Highland Destiny (27 page)

Connor dipped his head and kissed from her neck to her collarbone, and down her arm as he slipped the sark off her shoulder revealing the satiny skin beneath. When he got to her fingers, he nipped her ring finger and Mackenzie gasped as he drew it into his mouth and sucked. He raised his eyes back to hers and trapped her gaze in his own. Connor slid her sark down her body and Mackenzie was helpless to do anything but stare into the dark blue pools of molten desire his eyes had become. It was a heady feeling to know that she was the reason his eyes were so dark; she had never before felt so powerful. He wanted her and this time she knew what to do.

Mackenzie unwrapped his plaid from the chieftain brooch and pushed it off his shoulder. Connor held perfectly still and let it fall to the floor with Mackenzie's pile of clothes. Next Mackenzie dragged his shirt over his head; it too joined the growing pile of clothing. Mackenzie couldn't help but marvel at his hard body with all its scars hinting at the power and danger this man carried. She let her fingers trail down from his chest to the patch of hair on his stomach, and lower still.

She could feel his muscles clench and his breath stop as she wrapped her fingers around his erection. She quickly found his rhythm and knelt down to press her lips to his lower abs.

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He pressed her back against the cold wall and lifted one of her long legs, hitching it around his hip. She was tall enough that he didn't have to lift her. He slipped inside her and Mackenzie reveled in the groan wrenched from him. This was how she liked Connor; out of control. He pushed into her again and again until they were both panting, and Mackenzie was moaning with every breath. She couldn't wait any longer.

"Oh God Connor, I'm so close."

"Just let go, love."

With her back pressed against the cold wall and the heat from Connor's body warming her, Mackenzie shuddered with the force of her orgasm and she melted into Connor's arms as he spent himself in her.

Slowly he withdrew from her and slid her leg down only to gently pick her up and carry her to the bed. He was looking at her like he was waiting for her to say something.

"What?" Mackenzie frowned when he didn't answer. She touched the crease line in between his eyebrows. "What is it?"

"I'm so sorry."

Her frown deepened. "For what?"

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"Oh," she grinned, her breathing still not yet returned to normal. "Don't worry about it; I liked it up against the wall like a common whore."

Her mischievous look had Connor laughing.

"Och do ye lass? Well I should be a gentleman and oblige ye."

Her eyes widened innocently, "Why my Laird, whatever do you mean?"

Connor gripped her by her hips, flipped her over onto her belly, and slid in from behind.

His lips brushed her ear as he whispered, "Let me show you."

Connor had slipped out of bed around dawn to fetch his new bride some breakfast. He had noticed she did not rise at dawn like most did, so he thought he would let her sleep.

Especially since he hadn't let her sleep much the night before.

He'd woken her a couple times during the too short night to find her eager and wet. He smiled at the memory of their last coupling. He had woken her by slipping in from behind while they slept together, snuggled like two spoons in a drawer.

Her body had responded immediately even before she was fully awake. Her gasp of surprise and pleasure was all the encouragement he had needed. He had never known anyone who was so willing and giving without asking for anything in return. Not even his love.

She loved him. Connor hadn't wanted to say anything yet—-Mackenzie would think he was only saying it in response to her admission. He wanted to make it special when he said it to her, so she would know his heart meant it. Although she now had his name as her own, he wanted to further ensure her bond to him. What it ultimately came down to was that he didn't want her to leave. Perhaps if he got her with child, she wouldn't be able to leave? The thought that he had not taken any precautions with her thus far led to the thought that mayhap she might be with child already.

By the time he entered the dining room, Connor was grinning so wide that a serving girl nervously giggled and peered at him from beneath her lashes before she darted out 265

"Ah the new groom. I see by your smile that ye had a pleasant night."

Connor turned and smiled with an excited light in his eyes.

"Aye Liam, although the night was too short, my brother, too short indeed."

They both laughed at the implications.

"Good Connor, ye deserve it. Ye have been too serious of late. Right glad it is I am to see how your new bride has brought such happiness to your eyes."

Connor pulled out a chair and sat down next to his brother.

"I think you should know the truth, Liam, about me bonnie bride."

Liam's eyes narrowed, but he merely nodded for Connor to proceed with his tale. Connor knew Liam well enough to know that he would save his judgment until the end. His brother had always been a fair-minded man. Liam had a hot temper, but he had always been a fair man.

"She is not who you think she is, Liam. She's...she is," his uncharacteristic struggle for words had Liam's curiosity piqued. "She is unlike any woman I've ever met. She's the Stewart lass, as I'm sure you ken." Without waiting for Liam to acknowledge him, Connor continued, "I abducted John Campbell's betrothed ere he met her."

"Aye, brother, I had heard that."

Connor interrupted his brother, "She's not English, as our informant led us to believe. Which means the Campbell hasn't 266

"Has she got any Scotts blood in her at all?"

"Aye, I believe her grandmother was from the highlands.

There's Scotts in her blood. I can feel it. More than that, she can trace her lineage to royalty. But the Campbell doesn't ken more than she is his abducted bride. He needs her blood. He plans to sacrifice her to secure his position through his use of the dark arts. He plans to charm his army with her blood. Her blood is the key to the dark forces. He will transform his army into one merged with the dark magicks he so faithfully worships. Once they are merged he will be nigh unstoppable.

