"Linda Evans - Time Scout 2 - Wages of Sin" - читать интересную книгу автора (Evans Linda)

earnestly, leaning forward to try and make his friend understand. "Your heart
is as generous as your laughter. It is merely my hope that you might mend your
morals to match. You are a dear friend to me. I do not enjoy seeing you
suffer."
Skeeter blinked. "Suffer?" He began to laugh. "Marcus, you are truly the
wonder of the ages." His grin melted a little of the icy fear in Marcus'
heart. "Okay, I'll promise I'll try to be a good little tourist in Rome, all
right? I still want to do that betting, but nothing more devious than that.
Satisfied?"
Marcus sagged a little in his chair. "Yes, Skeeter. I am." Feeling more
hopeful than he had in months, he was forced to apologize for having to
abandon his friend so soon after coming to a somewhat uneasy understanding of
one another's intentions in this odd friendship. "I am most sorry, my friend,
but I must return to work, before the manager returns from watching the Porta
Romae cycle, and I have not yet finished all the chores he set me to do. Go
with the gods when you step through Porta Romae, Skeeter. Thank you for the
beer. And the company."
Skeeter's grin lit up his face again. "Sure. Thank you. See you in a couple
of weeks, then. "
Marcus smiled, then busied himself cleaning vacated tables and wiping down
the bar. Skeeter Jackson strolled out like a man about to own the world.

CHAPTER TWO
Agnes Fairchild was a nice girl. Not too pretty, but sweet and generous.
And great in bed. By skeeter's standards, the shy, academic types were often
the most fun: overcoming their inhibitions and showing them a thing or two
about mad, wet sex was as good as getting a stunning "10" into bed. He often
regretted the fact that his lovers never stayed with him long, but, hey, there
were new women coming through La-La Land all the time. And after Skeeter's
childhood experiences, he was not choosy about looks. Willingness and
sincerity were what counted. A knockout in your own bed was great. But a
bombshell in somebody else's bed was no fun at all.
So when Agnes Fairchild walked into Skeeter's life, he was more than
pleased. And when she opened up the chance to do some scheming outside the
time terminal, he showered her with every charm at his command. She even
taught him enough Latin to get by in case they were separated-which he
wouldn't and did not allow to happen-not until the day of the games. Agnes was
good at her job, too. Skeeter enjoyed tagging along with her tour group almost
as much as he enjoyed a passionate lover willing to share intimacy during
sultry Roman nights. The ancient city come to life was like a Hollywood movie
set to Skeeter-but a movie set full of real people with real money he could
pry loose from real hands that wouldn't miss a few pilfered coins, because
they were all dead already.
Of course, he didn't tell Agnes that. He just enjoyed her company and
sights like Augustus' giant sundial and the huge Emporium of market stalls
that backed the wharves and warehouses of the Porticus Aemeha -- where he
picked up a bit of profit with light-fingered skill-and bided his time while
charming everyone from the richest billionaire in the group-whose money pouch
Skeeter coveted-to the smallest, wide-eyed little girl who called him "Unk
Skeeter." He even liked tickling and teasing her when she tickled and teased