Being in real estate had always been a dream of Michelle’s. She was at her first showing. The house was in the middle of a wooded lot surrounded by many trees. It wasn’t a huge house, but at 3,000 square feet, it was plenty for a small family. She arrived at the house early to make sure that some of the windows were opened and the doors were all unlocked. The mountains in Colorado Springs always made for a nice day. There was a nice cool breeze blowing and the birds were singing.

Her client arrived about thirty minutes after she did. She watched from one of the windows as he got out of his Jaguar. He looked a good six feet tall, with shoulder length curly brown hair, a goatee and bronze colored skin. He was wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show off his muscular build. She got weak in the knees just looking at him. He walked up to the door and opened it slowly while asking, “Is anyone here?”

She came from around the corner wearing her new power suit. It was a navy mini shirt and matching jacket with a cream colored shell underneath. Her red hair was recently cut into a short bob that set off her blue eyes. I had that “I"m in charge" kind of look. “Hello, I’m Michelle McCleary.”

“I’m Robin Locksley, nice to make your acquaintance,” he said in his British accent extending out his hand and taking off his shades. Wow, was all he could think of when he met Michelle.

Locksley, the name sounded so familiar, but she couldn’t remember where She had heard that name before. When she took his information over the phone, she had an eerie feeling about his name, but didn’t think anymore about it.

Michelle’s jaw dropped opened as she stared into his gorgeous brown eyes. She had to gain her composure before she embarrassed herself. She shut her drooping jaw and motioned for him to follow her to the living room.

They made their way around the house until they arrived at the master bedroom. Up until now, not much conversation was had. He turned to her, flashed those brown eyes and said, “I’ll take it.”

She couldn’t believe it, her first showing, her first client and her first sale. This must be some kind of joke. What were the odds? Was someone at the office trying to pull a fast one over on her?

“Don’t you want to see the grounds?”

“No,” he said, “I’ve seen all that I need to.”

“Okay, then, we will need to set up an appointment to fill out all the paperwork.”

“How about over dinner, tonight?” he offered.

“I try not to mix business with pleasure,” she said hesitantly.

“I won’t call it a date, if you won’t,” he said with a grin. “This will strictly be a business dinner.”

She thought for a moment, this man was truly handsome and what harm could come from a simple dinner, right?

“Okay, but I’ll meet you there.”

“How’s eight o’clock sound?”

“That would be fine.”

As Michelle was driving to meet Robin for dinner, they had agreed to meet at the Craftwood Inn, she thought over the day’s events. She felt drawn to him and couldn’t figure out why. He had a mystical air about him that gave me the feeling that this could be the one. What was she thinking, “the one"? Was she crazy, she didn’t believe in love at first sight, but that belief just went out the window?

She pulled her bright red Impala into the parking space next to his Jaguar. Her car looked so big and unsporty next to his sleek black S Type Jag.

The door opened to the restaurant as she approached the top of the stairs. Robin was standing there with a smile on his face. He was wearing a dark suit with a dark purple tie and light purple shirt. Did he have a sense that purple was her favorite color?

“I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” she said apologetically.

“I just arrived myself” he said. And arrive with a statement she did, he thought, she was wearing a light purple sun dress with matching pumps that showed off her long dark legs. They looked like they had planned to wear the same color, when in fact they did not. They made a very good looking couple.

The waitress led them to a table in the corner of the candlelit room. Robin ordered them a bottle of white wine while they looked over the menus. The Craftwood Inn was an English Tudor building built in 1912 with beamed ceilings and stained glass windows. It had been voted the most creative cuisine and most romantic. She knew she was in trouble when she saw their awards displayed in the entryway.

Michelle looked over the menu and really didn’t see much that she liked, maybe the chicken or fish. Robin on the other hand saw plenty that he liked. Wild boar, grilled buffalo tenderloin, and antelope. She decided on the fish and he ended up with the pheasant.

They talked for hours discussing his new home purchase and going over all the paperwork. They didn’t even realize that the place was getting ready to close until the waitress came over to tell them. They said their apologies and went to the parking lot.

Michelle didn’t want the night to end. She wanted to find out more about this intriguing man and she still had some questions that needed to be answered. For instance, why she kept getting the feeling that he wasn’t of this time.

“Would you like to go for a ride?” he whispered.

“What about my car?”

“It can stay here, nobody should bother it.”

“Okay, then, I would love to go for a ride.”

He opened the car door for her and she got in. She leaned over and unlocked his door for him. He got in and said, “That was nice of you, thanks.”

“No problem,” Michelle said with a grin.

They drove for several minutes before the silence was broken when Robin turned on the radio. He pulled the car into a local park. He got out and walked around to my side and helped her out. They walked up to a bench and sat down. “I want you to tell me all about yourself,” he said.

“Oh, there’s not much to tell, I want to hear all about you. You seem to be the one full of mysteries.

“No mysteries, I’m just not from these parts and everything here seems so different.”

“Okay, then, maybe not” she said with sarcasm. The next couple of hours they talked really about nothing, then he asked if she was ready to go.

“Yes, I really hadn’t planned on an all nighter,” she said with a laugh. It was already 3:00am.

They drove back to her car and he came up to her as she was opening the door.

“Can I see you again?” he asked.

“I would like that.”

He leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips. She wasn't expecting that, but she grinned as he said, “Until we meet again.”

She got in her car and drove home to her apartment. This was definitely a day to remember.

Robin got back into his car and drove slowly out of the parking lot. What a lady, she was so sure of herself and very intelligent. I definitely want to get to know her better, he thought as he whistled to a song on the radio.

Chapter 2

The next day Michelle went into the office and asked several people if they knew anything about this Robin Locksley that was sent to her first showing. Nobody had ever heard of him before he had called in wanting to see the house. Well, I guess it was destiny, she thought to herself. Michelle had two showings that morning that went pretty good. The clients loved the houses, but would be back in touch maybe later.

