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

by Ginny Sterling

  Just watching from a distance, seeing him and his actual inner feelings he hid so well sometimes. At that very moment, she watched his shoulders drop and he ran a hand through his wavy hair, disturbing where it had lain. He gave a shake to his head in frustration, took a deep breath and seemingly picked himself back up. She could see the wall go up in his gaze as he turned to the cabin. Was that look of indifference for her, or was he protecting himself?

  Stepping forward with a friendly smile, she murmured hello as she walked out of the darkness. There was no open smile in return, but a nod. “When we head out, I can take you to a shelter or convent so you have a decent roof over your head.”

  “I’m good, thanks.”

  “I think maybe its best.”

  “We’ll see,” she said simply. She wasn’t about to argue with the stubborn man when she herself was plagued with doubts. She still wondered if Eve was incorrect on her having to choose. Now, she wondered if she was supposed to pick the snaggletooth instead. Maybe I was rotten in a previous life, she thought, and this is how I get repaid.

  She watched as he saddled up the horses in the dim light. He meant business and they would be leaving in no time flat. She hurried and rinsed her face with the remainder of the boiled water from the night before that was left in the pail. She jumped guiltily as she felt a tap on her shoulder and he handed her a canteen with a knowing look. Saying nothing, she snatched the canteen from him and proceeded to pour the water she had just wiped all over her face into the metal container with a syrupy sweet smile. Her smile dropped as he did an about face and walked off, muttering “let’s go” behind him.

  Yep. Eve screwed up.

  Mounting the dreaded horse, she felt her legs protest against the movement. She was sore from all the riding they had done and it seemed to never really go away. But then again, she hadn’t been off of the horse much lately either. They took off in silence and she began singing again until he shushed her abruptly.

  “You’re making too much noise. If there is trouble in the area, I don’t want to attract it by your caterwauling.”

  “I sing just fine.”

  “You sing loudly.”

  “Is there any other way?”

  “You could hum quietly to yourself.”

  “And you could talk to me so I don’t have to keep myself entertained,” Sabine complained.

  “I can’t think of anything to talk about.”

  “Can’t you? Because I’m thinking I owe you an apology.”

  “Nope.”

  “Yup!”

  “It’s not necessary.”

  “I know,” she retorted.

  She saw his jaw tense up and knew her smart mouth was going to get her in trouble. “Look, it may not be necessary,” she started and realized that he was not going to make this easy. Jack didn’t look at her but stared straight ahead, his horse slowly walking beside hers.

  “Jack,” she said gently and reached out to touch his arm. Finally, he looked up at her and it hit her. He was a proud man. She had been annoying, arrogant, and abrupt at each turn yet he tried to help her but she hadn’t really realized it. Jack had taken a young “boy” under his wing. He took care of the snake, he cooked, he didn’t have to put a roof over her head… even if it was barely there… nor did he have to offer to take her into Austin.

  “Jack, I’m sorry I haven’t been more appreciative of your help,” she started. “And I am thankful that you have been a good enough friend to me, to help me out. If you want to be rid of me in Austin, I understand,” she admitted quietly, feeling the warmth under her hand that had signaled that he was her soulmate according to Eve. The sensation was there, but maybe she expected too much in the relationship. Could she be happy here? Did she have much of a choice?

  “It’s your choice,” he said quietly, pulling the horses to a stop. “A friend will always have a place at my hearth. However, as a woman, it might be better for you if you stayed in town.”

  “As a woman, I go where I choose to be.”

  “And that is?” he asked simply.

  “Where I am wanted,” she said with a warm smile and felt herself melt as he smiled in return. “Only where I am wanted,” she repeated and kicked her horse into movement. His smile gave her butterflies in her stomach and she was a bit surprised at how happy it made her feel. She practically beamed when he pulled his horse up beside her.

  “Reckon you are staying then.”

  “Only if that is what you want,” she said softly.

  “Well, I could use a hand fixing up my so-called shithole of a house into a home.”

