things; and though Lucius knew her changed behavior was due to the presence of Catus Decianus, he still hoped Jilana had at last accepted the responsibilities of her position. Lucius stopped in front of the bench, smiling when Jilana rose and looked at him hopefully.
"The Procurator is gone," Lucius told her. "He and his guards left some time ago; by now they are on the road for Londinium."
"The gods be thanked." Jilana breathed a sigh of relief and returned his smile. "All is well."
Lucius nodded. "Will you come inside?"
"Nay—not yet." Jilana took his hand. "Come, Lucius, enjoy the garden with me."
"I must report for duty within the hour," Lucius began, only to be silenced by Jilana's quiet laugh.
"Must you always be a soldier, Lucius?" Jilana twirled away from him, and, overcome by relief at Lucius' good news and the heady wine she had drunk at the meal, struck a pretty, teasing pose. "A maid likes to be wooed, Lucius, not told of time limitations. Why is it you have never wooed me with honeyed words?"
"I—" Lucius hesitated. The glib ease with which he addressed other women was conspicuously absent with Jilana.
"When you first sought my company, my father was most concerned," Jilana teased, sensing his discomfort. "'Twould seem, beloved, that you have a reputation for seducing women with your sweet tongue. Father even went so far as to warn me that I must not allow you to touch more than my hand."
"Jilana, we will speak no more of this," Lucius ordered harshly.
"You have not spoken of it at all," Jilana impudently reminded him. "At first I feared you to be a great, lusting animal who would tear off my clothes if I but smiled at you." She grinned. "'Twas soon obvious your appetite was much curbed where I was concerned."
Lucius reddened, grateful for the distance which separated them. He loved Jilana with an intensity bordering on reverence, but that did not diminish the physical desire she engendered within him. "Come inside, Jilana."
"Nay." Jilana walked back to Lucius, hips swaying seductively. Placing a forefinger squarely in the middle of his chest she began to circle him, drawing her finger across chest, arms, and back as she walked. "I am yet a virgin, Lucius. Did you know?"
"I expected no less," Lucius croaked, fighting the heat searing his blood.
"Many women my age are not," Jilana continued matter-of-factly. "Even Claudia had a lover—in Rome. She told me."
Lucius choked, not knowing how to respond. Now instead of her forefinger, Jilana's hand was making a path across his upper torso and the blood pounded in Lucius' temples.
"We will soon be wed, Lucius, and still I do not know the feel of your lips against mine." Jilana stopped walking and gazed at Lucius. "Claudia told me of the joys she found in her lover's arms. Is it so with all women?"
"'I—I do not know," Lucius replied. "Mayhap."
"Did your women find pleasure in your bed?"
Lucius groaned and, keeping his arms rigidly at his sides, met Jilana's gaze. "So they claimed."
Smiling, Jilana pressed herself against Lucius, her mouth only inches from his. "Will you deny your betrothed what other women have known?" Abruptly her teasing manner fell away and Jilana whispered, "You are to be my life, Lucius. Will you not at least kiss me and tell me that while we may not love each other we will at least share passion? I must know, Lucius; 'tis important to me."
Lucius took Jilana in his arms. "We will share more than passion, Jilana, that I promise." He touched his lips to hers.
Jilana closed her eyes, willing herself to feel the shiver of delight she had experienced when the centurion had touched her yesterday. Lucius' kiss was not unpleasant, but it stirred no flame within Jilana and she was vaguely relieved when it ended.
Lucius stared at Jilana, his dark eyes blazing as he drank in her beauty. He dared not touch her again, not while his blood ran so high. To preserve her honor he must take Jilana inside, deliver her safely to her father,
"The Procurator is gone," Lucius told her. "He and his guards left some time ago; by now they are on the road for Londinium."
"The gods be thanked." Jilana breathed a sigh of relief and returned his smile. "All is well."
Lucius nodded. "Will you come inside?"
"Nay—not yet." Jilana took his hand. "Come, Lucius, enjoy the garden with me."
"I must report for duty within the hour," Lucius began, only to be silenced by Jilana's quiet laugh.
"Must you always be a soldier, Lucius?" Jilana twirled away from him, and, overcome by relief at Lucius' good news and the heady wine she had drunk at the meal, struck a pretty, teasing pose. "A maid likes to be wooed, Lucius, not told of time limitations. Why is it you have never wooed me with honeyed words?"
"I—" Lucius hesitated. The glib ease with which he addressed other women was conspicuously absent with Jilana.
"When you first sought my company, my father was most concerned," Jilana teased, sensing his discomfort. "'Twould seem, beloved, that you have a reputation for seducing women with your sweet tongue. Father even went so far as to warn me that I must not allow you to touch more than my hand."
"Jilana, we will speak no more of this," Lucius ordered harshly.
"You have not spoken of it at all," Jilana impudently reminded him. "At first I feared you to be a great, lusting animal who would tear off my clothes if I but smiled at you." She grinned. "'Twas soon obvious your appetite was much curbed where I was concerned."
Lucius reddened, grateful for the distance which separated them. He loved Jilana with an intensity bordering on reverence, but that did not diminish the physical desire she engendered within him. "Come inside, Jilana."
"Nay." Jilana walked back to Lucius, hips swaying seductively. Placing a forefinger squarely in the middle of his chest she began to circle him, drawing her finger across chest, arms, and back as she walked. "I am yet a virgin, Lucius. Did you know?"
"I expected no less," Lucius croaked, fighting the heat searing his blood.
"Many women my age are not," Jilana continued matter-of-factly. "Even Claudia had a lover—in Rome. She told me."
Lucius choked, not knowing how to respond. Now instead of her forefinger, Jilana's hand was making a path across his upper torso and the blood pounded in Lucius' temples.
"We will soon be wed, Lucius, and still I do not know the feel of your lips against mine." Jilana stopped walking and gazed at Lucius. "Claudia told me of the joys she found in her lover's arms. Is it so with all women?"
"'I—I do not know," Lucius replied. "Mayhap."
"Did your women find pleasure in your bed?"
Lucius groaned and, keeping his arms rigidly at his sides, met Jilana's gaze. "So they claimed."
Smiling, Jilana pressed herself against Lucius, her mouth only inches from his. "Will you deny your betrothed what other women have known?" Abruptly her teasing manner fell away and Jilana whispered, "You are to be my life, Lucius. Will you not at least kiss me and tell me that while we may not love each other we will at least share passion? I must know, Lucius; 'tis important to me."
Lucius took Jilana in his arms. "We will share more than passion, Jilana, that I promise." He touched his lips to hers.
Jilana closed her eyes, willing herself to feel the shiver of delight she had experienced when the centurion had touched her yesterday. Lucius' kiss was not unpleasant, but it stirred no flame within Jilana and she was vaguely relieved when it ended.
Lucius stared at Jilana, his dark eyes blazing as he drank in her beauty. He dared not touch her again, not while his blood ran so high. To preserve her honor he must take Jilana inside, deliver her safely to her father,
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