She was sitting at her desk, when the phone rang. It was Robin. “Hello, Michelle, how are you doing today?”

“I’m doing fine, how about you?”

“I was sitting here wondering when I could see you again.”

She didn’t want to seem too excited, so she said, “Well, I’ve got one more showing today, but I haven’t checked the rest of the week.”

“How does tonight sound?” he questioned.

“Tonight? Well, I guess that would be okay.” Her insides were jumping up and down with excitement, but she had to refrain herself.

“Unless you have other plans,” he responded sadly.

“No, I don’t have any plans, tonight sounds great.”

“How about I pick you up at your office around 5:00pm?”

“How should I dress? Where are we going?”

“Dress casual and I’m going to surprise you, so come comfortable.”

“I’ll be ready at 5,” she said excitedly.

“Until then,” he stated as he hung up the phone.

Michelle was so glad she had a change of clothes in her car. She usually kept a pair of shorts and a top just in case one of her girlfriends called for a casual evening out to a coffee shop or the mall. Her friends always seemed to call at the last minute and she was tired of always being the one overdressed.

Robin arrived at the office at 4:45pm. He seemed to always be on time. As he was walking back to her office, every head turned and some jaws even dropped. He knocked lightly on the door and she looked up, smiled and told him to take a seat. He was wearing kaki pants with an olive colored polo type shirt that set off those brown eyes.

“Give me a minute to change and I’ll be right back.” Michelle left the room and closed the door behind her. All the girls in the office ran to her at the same time asking, “Who is that hunk of a man?” “Where did you meet him and where can I get one?”

“Calm down ladies, that is Robin Locksley that I was asking about this morning.”

“Oh my God, I wish I had been the one to show him that house,” Janet said with jealously in her voice.

“Well, he’s mine, so hands off!” Michelle stated jokingly as she went to the ladies room to change clothes.

She opened the door to her office and found Robin sitting behind her desk. “Are we enjoying ourselves?” she asked with a laugh.

“I like the idea of dating a lady that sits behind a desk in a big chair. Such power!” he said with excitement. She was wearing tan colored shorts and a yellow top. Her toenails were even painted. Her toes even looked sexy, he thought to himself.

“You’re crazy, come on, let’s go before you steal my job. And everyone’s heart in the office,” she said under her breath.

It didn’t take long to arrive at their destination. It was the same park they were at last night.

“What are you up to?” she asked suspiciously.

“You’ll see,” he said with a grin as he helped her out of the car.

Robin placed his hand on her back and led them through some trees to a secluded area under a big oak tree. There was a blanket on the ground complete with candles, yet to be set aglow, and a picnic basket.

“How and when did you manage this?” she asked with enthusiasm.

“I have my ways,” he was saying as they both sat down and he lit the candles.

Michelle felt so special; no guy had ever done anything like this for her before. She attempted to open the picnic basket and Robin grabbed her hand.

“Let me do the honors,” he said as he opened the basket. He pulled out a bottle of chilled white wine, two glasses, a container of strawberries, whip cream, cheese and crackers. He dipped one of the strawberries into the whip cream and brought it to her lips. She took a small bite and he finished the rest.

“Ohhh, that is soooo good,” she said as she licked her lips.

“I was hoping you would like this.”

“Like it, I love it, this is so sweet.”

They continued to eat in silence. They had almost finished everything and then Robin turned on a portable CD player. It was a slow instrumental that was very relaxing. He took a strawberry and dipped it into the whipped cream. She watched as he licked off all the white fluffy substance and then bit into the juicy fruit. She caught her jaw as it dropped. She cleared her throat hoping that he hadn’t seen her. She was dreaming of what it would feel like if it had been her instead of that strawberry. She shook her head as if to clear the cobwebs that had afflicted her.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Oh yes, just caught myself daydreaming.”

“I hope it was a good thought.”

“Oh yes, it was that,” she confirmed with a smile.

He just smiled, but he made her wonder if the whole strawberry thing was just a way to see her reaction. He definitely succeeded in getting her to react. I think I gave her chills, he thought to himself with a smile.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked with a grin.

“Here?” Michelle questioned.

“Yeah, why not?” he said as he stood up and reached out his hand to her.

She took his hand in hers and he helped her up. He put his arms around her waist and she put hers around his neck as they began to sway to the music. It felt so good to be in his arms. She couldn’t believe this was happening.

He pulled her a little closer and whispered in her ear, “I could get use to this.”

“Me too,” she said in a soft voice. She snuggled closer to him and felt his manhood thru his pants. She could tell he was having a good moment. She was beginning to feel tingly herself.

He leaned back a little to look into her eyes. “I know this will sound like a pickup line, but where have you been all my life?”

“Right here, waiting for you,” she said.

He lowered his head and kissed her. Gentle at first, then more demanding. She opened her mouth up to him and they lost themselves in a flood of ecstasy. He unbuttoned the first three buttons on her top and started to kiss the top of her breasts.

She had chills all over her body and she didn’t want him to stop. Then she came to her senses, they were in a public park. Michelle pulled away from him and said, “We can’t be doing this here.”

“You’re right, maybe we should cool it for now.” He kissed her lightly on the lips and knelt down on the blanket and poured them another glass of wine. “Come down here and keep me company?” he asked with a pout.

She took the wine and sat down beside him. She was wondering how he could go from hot to cold so fast. He acted as if the last five minutes didn’t happen.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked.

She nodded and they proceeded down the path along the river’s edge hand in hand.

They arrived back at the blanket about thirty minutes later and he said “When I get moved into my new house, I’ll have you over for an undisturbed evening. How does that sound?”

“That would be nice,” she said softly.

“Robin,” she asked, “where are you from?”

“Well, it’s hard to say. I’ve moved around a lot. Let’s just say I’m from the English countryside.”

“So, did you just move into town?”

