned to a group of young women behind him, gave a slight bow and sat next to his wife.

  Dane and Skye watched the chorus of young, scantily clad women dance with the torches flanking them, illuminating their bronze skin in a golden glow. Off to one side, there was a group of native musicians with bongos and drums, strange reed flutes and oddly shaped stringed instruments. Skye craned her neck to see several men playing drums of different sizes and shapes. To her, they seemed like regular, everyday bongos. But the tone and the tune was something she had never heard. Something haunting and almost eerie.

  In the midst of the entertainment, Dane leaned in and whispered, “I think we should get out of here as soon as possible.”

  “Why’s that?” Licking her dry lips, she reached for the goblet finally. Since Dane hadn’t keeled over, she figured the red drink was somewhat safe.

  “I don’t like it here,” he said simply.

  “We have to wait for the bender to reset itself,” she reminded him. “It won’t work for three more days.”

  “I know.” He exhaled a hiss. “That’s what scares me.”

  * * *

  Skye startled awake and sat up with a jolt. Sitting in the middle of the satin bed, the gossamer curtains gently blowing in the breeze from the open doorway, her heart thudded wildly. She took several deep breaths to calm herself then realized her head pounded as hard as her heart.

  She groaned, running fingers through her tangled hair. She remembered the girls dancing at the feast and the way Dane watched them with an intensity she had never seen. That same old feeling of jealousy snuck up on her and she prodded him in the ribs. It was enough to break his dazed look and he gave her a cocky grin.

  “Jealous, are you?” he had said.

  “No,” she retorted. “You were drooling.”

  He downed another goblet of the red stuff.

  “Maybe you should take it easy on that,” she suggested.

  He waved off her concern and went back to drinking. Not long after, she watched Ridgewood help him from his seat and to his chamber. She followed, exhausted and ready to retire for the night.

  She followed the two men inside to make sure the time bender was secured. She wasn’t sure where Dane kept it since he had changed from the uniform shirt to the tunic. And there was still something about the demeanor of the doctor that made her uneasy. He seemed completely interested in everything they did and kept a close eye on the two of them.

  “There you are,” Ridgewood said to an unconscious Dane. Then to Skye, “Shall I escort you to your chamber, then?”

  “Actually, I’ll escort myself in a few minutes. I’m just going to make sure Dane is all right.”

  “Very well.”

  As he shut the door behind him, he seemed completely put out she’d refused the offer. When she was sure Dane was tucked safely in his bed, she rifled through his things littering the floor to find the time bender, but came up empty handed.

  “It’s in my underwear.”

  Skye froze. He said it with slurred speech and breath heavily laced with alcohol. He reeked and she could smell him across the room.

  “What?” she whispered hoarsely.

  “You heard me.” He sat up on one elbow. “It’s safe. I have it in my underwear.” He patted his crotch, looking pleased with himself. “Want to see?”

  “I hope, Dane, you’re talking about the time bender and nothing else.” She propped her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised.

  “Why don’t you come over here and find out?” He winked. “It’s nothing you haven’t felt before.”

  “Good night, Dane.” She sighed and headed for the door.

  “You’re not going to take me up on my offer?”

  “Not tonight,” she shot over her shoulder and paused. “Besides, I make it a point not to sleep with drunks.”

  As she stepped outside, she was startled to see Ridgewood waiting in the hallway, leaning casually on the wall. Her heart leapt instantly into her throat, knowing he could have overheard their conversation, even though Dane’s side was rather slurry and hard to understand. Still, she had mentioned the time bende
r by name.

  “Now may I escort you to your room, my lady?” he asked.

  “Of course.”

  She couldn’t refuse that time. She dutifully took his arm as he walked her down the hallway. To her relief, he didn’t follow her in, merely let her inside and left.

  Now, sitting in bed, she rubbed her forehead with her fingers, trying to make the pain go away. She was almost relaxed again when her door cracked open and light spilled into the room.

  She held her breath, a chill running up her spine, as she waited. A shadowed figure emerged into the light, elongating a man’s silhouette across her floor. And then, as he entered her room, softly shutting her door, she smelled him. Her breath hissed out.

