Chapter 9
December, Present Day
Maryland
The box had been silent for weeks. Sometimes Lainie swore she could still hear the echo of his laugh in the firelight.
Could still feel his heartbeat inside her chest. Love wasn’t supposed to cross centuries, yet somehow it had found a way.
When snow began to fall that December morning, she knew she couldn’t wait any longer.
Large white clumps drifted down from the clouds, covering the trees and ground surrounding Lainie’s house. A month had gone by since she’d sent Donell back to his time. She’d thrown herself into her work, but now she was on her Christmas vacation. She was starting to feel lonely.
The time he’d been gone certainly flew by.
Time always did when she was busy. Her hectic schedule was part of the reason why she couldn’t focus on a relationship.
But then again, she’d never met a man like Donell.
For him, she would make the time. She wanted someone other than her family and friends to be proud of her. She wanted a man. She wanted Donell.
Even though her article on Inverness, Scotland, had only been published a couple of weeks ago, she’d gotten rave reviews and several new jobs from it.
She’d even been nominated for an award. The report was her best piece of writing yet, and she owed it all to Donell.
He inspired her, elicited a more creative side she hadn’t known she possessed.
People commented about how magical she’d made Scotland appear.
She was excited for the new year, which so far looked as if she would be traveling the world more often than she would be at home.
Still, somehow, with all the excitement of her career blooming, she felt empty inside.
Lainie sipped on her wine, staring absently at the movie she’d been trying to watch. Above the television on a wall shelf sat the beautiful Scottish box.
Donell’s box.
Her gaze kept drifting from the movie to the box. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have Donell with her for Christmas, maybe longer? She told him she would call him to her once a month. Perhaps now was the time.
Taking a large gulp of her wine, she stood to get the box. She stroked its silky smoothness, which could only come from wood that had been lovingly cared for over centuries.
The box was warm, and she smiled at the memory of Donell’s warmth.
Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and her hands moistened.
She was jittery and nervous. What if it didn’t work?
What if he’d been harmed in his time? He’d said they were warring with the MacRaes…
What if the final moments they’d spent together were truly their last?
Sucking in her breath, she set the box down.
She didn’t want to call him until she was fully prepared.
Lainie fetched another glass, refilling hers and the new one with wine. She set the glasses and the bottle on the coffee table. Then she lit her fireplace and turned off the movie. Looking around, she noted her house was as neat as anyone’s could be. The house looked perfect. Did she?
She laughed out loud, remembering how much he liked her naked beneath her silk robe, and ran up the stairs to wash up and change. When she returned to the living room, it occurred to her that this was the first time Donell would see her home. How odd, since she felt like she’d known him for years.
Feeling completely ready and comfortable, Lainie grabbed a cloth from her kitchen and dampened it under the faucet.
She sat on her couch and tenderly opened the box.
There, nestled in the MacDuff plaid, which meant everything to her lover, was his brooch.
He’d made sure to replace the MacRae colors with his own, still angry about how it ended up there in the first place.
She smiled, thinking about her man, and again the fear that he wouldn’t come to her took over. Her stomach turned, making her feel queasy.
Best to just get it over with and find out. Lainie carefully took out the brooch and wiped it with the damp cloth, rubbing gently. The brooch in the box hummed softly, the engraved lines pulsing like a heartbeat, as if it were giving life to the man himself.
Knowing what to expect this time, she observed in amazement as the air around her turned hazy and time felt as if it stopped. Lainie’s heart fluttered a rhythmic beat, and she had to force her hands to stop shaking.
Please let Donell come to me.
Fascinated, she stared at her hands that were now empty of the precious brooch.
The familiar SWOOSH! sounded in the air.
Licking her lips, she nervously opened her eyes and watched as the thickened air swirled, almost like a tornado, in front of her.
The swirl became increasingly opaque, and vivid colors danced; and then the form of Donell began to take shape.
A choked sob and laugh combined escaped from her throat, and she clasped her hands to her face. It worked!
He was here, right before her eyes.
Donell was just as magnificent as she remembered. He stood tall, his body nearly naked except for the plaid he wore around his hips, and flipped over his shoulder.
“Donell!” Lainie shrieked. She leaped from her place on the couch and ran to him.