“You could say that, I’ve been here for about a couple of months. I’m still getting use to everything.”

Well, that’s two questions and still no real answers, she thought to herself.

“Are you going to move in as soon as the paperwork goes through?”

“That’s the plan,” he confirmed.

Michelle helped Robin put all the things away and they walked back to the car.

“I had a great time, but I’ve got to be getting home. I’ve got some paperwork to catch up on before tomorrow. I really hate to cut the night so short,” she told him with regret.

“That’s okay, I need to go take a cold shower anyway,” he said with a laugh.

So....he was having feelings after all, she thought.

Robin drove her back to the office and kissed her before she even got out of the car. It wasn’t a demanding kiss, but it definitely was a lingering kiss.

She hesitantly got out of the car when he came over to her side. He put his arm around her and walked her to her car. He kissed her gently and she got in and drove away.

Robin watched as Michelle drove into the night, her red hair blowing in the wind as she had the windows down. She looked so beautiful. It hurt to let her go. If this was what love was, then he had it bad. He still was a little hesitant on getting too close though. He didn’t want his past to somehow hurt or destroy her.

Chapter 3

Michelle was in her office when the fax came through saying there was no credit history on a Robin Locksley. There wasn’t even a social security number or work history. Now that is weird, she thought. How could there not be any history on this man unless he was hiding from something or someone. She decided to call him and see if she could get any answers.  

Robin answered on the second ring. He was out of breath as if he had run to the phone.  

“Hello Robin, this is Michelle,” she said with formality.  

“Hello, excuse me for breathing hard. I was moving some things around, getting ready for the move.”  

“No problem, but I need to talk to you about your paperwork. Can you meet me for coffee?”  

“Sure, how about the coffee shop down the street from your office in, say, about an hour?”  

“Good, I’ll see ya there,” and she hung up the phone.  

Robin hung up the phone and then starting thinking, Now what am I going to do? I knew I shouldn’t have filled out that damn paperwork. I’ve got to tell her something though, or she’ll never trust me. “Quick, Robin, think,” he said out loud.  

He quickly jumped in the shower and pondered over his story. He didn’t want to loose the woman that he was falling in love with.  

She was at the coffee shop when he arrived. She didn’t seem too happy. She was looking over some papers and didn’t notice he had appeared before the table. She had already ordered two lattes.  

“Well, hello there, you look really involved in something,” he said with a shutter in his voice.  

She looked up and smiled. “Please have a seat, we need to talk.” As he was sitting down, she put a piece of paper in front of him. “I don’t understand, Robin, tell me what the meaning of this is.”  

He looked at the paper and it appeared to be a denial letter due to no credit history. “Please believe me, Michelle; I’m not trying to deceive you. It’s a very long story and very confusing. I have trouble believing it myself sometimes. I want to tell you everything, but this isn’t the time or place.”  

“How about you come to my place on Friday evening, I’ll cook us dinner and you can have all the time in the world. We will have the whole weekend if you need it.”  

“That sounds great,” he said with relief.  

They finished their lattes and Michelle had to get back to the office. The next two days were going to be hell. How was she going to get through them without having a nervous breakdown?  

Robin, on the other hand, was grateful for the next two days. He needed that much time just to get up the courage to give her the whole story. But would she believe him, or would she think he had totally lost his mind?  

The next two days went by in a hurry. Robin wanted to tell Michelle as much of his story as he could. He would try to hold back some of it, if he could. He had to protect her; he didn’t want her caught in the whirlwind that had him spinning out of control.  

They had agreed for Robin to show up at Michelle’s apartment around 7:00 pm. He arrived a little early, like he did to everything, so he sat in his car gaining his strength for a few minutes.  

Michelle couldn’t believe that Friday was here; she had been a basket case the last two days. Robin had agreed to tell her about his past; but would he give her the whole story? she wondered. She wanted so much to help him in any way. She had held off on faxing back a letter to deny or confirm the denial letter on Robin. She had played ping-pong in her head on what to do about the application denial that she was even contemplating sacrificing her job for him. That of course would be crazy, she loved her job.  

Michelle had planned a less exotic meal than what they had the other night. She had settled on round steak, baked potatoes, green beans and salad. For dessert she made strawberry shortcake complete with whipped cream. She was reminded of the day in the park and couldn’t resist. She had hoped Robin would appreciate the gesture.  

She had everything just about ready when Robin knocked on the door. He was wearing grey slacks and a tight black shirt that hugged to him like a second skin. He sure knew how to get the blood flowing, she thought as she opened the door.  

Robin couldn’t believe his eyes; she was gorgeous. She had on a low cut black dress that showed every curve of her body. “You look really nice this evening,” he complemented.  

“Thank you, so do you. Would you like something to drink?”  

“How about a Scotch?”  

“Okay, have a seat, I’ll be right back,” she said as she walked toward the kitchen.  

Robin could tell by the way the light reflected behind her that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath her dress. Her breasts came to perfect peaks under the silky fabric. Oh, how he wanted to grab her and take her to the bedroom. Now, if I can just control myself long enough to tell her my story, he wondered with frustration.  

Michelle returned with two glasses of Scotch and sat down beside him on the couch. “Dinner is almost ready; I hope you don’t mind steak and potatoes.”  

“Not at all,” he stated with nervousness as he downed the amber liquid in one swallow.  

“Here, let me get you a refill,” she stated while putting her hand out for his glass.  

“No, I need to have a clear head, thank you, anyway.”  

Michelle stood up and motioned toward the dinning room. “Well, let’s move to the table and I’ll bring the food in.”  

Robin lit the candles and the room was set aglow with dancing flames. Michelle had set out several candles around the room, not realizing that when lit, it appeared to be daylight with the sun shinning brightly.  

She let out a laugh and Robin joined in with her. “Well, at least we can’t hide behind the shadows,” he joked.  

Michelle set out all the food and sat down across the small table from him.  

