Highland Destiny

by Hunsaker, Laura

  Mackenzie fell asleep at her computer, but her dreams were not pleasant. They were visions of Connor drinking himself into a stupor, and ignoring everything around him. In one dream, he'd held the locket and stared at it silently for what felt like eons. When Mackenzie woke up, she felt hot.

  Really hot. She ran a hand over her face, feeling the imprint of her keyboard on her cheeks, and looked blearily around.

  Something was standing in the corner, no, not something, someone! Connor!

  But as she turned, there was nothing. God, this place was messing with her mind. Of course she hadn't seen Connor. He was long dead. What did she think, that his ghost would come and haunt her? Her heart tightened because she had hoped that. On some level, she had wanted that.

  415

  She climbed into bed, only pausing to yank off her jeans, and she fell back into the mattress with a frustrated sound.

  Her dreams only served to frustrate her more; dreams of Connor, of course. In all of them, he was an angry embittered shell of the wonderful man she had known. And however briefly she had known him, she felt as if she'd known him forever.

  The next week was hard, but she didn't know which was more difficult to get through; her days without Connor, or her nights, reliving her heartbreak through her all-too vivid dreams.

  Jenna had had little patience for Mackenzie's mood swings, and Mackenzie still hadn't been able to bring herself to tell Jenna what had happened. So Jenna spent a lot of time with her new Italian friends.

  Initially, Mackenzie had tried to pass her time in the Gallery, staring at the life-sized portrait of Connor. But after only a few minutes, the tears would start up, and she would rush out of the room as if the devil himself were chasing her.

  Once she had thought she'd seen Connor standing across the room, but when she looked fully at where she'd thought he'd been, there was nothing. Of course. Maybe the locket was haunted. But for her it was haunted with nothing but memories. After the first two tries, she gave up. She couldn't bear to look at the oil painting of Connor; it hurt too much.

  So she avoided the Gallery like the plague.

  However, on her last night, Mackenzie forced herself to stand in the Gallery that she'd so avidly avoided, and stared at the canvas. She had to say goodbye. That was something 416

  she would regret for the rest of her life. She had never said goodbye to Connor. While she would treasure every memory she had of him, she still felt nothing but sorrow at the way they had parted. Her attention was captured by the painting once more, and she stared into his eyes. His eyes that could pierce right into her soul and see everything.

  She'd taken so many pictures that first day, that she didn't feel the need to photograph it anymore. Today she sat with her pad and charcoal pencils to sketch. She let the tears fall onto the paper, and idly watched the smudges they made.

  And then Mackenzie could feel the heat coming from him. Her eyes flew to the painting. Was she going insane? It actually felt like Connor was in the room with her! Ignoring the tingling sensation that said she was being watched, she purposefully dropped her eyes to her drawing, and focused.

  This wasn't the first time she'd thought Connor was in the room with her. Again, though, Mackenzie felt heat. This had been a bad idea. She had to get out of here. She stood quickly, trying not to trip in her heels, and gathered her pencils and pad, stuffing it all in her bag. With one last look at the painting, she prepared herself mentally to leave him.

  "I've never liked that painting." The deep baritone had a hint of amusement in it.

  Mackenzie froze.

  "Are you real?" she whispered to the empty room.

  "Aye, lass, flesh and blood." His voice was rougher now.

  She stared at the canvas, not knowing what to expect, but his voice had come from behind her. Not from the painting.

  Mackenzie turned toward her hallucination slowly, not sure 417

  what to expect her obviously fractured mind to have created.

  But when she turned and saw him, she gasped and took a step back. He looked so real. Her mind must be playing tricks on her. This couldn't be real. Her fingers timidly reached out to his cheek, but she didn't even make it halfway before she snatched her hand back. She took a deep breath and reached out to him again. His cheek was solid and so warm.

  Mackenzie desperately wanted to believe he was real, but how could she? He had died 200 years ago! She knew—-she'd searched him on the internet.

  Yet, here he was, standing in front of her as if the past week had never happened. It made no sense; but then again, none of it ever had. None of it was logical. The hell with logic!

  Mackenzie threw herself at him and tightened her arms around his neck.

  "I take it you're happy to see me?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

  "Oh! Connor! You're here! You're really here!" Mackenzie buried her face in his neck and breathed in his scent, the scent of heather, and horse, and man. "But how?" was all she could manage; her thoughts were slightly incoherent.

  "After you left, I tried to stop you. I raced back as fast as I could, but I was too late. The wizards found me...."

  She cut him off, "They sent you through? Oh no...how long do we have"

  "Until sunrise tomorrow."

  "It's not enough time. Why are we always fighting against time?" Mackenzie was quickly becoming hysterical.

  418

  Connors arms tightened around her, and although his voice was soothing, his eyes were tight. "It'll work out. It has to. At least we found each other, for however short a time, at least we had that."

  "And I'm acting like a stupid girl. You're right." She smiled a watery smile and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

  "Come on. Let's go." She took his hand from around her waist, and dragged him towards the door.

