"How – long do I have? Do you know?"
"Let's hope you have until midnight, Christmas night. I…can't let you go anywhere before then."
Robin drew herself up, his words like a slap in the face. "You can't – but – why not?"
"For your own safety, Miss Mallory. We're carrying out a mission here—"
"But – it's Christmas! No fighting. Truce."
"I'm afraid the holiday doesn't preclude troop movement. Now, the subject is closed."
Just then, Jake stepped out of the General's tent, stopping by the coffee pot to pour a cup full of the dark liquid. General Watie's expression was suddenly shuttered, the kindness Robin had seen there earlier, gone. As Jake neared with the cup, the General turned back to her. "This will be a very cold night, Miss Mallory. I'm quite sure you aren't accustomed to sleeping out in the elements, and you are, of course, not equipped with your own bedroll. I'm putting Lieutenant Devlin in charge of your well-being. Though I know it's not proper, you will share his bedroll tonight."
When she started to protest, the General held up a silencing hand. "Pride does you no good if your fingers and toes are taken by frostbite, young lady. In these times, we do what we must to survive. I assure you, Lieutenant Devlin is completely trustworthy. If he were not, I would not give you into his keeping. That is all there is to be said."
He turned away abruptly and walked toward the coffee pot himself, leaving Robin speechless. Jake was silent a moment, then reached for her hand.
"Here. Take this. It'll warm your hands up to hold the cup."
She took it, and delicious warmth flooded through her. Oh, Lord, she hadn't realized how cold she was. She truly was numb.
"I can't believe him!" she murmured.
Jake smiled. "He's a good man, Robin."
She looked up at him. "And you? Are you a good man?"
It surprised him that she would even ask. Then, a brief flash of anger crossed his features. "You're safe with me, Robin."
She wondered just what Jake would think about his precious General if he knew about the conversation that had taken place while he was getting her the coffee. She was very tempted to tell him.
But, she didn't. It would sound crazy. One thing was for sure. She'd be back at the portal, wherever that was, in a little more than two days' time. All she had to do was get through the next forty-eight hours. She was definitely going back to her own time, if she didn't wake up first.
Chapter Three
It felt odd, holding this strange woman in his arms. Jake shifted as she did. But it felt right, somehow, too. Any lady would be…embarrassed. To have to wrap up in a bedroll with a man she'd only met a few hours earlier had to be a harsh blow to her pride. And it didn't help that he was half-Cherokee, either. A wry smile crossed his face. The only thing worse was his other half – the Irish half – that couldn't be denied with a name like Jake Devlin. She'd managed to hide her prejudice for either half quite well.
As if she'd read his thoughts, she snuggled closer to him, seeking the warmth of his body. His 6'3" frame was already molded around her solidly. She was touching him everywhere she could, seeking the warmth of contact.
Her hands had drifted down between them. Then, as she slept, even lower, until his breath stopped. Now, he held himself as rigid as that part of him her hand laid so innocently, and intimately, across.
When they lay down, he'd positioned their bedroll so Robin would be closest to the fire. He'd almost fallen asleep watching the flames gleaming in the highlight of her long auburn hair.
"Jake?" Her voice had been sleepy and sweet. He'd looked down into her brown eyes, and had been sorely tempted to kiss her full lips. But he had only watched and waited. "I'm sorry. I feel like…somehow I've embarrassed you…become a burden. I – I was just lost. Trying to find my way…"
"Shhh." He smoothed her hair under his palm. "You haven't embarrassed me at all, Robin. I'm thinking I'm the luckiest man here tonight – the only one with a lovely angel lying with him." He gave her a teasing smile, but she remained somber. "General Watie put you in my care because I was the one who found you and brought you back to camp. You'd never be a burden."
Now, as he lay holding her in his arms, he wondered what was going on in her mind. And, he wondered exactly where she had come from. The odd questions, the strange way she was clothed…
But right now, she was his responsibility, and he liked it. He enjoyed the feel of her soft, slight body entangled with his, the trusting way she snuggled into him. He raised a hand to sift his fingers through the silken curtain of her hair.
