Wild Highland Rose (Time Travel Trilogy, Book 2) (22 page)

She moved slightly, bringing their lips closer together, then brazenly she tasted his lips.  Heaven, pure heaven.

With a groan, he shifted his weight, rolling onto his side, his arm looping around her waist, bringing her with him, their mouths still touching, caressing.  She felt their breath mingling and for a moment she felt as if they were one.  Then she lost all thought as his mouth claimed hers.  There was only sensation, rising, building, deep within her, swelling in power, heading for a crescendo she had never imagined.  She arched against him, every fiber of her being alive and sensitive to his gentle touch.  Her tongue danced with his, circling and withdrawing again and again, first slowly, then faster and faster.  She felt as if the whole world was spinning out of control.

"Marjory?"  The word broke through her ecstasy, pulling her back to reality.  The kiss ended as his hand caressed her face.

She kept her eyes closed and rolled onto her back, willing the moment to continue, not wanting it to end.

"
We can't do this.  You
'
ve been wonderful, but…
"

She felt a tear slip out of the corner of her eye.  There was always a but.

"There's too much to deal with right now.  I don
'
t really know you.  Hell, I don't even know myself."  He sounded apologetic.

She knew she should be relieved.  Instead she felt like she'd lost something she'd only just discovered, and more than anything, she wanted it back.

"Marjory?"  He moved away, sitting up.

She felt the chill of the early morning air against her bare shoulder.  Another tear joined the first.

He caressed her shoulder, lightly, his touch unsure.  "I'm sorry.  I didn
'
t mean for it to get out of hand.  I just wanted to help, to get them to leave.
"

She turned her head and looked at him.  His cheek was wet.  She wondered absently if it was from his tears or hers.  She felt his weight shift as he prepared to get up and, suddenly, she threw off her lethargy.

"Don't."

He stopped and turned back to her.

"Please don't go.  Stay here, with me."  She swallowed her fears.  "I need you.  Please, just hold me?"

He pushed a stray strand of hair off of her forehead.  Her body, still overly sensitized, responded at once. 
"
Just for tonight,
"
he agreed.  He carefully pulled her nightshift back around her shoulders and tied the ribbons.  Then, settling back into the pillows, he reached for her, pulling her close.

She rested her head on his chest, comforted by the steady sound of his heartbeat.  Finally, feeling safe and warm, she drifted off to sleep, wondering exactly what it was that had happened to her this night.  Whatever it was, it had changed her forever.

Cameron opened his eyes with a start.  The cold air against his damp skin made him shiver.  He'd had the dream again.  He could still see the woman scream and feel his foot pressing down on the accelerator.  Chills ran up his spine.  What was he remembering?

Closing his eyes, he tried to sort through his thoughts.  He concentrated on the woman, trying to picture her face, to remember a name.  He knew the dream was important but he had no idea why.

With a sigh, he rolled over, memories of the night before crashing into his beleaguered brain.  Oh, God.  He sat up.  What had he done?  The bed beside him was empty, but that didn
'
t negate the fact that he was here in Marjory
'
s room.  In her bed.

He struggled to remember all that had happened.

There
'
d been lots of drinking; the pounding in his head was testament to that.  There
'
d been Allen's lewd suggestion and the midnight raid on Marjory
'
s bedroom.

His mind obediently trotted out the memory of her lips pressed against his, the soft curve of her hip pressed against him, the warmth of her body.  His body tightened with desire, wanting her now even more than last night.  Except that he had no right
—
not to want her, and certainly not to take her.

At least he'd had the decency to stop.  Nothing irreversible had happened.  They'd played their roles for Torcall and that was it
,
except that he hadn't left.  He'd stayed with her, slept with her.  He sighed, angry at himself, at his own weakness.  Somehow, by staying with her and not making love, he
'
d won from her a hesitant trust.  A bond of sorts had been formed.

Which was a great mistake.  Cameron absolutely could not let himself have feelings for this woman.  He had no idea who he was.  In light of the dream, it seemed entirely possible that he already had commitments.  Why else would he keep dreaming of the blonde?

He had to go back.  Had to find his identity.  Reclaim whatever it was he
'
d lost.  This place was not his destiny.  Of that he was certain.  He didn't belong here and he had no business romancing anyone, especially not Marjory.  Her face flashed through his mind, and he sucked in a breath at the memory of the soft smile that had curled the corners of her lips as she snuggled against him, drifting off to sleep.

He shook his head viciously, purging his mind of all thoughts of her.  He would play his role, nothing more.  He
'
d help her convince Torcall to go back to Tyndrum.  Once Torcall was gone, Cameron would find his way home or die trying.

With that thought, he threw back the covers.  He needed the sanctuary of his own room.  Striding across the stone floor, he threw open the door.  Sunlight filled the room.  He squinted, rubbing his temples, feeling the full effects of last night's ale.

What he needed was a little more sleep.  He'd face the music after that, when his head had stopped its rendition of jungle drums.  He slipped between the curtains and fell into the bed, grateful for the cool darkness.

"
I thought ye'd ne'er arrive.
"

A slim, naked body, rolled on top of him.  Warm breath caressed his cheek.  Long golden hair brushed against his shoulders.  Hard nipples pressed against his chest.

"Thinking of you in there, with her, has only made me want ye more," Aida purred in his ear.

Cameron shifted, rolling away and sitting up, unceremoniously dumping his mistress back onto the bed.  "What the hell are you doing here?"

