Page 36 of The Last Viking

She nodded, although he could tell she still didn’t credit his explanation about time travel. Who did she think he was? An outlaw, bent on stealing her possessions, or virtue? Probably. Or a demented halfwit? Even more probable.

“Relax tomorrow. I have to be at the college by nine, but I’ll send my assistant, Mike Johnson, out to meet with you if he’s around. He’ll work closely with you on the project. Plus, I need to fill out the paperwork at the business office for your employment records on Monday. I don’t suppose you have a Social Security number?” She studied him for a long moment. “No, I guess not. Well, Mike knows some shady characters who could probably get you fake credentials. Lord, I don’t believe I actually suggested that. Me? Breaking the law? Jeffrey would laugh his head off.”

“Who’s Jeffrey?”

“My ex-husband.”

“I don’t like him.”

She smiled…a warm, open expression that made his heart lurch. “I don’t either.”

“When you smile, you are not so plain. In truth, you become almost beautiful.”

“Thanks a bunch.” He’d honored her with that blunt honesty before. “Jeffrey said my overbite shows when I smile.”

“Jeffrey is an ass. When we make love, I will draw many smiles from your lips.”

Her smile faltered. “You promised,” she said, edging away from him.

“I didn’t mean tonight.”

She relaxed. “Most men don’t like women to laugh at them during sex. Jeffrey used to say—”

“Stop quoting your half-brain past-husband to me. He has naught to do with us,” he growled. “Besides, you won’t be laughing at me. You will be laughing with me. I intend to bring you much joy.”

She lifted her shoulders hopelessly. “Arrogance comes naturally to you, doesn’t it?”

He rolled his shoulders. “There is a difference between arrogance and self-confidence. I know what I know about my capabilities. Now stop bringing the conversation back to sex or I will think you have changed your mind about making love with me tonight.”

She bristled indignantly. “I did not—”

“Shh,” he said, putting a palm up. “Tell me how many helpmates you can provide for me. And how skilled are they?”

“Well, there’s Mike, of course, and roughly two dozen students working with him, male and female. Some of them have minimal carpentry skills, but they’re all eager workers. They’ll follow your instructions to the letter. However, there’s only one more week of spring break left. After that, most of them have full-time classes. So, they’ll only be able to help for two or three hours a day, plus all day on the weekends.”

“Hmmm. Perchance I will be able to finish the project in three or four weeks if I work all the daylight hours. But I must tell you, I have decided to make a second, smaller longship for myself.”

“What?” She recoiled and started to stand, obviously upset. “You can’t do that.”

“Yea, I can. You see, at first I intended to help you build your longship, then take it for my own purposes…to return home.”

“Oh…oh…I should have known! A thief!” she fumed, casting him a malevolent glare.

“Now, do not browbeat me. Since I have learned of your honorbound duty to fulfill your grandsire’s dream, I would not do such. But that means I have to build a smaller ship for my own purposes.”

“I can’t charge those expenses off to the foundation. That would be stealing. Besides, we’re on a tight budget as it is.”

He stiffened with affront that she would think he’d steal from her now. “I will pay for my own supplies from the monies I am paid. And I will work on my own time. You will not be cheated in any way, my lady.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, but her apology didn’t take away the sting of her insult. “Okay, so you build two longships. I don’t see any way you can get this done in three weeks, though.”

“I will have to,” he asserted. “When Thea and I were playing with your come-pewter tonight, I found more information on the Demon’s Moon. I told you there was such an astrological happenstance the night of my shipwreck. Well, the next Demon’s Moon occurs on April 28—one month from now.”

“And you believe the Demon’s Moon is somehow connected to a time portal that would let you return home?” she questioned skeptically.

He nodded. “And there won’t be another till next year. I have to go soon if I am to complete my father’s quest.”

She put a hand on his arm. “Rolf, I’m not sure you’re telling me the truth. But, assuming you are, chances are you can’t do anything that would change history.”