  "Where are we going?"

  "My room." Mackenzie flashed a brilliant smile at him, and winked.

  "But you chambers are that way," Connor pointed down towards the tower.

  "Umm...not in this time, remember? I have a room in the new wing."

  "'Kenzie! 'Kenzie!"

  Her wide eyes flew to Connor, and then back to the source of her irritation: Jenna.

  "Mackenzie Isabella Stewart, don't you dare ignore me!"

  Jenna was screeching at Mackenzie from across the room. "I got that hottie Italian to agree to a double date, so don't you let me down tonight." Jenna was tottering to Mackenzie in stilettos and stopped dead when she saw Connor standing next to her. "Oh my goodness! 'Kenzie, you've been holding out on me!" She was eyeing Mackenzie shrewdly. "Well, I guess you can stand up Fabrizio...again...you seem to have your own plans."

  419

  Mackenzie sighed, in no mood for explanations. Her time with Connor was too short as it was. "Jenna, this is Connor.

  Connor, Jenna"

  Connor took her proffered hand, but rather than shake it, he bowed slightly and said, "I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

  Jenna giggled, "He's a keeper! Here I am chasing down the Italians, and you go and get yourself a regular hottie Scottie!

  Wow, just wow. By the way, love the kilt!" Jenna winked at Connor, and Mackenzie glared at Jenna.

  Connor bent down to whisper to her, "Who's Scottie?"

  Mackenzie had already turned and was towing Connor behind her. She wanted to be away from Jenna before she could notice the resemblance between Connor and the oil painting hanging behind her.

  "I'll talk to you later, Jenna!"

  When they reached her room, Mackenzie dragged Connor in and threw herself at him before the door was even shut.

  After their first heated, passionate reunion, Connor had pulled Mackenzie up against him, and thrown an arm over her. His fingers were tracing her ribcage when he suddenly stilled.

  She propped her head on his chest and looked up. "What?

  What is it?"

  "Where did you get that?" Connor was holding the locket she wore and staring at it as if he had s
een a ghost.

  "Oh, that's right. I wanted to ask you about this. I found it in an antique shop in the village. There's a story that goes with it. Supposedly this necklace is haunted by its first owner: 420

  a man who had it made for his wife. But she apparently disappeared before he could give it to her. Then he pined away for his lady wife until he died, and now he haunts anyone who buys the necklace. The woman in the shop wouldn't even let me pay for it. She said it was meant for me."

  "I had that made for you after our wedding night. I was going to give it to you after you told me about the babe, but you were gone by then."

  The pain in Connor's eyes ripped at her heart. "Oh, Connor, I am so sorry that I left you." Tears started to fall of their own volition, and Connor gently wiped them away.

  "Doona be sad, lass. We are here together now."

  She gave him a watery smile, and softly told him what she should have told him a long time ago —200 years ago to be exact.

  "I love you, my wonderful, caring, more-than-I-deserve husband."

  He smiled, "As I love you, my wonderful, caring, exactly-what-I-deserve wife."

  "You arrogant—-," she never got to finish her sentence as Connor's mouth was on hers once more.

  Mackenzie was smiling at Connor as she wolfed down a cheeseburger that she'd ordered from room service.

  "What?" He was eyeing his cheeseburger warily as if it might bite him.

  "Nothing," she said around bites. "It's just that I never in a million years thought I'd be sitting in bed eating 421

  cheeseburgers in the middle of the night with you. It's funny, that's all."

  Ever brave, Connor bit into his burger. He seemed pleasantly surprised at the taste, and quickly ate the rest in three bites.

  "Here." Mackenzie handed him a soda to wash it down.

  He more readily accepted the drink and guzzled half of it in one gulp.

  She arched an eyebrow, "Thirsty?"

  She was really enjoying having Connor here in her bed, in her time. She wanted to show him all of the new and cool technological advances they'd had in the past 200 years or so, but she doubted they'd leave her room. Especially if they only had until sunrise. Mackenzie tried not to frown as she pushed the thought of him leaving out of her mind, and instead concentrated only on the here and now.

  "What?"

  "I was thinking that I wish we had more time, or that I could go with you or you could stay here. There has to be some way we can stay together. Especially now."

  "Why especially now?"

  Mackenzie shimmied off the bed naked and ran to her suitcase. She held up a small white stick. "See?"

  Connor didn't know what he was looking at. "See what?"

  She walked over to him and stood in between his legs.

  "You were right; I'm pregnant." Her smile was brilliant.

  He smiled and then immediately his smile fell, his lips compressed into a thin line.

  "What? Aren't you happy?"

  422

  Connor placed his hand against her cheek, and he stared deeply into her eyes for so long, she lost track. "Are you happy?" He kept his intense gaze on her as she wondered what he could possibly mean.

  Her eyebrows drew down over her nose. "I was until you said that, and now I'm not sure what to think..." she trailed off at the look on his face.

