Early the next morning, Sabine woke to the sun streaming in the window and Jack holding her tenderly against him. She could not think of a more perfect way to wake up. She stared at his relaxed face as he slept, marveling at how lucky she was to have found him.

So, I didn’t screw up after all? Eve asked suddenly.

Well, good morning to you, too.

Tsk! Tsk! Jack might not like a grumpy wife in the mornings.

Well, he might not get one if I have a chance to cover up before having someone barge in my room and see me. We’re naked, you know.

Oh, I can see that. That is awesome to have a guy that is tanned everywhere. And I mean eve. ry. wh. ere! I had no idea! I have never seen a tanned peni-

DON’T! Don’t go there, Eve! she thought, mortified, yanking up the sheets over their bodies.

I’m just simply saying that I envy you right now. He’s hung like a-

DON’T SAY IT. Jeez, don’t you have any limits, woman?

A few. Limitations are simply guidelines that should be followed.

Kinda like curse words?

Exactly!

So, by me cussing at you in frustration, I was tiptoeing over the guidelines?

Precisely!

And you ditched me for cursing, right? So, you seeing my new husband’s naked body is okay, even if it crosses my guidelines?

Point made. Are you sure you were an astronaut and not a lawyer?

Positive. Now, how can I help you? I’m sure you were wanting something. You surely didn’t show up to gloat that you were right and I was wrong. Did you?

Well, maybe a teensy bit. Everyone likes praise, you know.

I know, Sabine said flatly. You could have given me a bit of help or let me not make an uh, arse… out of myself. Arse is okay, right?

Not really, but it’s better than the other word. Acorn, apple, astronaut. Oh hey! You could make an astronaut of yourself. Actually, you were a huge astronaut all the time before I met you, too! Sheesh girl, how did you have friends?

Funny.

I’m humorous. I’m the best, honestly. I get that all the time. So, let’s talk about ol’ Jack. What do you think? Jack is nimble, not too quick- eh? Eh? Eh? Y’all had fun for quite a while last night! He’s got quite the candlestick!

Ewwww! Dirty nursery rhymes? Really? Shall we talk about boundaries and guidelines again?

No, I understand them. You married him, so he must be doing something right for you. Feeling like he is your soulmate yet?

I prefer to keep my thoughts to myself.

C’mon! I need to know if I did the correct placement. Home office wants to know if giving you a choice was a better solution rather than just placing you.

Honestly? You want my opinion? I think it was complete crap getting offed without warning. The home office sent you to kill me? What kind of “home office” is that? Heaven? Hell? You never really answered what, exactly, you are! I also think it was awful to get pushed into a situation I didn’t want, in order to choose a partner for life that I wasn’t prepared for. I had an awful selection to choose from and the only real choice was… wait a minute!

Sabine gaped as Eve preened discreetly. Yes, dear?

You put me in a situation where you knew I would pick him, didn’t you?

Moi? No! I can’t pick for you. You had to pick for yourself.

But you knew! You knew that I wouldn’t pick the snaggletooth redhead or the serial killer. How were those even really choices? You already had me paired with him, didn’t you?

Is it so terrible?

No.

I didn’t think so. By the way, that bed was squeaking last night something fierce. You should have heard the commotion you two were making.

Quiet!

I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, Space Cadet, Eve said genuinely. A lot of times, people fight the pull because it scares them. But once the magic is there? It’s all-encompassing. It will only grow stronger with time. You become two halves of the same whole.

How did you know it was him?

Magic.

Seriously? That’s the answer you’re going to give?

Would you prefer voodoo? Ouija board? I flipped two cards and you matched?

Well, no. You know, sarcasm doesn’t suit you.

No, but I do believe Jack suits you. And you’re welcome.

Thank you, Sabine said feeling ashamed she hadn’t said so yet. It was so hard to hold a conversation with Eve. You know his real name is Wilfred?

Yeah, Eve said chuckling. I definitely like Jack better. Ohhh! Wilfred, right there, baby! Um yeah, Wilfred, give it to me good! Just doesn’t have a ring to it, does it?

No, not at all. He doesn’t seem like a Wilfred in the slightest. The name Jack fits him.

Just like Sabine Noble fits you very well.

Thanks again. So, what happens now?

Now? Well, now you need to spend time with your new husband and find your purpose.

My purpose?

Yes. Yes. Everyone that gets selected has to bring something to the table. You didn’t think that you were going to get plucked out of your time period and get a handsome fella with no effort, did you?

No effort? Hello? I had a heart attack-

No, if we are going to be detailed, you had an aortic rupture. Not technically a heart attack. More like a tear in a precious place.

Regardless, you killed me and put me here.

I didn’t.

You didn’t what?

I didn’t kill you. Your thread was torn and it was time to weave you another. You were an anomaly. Now? You are fitting in.