But we have her, Liam. We have the Stewart lass, and he will come for her. There was an attempt on her life her first night here. I've been thinking about that a lot, and I believe that it was meant merely as a warning; he knew I'd kill those men.

He needs her alive. His deadline is Samhain and then her life is forfeit. We have to keep her safe til then, Liam. We have to!" Connor pounded his fist into the table so hard it drew blood.

Liam finally spoke, "We will keep her safe brother. We canna let the Campbell get his hands on her, that much is evident." He paused thoughtfully, and then his eyes 267

Connor shifted slightly, almost uncomfortably, "Well, Liam, here's the crux of the matter. There's a wee bit more to the story. My new wife is not only from the America's, but she's from 200 years in the future. She is from the year 2010."

Liam gaped. When he finally spoke it sounded as if he were choking, "She's from...where?"

Connor would've been amused at Liam's expression, except he knew how he felt. "Not where, but when.

Approximately 218 years from now. She'll no' even be born til the year nineteen hundred and eighty-seven."

"Be serious, Connor." Liam had regained his composure and his voice was firmer, angry now.

"I am serious, my brother. There'll no' be a Stewart lass born for almost 200 years. The Campbell's magicians took her from her time and brought her here. She was on her way to meet the Campbell when I found her carriage and took her.

She says that they were asking for her help to defeat the Campbell."

"Can they be trusted?"

"I'm no' sure. They fed her some tale about breaking the curse, and she agreed to help, but I doona think she knew to just what she was agreeing."

"But what if they were only securing her agreement for pretenses? They could be in league with the Campbell and taking her to him, rather than for their so-called noble 268

"I've thought of that, believe me, Liam, I have. But I've no way of knowing what they are thinking. If I could just speak with them face to face, then I might read their eyes and their intentions." His expression turned black. "If they brought her here to sacrifice her, if they lied to her...they will never get the chance to regret it."

"And what of the curse, Connor? Do ye think this will end it?"

Connor laughed harshly and raked his hand through his hair. "Until recently, Liam, I never believed in the curse. Now, why not? I think that, nay, I
know
that Mackenzie Stewart was brought here for something special, something extraordinary, more than what even she thinks. Whether 'tis ending the curse or defeating the Campbell, I'm no' sure, mayhap she will do it? I'm no' sure of anything anymore, Liam." Connor paused. This next part was the hardest for him to admit. His voice softened and thickened and he spoke slowly, "The only thing I am sure of is that I love her. I love her so much and I am so selfish that I want to keep her here.

How can I do that to her? She is set to return to her own time on Samhain, but how can I let her go? How can I tear my own heart out?"

Connor's beseeching look stunned Liam for a second, but he spoke quickly, and softly, not wanting to antagonize Connor.

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"I'm no' daft, Liam. I'm no liar, and ye ken I'm no' gullible, that I have to believe what I've seen and heard wi' me own eyes and ears."

"But Connor, ye believe that you're married to a lass from the future?" Liam protested.

"Aye, Liam, I ken how it sounds, but I have proof." And Connor smugly produced Mackenzie's digital camera from his plaid with a flourish. "Here, Liam. Look." Connor snapped his picture and turned it so Liam could see himself and examine the device.

"By all that is holy, what is this?" Liam hissed from between stiff lips. He made no move to take the camera.

"A digital camera. I'm no' sure what that means, but it captures your likeness and displays it. Here, look. These are—

-what did she call them?—-oh, pictures from her time."

Connor hit Review and scrolled through the pictures until he found what he was looking for. "This is our castle," he paused, "218 years from now."

Liam's face had turned white, then red. It settled on a more normal hue as he asked, "What is
that?
" He was indicating the new wing added on to the original keep.

"An expansion. Mackenzie says that our home will be a lodging for travelers one day, an inn of sorts. It is still owned by MacRaes in her time. The current laird still lives there with his family."

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"I trust her, Liam."

"I ken ye fancy yourself in love wi' her, Connor, but how can ye be so sure?" he pressed.

Connor glared at his brother. "I said I trust her, Liam.

Implicitly." His tone brooked no argument, and Liam knew his brother well enough to see that he felt she was true.

Liam slowly shook his head from side to side in amazement and annoyance. Connor found another picture, this one was of Mackenzie and some other girl, and showed his brother the screen with a smile. "Look at how the women dress. Is it no' shameful?"

Liam took in the sheer tank tops and jeans with wide, bugging eyes. "I can see her breasts! Connor, what are they wearing?"

Connor shook his head ruefully and said, "I haven't figured that out yet. Here look at this."

It was a picture of Mackenzie and Jenna when they had landed in the airport. Mackenzie was wearing sunglasses, khaki capris, and a pink twinset, while Jenna wore a blue spaghetti strap sundress, and both girls looked extraordinarily happy. They were posed next to a lit billboard advertising the castle they'd be staying in...Connor's castle.

"What...is...that?" Liam choked out. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the impossibility of Connor's words.

"I've no idea." Connor almost laughed.

Liam scrolled through the hundred or so pictures until he got back to his own. Then he went through them a second 271