Highland Destiny (21 page)

Connor's soft voice sounded mildly sad, "Is it really so bad here?"

"Oh! Connor! I didn't mean it to come out like that." She sighed and ran an agitated hand through her hair as she sat up. Connor sat up as well. "It's just that, imagine for a minute that you are told you have the power to help defeat an evil warlord who is terrorizing the locals, but you don't know how you are supposed to do this, and you don't know who is really a friend or foe, and to top it off, you are suddenly completely happy to stay in the temporary state of bliss that you've just discovered. It's a hard position to be in, Connor, especially when I could be just as happy here, in your bed, for the entire time I'm supposed to be engaged to another man. Why is that, I wonder? Hmm?" Mackenzie ended her mini-rant with an admission she hadn't meant to say, but now that it was out there, she let it sit for a moment. When she spoke again, it was very softly. "And what will happen when Halloween comes and I have to go back to my time? Will I even be able to go home without those wizards? There are so many unanswered questions and every day, I have that much less time to help. So, you asked me if it's really that bad? The short answer is no, it's absolutely wonderful here in your bed." She smiled up at him, "But, when the sun rises, I have all of those other thoughts interrupting the happiness that I have here."

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"Thank you," Mackenzie murmured softly against his chest.

"For what?" Connor sounded genuinely surprised, and Mackenzie smiled against his skin.

"For believing me, and for trying to see my perspective. I really appreciate the effort. It means a lot to me that you care."

"I do, you know. I care about ye, more than I should in fact. And I am truly sorry that I didn't believe you sooner."

His voice was inexplicably tender, his accent more pronounced.

Mackenzie snuggled deeper into his chest and mumbled "I don't believe it."

"Believe it. Now, what shall we do until we receive word?"

At the hungry light in his eyes, Mackenzie said, "You're insatiable, my Laird. Besides, I'm not completely sure I've forgiven you for all that business earlier." The teasing look in her eyes belied the stern tone.

Connor smiled and almost purred, "My apologies, my Lady.

Allow me to convince you of my remorse." He reached for Mackenzie but she danced out of his reach.

"Oh really? And how's that?"

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"You'll see."

Connor lunged across the bed, but Mackenzie dashed around to where he'd been standing, their positions reversed.

She's quick
, he thought as he lunged after her again. This time he caught her by the wrist and pulled her on top of him as if she weighed nothing.

An indelicate "Oof" came out of her as she sprawled across his hard body. Mackenzie's hair spilled around them and Connor ran his hand through her curls, leaving one to tangle in them, while the other roamed her body.

"You're awfully high-handed, now aren't you?" she frowned at him, their lips a half an inch away.

"Mmm..." Connor brushed his mouth against hers and said,

"If I am, 'tis for your own good."

Mackenzie slapped a hand on his chest, "For my own..."

She never finished her thought as his lips touched hers again, this time more demanding.

"You talk too much."

Connor felt Mackenzie's body melt into his in surrender, and he felt his own body tighten in response. The anticipation of feeling her body beneath his left him breathing hard. He rolled so that she was underneath him, and ran his hands down her body to her thighs. He pulled her sark up to her waist so he could skim his fingers along the satin of her thighs. She was already wet and open, waiting. His fingers had barely touched her dewy soft core when the knock came.

He tore his lips from hers and growled, 204

"Me Laird?" It was Duncan, one of the watchmen. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but you're needed in the yard."

Connor rested his forehead against hers and Mackenzie expelled a long breath. When her eyes met his, he was surprised by the understanding he saw there. Most women would have pouted, or feigned insult, but there was nothing sullen about his Mackenzie.

She simply said, "Go."

"Are ye sure, sweeting? I can be," he paused, "late."

Mackenzie laughed as he wagged his eyebrows at her.

"Far be it for me to be the reason you're late." She gentled her voice, "Go, it sounds like they need you." As he bent down to kiss her, his hands wandered back down to her thighs. Her mumbled, "Connor, it sounded urgent," was lost in the kiss.

"Mm...hmm..." his lips had followed his hands down to her thighs and he spread her legs. When she murmured her protest, he silenced her protests by flicking his tongue across her. Mackenzie gasped and writhed, but Connor held her hips and brought her to climax quickly by sucking gently.

As Mackenzie lay there, looking pleasantly mussed and sated, he stood up and threw on his shirt and fixed his plaid.

With a cocky grin he said, "I'll be back soon to finish that." He walked to the door and paused. He looked pensive.

"You're going to be late," Mackenzie reminded him sitting up and adjusting her shift, pulling the blankets up.

"I am. But 'twas worth it. I meant what I said earlier. I do care for ye sweeting. I'd much appreciate your word that ye'll 205

"Oh," Mackenzie looked down at her hands as they fidgeted with the blankets. "Umm...I have no reason to run anymore." She wouldn't meet his gaze, but even without the benefit of reading her eyes, he could tell what this admission cost her. He felt awful about leaving her right now. Honestly he didn't want to leave her. He strode back to the bed and kissed her deeply, drinking from her lips until she was gasping. He felt a little smug about the affect he had on her.

That was one thing he'd never doubted about her; her reaction to him had always been genuine.

He left her to see what was so urgent in the yard, but as he walked, he thought about the reaction women had always had to him. He had never really given much thought to it, but now he wondered how many women had only been with him because he was the laird and an earl, and how many had actually cared for him. It was hard to be objective and introspective at the same time. He felt that Mackenzie cared for him. She had given him her innocence. His brow furrowed, actually he had taken it. Connor still felt guilty about that.

Although she had been willing, he knew he had seduced her.

He wished that there was a way to right that. Before he reached the training yard, a thought occurred to him; maybe he could right that wrong after all...

