things of your time. I would have enjoyed seeing them."
She turned her head and squinted, desperate to see if he was teasing or not. “Are you saying you wish you'd stayed? Are you actually admitting that I was right?"
He straightened in his saddle. “Nay, do not be ridiculous. I made a vow and was honor bound to keep it."
Jenny grinned. “But you're curious. You want to know what it's like, being there, I mean."
"Aye,” he said, and she clearly heard a wistfulness in his voice and they both fell silent for a time.
He was everything she imagined her Prince Charming would be, well as far as she could tell. The way he sat on his horse, his sharp mind, the seductive tone of his voice, and how well the man kissed—his best feature by far.
She snorted softly. Like she was an expert, but she knew wow when she felt it. A simple word—wow—but she could think of no better way to describe it. But he was from the past, a time not her own. So what was the point in thinking about him?
A sigh slipped from her lips. No, time wasn't the problem. The problem, her keen logic pointed out, was that she wasn't the man's type. And this particular breed didn't settle for one woman. So what if he wanted to see her time, it wasn't likely to happen. Even if he did go back with her for a visit, he wouldn't stay with her. There were too many beautiful women in the twenty-first century, all very accessible and very eager to have a taste of a man like Ian Southernland.
Although she couldn't really see him, Tuck had been very thorough in her description of the rogue. She had a clear image in her mind of what he looked like aside from the charming smile, the wonderfully fit body, and those tempting blonde curls. All of which left her with no doubt that he would be extremely popular in her time as he was in this one. What woman didn't love a roguish prince?
He turned his head in her direction, and she quickly shifted her gaze to the road.
* * * *
Ian studied her as they plodded along. The sunlight was kind to her in many ways, but the soft warm glow it cast upon her delicate features would forever stay in his mind. Untouchable, was what it said. Not meant for him.
Blast her to perdition! He did not want this woman. She was argumentative, stubborn, and lacked any sense of adventure. While he yearned to leap into the unknown and explore the world around him, she preferred to walk through life according to some mental list she'd devised. Rules and strictures at every turn. Why, she would dissect the very essence of pleasure if she had her way. Oh, aye, he knew many things about Jenny Maxwell. Amelia had been most thorough in providing him with the information they thought he would need to find her and how to persuade her to come with him.
He clearly heard Amelia's words echoing in his thoughts. “She'll hand you a bunch of junk about her father needing her, but don't let her con you,” Amelia had said. “He's a jerk and a half. He doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone but himself and his wallet. But I'm sure if you tell her I need her, then she'll come. She's got nothing else, anyway. Just her work, which she probably ran right back to after I left."
Ian wondered how Jenny would truly have fared in her time without Amelia by her side. There was a strong bond there. He saw it in her eyes, heard it in her voice, she cared deeply for Amelia.
A quirky grin stole across the maid's lips. Some private joke? Thoughts of her friend perhaps, or a memory? The memory of a kiss?
Dolt! She could not, would not wish to share the slightest dalliance with him. They were far too different, and she was but a visitor in his world. Once she returned to her time, she would do as Amelia had predicted and resume her work. Hiding, she claimed.
He frowned with the uncomfortable thought. Although Jenny was most irritating at times, had no sense of adventure whatsoever, he detested the notion of this rare beauty living out her days cloistered away in some
She turned her head and squinted, desperate to see if he was teasing or not. “Are you saying you wish you'd stayed? Are you actually admitting that I was right?"
He straightened in his saddle. “Nay, do not be ridiculous. I made a vow and was honor bound to keep it."
Jenny grinned. “But you're curious. You want to know what it's like, being there, I mean."
"Aye,” he said, and she clearly heard a wistfulness in his voice and they both fell silent for a time.
He was everything she imagined her Prince Charming would be, well as far as she could tell. The way he sat on his horse, his sharp mind, the seductive tone of his voice, and how well the man kissed—his best feature by far.
She snorted softly. Like she was an expert, but she knew wow when she felt it. A simple word—wow—but she could think of no better way to describe it. But he was from the past, a time not her own. So what was the point in thinking about him?
A sigh slipped from her lips. No, time wasn't the problem. The problem, her keen logic pointed out, was that she wasn't the man's type. And this particular breed didn't settle for one woman. So what if he wanted to see her time, it wasn't likely to happen. Even if he did go back with her for a visit, he wouldn't stay with her. There were too many beautiful women in the twenty-first century, all very accessible and very eager to have a taste of a man like Ian Southernland.
Although she couldn't really see him, Tuck had been very thorough in her description of the rogue. She had a clear image in her mind of what he looked like aside from the charming smile, the wonderfully fit body, and those tempting blonde curls. All of which left her with no doubt that he would be extremely popular in her time as he was in this one. What woman didn't love a roguish prince?
He turned his head in her direction, and she quickly shifted her gaze to the road.
* * * *
Ian studied her as they plodded along. The sunlight was kind to her in many ways, but the soft warm glow it cast upon her delicate features would forever stay in his mind. Untouchable, was what it said. Not meant for him.
Blast her to perdition! He did not want this woman. She was argumentative, stubborn, and lacked any sense of adventure. While he yearned to leap into the unknown and explore the world around him, she preferred to walk through life according to some mental list she'd devised. Rules and strictures at every turn. Why, she would dissect the very essence of pleasure if she had her way. Oh, aye, he knew many things about Jenny Maxwell. Amelia had been most thorough in providing him with the information they thought he would need to find her and how to persuade her to come with him.
He clearly heard Amelia's words echoing in his thoughts. “She'll hand you a bunch of junk about her father needing her, but don't let her con you,” Amelia had said. “He's a jerk and a half. He doesn't give a rat's ass about anyone but himself and his wallet. But I'm sure if you tell her I need her, then she'll come. She's got nothing else, anyway. Just her work, which she probably ran right back to after I left."
Ian wondered how Jenny would truly have fared in her time without Amelia by her side. There was a strong bond there. He saw it in her eyes, heard it in her voice, she cared deeply for Amelia.
A quirky grin stole across the maid's lips. Some private joke? Thoughts of her friend perhaps, or a memory? The memory of a kiss?
Dolt! She could not, would not wish to share the slightest dalliance with him. They were far too different, and she was but a visitor in his world. Once she returned to her time, she would do as Amelia had predicted and resume her work. Hiding, she claimed.
He frowned with the uncomfortable thought. Although Jenny was most irritating at times, had no sense of adventure whatsoever, he detested the notion of this rare beauty living out her days cloistered away in some
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