Garden of Serenity (13 page)

“Nazaret, you here?” he shouted again down the long passageway. The horses in the stalls whinnied restlessly. “She must be in the office. It’s about halfway down.” Pointing, he looked over at Jahara who curved one side of her mouth in a feeble attempt at a smile. He’d find out later what was going on. Right now he was concerned about reaching the lake before the sun reached its zenith.

He heard voices as he approached the office, relief spilling over him. Perhaps they would make it on time after all. Pushing the door open, his large frame froze on the threshold. Jahara bumped into his back. “Nazaret, Lukiam, forgive the intrusion. Don’t rush on my account.” He turned quickly, pushing Jahara two steps back, not wanting her to witness the scene in the office. He closed the door behind him.

Heat blazed on his cheeks and he was grateful for the shadows that enveloped them. Normally he didn’t find sexual encounters embarrassing. Not only had he been forced to copulate with multiple partners at the same time, but last year they had chosen him as a teacher. By now he’d mated in front of hundreds of women. But something about Jahara’s innocence unnerved him.

“They are …” Brenimyn cleared his throat as the sounds of their climaxes filtered through the door.

“Otherwise engaged.” Jahara laughed out the words.

“Perhaps we could wait for them outside?”

“I think I’d like that.”

They continued to giggle as they rushed away. They hadn’t even reached the doors when Nazaret called from behind.

“Bren, wait.” A young woman moved up the passageway, pulling on breeches with each step. Her auburn hair and bare breasts swayed and bounced as she half ran, half hopped to the front of the barn. “You’re a little later than I expected. Lukiam can spare only a few minutes before he’s expected back at the Garden proper for his well-check. You know how it is when you’re in love. Any time is a good time.” She shrugged unapologetically, tying the breeches she’d just pulled up.

Nazaret’s cheeks were red, her lips puffy and bruised. Her exposed breasts were still heaving from the efforts of her lovemaking. “I have your horse bridled and ready.” She rose up on bare feet, and gave Brenimyn a hug and a peck on the cheek. “Many are expected today. Neither of us could get away or Lukiam and I would have joined you.” Her face nearly split with the smile she flashed Jahara. “And you must be the honorable Jahara Khateri.” She bowed at the waist. “It’s truly an honor to finally meet you. We’ve waited a long time for your arrival.”

Confusion lined her face as Jahara took the hand Nazaret offered. “Yes, well, I’ve only been here three weeks and they don’t give me much time off. I didn’t know I was expected to pay a visit to the barns.”

Nazaret laughed and winked at him. “You never mentioned she had such a sense of humor.”

“Don’t you need to get back to Lukiam?” He wanted her to stop talking. She’d already said too much.

“Yeah, sure, after I get your horse. In a hurry today to enjoy the lake?”

“No commentary, Nazaret, just the horse.”

She laughed as she led them out into the bright sunlight, all three shielding their eyes. “Your favorite gelding. He should have no problem carrying you both.”

“I don’t get my own horse?” Jahara sounded indignant.

“You know how to ride?” Brenimyn didn’t mean to sound so surprised, but she did come from the desert. Horses weren’t common there.

“Of course, Merenith is a very gifted animal trainer. She runs the vet clinic and farm outside the capital city. She taught me how to ride.” He saw her pride turn to discomfort when she mentioned the woman’s name. That would explain Jahara’s subdued disposition as they drove through the pastures.

“Then two horses it is.” Brenimyn was pleased the jealousy warring inside him didn’t come through in his words. He had wanted to be the one who introduced Jahara to horses and taught her to ride. Her admission that she’d learned from her lover did not sit well with him. Damn, the fact that Jahara still considered Merenith a significant part of her life was a bitter pill he refused to swallow.

It just emphasized how little he truly knew about this woman he intended to make his wife.

Chapter Nine

They rode through the fields bareback, climbing into the hills. The grassy fields gave way to palm trees and exotic vegetation Jahara had never seen. Emerald leaves fringed large flowers in all shades of the rainbow, their honeyed aroma filling the air in a sweet fog. Birds hidden among the foliage warbled and sang, permeating the jungle with their melodious tunes. It was a banquet for the senses and she closed her eyes, committing it all to memory.