Mackenzie watched as Connor left and she idly wondered why his men needed him at, she looked at her watch, five am. Ugh. That seemed to be the average wakeup time around here, though. Connor had said he'd be back soon, but his concept of time differed slightly from Mackenzie's. Mackenzie chuckled at the words "concept of time." Her whole concept of time was completely changed. She would never look at the science fiction novels Jenna loved with disdain again.

Maybe she'd explore the castle some more today. She picked up her clothes and walked to her room. Since Bronwyn usually didn't come with her breakfast tray until seven, Mackenzie had to make do with dressing herself. She wandered toward her trunk of gowns and pulled out a deep blue gown...she thought since the bodice laced up the front, she could manage. Besides, it was the exact color of Connor's eyes. After a couple failed attempts at lacing up her stays, she flung them on the bed, and dug out her bra. She pulled a fresh shift on and then the petticoats and gown. She twisted and turned in the tall oval mirror and thought that the bra gave her a nice natural look, rather than the seemingly in fashion boobs-smooshed-up-to-her-chin-about-to-fall-out look. Vainly, she swiped on some of her favorite "Very Berry"

lip gloss and tucked her purse back into the chair where she seemed to keep forgetting it was.

Before she left, she grabbed her camera and stuffed it in her skirts so no one would see it. She wanted to take as 207

She felt kind of like a spy, sneaking pictures of the castle before the War. After WWI, the bombed parts had been rebuilt in a more gaudy style, with lots of gilded pieces, if she remembered correctly. While the castle of her time was furnished with lots of antiques, she didn't think any of them were original to the castle. They'd been touted as being from the castle's heyday. Supposedly the only pieces that had been kept and passed down from laird to laird was Connor's bedroom furniture; his room was now dubbed the "Laird's Suite." Mackenzie hadn't seen it though; she and Jenna had more modest rooms in the new wing.

Mackenzie took the stairs that led out of the tower, but instead of turning towards the Hall, she turned the opposite direction. She didn't know where she was headed, but she was exploring after all, so she meandered slowly around the first floor snapping pictures when no one was looking. She wished she'd grabbed a brochure or something with a map of the castle, but she'd never picked one up on the tour. She did remember vague bits from her unfinished tour, but nothing was where she thought it would be. Thinking logically, she started on the bottom floor, and tried every door she came across. Most were locked. She ended up in what she assumed was the laird's private office, or solar in this time. She walked to the window and looked out at the yard. Mackenzie folded 208

She saw his men in the yard, but when her eyes scanned for Connor, he was nowhere to be found. Where was he, if it was so urgent, that he wasn't among his men? She looked for Robbie and Dougal, two of the only men she knew by name.

They weren't there either. Her curiosity piqued, Mackenzie walked purposefully out to the main Hall, this time, though, she was looking for Connor.

When she got to the Hall, she realized that something was different. Usually there was a lot of hustle and bustle, or at the very least, people. No one was there. So she went through to the next room, and found the private dining room she and Connor had shared the night before. Also empty.

Something was going down. This was weird. Mackenzie didn't like this.

Just then, a man came striding in through the doors with such a huge plate of food that Mackenzie could only describe it as a platter. He looked so much like Connor that at first she thought he
was
Connor. They shared the same height, build, hair, even the same deep blue sapphire-colored eyes. When the man saw Mackenzie staring at him, his eyes widened slightly, in surprise, she guessed.

"My Lady, what are ye doin' down here?" His brogue was a little thicker and more pronounced than Connor's.

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"Perhaps I can be of service?"

"Perhaps you can tell me your name?" she replied a little tartly.

The man chuckled at her spirit. "Ah, apologies, my Lady, I have been away and we've no' been properly introduced. I am Liam, Connor's younger and better looking brother." His genuine smile and good humor won over Mackenzie much quicker than she'd have expected. "I regret to inform ye that he is with someone at present, mayhap I could help? What is it ye'd be wantin' to talk to me brother about?"

Liam's face was slightly softer than his brother's, but other than that, they really did look alike. Mackenzie realized that she was staring again.

"Oh, I was just wondering if I might go for a ride this morning. I thought it would be best to speak with him about it first."

Liam was looking at her as if he were trying to figure out whether she was friend or foe. Whatever he saw, he must have decided he liked, because his expression went from pensive to cocky.

"I doona see why that should pose a problem. And pray tell, my lady, what is your name?"

"Mackenzie." She knew better by now; she should have said her full name. Liam's eyes lost all warmth.

"You are Mackenzie?" He looked like he wanted to draw his sword.

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She watched Liam thaw slightly.

"Your Christian name is Mackenzie?" He drew it out slowly as if he was trying to reconcile the opposing thoughts of Mackenzie as both his enemy and his ally.

She was annoyed at that, and didn't bother to hide the huffy remark, "Yes, you got a problem with that?"

Liam's eyebrows shot sky high. He noticed her haughty tone, no doubt.

"I'm sorry," Mackenzie sighed. "I've been a little on edge.

Perhaps it's because I haven't eaten yet." It was a sorry excuse, but it seemed to work. Besides, she
was
hungry.

"Then by all means, let us get ye some food. I have cold mutton and potatoes on my plate." Mackenzie must have made a face, because Liam amended, "Or we could try the kitchen. I ken that there is some cheese and fresh bread in the cupboard. Shall we?" Liam offered her his arm. He gave off the same kind of heat that his brother did; Mackenzie could feel it through her clothing. It wasn't altogether unpleasant on this chilly morning.

In the kitchen, Liam handed her a hunk of warm brown bread and kept rummaging until he found some cheese and some fresh apples. Mackenzie took them gratefully. She must've burned more calories last night than sleeping alone, she blushed at the thought. Liam looked questioningly at her, but said nothing, and Mackenzie was instantly grateful for that as well.

"So how did ye come to stay here?"

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