  “Dane, what—”

  “Shh.”

  He remained where he was, his back against the door. She couldn’t see his face, but she had the distinct feeling he was staring at her in the darkness.

  “What is it?” she whispered.

  “Ridgewood,” was all he said. “He’s loitering outside.”

  A cold fist closed over her heart as a sick feeling took over. The throbbing in her head pounded louder and louder. She drew up her knees and placed her forehead on them with a tiny moan. In two long strides, Dane was at the bed. She heard the whisper of fabric as he whisked off his tunic, then felt the bed bounce and jiggle as he climbed under the covers.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Her head snapped up, her illness suddenly forgotten. It took all her self-control not to shriek the words.

  “Thought you could use the company.”

  “I don’t need a drunk in my bed.”

  “I’m not drunk. It was an act.”

  She had to admit he didn’t sound very drunk. She gave him a sideways glance over her shoulder. Dane was already comfortable. Shirtless and showing off that beautiful chest, he tucked his hands behind his head. She couldn’t not look and her fingers itched to pet him. He leaned into the cushy pillows, giving her a silly lopsided grin. It was so infuriating she wanted to smack him.

  “Get out.”

  “And leave you to the lecherous Dr. Ridgewood?” He shook his head. “I’m here to defend your virtue, doll.”

  “I don’t need my virtue defended. Besides, you’ve already violated it.”

  He sat up and leaned toward her, a breath away from kissing her. “And don’t pretend you didn’t like it.”

  His steady gaze bore into her before looking her over and sliding downward. Her nightdress was nothing but a shear gown, giving him a clear view of everything underneath it.

  “Don’t worry, doll. I’m not going to try anything.” His voice was thick with desire. In the darkness, she could only see the outline of his features and knew he smirked. “Unless you want me to.”

  She harrumphed, clutched the blankets in her fist and prepared to fling them aside. He grasped her wrist, held her in place. To her own surprise, she paused and waited.

  “I know you had a nightmare,” he said, his voice turning to one of care and concern.

  “What?” The word came out on a breath.

  Dane rolled his eyes. “I saw your dream.”

  Annoyed, Skye jerked her arm free and flung off the blankets, scooting off the edge of the bed. She stalked out to the balcony. Wasn’t it enough she was stuck with him? Now she had to endure this weird dream connection, not to mention his constant advances and flirting. And Skye wasn’t one to hide her feelings. She wore her expressions on her sleeve. Dane had gotten really good at reading her. Too good.

  The blue-white light from the full moon flooded over the hilltop. Behind her, she heard the rustle of blankets, then his bare feet as he padded across the room. He wore only the linen pants the natives had given him. It didn’t leave much to the imagination.

  “You’re angry with me.”

  Duh. She bit off the instant retort and instead refused to answer. Keeping her eyes fixed on the landscape, she tried to make out each ridge and slope. Somewhere in the village, a fire gleamed. Orange and yellow light danced down below, but it seemed far away from where she and Dane stood.

  Yes, she’d had a nightmare. It had startled her awake. She had thought for sure she had heard her name, as though someone called it clearly. She was trapped in a small cube-shaped room. She couldn’t get out and the oxygen was quickly sucked away. She was suffocating. Somewhere in the distance, she heard someone calling and shouting for her. It was a man and not Dane. Oddly, it sounded much like Thomas Hardy’s voice, her father’s colleague.

  “How?” she asked at last. “How did you know?”

  “I dreamed it with you.”

  “I think you’re still drunk.” She would use that as an excuse.

  “I’m not drunk,” Dane said. “I know what I saw. This time it wasn’t my dream.”

  “Are you sure?” She turned to him, leaning one elbow on the railing. “Tell me exactly what I was dreaming then, hot shot.”

  “All right, doll, I will. You were stuck in a tiny room with gray walls. There was no door and you were starting to panic because you couldn’t breathe anymore. You woke up with a start because your heart was racing and you were afraid. Am I right?”

  As he told her the dream, an eerie feeling crept over her. Her skin prickled, all of the hairs on her arms and neck standing at attention.