  “And that takes a woman’s touch?”

  “I don’t think touching is going to be the problem,” he said leaning over the gap between them. Sabine found herself meeting him halfway, holding on to the pommel for dear life. He put a gloved hand against her cheek and tenderly stroked it before giving her a short kiss. Sabine laughed happily as she began to lose her balance and he grasped her, pulling her across his lap. Her legs dangled between the two horses as she clutched his arms to gain a hold of her new position in his lap. Looking up, she met his warm eyes.

  “Sabine,” he said softly. “I want to make sure this is what you want. I can’t have you in my home without ruining your good name. I’m not the type of guy you should saddle yourself with, I’ve already told you that. You should have better.”

  “And I told you I wasn’t asking for a marriage proposal from you.”

  “No, but I think I am asking you,” he said suddenly, looking confused. “I won’t treat you badly. I’ll work hard to provide what you might need but,” he stopped, looking pained for a split second and hiding it. “I can provide well, but it will never be good enough. I’m concerned you will regret your decision later and I’m not sure I can accept that. I never wanted a wife and I’m not sure if I am the right guy for you, but something in me feels like you should stay.”

  “I think,” she murmured, her eyes dancing over his face looking for any sign that this was right. Doubts still lingered in her head but if she had been abandoned by Eve, he might be the best chance at getting through this new life in a halfway decent fashion. It could be worse. He could be abusive, sickly, ugly, or any litany of issues. But no, he was handsome, witty and a bit prickly. A combination that infuriated and intrigued her.

  Eve, for the love of God! I am sorry I cursed so much at you! This is important you know! Send me a sign or something to tell me that this is the right thing. That HE is the right guy and not some mistake! Just as she was fixing to say no to his proposal, the sky darkened. Glancing up, she saw the blackness overtaking the corner of the sun. Well, that is a heck of a sign. But does it mean I chose correctly?

  Do you need an engraved invitation? Marry the guy! I am literally moving heaven and earth for your stupid sign that you are currently misreading! Eve snapped, sounding exasperated. Would you please just say “yes”, you hard-headed creature? Do you know what it takes to have someone change their mind or open up to an idea? An act of Congress!

  “Yes,” she said quietly and squeaked as he pulled her into a tight hug, revealing his excitement for a moment before he brushed it off and released her just as quickly. “You sure about this?”

  He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and she felt her ire rile up. As she glanced up into his eyes again, she realized that she had never seen such an expression before. It was as if he had been given a gift that he wasn’t expecting. Shyness, happiness, surprise and adoration all registered in his eyes and hit her like a ton of bricks.

  “You’re glad,” she whispered, surprised, touching his cheek. The scruff of his beard tickled under her palm. He didn’t say a word and just looked at her for several minutes before kissing the tip of her nose affectionately.

  “Let’s get you into town and get you some things. Clothing for a woman and a real gun instead of that peashooter,” he said gruffly.

  Sabine’s jaw dropped as she realized that when he felt cornered, he lashed out.
He may not have meant the hurtful words, but they bothered her just the same. “We’ll need to get you a few things, too,” she said quickly. “Sugar and no gun.”

  “Why sugar? You have to have protection. You will get a new gun.”

  “Fine, you find me a pink gun and I will carry it. The sugar is for your sour disposition,” she said matter of factly as she settled back onto her horse, taking up the reins. “You need something for it, sourpuss. I swear you could pickle something with that nasty temper.”

  His laughter roared and startled her horse. It pleased her that she could make him laugh, which in turn made her chuckle. It lightened the mood between them and she was glad he wasn’t one of the sensitive guys she was used to back home. They rode silently for a while and he would answer questions she had along the way. The landscape was fascinating to her. It looked so very different from modern Florida.