Aida sat up, too, her lips curved in a calculated pout.  Cameron had seen that look before, but couldn't remember where.  "I told ye, I was waiting fer you.  When ye dinna come to my chamber, I decided to come to you here.  But ye were in there
—
with her.  So I decided to wait.  Give ye a reward after a night with that."

She jerked her head in the direction of the door to Marjory's room and then smiled, a slow sultry smile meant to turn a man's bones to jelly.  Arching her back, she stretched  like a cat, her breasts thrust out invitingly.  She rubbed her hands along the length of her body, a suggestive caress that ended with her hands between her thighs.

Cameron had to admit it was a provocative display, but something in him was more disgusted than enticed. 
"
Look, Aida, I've had a long night and what I need right now is a little sleep.
"
  She ran a finger down his chest, the corner of her mouth turning up with anticipation.  He groaned in frustration.
 
"Alone, Aida."

Her eyes narrowed.  "Are ye telling me ye dinna want me anymore?"

Actually, he was telling her that he had never wanted her, but that wouldn't do.  No good letting word get back to Torcall that he had rejected his mistress.  Even with his memory loss, that was too far out of character, a sure sign that something was wrong.
 
"No, I'm telling you that I don
'
t want you right now.  I'm exhausted.  Okay?"

She continued to watch him, but her face relaxed.  She stroked his cheek.  "I'll be waiting fer ye, and I promise it will be much better than lying with that cold hearted she-witch yer married to."  She let her hand drop to his crotch, caressing him
through the thin woolen material of his underwear.

He covered her hand with his.  "I said, later."

She gave one last stroke.  "As ye wish, but ye canna deny that a part of ye wants me to stay."

Smiling seductively, she pushed back the bed curtains and stepped out onto the floor.  The sunlight illuminated her body and Cameron had to admit it was magnificent, but his admiration lacked desire.  He simply did not want this woman.

The door to Marjory
'
s room opened with a thump.

"Ewen, are you in there?  I brought you something to eat."  Marjory stood in the archway holding a tray of food.  He watched helplessly as she took in the scene.  Aida standing by the bed in all her glory.  Him, in bed, nearly naked.  She swallowed convulsively, color draining from her face.  Biting her lip, she backed up a step.  "I…I dinna know you were…you had…I mean…I thought…"  She stopped, evidently unable to say more.

Aida turned to face Marjory, defiant in her nakedness.  "Cat got yer tongue then, dearie.  Ye canna be surprised to find that yer husband prefers a more experienced woman.  Surely ye canna think he would give up someone like me for the likes o' you?"

The tray crashed to the ground at Marjory's feet.  Tears filled her eyes as she bent and began frantically trying to pick up the scattered food.

Cameron felt sick.  "Marjory, wait…"  He leapt from the bed, surprised at the strength of his feelings, his desire to comfort her, to set things right.  He pushed Aida aside and knelt beside Marjory, trying to help her.  She pushed his hands away, her eyes meeting his.  The pain reflected there tore at him.

"I dinna need your help."  He watched as she pushed all emotion from her face, replacing it with a mask of studied calm.  Slowly, with dignity, she rose, tray in hand.  "And I dinna care what you do or who you do it with."  She turned to face Aida, her disdainful gaze tracing a path from golden head to bare feet. 
"
I'll just leave this here."  She put the tray on a table.  "And maybe the two of you can enjoy it after…after you've enjoyed each other.
"

The ice queen was back.  With a glacial nod at the two of them, she turned and went back into the other room, quietly closing the door behind her.

"There was no need to embarrass her like that, Aida.  It was bad enough that she walked in and found you here."

"'Tis yer chamber and yer business who ye have in it."  Aida snapped, tossing her head, completely unrepentant.

"Yes, but this is her house."

"And yours.  Are ye taking her side against mine, then?"  Her eyes narrowed as she glared at him accusatorily.

This was too complicated.  He was trying to protect Marjory, but in doing so he had hurt her himself, basically defeating the whole purpose.  He sighed, sit
ting on the edge of the bed. 
"Look, Aida, I'm not taking anyone's side.  I'm too tired to deal with this at all right now.  So be a good girl and get dressed and get out of here.  All right?"

A petulant frown marred her lovely features, but she obeyed his request, pulling an embroidered shift over her head.  "Fine.  I'll go.  But I'm telling ye, Ewen Cameron, ye belong to me, no matter who yer married to.  Dinna forget it."  She bent and kissed him, her lips lingering in the hope of an invitation to stay.  When he didn't respond, she flicked her hair behind a slender shoulder and flounced from the room.

Cameron lay back on the bed, totally exhausted.  Women were obviously the same in any century.  And a man would basically be wise to stay clear of them all.

*****

An hour later, Cameron stood in a corral of sorts swinging a claymore.  He wasn
'
t certain how exactly to use the thing, but there must be something to muscle memory for instinctively he thrust and parried, sometimes hitting the straw-filled target in the middle of the pen
,
sometimes not.

He
'
d seen the practice ring from his bedroom window, and given everyone
'
s penchant for drawing swords it seemed a good idea to familiarize himself with the weapon. Unfortunately
,
the damn thing weighed a ton, and even with Ewen
'
s considerable mass, he was still listing sadly to one side or the other with each swing.

Still, despite his ineptitude, it was as good a way as any to let off steam.

"
Yer holding it too high
.
"
 
Fingal Macgillivray stood at the edge of the enclosure, one foot braced on a crossbar.

Everyone was a critic.  Cameron shot the man a leave-me-the-hell-alone look, but Fingal only grinned. 
"
It
'
s throwing off yer balance.  Pull it in tighter to yer body, and center yer weight on the balls o
'
yer feet.
"