The Pleasure Master (19 page)

His expression grew puzzled as he glanced down to the part of his body that was obviously in question. “A lass has ne'er asked me such a question. I havena e'er
measured
it.”

Peter's lights flashed. “We've got wee, not so wee, and frickin' huge.”

Kathy grinned.
So I Married an Axe Murderer
. Great quote.

Neil glared at Peter, then turned away. “Let me tell ye some of the things I would do to ye.” He lowered his voice so they couldn't hear any more.

Ian studied Kathy. “Ye've ne'er told me what these movies are that Peter speaks from. I ken they tell tales, but 'tis all I know about them.”

Kathy shrugged. “They're large moving pictures with sound that tell a story.” She felt frustrated. Movies were so much more than that. She wished she could show him one.
Uh, uh. It'll never happen. Don't even think about it
.

Ian looked intrigued, but said nothing more about the movies. “As soon as Neil finishes speaking wi' Coco, I'll get rid of him so ye may dress.” His gaze grew thoughtful. “Ye thought of telling my brothers I'd won the challenge. Ye didna. Why?”

“Technically, you didn't. We didn't actually . . . You didn't . . .”
I wanted you to.

His gaze slid over her, and even though she was covered up to her chin, she could feel the touch of his fingers, remember the pressure of his body, the coiling want in the pit of her stomach.

“But we will.”

“If you're so confident, then why're you taking so long? If you wait, one of your brothers might win.”

His lips lifted in the smile that turned her insides to mush. “Mayhap I enjoy the challenge. Mayhap I deny the pleasure so 'twill be sweeter when finally tasted.” He glanced over at his brother.

“Ye would do
what
to me?” Neil looked truly shocked.

Ian returned his attention to Kathy. “I dinna need to worry about my brothers for a while yet.”

Neil's laughter caught their attention. “Ye sound like a bonny lass. I would meet ye. When Kathy of Hair returns to her land, I will go wi' her.” His voice lowered, grew husky. “Tell all other men they willna be welcome any longer. Ye'll need only me to warm yer bed.”

Kathy glanced at Ian. “You can officially start worrying.” She motioned to Neil. “Bring me the phone so I can talk to Coco.”

She took the phone as she watched Ian guide Neil toward the tunnel. “What's the date, Coco?”

“And hello to you, too. It's January twentieth. I lied to the police and had your car towed to Mel's. He says you need a new radiator. You don't want
to know how much. I called your job and put them off for a while with a story about you being called away because of a sick relative. I've been going to your apartment and watering your plants. Your ivy looked lonely so I talked to it for a while. Your mom left a message on your machine from one of her cruise stops. I figured you didn't want their trip ruined with the piddling news about their only daughter disappearing to Scotland and living in a cave with a primitive Highlander. Did I forget something?”

“Sounds like you've covered all the bases. Thanks.” She watched Ian crouch to stir the fire and enjoyed the flex of muscles across his back, the long line of his spine, the strong curve of buttocks and thighs. And thought about last night.

“So what's Neil look like?” The eagerness in Coco's voice surprised her. Coco's contempt for men was legendary. That was why Kathy had wanted her to take care of the divorce. Coco was like a piranha where cheating husbands were concerned.

“He shaved off his beard, and he's . . .” She cast Ian a worried glance. He didn't seem to be paying attention. “He's gorgeous. Dimples, green eyes, knife-edge cheekbones. Real model material.”

“Hmm.” There was a world of interest in the comment. “You know, I haven't had an alpha male in ages. Bring him along when you come home.”

“Sure.” Right. Like she didn't have enough trouble figuring out how to get herself home. “Talk to you later.”

“Wait, Kathy.” Coco's voice grew serious. “I don't know why you've made up this story, but I guess you need some time to yourself. If you decide to chuck the time-travel tale, give a yell, and I'll come get you.”

“Thanks.” She blinked back sudden tears as she put her phone back in her purse, then looked up to find Ian staring at her.

“What did Coco say?”

