Ancient Ties Read Online Free PDF

sun-warmed stones.
    The day couldn’t be more perfect, the sky a soft robin’s egg blue, the sun heating her back. She’d grabbed her camera, and stuffed her purse under the driver’s seat. No one was around, but still, it was better to be safe than sorry. A ruined Roman villa lay before her to explore in private and at her leisure. She had all day.
    Circling the ruins, she noticed the stone wall surrounding the main house was mostly all broken down. Tufted weeds lined the walls, and vines twined up and over in spots. A bit of glitter amongst the dull stones caught her attention. Bending over, peering at the tumbled wall, she spotted a bracelet. Wondering how she could possibly find the owner of the ancient-looking gold cuff, she jiggled it in her palm. Even though it was heavy,
     

     
    she doubted it was real gold or ancient—probably costume jewelry. Then on her second trip around, she noticed an arched doorway in the outside wall that she hadn’t seen the first time.
    Pushing aside leafy green vines covering the portal like a beaded curtain from the hippy years of the ’s and ’s, she stepped through into a large, empty courtyard. To her left and at right angles, was another open doorway.
    The villa’s front door. It lured her closer. She placed a foot on the threshold worn smooth and rounded. On the other side, she could see that the fountain had crumbled and that some mosaic floor tiles were missing and others chipped. Gripping the stone doorframe, her scalp prickled. She shivered as a sudden breeze cooled her body. Stomach jumping—why the nerves, she had no idea. She remembered thinking, I came to explore, so let’s do it.
    And here she was. Almost two thousand years in the past.
    Although, Augusta had given her a tunic and stola to wear so none of the servants would question her, Janney had put her Twenty-first Century clothes back on, hoping—expecting—to return to her own time. Since that didn’t seem to be in the cards, she needed to think. Making out a bench, the white stone gleaming in the moonlight, she settled down with a sigh and curled into the corner. This apparently was not a dream. It was real. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she hugged herself as tightly as she could.
    Dinner had been horrible, the food and the company. Oh, Augusta and Gaius were polite enough. But that man was obnoxious. Snotty, but damn, he’s sexy! Following me around, hovering over me with those broad shoulders. Watching me with those deep, warm, chocolate fudge eyes. It was hard to keep her eyes off him, too. It wasn’t every day you saw someone that magnificent.
    But he had criticized the way she ate, and the fact she didn’t even know some of the food.
    Augusta’s warning scowls hadn’t fazed him one bit.
    Janney had no idea why he was so hostile toward her. He had been ever since he’d stomped off to his bedroom. It was only
     

     
    a nude statue. How could he have known what she was thinking?
    She felt her cheeks heat up. Oh, he probably knew exactly what she was thinking. Knew she’d been wondering if he was as well endowed as the statue.
    Janney rocked gently from side to side hoping to ease the flare of heat coiling inside her. She had wondered what he’d be like. What it would be like to be in his arms. To have him leaning over her, bending his head to kiss her, to take her breast in his mouth. Ahh. A sigh escaped.
    Janney flushed hot, remembering how their gazes had met again as they had at the statue. What he could do with that look.
    His eyes were like the darkest, most sinful fudge, but she was the one melting in the flames.
    After the strange dinner, she made several excursions to the doorway, hoping against hope to go back to her own time. But she was still here in the Second Century. Eventually, Gaius and Augusta retired. They had urged her to get some sleep and said they would deal with matters in the morning. She had tried once more to leave, failed, and then disappeared into her