Jahara swayed with the steady rhythm of the horse, its hooves silent in the lush undergrowth. The air grew comfortably damp with humidity, her tunic molding to her body. She felt Bren’s telepathy caress her torso, setting her insides fluttering. She could barely wait to reach their destination to picnic and join together away from the intrusive cameras in the apartment.

She had come to accept that mating was a term reserved for animals driven by instinct. It had been that one word that had cut Brenimyn so deeply on their first night. In his presence, they referred to their joinings as making love.

That
term of the ancients made sense.

Her body’s desire to have him inside her had nothing to do with procreation, and everything to do with the joy it brought them both. The thought of conceiving his child just added another dimension of thrill. She wasn’t sure when she’d begun to think that way. Pregnancy no longer frightened her. She rather liked the idea of bearing Brenimyn’s offspring. He had a kind and gentle nature, and any child of his would surely possess those qualities.

Jahara had been so disappointed when the blood had flowed from her womb last week and he’d echoed her sentiments. They’d done nothing but make love for weeks. The only benefit was the fact they had another month to enjoy each other.

The scene at the barn had embarrassed her. Jahara doubted she would ever get used to people being so open about their sexual interludes. To her great relief, Lukiam had never come out of the office. She hadn’t wanted to witness another naked man flush with the afterglow of sex.

She’d caught a couple in the throes of passion last week in a back corner of the healing facility and hadn’t known how to avoid walking past the red-faced breeder pumping furiously into the woman bent over a chair. He’d looked at her and smiled, not caring whether she watched them complete their ritual or left. She’d done the latter as quickly as she could, but the image was permanently seared in her brain. She really had no desire to have it happen again.

Riding in silence, both she and Brenimyn were caught up in their own contemplations. They meandered through the jungle on a well-worn path the horses seemed to know intimately. She hadn’t been on a horse since … well, since her trip to the river with Merenith, just before she’d left.

Her partner’s beautiful face flashed over her thoughts. It wasn’t until this morning as they’d traveled the road near the pastures that Jahara realized she hadn’t talked to Merenith in over a week. Brenimyn now occupied every waking moment and often filled her dreams as well.

She toyed with the ring on her finger, wondering if this is what love felt like. Giddy happiness tripped over her heart whenever she thought of the man, and being with him made her whole in a way no relationship with a woman ever had. Still, there was so much she kept from him. He knew nothing of her upbringing, her deepest fears or her dreams for the future. Sharing those things with him would surely betray Merenith.

She smiled over at him as he rocked placidly on his horse. The smile he returned quickened her pulse. How fortunate for her that she’d found not only a skilled lover, but a philosopher, a dreamer and a handsome specimen of a man who’d agreed to be her breeder. And though it pleased her that their combined genetics and talents would create exceptional offspring, she didn’t want to mistake any of that for love.

As a scientist, she’d come to believe her euphoria was simply her body’s reaction to Brenimyn’s natural pheromones. Then again, no woman had ever made her feel so totally loved and accepted.

Guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders. Guilt that she hadn’t been missing Merenith. Guilt that she’d come to the Garden to fulfill an obligation, not find happiness. Guilt that she was forsaking the natural order of the world—and falling in love with a man. It was all so overwhelming she fell forward onto the neck of the horse, too tired to carry the burden.

“Jahara, are you all right?” Brenimyn brought his gelding close, reaching over to rub her back. “We can stop for a rest if you’d like.”

She shook off his hand. “No, I’m fine. I don’t need to rest.” Her words rode on frustration and confusion, coming out unusually loud and hard.

Brenimyn lifted his hands as if in surrender, his expression one of shock. “I was just thinking of you. We can ride or rest. Whichever you want.”

She forced herself upright on the mare’s back. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I haven’t ridden in so long and I was getting sore. I don’t need to stop. I just needed to stretch.” The lie tripped off her tongue with such ease it added its load to the anxiety already gnawing at her. What the hell
did
she want in this life? “I’m good,” she said finally. “Let’s just get to the lake.”

He dipped his head in a subservient gesture. “As you wish.”