“This is delicious,” Robin commented. “You definitely are a wonderful cook.”  

“Thank you, wait until dessert,” she said with a mischievous smile.  

Robin wanted to get dinner behind him before he started in on the story, so he asked her, “How did you get started in the Real Estate business?”  

Michelle was taken aback; she thought he was going to tell her the secrets he had been keeping. But, then again, maybe he was just nervous and was waiting for the right moment.  

“Well,” she said, “I’ve always loved looking at new homes. So, I just took a gamble. I took a few classes, took the test and passed. I really like to meet all kinds of people and this gives me the perfect opportunity. That’s how I met you.”  

“What is it that you do, Robin?” she questioned with hesitation.  

“I’m currently unemployed, but I use to be in the import and export business. I would buy and sell anything from silver to cattle. I didn’t have a preference.”  

“That’s interesting,” Michelle said curiously.  

“What did you do before Real Estate?” Robin wondered.  

“Well, nothing in particular; I worked at a bookstore, I was a bartender for awhile, and a checker at a grocery store before that. I haven’t really made up my mind as to what I want to do with my life.”  

They finished up their meal and Michelle got up to get the dessert and coffee. As she put the tray down on the table, Robin smiled.  

“Oh no, not strawberries,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. They both laughed as she served the cake with big scoops of whipped cream.

Robin helped Michelle clear the table and load the dishwasher. He then took her hand and led her to the couch in the living room. He turned towards her, took her other hand in his and looked into her eyes. “This story I’m about to tell you is very confusing, so I’ll tell it as it happened and hopefully you won’t think I’m crazy.”  

Michelle just smiled.  

“Well,” he started, “about two months ago I was riding my horse in the English countryside. Well .... that’s not exactly true, I was being chased by two men in the English countryside.”  

“Why were they chasing you?”  

“They claimed I stole some things from their leader.”  

“Did you?” Michelle questioned as she pulled her hands away from him.  

“Yes, I guess you can say I did. I really hate to see the rich not appreciate the things they have. I was going to give it to someone who really needed it and who could make good use of it.  

“All of a sudden,” he continued, “a dark cloud came over me and a loud crash of thunder sounded overhead. My horse threw me and I must have been knocked out. When I came to, my horse was gone and it was getting dark. I stood up and looked around and noticed my surroundings had also changed.”  

“What do you mean your surroundings changed?” Michelle wondered.  

“Well, at the time I didn’t realize what was going on, but I soon found out I was in a different time as well as a different place.”  

“A different time?” she asked hesitantly.  

“Michelle, when I rode out on my horse that morning, I was in the year 1180.” He paused to see her reaction.  

She couldn’t believe it. “You mean -- you are from the past?”  

“Yes, I can’t explain it, but, I’ve traveled over eight hundred years into the future. I was up in the mountains in a small clearing. I made my way down and wondered around the town. I had a few things on me, so I sold them for cash and that’s how I got the garage apartment and the car. I’ve tried to fit in as well as I can under the circumstances.  

“You are kidding, right?!” She then thought to herself, No wonder his name sounded familiar. Then it came to her. “You mean to tell me you are.....Robin Hood?” she asked with excitement.  

“I know it sounds crazy, but yes that’s what I was known by in my time,” he confessed.  

“I can’t believe this; Robin Hood is here, right in my living room. Please tell me this is no joke.”  

“No, it’s quite the opposite. I’ve had to make myself fit in with the townsfolk, so not to draw attention to myself. I was fearful at first, because my clothes looked out of place. I went into a store and bought a few things and now here I am.”  

“So you bought everything with the goods you had on you from the past?”  

“Yes, it brought me a pretty hefty price. The clerk said something about everything being antiques.”  

“I bet so,” Michelle said.

Chapter 4

Michelle was still having a hard time believing Robin Hood was sitting before her in the flesh. “So.....that is why your credit history doesn’t exist?”  

“Yes, I guess you could say that,” he said with a laugh.  

“I think I need a drink,” she demanded. Michelle got up and poured them both a Scotch.  

Robin got a worried look on his face. “I hope you believe me, I don’t want you to think I’m crazy or something.”  

“Robin, I don’t think you’re crazy. I do have a hard time believing it, but hey, anything is possible these days, right? I do have a question for you though.”  

“Okay, what is it?”  

“Did you come alone?” she questioned.  

“Well, I’m not really sure. I was alone when I woke up, but I don’t know how long I was out.”  

“You don’t think the guys chasing you came to the future, do you?”  

“If they appeared at the same place, I’m sure they would have captured me. I pray that they didn’t come because if they did, we could be in big trouble.”  

“I pray they didn’t either,” Michelle said with concern.  

Robin and Michelle continued talking through the night; Michelle had wanted to know about the life and times of Robin Hood. She couldn’t seem to get enough until sleep was taking its toll and caused her to yawn.  

“We need to get you to bed,” Robin said.  

“Oh, no please don’t leave,” Michelle said as she came fully awake. “I promise I won’t fall asleep on you.”  

“Michelle we have time, I don’t have to tell you everything in one night.”  

“But.....” she stopped quickly. Robin had leaned over and took her mouth. He kissed her fully and deeply.  

Robin had wanted to kiss her all night, but didn’t dare. He wasn’t sure how she felt after he told her of his past life. After her response to his kiss, he knew she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. He leaned her back on the couch and looked at her with lust in his eyes.  

She didn’t say a word; she just pulled him down on top of her and kissed him soundly. He couldn’t believe this woman was real. She sent tingles thru his body and he wondered if it was just his body reacting to the Scotch. Not wanting to take advantage of the situation, he pulled away from her and stood up and adjusted his clothes.

Michelle looked up surprised. She got off the couch and stood in front of him. “Don’t you want me?”

“Oh, Michelle, you don’t know how much I want you. I don’t want to take advantage of you and you regret it in the morning.”  