“She thinks Neil sounds like a really
fine
man. That spells trouble for you. By the way, how do you decide when someone wins? Coco wants me to bring Neil back with me.”

“She must tell all that she will lay wi' him.” He didn't seem overly concerned.

“That's not really fair. She won't know anything until she meets him in person.”

His smile was wicked. “'Tis a hard task I've set Neil, but if he is worthy, Coco willna need to see him.” His smile softened. “Would ye not wish to take me home wi' ye?”

“Don't play games, Ian. I know you'd never come.” She
wanted
to go home, but to go home without even a snapshot of Ian left her with a hollow feeling in her stomach.

“I know you don't believe I traveled from another time, but just for a moment assume I'm telling the truth. Help me brainstorm ways to get back. You don't think it was just a random blip in the universe, do you? Sort of like God burping?”

“'Tis a wondrous moment when ye ask my opinion on any matter.” His smile was open, a hint of
humor glinting in his eyes, and Kathy wondered how often he allowed himself to speak with a woman just for fun, with no agenda.

“I believe all things happen for a reason. I believe ye came from a distant land, but I dinna believe ye came from a distant time.” He shifted his gaze to where Malin was taking his usual position atop Peter. “And if ye dinna remember traveling here on yer own, then someone or something brought ye.”

“You think Peter's responsible.” Not Peter, really. There had to be some intelligence, some life-force guiding Peter. But why?

Ian shrugged. “All yer toys seem strange, but only Peter speaks words that make sense wi' what's happening.”

She nodded. “And there has to be something keeping my cell phone working. Talk about roaming charges.”

Ian's puzzled frown reminded her how really far apart they were.

“Okay, suppose Peter
is
responsible for this whole thing. How do I convince him to send me home? I've already come right out and asked him.”

“Tell me exactly what ye said right before ye found yerself here.” He lowered his gaze and she studied the contrast of thick sooty lashes against tanned skin.

She guessed there was no way of avoiding the words if she wanted his help. “I wished for warmth, peace, conveniences, and a subservient man. At least Peter could've given me one of those.”

“What does subservient mean?” He lifted his
gaze, and she reacted just as she did every time he looked at her.

“It means a man who'll do anything I want him to do, but won't want anything back.”

His laughter startled her. It was deep and joyous, and it made her feel good all over. She would have said nothing could make her feel good all over right now. Go figure.

“Ye've come to the wrong place to find a man such as this.”

He was making her grumpy. “Like I didn't know that already? Are you going to help me think of a way out of this mess or not?”

“Dinna fash yerself, lass. Mayhap ye need to tell Peter the opposite of what ye want. 'Tis what he seems to have given ye.”

Kathy raked Ian's strong body with a considering glance. Maybe not.

Then she looked at Peter. She took a deep breath. She'd say it quickly before she could think of consequences, of how she'd feel if she never saw Ian Ross again. “I
don't
want to go home, Peter.”

Nothing. She wondered at her small sigh of relief. No way did she want to stay in this time with a man whose whole purpose in life was to seduce her so he could win a contest. “I guess that wasn't it. So what do I say to him next?”

Ian looked distracted. “Ye seem to assume Peter's male. He has the contrary nature of a woman.”

She narrowed her gaze. “He's aggravating and manipulative. Definitely male.”

Laughter shone in Ian's eyes, lifted the corners of his expressive mouth, flipped her heart like an overdone pancake.

“Mayhap we should speak of something else ere we come to blows.”

She shrugged. “Fine. Let's talk about you.”

He shook his head, and his hair fell into another fascinating pattern across his shoulders. Just thirty minutes. She'd kill for just thirty minutes with her hands in his incredible hair. “What's to talk about? And don't ask me to explain all the words you don't know. I'd be old and gray before I finished.”

“What do ye miss most about yer land?” His gaze grew intense, as though her answer was important to him.