Long banished feelings began to resurface, along with thoughts he knew he never should indulge, even for a few sweet moments. But he did, anyway. What would he do when this Godforsaken war was over? What if he could live a normal life again, with his own small piece of land and some horses to break and sell? What if he had a woman – like Robin – waiting for him in the evenings? Was it so wrong to want a home, a wife, and eventually, a family?
Dreams were sure to fade. Robin was on her way to her aunt and uncle's house…out of his life. He may manage to grab a part of his dream for himself, but would he ever have it all?
He looked down at her, sleeping peaceful and warm in his arms. Who would know if he kissed her? Not even a real kiss, just a brush of his lips… He leaned down beneath the edge of the bedroll. No one would ever know of this stolen moment. Not even Robin.
He kissed the top of her head gently, inhaling the scent of her clean hair – lemons, oranges…a smile crossed his lips. God, she smelled so wonderful, felt so heavenly—
In the next instant, she shifted, turning her face upward, meeting his mouth with her own. The moment of sweet surprise passed, to be quickly replaced with shock. He hadn't ever intended to take advantage of her.
But she pressed into him, moving upward to connect more solidly with his unintended kiss, and all thought of a chaste passing of his lips across her hair fled. Her mouth opened under the onslaught of his deepening kiss, and his lips moved fully across hers, a soft groan escaping him.
"Robbi, Robbi," he murmured, his mouth close to hers. "I'm sorry—"
"No, don't – don't say you're sorry." Her hands moved upward, caressing his back and shoulders, pulling him to her again.
"We can't do this," he said, even as his mouth slanted over hers once more. His tongue skimmed her lips and she moaned in soft surrender.
"Jake," she whispered, as his tongue traced her lower lip, his teeth nibbling at her. But she wasn't asking him to stop. Still, he lifted his head and looked into her eyes, his whole body throbbing. The sound of her saying his name was more sensual than even the kiss had been.
What would he give to hear her say it just like that every night for the rest of their lives?
Fool. She's not for you. Not like this. Not in the middle of camp. Not when you've been ordered to protect her. Not at all. Not ever.
He pulled away from her, his breathing as hard and uneven as hers. His heart beat wildly, but he was sure it was in rhythm with Robin's – a pounding no one else could hear, binding them together. And he couldn't bear the hurt in her eyes.
"Robbi, I don't want to shame you," he whispered.
"I – I know. It's all right." She patted his arm as he pulled her close to him again. "You're right." She bit her lip and he held her away quickly, appalled at the tears that were forming in her eyes.
"Robbi—"
"No, really. It's – I'm okay. We both just got carried away. It happens." She attempted a shrug, but Jake wasn't fooled.
"Talk to me, Robin. Give me some answers."
Stubbornly, she shook her head. "You'll think I've lost my mind," she told him softly. "And…maybe I have."
He moistened his lips. "Did you come through – the portal?"
She looked up at him, the firelight providing enough light for him to clearly read her expression. "I don't know. That's what General Watie called it, too. He seemed to think – he said I had to make a de
cision about staying here or – or going back. The next thing I knew, he said I couldn't go back—"
"What? Why not?"
"He says I have to wait until the night of December 25th."
Jake lay back against the ground, his thoughts swirling. So, the general knew that Robin wasn't from this time. Then he'd chosen to advise her on what she could and could not do.
"Why must you wait until then? According to the general, I mean?"
Robin sniffed. "He says because of troop movements."
A wave of loss swept through Jake. She was going. She would have gone back this very evening if she could have, by the tone in her voice. And he would never see her again.
"I'm sure you – you're anxious to return – if you're able." His voice sounded stiff and angry. He didn't know why, but the thought of taking care of Robin Mallory was something he'd quickly grown accustomed to.