“I won’t regret a thing,” she said as she unzipped her dress and let it slide to the floor around her feet. She put her arms around Robin’s neck and kissed him on the lips and then down his neck. She pulled his shirt out from his pants and slid her hands up under and caressed his bare chest. She then raised his shirt all the way off and started in on unzipping his pants.  

Before she could get his pants undone, he lifted her up into his arms and took her to the bedroom. As he laid her down on the bed, he said, “It will be more comfortable in here.” Robin stood back up and unfastened his pants and joined her on the bed.  

Their long-awaited hunger consumed them both. They made love over and over throughout the rest of the night and fell asleep in each other’s arms.  

The next morning, although late, Michelle awoke before Robin and went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. She couldn’t remember a night so magical. She was sore from all the lovemaking, but that didn’t bother her. The man in the other room had truly won her heart. She only hoped that somehow the past didn’t come back and take him away. She quickly put the thought out of her head when she heard Robin enter the room.  

“Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered as he put his arms around her.  

“Good morning yourself,” she whispered back to him. “Do you want some coffee?”  

“I would love some,” he said as he kissed her neck.  

Michelle shuddered as she got two cups out of the cabinet.  

Robin was wearing only his pants and his chest looked so smooth and dark. Michelle wanted so much to touch him, but didn’t dare for fear that her body wouldn’t hold out for another lovemaking session.  

As they finished their coffee, Michelle said, “I’ve got to take a shower, will you be here when I get out?”  

“Yes, if you don’t mind.”  

“No, I don’t mind. I will even let you use my shower if you wish.”  

“I might take you up on that offer,” he said with a grin.  

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” As she walked into the bathroom she had a sneaky feeling that he would be joining her soon.  

Just as she thought, the shower curtain moved and he joined her in all his naked glory. So much for not letting her body hold out, she thought.  

“I hope you don’t mind. I just thought we could save on water,” Robin teased.  

Robin moved toward her and took the shampoo from her hands. He proceeded to wash her hair; she had never realized a simple thing as a shampoo could be so erotic. After they both had their shampoo, they made love yet again. They then soaped each other up, rinsed and dried off.  

“I’ve never had a shower quite like that before,” Michelle whispered.  

“Me either,” Robin agreed.

Robin wanted to go home and change clothes, so they agreed to meet back at Michelle’s apartment for lunch.  

“Make sure you bring a change of clothes and your toothbrush,” teased Michelle.

“I will, and you just make sure you get a nap because you won’t be getting much sleep tonight either,” Robin promised.

After Robin left, Michelle decided to do just as Robin asked. She wanted to be full alert for the evening’s activities. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow and she didn’t wake up until the doorbell rang.  

In a sleepy state, Michelle looked through the peep hole and didn’t recognize the man on the other side of the door. “Who is it?” she questioned.  

“You don’t know me, but I’m looking for Robin Locksley. I was told he was here,” said the husky voice through the door.  

“Well, he isn’t here and I don’t know how to reach him.” Of course, that was a lie, but she didn’t want the stranger to know that. “Is there something I can help you with?”  

“No, I’ll try to catch him later.” And with that, the man was gone.  

Michelle opened the door and looked both ways down the hall and saw no one. “I’ve got to call Robin and warn him,” she said aloud.

Robin answered the phone on the first ring.  

“Robin, you will never believe just what happened,” Michelle said with concern.  

“You had a wild dream about me and can’t wait for me to return.” He chuckled.  

“No, I’m serious. There was a man here looking for you.”  

“What did he look like and what did he say?” Robin questioned with fear.  

“Well, I only saw him through the peep hole. He was tall with light brown short hair, had a husky voice and a scar under his right eye.”  

“Oh my God, that sounds like Ian. He was one of the men chasing me in England. Was there anybody else with him?”  

“Not that I saw, but when I opened the door, he was already gone.”  

“Michelle, I am not safe here. I have to leave and I want you to come with me.”  

“But what about my job, my apartment, my life?” Michelle asked through tears.  

“I know I can’t ask you to leave it all behind, but Michelle, I love you and I don’t want to lose you,” Robin pleaded. “I’ll tell you what, I am going to pack a few things and leave within the hour. If you’re not here, I’ll know your decision.” With that he hung up the phone.

Chapter 5

Did Michelle hear him right? Did Robin just say that he loved her and didn't want to lose her? What was she going to do? Her dream had come true; she had become a real estate agent. Now her dreams had shifted. She had fallen in love with a man from the 12th century and she didn't want to lose him either. There was only one thing that she could do ... she had to leave with him.

Michelle packed as fast as she could and hurried over to Robin's place. She kept looking around and in the rearview mirror to make sure no one was following her. She even made some extra turns to throw anybody off, if in fact, anyone was close behind.

Robin was putting some bags into his car when Michelle drove up. She rushed out of her car, threw her arms around his neck and said, “I love you, too. And I wouldn't dream of not coming with you.”

“I'm so glad you decided to join me. I don't think I can make the journey without you.”

They quickly packed the car and drove off without a plan.

Michelle had to leave her car behind. She had worked so hard to get that car and now she had to abandon it and everything else she owned to save the life of the man she loved. It was not a hard decision to make, she thought.

Robin and Michelle had been driving for a couple hours before they decided to stop and stretch their legs. Robin had been checking and rechecking the rearview mirrors to make sure no one was following them. He hadn't noticed anyone back there, but he didn't want to take any chances.

“We need to make this a quick stop. I'll fill up the car and you grab us something quick to eat and we will be on our way again,” Robin said with authority. “I want us to gain as much ground as possible to avoid any run-ins with those bad guys.”

“Do you have any ideas of where we are going?” Michelle asked with hesitation.

“If you could choose a place to go, where would it be?”

“Well, I have always dreamed of Scotland,” Michelle said with excitement.

“Then Scotland it is. Now, how do we get to Scotland from here?” Robin asked.