  “I’m right, aren’t I?”

  She turned back to the view, her hands gripping the railing until her knuckles turned white and her muscles ached.

  “Listen, Skye, as much as you hate it, we’re connected. You know that as well as I do.”

  She did hate it. She hated she was stuck time traveling with the very man who was hired to murder her parents. And despised the fact she started to have feelings for him despite that.

  He leaned toward her. “My guess is it has something to do with the time bender. Somehow it makes us more in tune with each other. It’s the only common thread between us. You’ve got to get past it, though. Without each other, we’ll never make it out of here.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “When Ridgewood left you, he came back. Thinking I was passed out, he searched my room. He knew you were looking for something. He suspects we have something of value and he wants it. He gave up finally and crept out of the room. That’s when I followed him. He was still hovering outside your doorway when I showed up.”

  “Did he see you?”

  “I made a big show of staggering around in a drunken stupor before entering your room. I told him I came to sleep with you.”

  One eyebrow shot up as she stood there, blank. Dane chuckled.

  “So he thinks we’re lovers,” he said. “So what.”

  “So what?” she repeated. “We’re not!”

  But were they really? Their relationship was the most unusual one she’d ever had. Usually she required dinner and a movie before sleeping with someone and she had broken Date Rule #1. Shit.

  He gave her a pained expression. “That hurts my one feeling.”

  “Your one feeling?”

  “Yeah.” He winked. “I only have one.”

  “I’m not surprised.”

  She clamped her jaw shut, nearly gritting her teeth. She couldn’t deny she had an attraction to him. She had practically flung herself at him before in Nyan’s bathroom, wrapping her leg around his waist, her hand curling in his hair…

  “Why did you kiss me in the Ice Age?” The truth was something she had to know.

  “Because I wanted to.”

  “And why did you—”

  “Because I needed to.”

  Chapter Five: Disclosure

  “I don’t even know who you are,” Skye said. “Yet I—” She clamped her mouth shut, pursed her lips. The man’s been inside me for God’s sake.

  “Yet you what?”

  Remaining silent, she took a step away from him, as if that would banish her thoughts of their encounter from her mind. It wasn’t the only thing she thought about. She struggled with her feelings
for him, constantly at war with each other. A definite internal love-hate debate for which she wished she had an answer.

  “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

  “Liar.” He said it matter-of-factly, as if he could read her thoughts. And perhaps he could because she couldn’t hide her feelings. “You regret what happened between us.”

  “You know I do.” She clutched her elbows, hugging herself. “You can’t even imagine how difficult this is for me.”

  He turned from her, facing the night and the breeze fluttered through his black hair. It had grown since their first meeting, tapering softly down his neck and making her wish she could run her fingers through it. Moonlight spilled over his physique, giving his skin an ethereal glow.

  “I was sent to do a job, Skye. That was how I made my living.”

  Was? He referred to his livelihood in the past tense?

  His gaze met hers, glinting darkly in the moonlight. A jaw muscle ticked. “All that’s changed.”

  She knew that, somehow. She had accepted how he’d changed from the first time she pushed the black button in the dressing room of that ridiculous apparel shop, to the last time they pushed it together. Yet that niggling feeling in the back of her mind still gave her pause.

  “I’d like to believe that, Dane.”

  “So believe it.”

  He closed the distance between them in two long strides and pulled her into his arms. She could still smell the alcohol on his breath, his face only inches from hers.

  “Telling me you don’t know me is your justification for keeping your distance even though you know you can’t keep your distance.”

  His head dipped, his lips brushing hers in a light kiss.

  “We’re connected, you and I. In a way no other man or woman can be connected.”

  His mouth danced over hers, making her stomach flurry with butterflies.

  “Don’t do this to me.”

  “Why?” He wanted to know. “What are you afraid of?”

  Answering the question.

  She was terrified of her feelings, of falling in love and having it ripped from her. She couldn’t bear the thought. Because in the end, Dane was a killer and she was the victims’ surviving daughter. However, her fear wasn’t so big that she made herself pull away. She stood there and let him continue to kiss her.