Brenimyn coaxed his gelding ahead of her mare, his back and leg muscles flexing with the cadence of the horse. She couldn’t get thoughts of this man out of her head. Everything melted away when she was with him. For the first time in her life, it seemed her heart was pushing away all logical thought and leading the way. Is it possible they’d gone straight from introductions to love? It seemed as if her heart had recognized Brenimyn the moment he’d touched her.

“And mine recognized you,” he said without turning around.

“Hey, get out of my head,” she shouted, her voice startling the birds into flight, their thunderous wings and screeches of reprimand shattering the tranquility. “Exactly what did you hear?” Nudging the mare, Jahara forced her mount through the thick vegetation until she came back alongside Brenimyn. “Whoa.” She pulled on the gelding’s reins until the horses stood flank to flank.

Jahara’s anxiety immediately flashed to anger. Heat rose in her face and she hoped he could see just how upset he’d made her. “Let’s get one thing straight here mister-man.” She shook her finger at his nose. “You may
not
venture into my head without an invitation. It’s just … well … it’s just rude.” She’d gotten so good at blocking him. The soothing setting of the jungle must have dropped her defenses.

Brenimyn’s hand engulfed hers and he leaned in close, the warmth of his breath stroking her cheek. “My dear, I was not in
your
head. You crawled into mine somewhere around the barn scene with Nazaret and the thoughts of our lovemaking over the last few weeks.” He nipped the bottom lip of her gaping mouth. “Which, I might add, has been a pleasant vision while we rode.”

“But I’m not … I didn’t … It’s not … How?”

“I know you’re not telepathic and I don’t know how you did it. But you did.” He chucked her under the chin, closing her unhinged jaw. “And it’s been mostly enjoyable listening to your internal debate.” He checked the position of the sun. “But I wasn’t exactly telling the truth when I said we had time to rest. There are people anticipating our arrival and we’re already late. Are you experienced enough to ride faster?”

“I may not have been on horses very long, but I had a very good teacher.”

“Well, let’s put that to the test.” Flashing a toothy grin at her, he nudged the gelding. “Try to keep up,” he hollered over his shoulder as his horse broke into a canter.

They raced through the jungle. Jahara gave the mare her head, letting the horse choose the safest path. It was difficult maintaining the breakneck speed through the thick vegetation, but her competitive streak would not allow Brenimyn to get more than two lengths ahead of her. When the lush jungle opened to a field of high grass, she urged the mare into a gallop, leaning low over her neck.

She raced with wind, her long hair dancing behind her like the horse’s black mane. She laughed with sheer joy when she passed Brenimyn, not doubting he’d slowed his gelding and allowed her the lead. Jahara steered the horse toward the lake in the distance, the rush of the waterfall drowning out the labored breath and pounding hooves of the mare. Slowing, she pulled the horse to a stop, unable to believe such beauty could be contained inside a building.

The lake in front of them was actually a large pool at the base of a waterfall. The river to her left gurgled peacefully over boulders, disappearing into the jungle and traveling to some unknown destination.

“I’ve never seen such splendor. It’s so beautiful.” She panted out the words. The exertion of the ride added to her awe, making it difficult to catch her breath.

Brenimyn stopped beside her, his mouth curved with a shy smile. “Not as beautiful as you, Jahara.” Reaching over, he brushed the hair from her face. “Come, there are many people waiting for us.”

They rode the horses along the sandy bank of the lake, dismounting near a large gathering of people. A naked man took the reins from her, promising to walk the horses until they cooled. The mare bucked as she handed him off, but with a touch of his hand along the animal’s heaving flanks, the stallion settled and trotted happily beside him. Merenith had the same gentle touch with animals. No doubt she’d just met another breeder with gifts.

Jahara stood in stunned silence, unable to assimilate everything.

People, nearly fifty in all, greeted Brenimyn with a familiarity borne of years of friendship. Men and women ran to welcome the man standing proudly by her side as if they were gathered here awaiting his arrival. Though Brenimyn didn’t introduce her, they all seemed to know her. Rather than embracing her, they bowed and greeted Jahara by name. The admiration from strangers, much like her first day at the clinic, was a little overwhelming.