For a Roman's Heart Read Online Free PDF

wear a soldier’s cloak.”
    “You may insist on calling me sir, but I won’t relent about this. My mother and father taught me that women are to be cherished and protected.”
    What could she say to that? Surprise held her immobile and almost voiceless at first. “I…I never heard such a thing.”
    The optio’s thick brows arched upward. “Who are your people?”
    She drew herself up to her full height. “Our people descend from the Iceni and the Catuvellauni.”
    “Barbarians.” The optio nodded. “Of course.”
    She didn’t know whether to feel insulted or not, so she stayed silent.
    After a long agonizing moment where the centurion’s stare speculated, he asked, “Why do you hide your laugh?”
    “It’s not proper for me to express it.”
    He frowned. “What foolishness is this?” He looked back at the optio. “Have you ever heard such a ridiculous thing?”
    “Strangest I’ve heard,” the optio said. “Seems like we’re talking a different language all together.”
    “You don’t know my…” she started to say, then shook her head.
    “Who?”
    “Please, centurion. Leave it be. It is not your…business.”
    He chuckled, and the sound came out rich and deep. It sent new pinwheels of heat through her loins. How could a man this dangerous inspire such confidence inside her? When he smiled, the whole world lit up. His green eyes sparkled. His straight white teeth and the dimple in his right cheek surprised her.
    Then his gaze sobered, and she saw it. The look many a man gave many a woman, but had never been bestowed upon Adrenia in all her twenty years. His gaze traveled over her breasts, then slid down the rest of her body as if he could see through the thick cloak and shapeless tunica . The centurion’s undeniable interest found an echo inside her. She, too, wanted to trace his body with her gaze, to explore him as she’d never explored another man. Frightened by the intensity, she took three steps away from his powerful body and his masculine threat.
    “I thank you both for the water and the cloak. Good day, legionnaires.”
    She continued walking, her path down the road steady even though the meager water didn’t help the hunger in her stomach or the dizziness that threatened to return. The centurion walked alongside with his horse in tow and so did the optio.
    “You have traveled far. Wouldn’t you rather ride your horse?” she asked.
    “We can walk twenty miles a day if need be,” the optio said.
    She raised one eyebrow. “I’ve heard that about soldiers. But then soldiers sometimes brag.”
    Oh, Adrenia. Shut up.
    The centurion snorted. “He isn’t bragging. Would you like a ride home?”
    Another wave of dizziness hit. She stumbled.
    His hand shot out and caught her. “Whoa there. You aren’t well. Come.”
    Before she could protest, he hoisted her up in iron strong arms. Her arm automatically went around his neck. He held her against his broad chest like she weighed nothing. Warmth sluiced through her as the heat of his big body penetrated her garments. “No, I—”
    “As I said,” the centurion’s strong voice boomed, “you aren’t well. We’ll take you home. It isn’t far. By Mars, you weigh no more than a feather.”
    Physical sensations both pleasant and amazing made her gasp softly, but so did rising dread. Her father couldn’t see her like this, clothed in a soldier’s garment and riding on his horse. If he did… She wriggled in the big man’s arms, and when she caught him staring down at her, the seriousness in his eyes said he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
    Fear blossomed and returned, but not because he held her so close. “Please, sir, don’t. If my father sees me like this, he’ll—”
    The centurion’s arms tightened. “He’ll what?”
    When she didn’t answer, he lifted her high onto the horse. She hadn’t ridden a horse in a long time. The centurion swiftly pulled himself up to settle behind her. She barely held back a gasp as hips