What do I bring to the table? And what happens if I don’t bring something?

Well, that’s not really an option, is it? I mean, how do you refuse to cooperate? Do I need to yank you from him into another time period to start over again?

“No!” Sabine shouted aloud, waking Jack. She already couldn’t imagine not meeting him or having him in her life.

“Princess? Are you okay?” he asked gently, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her back down into the bed with him.

“Just a bad dream,” she said quickly.

“I’ve got you. Just relax and get some sleep. You were up quite a bit last night,” he teased, kissing her brow.

Nodding, she stared at Eve’s face across the room. I’m not leaving this time period. Not yet, anyway. Sabine watched her nod eerily and then fade away. Creepy woman. I hate being threatened. Expecting a response, she lay there in Jack’s arms tensely. After a while, she finally relaxed and went back to sleep, fitfully.

They woke later in the day to knocking at the hotel room door. Jack addressed it quickly. It was comical to see him race to the door naked, jerk it open unabashedly with orders that he was paying for the room for another day. He then insisted that they bring up a hot meal for two and shut the door promptly. He walked back towards the bed, a playful glint in his eyes.

He jumped onto the squeaky mattress with fervor making Sabine laugh aloud. He certainly could be mischievous at times and it was enchanting. This was nothing like she had ever dealt with before in her life. The intimate way they laughed and smiled made her feel like they were a true couple. Not thrown together a week ago by some odd woman and a twist of fate.

They spent the day making love repeatedly, over and over again. She adored his sensitive side that he was revealing to her. Jack treated her like she was infinitely precious and it made her feel special. Like there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her, which shocked and surprised her. He was an extremely good-looking man. Why had he not married before?

As they sat in a fresh bath together, she asked him as much. His hands had been massaging soap into her back as he traced the delicate bones of her back. At her question, he hesitated and she knew she had struck a nerve. Turning away from him, she sat back on the far side of the tin slipper tub to look at his face. His expression could reveal so much or close down, telling nothing. Right now, he looked almost annoyed or embarrassed.

“Did you mind me asking?”

“No, but there really isn’t much to it.”

“I was just curious how you married me and not some other woman?”

“You know how when a woman comes out into society she is paraded in front of every man that is marriageable?” he asked softly. Sabine didn’t know, but she nodded like she understood. She could equate it with being picked for teams in elementary school or something of the sort. No one wanted to be picked last. Is that what he thought? That he’d be picked last?

“It’s the same for men. If they have established families.”

“And you don’t?”

“No. My mother was Tejano and married into the family. While we fit in here, we aren’t exactly upper-class in the East. Dark hair, dark skin? We look more Mexican or Indian and not exactly welcomed in drawing rooms of fine society. I didn’t want to be paraded in front of women that weren’t interested in me. When I came into my money later on, they were suddenly interested and I wasn’t.”

“No problem. I couldn’t care if you come from an established family or not.”

“That’s what makes you different, Princess. You didn’t care about money. You smarted back when I was short with you. You’re strong. I like my little spitfire of a wife. Where is your family from? Do I have an angry father I need to worry about? A jilted fiancé?”

Sabine laughed at the idea of a fiancé and then sobered. “No, my father would have liked you. A lot. You kind of remind me of him, actually. Strong, yet caring,” she said softly. “I miss them.”

“Where are they from? Do you want to visit?” he offered politely.

“I don’t think we can.”

“Is that because you’re embarrassed?”

“What? No! Not at all,” she said lightly, splashing him. “It’s because they aren’t around for me to see anymore.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me, too. I was so focused on moving forward that I didn’t stop to think of how it would affect them or me if things changed.”

“Would you change it all if you could?”

“Honestly? No. I wouldn’t,” she said tenderly. “Quit worrying. I promise, no jilted spouse and I couldn’t care less about your money. I felt guilty buying the dress and other goods as it was. There is no one coming for me.”

“Good, because I would hate to hang for murder. I would hurt anyone that took you from me, my princess,” he said fiercely, pulling her slippery body into his arms causing water to splash out of the tub. She slid into his lap, dangling both legs over the edge of the tub in order to be able to get closer. His gaze met her bold one as she maneuvered herself onto him. The water teased her breasts making her catch her breath.

“I think I have a really dirty spot that needs attention,” she whispered enticingly, leaning forward so he could cup her breasts. At her words, she knew she had his full attention by the way his body responded. His dark green eyes were heated with passion.

“Shhh, don’t tell my wife but I think I’m in love,” he whispered. He kissed her tenderly as he ran soap across her heated skin, taking time to lather every inch of her.

“Oh really? Because I heard your wife is a possessive thing,” Sabine teased, arching towards him in pleasure.

“Thank goodness,” he said tenderly, brushing her hair out of her face. “Then she’ll never let me go, will she?”

“I don’t think I ever could, Jack.”