  Chapter Eight

  They followed along the side of a riverbank towards the town that she could see on the horizon. No massive skyscrapers, but smaller buildings lined the streets. A few brick buildings could be seen in the distance. She stared at how different it was from a modern city. Wide roads ran through the center of town. But instead of directed traffic, there were carts, horses and buggies going every direction. There was no order but somewhere in the chaos it all seemed to move in harmony. They glided along like great drifts of people, even though the crowds were sparse. Children ran around amongst the horses, while carts had other livestock tethered to ropes trailing behind them. Men sat along planked wooden walkways, staring at them as they entered into the throng of horses.

  “Why are they looking at me?”

  “It’s your short hair, Princess. They are curious if you are ill.” Jack stared at her, as if he were seeing her for the first time. “I can’t believe I thought you were a boy,” he admitted quietly to himself. “You look so damned pretty and feminine,” he said quietly. Sabine had to strain to hear the words.

  Not wanting to ruin the moment, at first, she said nothing only nodding. Then she thought better of it. Maybe if he thought she looked like a boy, it was creating problems between them. He could be pulling back from the whole soulmate bond Eve claimed they would have. Was he fighting it, if he thought she looked like a boy? Maybe it was time to knock his socks off and put some effort into it. “Maybe I should dress like a woman.” She asked, “Is there a store nearby?”

  Looking away, he nodded quietly and grabbed her reins. “I’ll take you.” The horses slowly plodded along the street giving her the opportunity to look around. In the distance, she could see a large building and a few tall spires that seemed to touch the sky.

  “What’s that?”

  “Capitol building,” he said simply, pulling the horses to a stop in front of a mercantile store. Jack jumped down, tying both horses to a large post with practiced ease. He walked over and grabbed Sabine’s waist, pulling her out of the saddle with no effort at all. She landed on her feet with a soft thud and grabbed his arms to steady herself. Sabine found herself reaching for him, caressing his face. She began to hear catcalling behind them, causing Jack to grab her wrist and drag her inside. Yes, she would need to dress like a woman to be treated better by the public as well as for Jack. That was some idea Eve had! It backfired over and over again. She couldn’t help her hair length, regardless of how trendy it was back home. But here, she could at least have been wearing a gown or bonnet to hide what was considered out of sorts.

  Walking into the store, Sabine found herself blinking several times as she grew accustomed to the dim interior of the building. She could see Jack at the counter speaking with the clerk. She overheard him talking about supplies. She giggled at his request for a large bag of sugar. Seeing him grin at her laughter made her at ease in the store. It was relatively empty of customers and there were items from the floor to the ceiling. This was certainly no Macy’s or Bloomingdales! Several chairs hung off of hooks from the ceiling. Not a square inch was wasted of the small floor plan. Picking up a bar of soap wrapped in wax paper, she sniffed the sweet scent happily, closing her eyes in pleasure. Roses. She loved the delicate scent and it made her think of her variety of flowerpots on the deck of her apartment. Her roses thrived in the Florida heat and rain, giving her bouquets almost year-round. Her eyes shot open as she felt Jack’s hand touch her elbow.

  “Get it, if it pleases you,” he said simply with a strange look of awe and tenderness on his face. It was strangely intimate to have him touch her, even if it was her elbow. His tender gaze said so much that couldn’t be spoken aloud yet. His knuckles brushed her cheek, making her heart skip a beat as she stared at him with wide eyes. “Sabine, pick out what you want. I have an errand to run and I will be back shortly.”

  Nodding, she put the bar on the counter and returned the clerk’s approving smile. As Jack stepped out into the sunlight, she went to work perusing the shelves for things she would need. She found a few dresses already made and ready to wear, a bonnet as well as a pair of ladylike boots that buttoned on the front.

  “Can you give me a running total of what I have picked out so far?” she asked quickly, thinking that she had no idea how much each item was. “Do you have a changing room?”

  “Miss, I assure you that you won’t have to worry about the total,” he said proudly.

  “I won’t take charity,” she said quickly, alarmed that he wasn’t going to have them pay.

  “Well it’s not free either, Miss!” he stammered. “You misunderstand!”