“Well, first we will need to get you a passport and then we can get tickets to fly there.”

“Fly ... did you say fly? How are we going to do that?” Robin questioned. “Isn't Scotland just a few days ride from here?”

“Oh, that's right. You don't know about flying, do you? And no, Scotland isn't a few days ride; it is across the water on another continent.”

Robin just shook his head in confusion. He didn't quite understand, but he knew that Michelle knew the ways of her world and would take care of him.

This is going to be a very long trip, Michelle said to herself.

“Let's head in the direction of New York. I'm sure we will be able to find somebody there to help us. Then we can fly right out of the main airport to Scotland,” Michelle ordered.

“Do you know the way?” Robin questioned.

“No, but we can get a map and it will tell us how to get there.”

“A map? You mean you can get directions on paper now on how to get somewhere?”

Michelle knew this was going to be hard to teach him all the ins and outs of the world, but she was going to have fun doing it. “Yes, so I'll go in the store, get a map and some lunch. I'll be right back.”

Robin didn't know the ways of this world, but he was glad to have Michelle by his side. He knew with her help, he could accomplish anything.

What an incredible woman. He had only been here a little over two months and he had already learned so much and had fallen in love. Who would ever believe this? Robin wondered.

Michelle returned with a couple maps and a couple sandwiches and also got some snacks. “It's going to be a long trip, so I thought I would pack up on some treats to make the stops few and far between,” she said as Robin investigated the goodies.

They headed out on the highway and planned on at least a couple more hours before stopping for the night.

It was getting dark when they finally stopped at a local motel just outside of the state line. Robin went in and paid for the room and came back with the key. “I hope you don't mind, but I got only one room,” Robin said with hesitation. “I didn't want you to be alone with those guys on our trail, even if it's only next door.”

“Robin, I don't mind at all. It's not like we haven't already been together. I really wouldn't have it any other way. We did say that we loved each other, right?!” Michelle asked as the red in her cheeks became evident.

As soon as they entered the room, Robin went to the window and closed the curtains. “I don't want to take any chances. I also need to get another car, I don't know if they know what kind we are driving, but we need to change it as soon as possible,” Robin was saying aloud to himself.

“Robin, I know that no one followed me to your place, so I'm hoping that we got away undetected. But you are right; we do need to change the car.”

“I think I'll do that first thing in the morning, before we get back out on our journey. As for tonight, we need to get a good night's rest for the long ride ahead of us,” Robin confirmed. “Do you want to join me in the shower?” Robin teased.

“I thought we needed to get a good night's rest?” Michelle questioned.

“I didn't say we couldn't have some fun before turning in,” Robin said with a grin.

“In that case, yes, I think I will join you. I could use a hot shower right about now.” Among other things, Michelle thought to herself.

Robin went over to where Michelle was standing and took her into his arms. He kissed her deeply and then said, “I don't know what I would do without you.” He then processed to undress her while continuing to kiss her all along the way.

Michelle started to do the same to him. They were finally both undressed and in such a state of arousal that the shower would have to wait. Robin backed Michelle back to the bed and joined her under the sheets.

He began to kiss her neck and then down to her breasts, continued down her stomach and then to the very point of which she ached for him. Robin was making it hard for Michelle to resist the waiting, but Robin continued kissing her and making her want him more and more.

“Robin if you don't take me now, I think I'm going to go insane,” Michelle said between breaths.

“Then insane you will go,” Robin teased as he proceeded to lick and suck her readiness. “I'm not through with you yet. I want you to ache in a way that you never thought possible.”

Michelle put her hands in Robin's hair and began to slightly pull. “You just wait; you will pay for this buster,” she teased back.

Robin, knowing when enough was enough, rose above Michelle and took her mouth in his and entered her with a vengeance. Their bodies moved in unison until they both had reached that point when one thinks their body might break.

“I love you, Michelle,” Robin whispered as he moved off to lie beside her. “You have brought me such joy and happiness.”

“I love you, too,” Michelle whispered as she fell asleep in Robin's arms.

Chapter 6

Michelle awoke to find the space beside her empty. Oh, please don’t tell me this was all a dream, she thought. In a state of panic she jumped out of the bed only to notice Robin’s clothes laid out on the oversized chair. She then saw the bathroom door was slightly ajar and she could hear some soft singing. She smiled to herself as she got back into bed and waited for him to finish.  

A few minutes later Robin came into the bedroom with just a towel around his hips. He didn’t notice Michelle watching him because he was drying his hair with another towel in his face. What a beautiful sight, Michelle thought with a smile.  

As Robin finished towel drying his hair, he looked over at the bed. “Good morning, beautiful.”  

“Good morning yourself; you are in a good mood.”  

“Why wouldn’t I be? I’m alive and with the woman that I love. Nothing could make me happier.”  

Michelle blushed. “You sure know how to swoon a woman, don’t you?”  

This of course brought a flush to Robin’s face. “I’m going out to get us another car. You can take a shower and be ready to go when I return, okay?”  

With a worried look on her face, Michelle asked, “How long will you be gone?”  

“Not long. I saw a car place down the street when we arrived last night. I want to get something that doesn’t stand out,” Robin said as he got dressed.  

“Please be careful and don’t be gone long,” Michelle pleaded.  

Robin came over to the bed and kissed Michelle on the forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, so be ready when I return. We have a lot of ground to cover today.” He then hurried out the door and left Michelle to get ready for another long day on the road.  

Suddenly she felt so alone. Michelle only hoped that nothing went wrong and Robin would return safely. She jumped in for a quick shower so she would be ready for his return.  

Robin was back in a couple of hours and Michelle was waiting for him. “So....what did you end up getting, a red Porsche, a black Cadallic?” she teased.  

“No, we are now the proud owners of a 1990 white Honda Accord,” he said with pride. We even have some extra money because the cars were so different in cost.  

“Oh, that’s exciting. Well, at least nobody should notice us, right?” Michelle teased yet again.  