"Not really," she whispered, settling her head in the crook of his arm.
"Don't you have family?" He felt guilty for the hope he held that maybe – just maybe – she was alone in the world, the same as he was. He was ashamed of himself in the next instant for wishing this kind of solitary living on anyone else.
"No. Not any more. Just my aunt and uncle. No brothers or sisters, and Mom and Dad are – gone now." She was silent for a moment, then looked up at him. "And you, Jake? What about you?"
"No," he answered quietly, trying to quell the unexpected rush of protectiveness he felt. "I have no family, either. And this war—" He broke off, looking away from her steady gaze.
"It'll be over in a few months, Jake. In the spring."
He smiled. "That's welcome news." She said it with such certainty he didn't doubt it.
"What will you do?"
Without hesitation, he answered. "Go home. I want to get my own place going again. By now, everything will need to be fixed to make it livable again. I'll need to get some livestock. I had to sell all mine when I joined up with General Watie." He stopped, trying not to sound like a green schoolboy with his enthusiasm. "I want to raise horses. Do some farming."
Robin smiled. "That sounds lovely. You have a course, a direction, and the determination to see it done. I admire that about you." She reached to lay a hand on his cheek. "I wish – I wish I could be that way. Have some kind of idea of what I want—" She glanced away, then moved her hand. "I'm not sure anymore. I'm twenty-three years old and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up."
He smiled again at that candidly sweet admission. "I'm sure in your time there are many choices…aren't there?"
"I'm from almost a hundred and fifty years in the future," she said slowly. "Yes, there are more choices. But, I want something simple. You'd think it would be easy to find."
"But?" he prompted.
She gave him a look that nearly broke his heart with the unspoken message it carried.
"Not so easy," she said in a low voice. "I guess there aren't any old fashioned guys left where I am," she tried to joke. "At least, none that I appeal to."
It would have come so natural, then, to have lowered his head those scant inches between them, and kissed her full lips again. Because, he sure as hell found nothing unappealing about Miss Robin Mallory. She felt perfect lying against him, fitted to his body. Her auburn hair shimmered in the firelight, inviting him to bury his face in its silken softness once more. Her brown eyes were expressive, honest; her thoughts and feelings unguarded.
And if he kissed her right now, her heart would be unguarded as well – or so her look said.
What could he offer her? He barely knew her.
Yet, there was something so honest and direct in her spirit, so caring and good, that he couldn't help but give back the same in return. Not usually prone to open discussion of plans or dreams or ideas, Jake had found himself engaged in speaking his mind freely with this beautiful woman all evening.
Still, habitual caution took hold of him, and he held back his heart from the thoughts that had begun to take root there.
"I always wanted a horse," she ventured, calling him back from his thoughts. "I never could have one, though. We lived in the city."
"I could teach you to ride – if you weren't leaving." His softly spoken words hung between them, out of his mouth before he could stop them.
She gave him a half-smile. "That's…very kind of you, Jake."
It was a kind of dismissal, meant to put distance between them. But he wouldn't allow it. Twenty-three, she'd said she was. Different than twenty-three years in his time. She looked younger, and he realized it was partially because she still had some dreams left, too. But she was alone in her world, and God knew that would be hard for a woman in any time period.
"Are you…afraid, Robin?"
She shook her head. "No. But I guess maybe I'm wondering…what's to come next. Have you known anyone else who has come through this portal – or whatever it is? You don't seem shocked by it."
He gave a soft chuckle. "It's legend, of course. Everyone who is familiar with these woods knows to stay away from certain places. But, if you are somewhat daring, as young boys tend to be, you tempt Fate from time to time."
"Have you ever—"
"Tempted Fate? Of course. But nothing happened. There's no rhyme or reason to it. But something must have happened for General Watie to know so much about it."
"I wonder what happens when you…go back?"
When. Not if.