“Ah, Lainie lass.”
He reached for her, wrapping his arms around her waist and swinging her in the air, his lips connecting with hers.
His fiery kiss ignited the passion within her.
A month was too long for her to go without his kiss, his touch.
She crushed her mouth to his, pushing her way inside with her tongue, to taste him.
His mouth tasted sweet like fruit, and the velvet of his tongue was almost more than she could handle.
Lainie shifted to place tiny kisses along his face and then slid her mouth back to his. She couldn’t believe he was back. Her body and mind hummed with excitement. “I missed you so much,” she said into his kiss.
“And I ye. In my time, I was a laird with no heart left to give,” he murmured. “Ye gave it back to me.”
They broke apart to stare at one another. “I was scared it wouldn’t work.” Lainie led him to the couch, her hands clasped in his. The wine was all but forgotten; all she wanted to do was touch him, hold him, kiss him.
“I was, too. When I returned home, all I could think about was when ye’d call for me. I went to the cave every day. My clan has been worried about me because I kept brooding, wishing I could bring myself to ye.”
“Oh, Donell, I wish you could have!” Lainie placed her hand on his thigh instinctively and shivered at the feel of his hot skin beneath her fingertips. The prickliness of his curly leg hairs tickled her senses.
“Lainie, there is somethin’ we must discuss.” His gaze was serious, and her heart sank just a bit. Did he want her to send him back? What if he never wanted to return to her again? “Aw, honey, ‘tis not so bad, dinna cry.”
Donell’s large yet tender fingers wiped at the tears beginning to spill with his words. She grabbed his hands and pressed them to her lips.
“My love, I have made a decision, and I hope ‘tis somethin’ ye can accept.”
Closing her eyes for a moment, Lainie took a deep breath. “I understand, Donell.” She braced herself for his words.
“My brother and I are verra close.”
“Ian?”
“Aye, Ian. He is my twin. I was named laird because I was born twelve minutes before him.” Donell chuckled.
“I can see you are much older and wiser.” Lainie laughed with him, wondering what his life as a laird was like.
“‘Tis all quite ridiculous. What I wanted to tell ye lass is, if ye will accept me, I have left Ian in charge of the clan. He didna believe me, but as ye called for me while I was discussing it with him, I am sure he believes me now.”
“Oh, Donell!” Lainie didn’t know what to say; so many things were running through her mind.
He wanted to stay? To be with her? “What about your brother, will he not be worried for you? Should you go back one more time, to at least finish what you were talking about? Won’t MacRae believe you really did run away with his daughter? ”
“Ah, MacRae, we settled our dispute. After what ye told me of your ancestor, I told MacRae the news, sayin’ I’d heard whispers of it amongst the clan.
He confirmed the story and let her be.” Donell leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose.
“My brother understands. We’d been talkin’ about it since I returned.
I knew from the moment I took ye to the cave, I had to come back to ye. ”
Lainie was thrilled with his words. Although she’d believed their previous arrangement would work out, she knew now she couldn’t live without Donell in her life.
Throwing her arms around him, she squeezed him tight.
“So ye’ll let me stay then?” he asked, holding her, stroking her back.
“I couldn’t live without you, Donell.”
“I have somethin’ for ye, I’ve been holding it since I returned to me time.
” He dipped his hand into a pouch hanging from the belt that held his plaid in place around his hips.
When his hand emerged, he held several glittering amethysts, emeralds, and pearls.
They were larger than any she’d ever seen. Lainie’s mouth dropped open.
“Donell, where did you get those?” She was afraid he’d stolen them.
“They are mine, Lainie, from my own claymore. I willna be needing it here. I am not quite sure how your world works, or how I can pay my way, but I think these should help for a little while. I also have some gold coins.” He patted the pouch again, which jangled with the coins inside.
“Ye did say a man in your life would need money so he could travel with ye.”
Lainie stared at him, eyes wide, still not believing what she was seeing and hearing.
He’d listened to her when she said that?
She’d been joking. Her heart melted just thinking about how much he must want to be with her.
“They should more than help for a while, Donell. I do believe you have just set yourself for life.”
