worry, Traian, I’ve got my eye on you all the time. She flashed a saucy grin at him.
Traian couldn’t help the little glow warming his insides. She believed he wanted her happiness above his own, and she wanted to give him happiness. He had a mad desire to scoop her up and run back to her room, where he could make love to her all over again. He looked at her, allowed the thought to shimmer in his mind, to glow hot in his eyes.
Joie laughed. “Stop that.”
Gabrielle looked from her sister to Traian and made a rude noise. “Oh, no. Joie, we leave you alone with him for a few minutes and you seduced him, didn’t you?”
Joie shrugged unrepentantly. “You have to admit, he’s pretty hot.”
Gabrielle’s eyes widened and her hand went up to cover her open mouth. “I was so joking with you, but you really did. You totally slept with him. I’m telling Mom.”
“Well, you tattletale, if you say one word to Mom, I’m going to tell her you were thinking of taking that job researching the Ebola virus. You know what she’ll do when she hears that. And, for your information, there was no sleeping involved whatsoever.”
“You’re in such trouble, you hussy, and you wouldn’t dare tell Mom on me,” Gabrielle said. She pushed at Joie’s shoulder, looking at the man so studiously reading his newspaper, trying unsuccessfully to move her sister aside for a better look. “Now that is a hottie, Joie. There’s more to a man than muscle.” She grinned at Traian. “No offense or anything.”
“None taken,” he assured her.
“Your tongue is hanging out, Gabrielle,” Joie whispered. “Stop ogling him. For you to be falling at his feet, he must have an IQ of two hundred.” She glanced up at Traian. “No man she’s ever looked at could carry on a normal conversation. I think she can see straight through to their brains.” She nudged her sister. “Your eyes are popping out of your head.”
“I was just looking,” Gabrielle hissed back. “At least I didn’t throw myself at him and show off by doing in underfed trolls fresh out of the grave. I’m discreet.”
“I was happy she did that,” Traian pointed out. “She did rescue me.”
“Yes, well, I suppose you would have been happy, under the circumstances,” Gabrielle conceded. “But she has a major hickey on her neck. If Mom saw that, there’d be consequences.”
Traian bared his strong white teeth at her. “I think I can handle your mother.”
Gabrielle and Joie looked at each other and burst out laughing. “It isn’t possible, Traian, even for you,” Joie said.
He laid his hand very gently on Joie’s shoulder. “You will have to excuse me for a few moments. Please stay warm by the fire.” He guided both women back to the table where Jubal sat observing the room. “I have a couple of things to do.” He maintained eye contact with Jubal who nodded almost imperceptibly. “Do not draw undo attention to yourselves while I am gone.”
Joie caught his hand. “Traian, we can help.”
“Not with this. Just be safe until I return.”
She bit her lip and nodded.
Traian bent his head and brushed her mouth with his before walking over to the bar. He took his time, making his way across the room, shoulders straight, allowing himself to be seen only as slightly intimidating as he approached the man with the dark hair. He leaned onto the bar beside him and lifted one finger toward the innkeeper, who hastened over. He glanced toward the stranger. “What are you drinking?”
The man gave him a tentative smile. “Vodka.” He spoke with a slight Hungarian accent.
Traian held out his hand. “Traian, I am visiting my parents, and you?”
The man looked a little relieved. “Gerald Hodkins, just a tourist. I wanted to see this part of the country. I’ve heard so much about it from various family members.”
Traian sent him a friendly smile and ordered two vodkas. The innkeeper, Mirko Ostojic, met his eyes and gave him a brief nod. Traian lifted the glass toward the other man and they drank. Cool water slid down his throat.
“It is beautiful country,” he ventured.
Gerald nodded. “Dangerous to travelers who don’t know their way around though.”
Traian’s eyebrow went up. “Not so much anymore. My parents moved to this region about ten years ago. They bought a little farm just up the road, basically to retire, but they like to raise sheep. They told me there was virtually no crime here.” He injected a note