"Well, I guess nothing. You just go back to your life you were living before. Can't say for sure, since I've never done it." He was uncomfortable thinking about this. What would she be going back to? It certainly wouldn't be horseback riding lessons.
"Jake, do you know where the portal is?" Her question was so direct, it caught him off guard. He clamped his lips shut; then let a ragged sigh escape.
"You do, don't you?"
The silence deepened between them, until finally he said, "Not exactly. When we're in this part of the Territory, in this area, we'd most likely stay off of that road you were using and keep to the woods."
Robin turned away from him to stare into the firelight. "So, the road is the answer."
Jake's grip tightened at her shoulder. "Don't think of it, Robin," he said quietly. "My orders are to keep you in my care until the general says you may leave us. And that won't be for another forty-eight hours or so."
Chapter Four
Sometime in the night, Robin slept. It hadn't taken long, once she'd turned toward the fire and begun to watch the flames flicker and dance.
She'd roused once when Jake had pulled the edge of the extra blanket up over her face.
"Jake?"
"Shh, Robbi," he'd murmured. "It's starting to snow. You don't want a face full of it."
"No…"
He enfolded her in his arms again, close to his body, and she lowered her head against his chest. Solid. Warm. Comforting.
When she awoke the next morning, the fire that had burned down in the night was being re-fueled by some of the men bringing sticks and branches in from the woods.
Jake had already risen and was nowhere to be seen. Robin lay still, looking for his tall form among the moving soldiers, oddly disappointed when he didn't appear. She closed her eyes, trying to transfer the disappointment to the fact that she'd not woken up in her own bed; that this hadn't all been a dream, after all.
No. She wasn't at all disappointed in that. She was uncharacteristically excited at this new turn her life had taken. And at the knowledge that she had a choice – go back to what she knew, or start over, here.
But how? It was really no choice at all. She was alone here just as she had been before. Her exhilaration evaporated as quickly as it had come.
Her thoughts settled on Jake Devlin.
He'd held her all night, giving her his body heat. As they'd talked, it had been an easy, familiar exchange. She thought of the way his dark brown eyes had reflected the firelight, shining with warmth as he talked and laughed with her. It had see
med that the free way they spoke had been unusual for him, too. She had to admit, she was attracted to him, greatly. She thought of the kisses they'd shared, the way he'd wrenched himself away from her as if torn between molten desire and iron-clad duty.
She'd felt the blood thrumming in his touch – all night – as he'd held her close. He wanted her. Her own words came back to her, making her blush. I guess there aren't any old-fashioned guys left where I am. At least, none that I appeal to. She shouldn't have said that. She'd been too honest with her words.
Things were moving too fast. She wasn't in control of anything it seemed – at least, not for two more days. Then, she'd have to make the biggest decision of her life – whether to stay here, or go.
She needed some answers, too. As soon as Jake returned, she was going to get them.
* * * * *
When Jake walked back into camp two hours later, Robin had already eaten a breakfast of fresh fry-bread and a half-cup of chicory coffee. It was bitter, just as she'd always read about. But, it was warm, so she drank her allotted portion.
She sat by the fire, speaking with another of General Watie's soldiers, Jeremy Long. Robin was aware of Jake's unhurried gait, his rifle slung over his shoulder as he approached where she sat.
Robin glanced up, surprised to see Jake so solemn and unsmiling.
"Jake…where've you been?" She stood up to greet him.
"My turn to stand watch." He gave Jeremy a wordless glance that sent the young corporal on his way. "Have you eaten yet?"
She nodded. "Sergeant Coburn made the most wonderful fry bread I've ever had in my life—"
At that, Jake's eyes shone with a teasing glint. "Eat fry bread a lot, do you?"
She laughed. "I've got you there. I actually happen to love fry bread, though I don't get it often." She glanced down quickly, afraid of revealing too much of herself again. It would be easy to do. The familiarity between them seemed to grow in leaps and bounds, and while Robin found it comforting, she didn't want to let it bind her to him and this time period that wasn't hers.
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