himself. He’s sort of attached himself to me.” She shrugged. “I don’t know why.”
“ ’Tis easy to see why he attached himself to ye,” Leith murmured.
Blade frowned. “I don’t have anything to do for the rest of the day, so I can take you where you need to go. But tomorrow you’re on your own. Either one of you have a driver’s license?”
Fortune opened her mouth to answer, but Leith placed his hand over hers, and she closed her mouth.
“We dinna plan to be here long, so ’twould be useless to get this…license.” He opened the door and climbed out before Blade could think of another question. “We’ll return after we’ve spent a bundle of dough.”
She blinked. “Bundle of dough?”
“Aye. I must begin using the common language in order to blend with others of this time,” he whispered.
Wasted effort. She skimmed all six-feet-plus of gleaming muscle. Every woman, in whatever time, would notice Leith.
Fortune climbed out, then closed the door firmly in Ganymede’s surprised face. Glancing behind her, she saw the cat’s mouth open wide and could hear his howl even through the closed window. Blade wore a pained expression.
As they entered the store, Leith put his arm across her shoulders and pulled her against him. She knew she should assert her independence by pulling away, but something about his protective gesture comforted her.
She felt him exhale deeply as he gazed around him. “There are too many things I dinna understand. ’Tis passing strange.”
Amen. She doubted she could answer all his questions. The solid strength of him beside her seemed to be the only thing keeping her upright. Without him, she’d probably plop herself down in the middle of the aisle between “curling irons” and “hair dryers,” then bawl out her confusion. And to think just a short time ago he was the strangest thing in her universe.
“Fortune, dinna look around, but someone is following us.”
She looked around. “What? Where?”
“God’s teeth, woman, when will ye learn to obey?”
“Never. Now who’s following us?”
“I dinna know, but with a piece of yer dough hanging from yer pocket, ’tis like the stink of carrion to a buzzard.”
“Oh.” She stuck the money back in her pocket. “I’m sure no one’s following us. You see criminals around every corner. It’s called having a suspicious mind.” She paused at a display. What did you do with an “ironing board”? Maybe you used it with your “curling iron.” Why would anyone want to iron curls?
“ ’Tis called having a warrior’s instincts.” He glanced over his shoulder, then relaxed. “The man is gone.” He pulled her even closer against him. “Ye trust too easily.Ye need protection more than any woman I’ve ever known.”
“Primitive reasoning.” But her insult lacked bite because the heat from his body was doing its thing, and she was finding it hard to concentrate.
“ ’Tis amazing! Light wi’ no flame. Voices that come from the air. What is a blue-light special?” He grinned at her, making her heart bounce up and down with enthusi-astic appreciation. “I favor a time where women show their legs almost up to their bottoms. Mayhap ye can—”
“No.” Why should showing her legs bother her when he’d seen all she had to offer? Somehow, the more she knew him, the more she became aware of her body…his body…
“This time has wondrous things.” He reached into a bin and pulled out a wisp of silky red material. Before she could react, he held it against her lower body. “Aye, they’ll look fine on ye, lass. Ye can purchase three for two dollars.”
“Well, yes, I suppose so.” They were only panties, nothing to get excited over. But the pressure of his hand against her lower stomach…She must be glowing like a Martian sunset. She quickly pulled out three white panties.
Gently he put his hand over hers. “Dinna buy white. Ye would look bonny in colors.”
She freed her hand. “What does
“ ’Tis easy to see why he attached himself to ye,” Leith murmured.
Blade frowned. “I don’t have anything to do for the rest of the day, so I can take you where you need to go. But tomorrow you’re on your own. Either one of you have a driver’s license?”
Fortune opened her mouth to answer, but Leith placed his hand over hers, and she closed her mouth.
“We dinna plan to be here long, so ’twould be useless to get this…license.” He opened the door and climbed out before Blade could think of another question. “We’ll return after we’ve spent a bundle of dough.”
She blinked. “Bundle of dough?”
“Aye. I must begin using the common language in order to blend with others of this time,” he whispered.
Wasted effort. She skimmed all six-feet-plus of gleaming muscle. Every woman, in whatever time, would notice Leith.
Fortune climbed out, then closed the door firmly in Ganymede’s surprised face. Glancing behind her, she saw the cat’s mouth open wide and could hear his howl even through the closed window. Blade wore a pained expression.
As they entered the store, Leith put his arm across her shoulders and pulled her against him. She knew she should assert her independence by pulling away, but something about his protective gesture comforted her.
She felt him exhale deeply as he gazed around him. “There are too many things I dinna understand. ’Tis passing strange.”
Amen. She doubted she could answer all his questions. The solid strength of him beside her seemed to be the only thing keeping her upright. Without him, she’d probably plop herself down in the middle of the aisle between “curling irons” and “hair dryers,” then bawl out her confusion. And to think just a short time ago he was the strangest thing in her universe.
“Fortune, dinna look around, but someone is following us.”
She looked around. “What? Where?”
“God’s teeth, woman, when will ye learn to obey?”
“Never. Now who’s following us?”
“I dinna know, but with a piece of yer dough hanging from yer pocket, ’tis like the stink of carrion to a buzzard.”
“Oh.” She stuck the money back in her pocket. “I’m sure no one’s following us. You see criminals around every corner. It’s called having a suspicious mind.” She paused at a display. What did you do with an “ironing board”? Maybe you used it with your “curling iron.” Why would anyone want to iron curls?
“ ’Tis called having a warrior’s instincts.” He glanced over his shoulder, then relaxed. “The man is gone.” He pulled her even closer against him. “Ye trust too easily.Ye need protection more than any woman I’ve ever known.”
“Primitive reasoning.” But her insult lacked bite because the heat from his body was doing its thing, and she was finding it hard to concentrate.
“ ’Tis amazing! Light wi’ no flame. Voices that come from the air. What is a blue-light special?” He grinned at her, making her heart bounce up and down with enthusi-astic appreciation. “I favor a time where women show their legs almost up to their bottoms. Mayhap ye can—”
“No.” Why should showing her legs bother her when he’d seen all she had to offer? Somehow, the more she knew him, the more she became aware of her body…his body…
“This time has wondrous things.” He reached into a bin and pulled out a wisp of silky red material. Before she could react, he held it against her lower body. “Aye, they’ll look fine on ye, lass. Ye can purchase three for two dollars.”
“Well, yes, I suppose so.” They were only panties, nothing to get excited over. But the pressure of his hand against her lower stomach…She must be glowing like a Martian sunset. She quickly pulled out three white panties.
Gently he put his hand over hers. “Dinna buy white. Ye would look bonny in colors.”
She freed her hand. “What does
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