“That’s the whole point, isn’t it?” Robin questioned. “Well, are you ready to go?’  

“Yes, I’ve got everything packed, we just need to load the car and be on our way.”  

They headed out on I-70 for the long haul across several states. Michelle always wanted to tour the states, but never really had the chance. Now, she was making her way across country with no time to stop and enjoy the sights. Oh well, at least she was getting to go to Scotland. It had always been a dream of hers to go there, but the opportunity never arose until now.  

Robin and Michelle stopped only for lunch, bathroom breaks and gasoline until they reached Indianapolis. It had taken them about thirteen hours to get there and they were both exhausted. They stopped by a local hamburger place and got food to go and made their way to the hotel. They were almost too tired to eat, but knew they had to have their strength to continue on their journey. They were both fast asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows.  

Robin and Michelle were suddenly awakened by a loud crash. Robin jumped out of bed and looked out the curtain.  

“What in the hell was that?” Michelle asked with fear in her voice.  

“It appears that someone crashed into a tree across the street. There are several people walking around and the driver seems to be out of the car. I really don’t feel good about this. I think we need to get out of here and try to find somewhere else to stay,” Robin said with concern.  

What he failed to tell Michelle was that the driver looked a lot like Ian. Had he been following them this whole time? Robin needed to be more careful and get them out of this place. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he didn’t want to take any chances.  

Michelle quickly gathered all their belongings and Robin checked them out of the hotel. They were back on the interstate within thirty minutes. Robin’s eyes were beginning to close on him and he decided to find them another hotel so they could get a good rest before they ended up crashing into something.  

He pulled into a hotel and parked the car on the backside so it couldn’t be seen from the frontage road. They quickly got checked into the room and from pure exhaustion fell immediately back to sleep.  

Ian had been hot on Robin’s tail for some time now, but had lost sight of him a few miles back. He drove until he couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer. They of course came fully open when a tree appeared from out of nowhere. The front end of the car was destroyed and the people who came to his aid from the hotel across the street insisted that he go to the hospital to get checked out. He reluctantly agreed and decided that he would get away as soon as possible. He needed another car and didn’t need the law around asking questions.  

The doctor told Ian that he found nothing seriously wrong, just some bumps and bruises. He would be sore for a few days, but there was nothing to worry about. As soon as the doctor was out of the room, Ian got out of there as fast as he could undetected. He needed to find Robin and take care of him for once and for all.  

Robin and Michelle didn’t intend to sleep in, but the driving was wearing them out. They ate a quick breakfast and then were back on the interstate.  

“I think we will cut down on our driving hours. All these small confinements are making my muscles ache,” Robin commanded.  

“Sounds good to me. I’m all tied in knots, too,” Michelle said while rubbing her neck.  

“Maybe we can find a park and have a picnic,” Robin teased.  

“That sounds wonderful,” Michelle agreed.  

After only about six hours on the road, they pulled into Pittsburgh. Robin spotted a park with a bunch of trees and pulled over so they both could get out and stretch their legs. Robin told Michelle to find a nice cozy spot and he would go to the store across the street to get some things for a nice picnic.  

In the meantime......  

Ian couldn’t believe his luck. He overheard a man outside the hospital talking on the phone about a man who traded a Jag for a Honda and then hurriedly got out of town. The man, being unaware of his surroundings had his back to his car and the engine was running. What a moron, Ian thought. He quickly jumped in the car and threw it into gear. He was out of the parking lot in a flash. The man was yelling, but to no avail. In his haste, he barely missed a lady pushing a baby carriage as he made his way through town. He was on the interstate heading north and with no one on his tail. He would make a quick stop at a crowded parking lot and switch the plates. He didn’t want to take any chances and was hoping that Robin wasn’t too far ahead of him.  

It didn’t take long before he spotted the Honda. He had pulled up close to every Honda he spotted to get a look at the occupants. Most people had ignored him, too involved on getting to their destination. Robin, on the other hand, looked right at the car Ian was in, but the tinted windows were a great cover. Ian slowed the car down and then kept back at several car lengths so he wouldn’t be noticed. After a few hours, Robin pulled over by a park. The woman walked into the park and Robin walked across the street in the opposite direction.  

“Perfect!” Ian said aloud.  

Michelle grabbed a blanket out of the trunk and made her way to a nice secluded area. She didn’t notice that a man was also making his way in the same direction. As she was spreading out the blanket, she felt a gun pressed into her ribs.  

“Don’t move if you know what’s good for you,” the husky voice whispered in her ear.  

In a state of panic, Michelle didn’t move a muscle. She could see Robin through the trees walking casually toward them with a smile on his face. She feared for both of their lives, but was unsure of what to do, so she remained rigid as a board.  

Robin couldn’t see Michelle because of all the trees. “Michelle, where are you sweetheart?”  

Ian jammed the gun in a little further into Michelle’s side. “Answer him, but don’t you try anything.”  

“Over here, baby,” Michelle said with as much confidence as she could manage. She had never used any terms of endearment towards him and hoped that he would catch on before it was too late.  

As soon as Robin heard Michelle call him baby, he knew something must be wrong. She still seemed very shy when it came to relationships. He quickly slipped behind a tree and looked in the direction of her voice. He could barely see her and it appeared as if she wasn’t by herself.  

“Robin, you better get yourself over here or the pretty lady won’t live to see tomorrow.”  

Robin knew right off that the husky voice belonged to Ian. How in the hell did he find us, I was being so careful, Robin thought with fear. “Okay, okay....don’t hurt her. I’m unarmed and I’m headed your way.” Of course, Robin always had a dirk in his boot, but if he couldn’t get to it in time, what good would it do?  

As Robin made his way into the clearing, he gave Michelle a look that let her know that everything would be fine and he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.  

“Well, well......I thought I had lost you, but thanks to some nosey people, it didn’t take much to track you down.”  