“Really? Then I should be free to travel with ye. I promise not to get in the way of your work.”
Looking at the size of the gems he held in his hand, she nodded. She wanted to jump for joy. “Oh, yes. You should be free to do whatever you please.”
“It would please me greatly to spend my life with ye, Lainie.” His eyes turned smoldering as he gazed at her.
“I would be honored if ye agreed to spend it with me.” He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a hot kiss to her knuckles, and then he opened her hand, slipping a thick ruby into her palm.
“This I saved for ye, a token of my love.”
Lainie looked at the walnut-sized ruby sitting in her hand.
Then she stared at the man who just recently whirled into her life and turned her universe upside down.
She’d never felt so loved, cherished, pleasured, or intellectually stimulated, by a man, as she did by Donell.
She didn’t care that it had only been a short time.
She wouldn’t have it any other way. Traveling the world and sharing the secrets of exotic places without Donell by her side was unfathomable.
“Yes, yes, yes,” she cried, throwing herself into his arms and crushing her lips to his.
Donell pulled Lainie onto his lap and cradled her in his arms as his mouth devoured hers. The room ceased to exist, and all Lainie knew, felt, tasted, or smelled was Donell. The feel of his exquisite lips and tongue flew her to heights she would feel every day for the rest of her life.
“Take me to bed, warrior,” she whispered in his ear, nipping a lobe. He growled back, teasing her neck with his tongue and lips.
Lainie felt light as a feather as her strong Highlander carried her up the stairs to her, actually, now it was their bedroom.
Lying her on the bed, he toppled down next to her. He outlined the bones of her face with a finger as he gazed into her eyes.
“Ye are the most beautiful woman this warrior has ever seen.” Donell’s words were sweet, but the smolder in his gaze spoke of passion well beyond sweetness.
Lainie let her fingers trace his cheek, chin, and neck, settling on his shoulder, but before she could answer him, his mouth was on hers again. His lips were warm and soft. His tongue was hot and demanding. Lainie leaned into the kiss, never wanting it to end.
His mouth tasted of sweet wine, and his scent was so masculine, with a woodsy undertone.
Donell’s hands were everywhere on her body, her arms, her abdomen, her legs, sending nerve endings into a spiraling tunnel of pleasure.
She didn’t know when her silky wrap disappeared from her body, or when his kilt hit the floor.
She was a buzz of rapture, reeling with her desire for Donell.
His mouth joined his hands in their exploration, kissing her from the top of her head down to her feet. Then he kissed his way seductively back to her lips. His hot, wet mouth nipped and sucked on all the sensitive parts of her body in between.
Lainie couldn’t stand the torment any longer. Her fingers drifted down the rock-hard planes of his stomach until she found him, hard and ready, beneath her touch. He groaned in her ear, and then nearly collapsed on top of her as she stroked him, her thumb rubbing over the sensitive tip.
“Come to me, Donell,” she breathed, her tongue making snake-like swirls from the crook in his shoulder up to the hollow behind his ear.
“Your wish is my command, fair lassie.”
He teased her, sliding against her until she arched into him, then joined with her in one deep, perfect movement. Lainie arched her back and spread her legs wider. She wanted him deeper, and he obliged, driving into her again and again.
Their moans echoed off the walls as their mouths tasted each other and then separated to cry out at the pleasures their bodies created when put together.
Their movements were frenzied, hot. Lainie’s nails dug into Donell’s shoulders, and his mouth eagerly sucked on each nipple.
She could feel the exquisite tension building low in her mons, the heat pooling within her.
Her muscles clenched, and she cried out as wave after wave took her.
Donell thrust harder with each spasm of her body until he cried out, his moans vibrating in the room.
He collapsed half on top of her and half on the bed.
Lainie smiled, making a lazy circle with her finger on his shoulder. Even in the throes of passion, he was considerate not to crush her with his weight. She rolled to her side, facing him, her leg flung over his hip.
Donell stroked her cheek, his eyes still glazed with passion. “I know ‘twas fate that sent me here to you. There is no other reason for our bodies to melt in such a way.”
Lainie sighed, cuddling close to his warm body, her fingers sliding through the crisp hairs on his chest. “I love you.”
“Aye, and I love ye, lass.”