  “Well I don’t have any money and Jack doesn’t have much,” she blustered, embarrassed, tossing the gloves back into the bin. There were so many feminine frills in the store that tempted the girlish part of her. However, gloves would be a waste of Jack’s money.

  “Miss, Jack Noble is one of the wealthiest men around here,” he admitted, shocked by her words.

  “What? That can’t be! He lives in a rickety shack of a house!” she stammered in surprise. His laughter echoed in the small room, making her feel two inches high. Maybe she had read him wrong. Every time she thought she understood who the real Jack was under that gruff exterior, there would be something that confused her, causing her doubt. He was a mystery to her. Jack’s cabin was much more dilapidated than anything she had ever seen and was half the size of the store. He would be so sweet and tender to her, other times he was downright rude. Her head was spinning at what was right and wrong. Nothing seemed to be easy or straight up anymore. She cut off the clerk’s laughter when he began wiping his eyes and slapping his knee.

  “Stop it! It’s not funny!” she ordered. “Now where is the changing area?” Sabine wanted to get away from his humorous expression. Apparently, she and Jack needed to have a talk. A long overdue discussion. Grabbing a delicate and expensive looking dress off the hangar, she yanked the paper tag off the pin angrily and slapped it on the glass countertop.

  “Don’t come in here,” she said quickly and pulled the curtain closed with a mighty yank, as the clerk’s obnoxious giggles followed her. If Jack didn’t have to worry about money after all and wanted her to dress like a woman, she certainly would! Changing in the dim storeroom gave her the privacy she wanted and needed for a moment to center herself. Great bags of feed were stacked high as well as large barrels of goods. The center of the curtained area was cleared to make space for a person to walk easily and would definitely serve as a changing room.

  Sabine stripped off the filthy clothing eagerly. She would have to wash it the first moment she got in order to make sure it was ready to wear again if needed. The idea of putting it back on went against the grain but she certainly didn’t have a wardrobe to select from. Sighing, she took her sweet time pulling the delicate camisole over her head in the dim room. The whisper of the soft material practically teased her body. She was certain it wasn’t the same as the rough cotton simply because where that cotton had scratched her, this material felt like it caressed her skin. For the first time since being dropped into this time,
she felt like something was right. As she donned each piece of clothing, she felt more and more like she belonged. The dress felt feminine and made her feel delicate.

  The beautiful lawn dress had great, puffy pleats that accentuated her bosom as well as pearl buttons lining the front. The simple pastel shades of color would complement her skin tone. It was easy to get in and out of by herself and that was a good thing, she thought. She stretched her hands out in front of her to test the fit. She shook out the skirts with a satisfied smile and gave a turn only to see a figure standing by the cloth curtain she had pulled tight for privacy.

  “Jack! How long have you been standing there? You should have said something!” she scolded. Her voice, however, didn’t have any venom to it. Instead, she was almost curious how long he had been watching her dress.

  “Long enough to have said your name a few times,” he said, uncrossing his arms. “You look lovely.”

  “Enough for you?” she whispered boldly, as he walked forward purposefully towards her in the dim light. He wrapped his arms around her, causing a flare of desire at the intensity of his gaze. His lips descended and captured hers with ease. The taste of his lips made her heart soar with joy as he pulled her tightly against him. She found herself catching her breath while standing barefoot on a bag of feed, Jack’s arms holding her tightly.

  “You look beautiful,” he whispered against her lips.

  “Now that I look like a girl?” she retorted with a shy smile.

  “You look like a woman,” he replied softly. “My woman. My princess.”

  “Would you tell your woman if you lied to her?”

  “Not if the lie was to protect her,” he said carefully, pulling away. “How do you think I lied to you?”

  “You told me the cabin was your house. The clerk thought it was hysterical that I said your house was a cabin. He also thought it was funny when I asked if you could afford to buy me a dress,” she said simply, poking him in the chest. “So, let’s hear the truth of it.”