“What do you want, Ian?”  

“I think that is obvious. I want what you took from my family and I want to know how in the hell we got here.”  

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t have anything that belongs to your family and I sure don’t know how we got here. You were chasing me in a thunderstorm and the next thing I remember is waking up in the mountains......in this other world. I don’t understand any of this myself. Please let the woman go, it’s me you want, she has nothing to do with this.”  

“Don’t beg, Robin, it’s not your style. The woman is fine where she is,” Ian said as he pulled Michelle a little closer to him.  

Michelle looked at Robin with tears in her eyes.  

“It’s okay, he won’t hurt you if I have anything to do with it,” Robin said with a small glance toward her. He didn’t want to take his eyes off Ian any longer than necessary.  

“Oh, isn’t that sweet? Robin, it looks as if you have gone soft in your new life,” Ian said with sarcasm.  

Michelle didn’t take her eyes off Robin and when he made the small glance at her, she motioned with her eyes that she was going to make a move downward and for him to make his move.  

The next few minutes seemed to be an eternity. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Michelle made a quick movement and slipped out of Ian arms. Robin bent down to his boot and grabbed the dirk and threw it at Ian, hitting him in the chest. Ian grabbed at his chest, dropping the gun and went down to the ground. Robin grabbed the gun and shot him in the stomach.  

Looking around to make sure nobody saw anything, Robin said, “We have to get out of here. Gather everything and get to the car. I’ll hide the body and meet you there.”

Chapter 7

Back in the car, Michelle was in a state of panic. She couldn't believe what just happened.

Robin hurriedly got in the car, started it up and took off. His hands and the front of his shirt were caked in dirt.

“What did you do with the body?” Michelle questioned.

“I dug a shallow grave and covered it over with leaves. I'm sure he won't be hard to find. I just hope it isn't soon.”

Robin pulled over at a gas station where the restroom facilities were detached and in the back of the parking lot. He got some clean clothes from out of the luggage and said he would be back soon.

Robin returned to the car, looking like he just had a shower. He was all clean, including his hair.

“Did you take a shower?” Michelle asked.

“Almost. I do feel much better though.” Robin turned to Michelle before starting the car. “How are you doing?”

“I'm a little shaken, but I'll be okay,” she said with a quiver in her voice.

“Come here.” Robin held out his arms and she immediately fell into him. She put her arms around his waist and didn't want to let go.

“Oh, Robin, I was so scared.”

“I know I was too,” he admitted. He didn't want to release her, but he knew that they had to get out of the area. “Michelle, we need to get out of here, even if it's just right out of town.”

She released her iron grip and adjusted herself back on her side of the car.

Robin could still see the fear in her face and knew he had to get them somewhere fast and give her the reassurance that everything would be okay. He drove to the outskirts of town and found a hotel within thirty minutes. He checked them in and walked Michelle up to the room. He went back out to the car and got their things, including the picnic supplies that were never used. Robin made a promise to himself that no matter what, he would never let any harm ever come to Michelle again. He was so close to losing her and he didn't know what he would ever do without her.

Michelle was in the shower when Robin returned to the room. So, he decided that they would still have that picnic. He laid out the blanket on the floor and set out the food and wine. He even turned out the lights and opened the curtains. He was sitting on the blanket when Michelle emerged from the bathroom, tightly tucked into the robe that was supplied by the hotel. She walked slowly over to him and he handed her a glass of wine.

Robin grabbed Michelle's other hand and pulled her ever so gently toward him to sit in his lap. “Are you feeling any better?” he asked with concern.

As she put her arms around his neck, Michelle whispered, “I'm much better, especially now that I'm in your arms.”

Robin took the wine glass from her and set it on the floor. He put his hand under her chin and tilted her face up to receive his kiss. He kissed her lightly and she responded with great passion. As he pulled away, she arched her head back to expose her neck. He planted kisses down her neck to the opening of the robe. Between breaths, Michelle gasped, “Robin, please don't stop.”

With her still in his lap, Robin stood and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She needed him now more than ever. He laid her lightly down on the bed and stood to take off his clothes. Michelle didn't move, all she could do was lay there and watch him disrobe. He didn't rush, but he didn't take his time either. She could tell that he was more than ready for her. He leaned over and untied the robe to expose her naked body. “You are so beautiful.”

Michelle put her arms out to receive the man that had saved her life. She wanted to show him just how thankful she was.

Michelle awoke several hours later with a jolt that nearly knocked Robin out of the bed.

“What's wrong? Are you okay?” Robin questioned with concern.

“I was dreaming about the knife. Oh, Robin, I was so scared,” she quivered as she moved closer to his embrace.

“I'll never let anything harm you ever again. I'll protect you to my dying day.”

Michelle knew he would do just that. He was truly her knight in shinning armor.

They both fell back to sleep in each other's arms and didn't wake until the next morning.

“We need to get as far away from here as possible,” Robin said as he was getting dressed.

“I know, I just hope no one has come across our ‘little friend,’” Michelle said with fear.

With not much confidence, Robin said, “Me too.”

They loaded up the car yet again and headed to what they thought would be their final destination in the States: New York City.

Lunch was a quick drive-thru menu and they arrived in the Big Apple as the sun was going down behind the monstrous skyline.

Michelle was so excited to be at a stopping point, she didn't take in the usual sights fully. She almost missed the Statue of Liberty, but Robin poked her in the ribs and pointed it out in wild excitement.

“I never realized just how beautiful she really is,” Robin almost shouted.

“What do you mean, you never realized? You are from the past, you've only known of her existence for a short time,” Michelle questioned with a snicker.

“Well......well, I have seen pictures. It doesn't mean that I still can't be amazed.”

“Yeah, whatever. Robin, you never cease to amaze me,” she said while jabbing him in the arm.

They found another hotel to settle into for a few days. They had to find a way to get Robin a passport as quickly as possible.

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