“My parents.” She could feel tears gathering at the thought of never seeing them again. “They live over in Jersey. Dad loves working in his garden, even if his tomatoes are never as big as Clyde Wilson's next door, and Mom is the world's best cook. No one makes a meatloaf like she does.” She smiled through her tears.

He seemed uneasy with her emotion. “Aye, but I mean what
things
do ye miss.”

She thought. Her car? Electricity? Hot water? “It's funny, but I don't really miss some of the big things I thought I'd miss. I think I miss some of the small things.” The realization startled her.

“I miss the things that have sentimental value.”

“I would hear an example.”

“I miss . . .” The answer popped into her head. “I miss my shell necklace.”

“I dinna understand.”

It seemed silly, but there it was. “When I was about six years old, Mom and Dad took me to the beach. I lay in the sun too long and got the mother of all sunburns. While I was busy sniffling and whining, Dad went into a shop on the boardwalk and bought me this necklace made from pretty shells. He came back with it and told me that whenever I wore it, whatever was hurting would stop, that it would make me strong.” She grinned. “I was six years old. I believed him. But that old necklace has always been special to me.” Her smile died. “I hope I get to see it again.”

He said nothing, simply stared at her. She glanced away, embarrassed. “I guess you never bothered with sentimental stuff.”

“Nay.”

Just the one word, but it said a lot about Ian's life. She felt sorry for him, and the feeling bothered her. On the surface, he seemed like a man who had it all.
But what do you have if you don't have any emotional connections?

“Right. It was a silly story.” She climbed from her bed and busied herself gathering the things she needed to get dressed.

He nodded toward the room that held the Pleasure Master's bed. “I'll be in there when ye finish dressing.”

She dressed quickly, making sure Peter wasn't paying attention. For some reason, she was thinking of Peter as almost human. A manipulating male. And she didn't dress in front of strange males. She
glanced in Peter's direction. A very
strange
male.

When she finished dressing, she wandered over to pat Malin's head. He greeted her with a friendly growl. She glanced down at Peter.

“You know, Peter, you're really messing up my world.”

His amber lights flashed, a sure sign he was getting ready to mouth off.

“I am not under any orders to make the world a better place.”

Ian was still staring at the bed when he sensed her behind him. She didn't touch him, but he needed no touch to recognize her.

“I guess this bed is sort of like my necklace. You'd miss it if you had to leave.” She was speaking in that hushed voice she'd used before when near the bed.

“'Tis different. Yer necklace is a symbol of yer parents' love. It has a place in yer heart. The bed is only a reminder of the joy of physical joining. There is no remembrance of love attached.” He turned and strode from the chamber.

She followed him. “I think you're wrong, Ross. I bet your great grandfather and the woman who owned that bed loved each other. No matter what you say, I can feel the love in that bed.”

The talk of love bothered him, even though he'd never admit it to her. He felt the need to escape the cave, to walk beside the sea with no thoughts of seduction or his brothers' challenge.

“I would ride to the shore and walk there for a while. Ye must come wi' me.” He would leave her sitting on a rock where he could see her; then he would let the joy of the sea take him, free him as it always freed him when he worried overmuch.

“Sounds like fun.” Her smile was full of eager anticipation, and he pushed aside his immediate response to that smile.

“I can't remember what fun is for.”

Peter's voice reminded Ian of Colin's when he was a wee lad and followed their father around begging for a sweet.

His father would laugh and give him what he whined for. Ian received very few sweets because he would never beg. His father had taught him young that the Pleasure Master never beseeched others for anything.

“Can we take Peter?”

“'Tis amazing. Ye condemn me for trying to manipulate ye, but yon wee devil is manipulating ye, and ye dinna say a word.” He didn't want to share his morning with Peter.

“Yon wee devil holds my ticket back to New York in his wee power.”

Resentment touched him. She couldn't wait to escape him. But he swore that when she left she'd take with her a memory like no other.

“If we take Peter, Malin must go also. He willna
allow Peter to go wi' out him.” That should discourage her.

“Great. We can pack something to eat, and it'll be like a family picnic.” She was fairly bursting with excitement.