  "Mackenzie, I wasn't certain you'd even want me back in your life. I...are you..." He paused to gather his thoughts, and Mackenzie would have smiled at the thought of Connor being unsure about anything, if she hadn't been worried about why he was searching for words. He always seemed so confident.

  It was unnerving to see him at a loss for words.

  "Spit it out, Connor."

  He smiled a little. "I am sorry for doubting you. You were only trying to save my people, yet you are not even from my time. Why?" His gaze was intense, his eyes searching. "Why did you decide to help us? To help me?"

  "I wanted to help."

  "I want a real answer, Mackenzie. Why did you help us? It wasn't your fight."

  She took a deep breath. "You're wrong; it was my fight. It always was my fight. I only came to realize that after meeting you. I have been having the same dream over and over since I was a child. I couldn't ignore that. And I have never had a better reason to fight for anything before." She dropped a hand to her belly, and placed her other hand on his heart, feeling his heartbeat thud under her fingers, savoring it. "I 423

  want this baby, Connor. Whether we are together or not, I want this baby."

  He placed his hand over hers, and said, "I want this child as well. And I want you." His eyes bored into hers. "I doona want to lose you."

  "But how? How can we possibly manage this?"

  His features softened, "With love, lass anything is possible."

  It made so much sense, of course anything was possible.

  She had crossed time to meet him, she had fulfilled her destiny in vanquishing the Campbell, and now he had crossed time to find her! The shopkeeper's words came back to her, When you meet that laird of yours, you promise me that you'll hold on tight and never let him go... Of course they would stay together. It was so obvious. She would go with him.

  Before she could tell him her idea, his fingers had found their way to her hips, and pulled her in between his legs. He was nuzzling her neck with his lips. What had she been thinking again? Connor's lips found their way to her breast, and the wet heat of his tongue on her nipple erased any lingering thoughts about anything except the bulging erection under the sheet draped across his lap.

  Connor pulled Mackenzie in tighter against his body. With her standing before him, he was at the perfect level to worship her breasts. Her head fall back, and he could feel her growing frustration. He smiled against her skin.

  "What's so funny?" she demanded.

  424

  He smiled wickedly and turned her so she faced away from him.

  "What are you—-"

  "Ssh..." Connor brought her down on his throbbing erection and savored the gasp of both shock and pleasure. He held her there, sitting on him, for a moment, enjoying the feel of filling her. After a moment, he gripped her hips and brought her down on him again and again and again, until she cried out his name then he brought her down hard once more as he pulsed his own release. Mackenzie leaned back against his chest and cupped his cheek. Turning her head she brought his lips down to meet her kiss.

  "That was utterly and deliciously sinful," she sighed against his lips. He could kiss this woman forever. The honey of her lips was a drug to him, and he could already feel himself hardening for her.

  She turned wide eyes on him, the green was liquid from their most recent bout of lovemaking. He loved to see her like this; tousled, eyes languid and heavy, her lips ripe from his kisses....

  "I love you."

  She smiled brilliantly at his tender declaration. "As I love you."

  Connor was suddenly fierce. "I canna be without you. The past few months have been the darkest of my life. I will not be without you." He could see that he had startled her with his sudden change of mood, but he would not live without her. He squared his shoulders. "I will stay here."

  "No, you can't, Connor."

  425

  Connor's heart froze; she didn't want him to stay with her?

  Had he misjudged her affections?

  "You can't go from being the Earl of Kintail, Laird of the MacRae clan, to just living with me. It's not fair. You're an earl for crying out loud! You would lose your title, your lands, your family, your home..."

  She was worried about his pride? Damn his pride! "Being your husband is enough for me."

  "You say that now, but what about in a year? Five years?

  You'll go mad with nothing to do, living in a big city, no land, no horses, it's not the same."

  "I just want to be with you. I will do everything I can to make you happy." He had to find out what she was thinking.

  "Are you saying you don't want to be
with me?"

  "Of course I want to be with you, you overbearing, arrogant, wonderful man! That is why you can't stay here in my time."

  What kind of madness was she spouting? "Blast it woman!

  What are you saying?"

  "You can't stay in my time," Mackenzie gave him an enigmatic smile and softly cupped his face with her hand.

  Staring deeply into his eyes, she told him, "That is why I will go back with you."

  Connor felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. She wanted to go back with him! She truly did want him as he wanted her: forever. But how could he let her leave her home? Was it fair?

  "You would do that? Leave this marvelous place? I can't ask you to leave all this. To leave your home." He had 426

  dropped his eyes from hers, so she wouldn't see what this had cost him, but her tone had him looking back up at her.

  "You're not. I offered. I'm going." It was final. "Try to stop me," she teased. "Besides, my home is with you, by your side. It always has been. I can't explain how, but I think I have always known that I didn't really belong here. I belong with you."

  "You won't miss this?"

  "Not a bit." She smiled. "Of course," Her eyes dropped, "If you don't want me to come with you, I won't force myself on you."

  Connor wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, "You'll never leave my side."

  "Promise?" she breathed against his lips.

  She would drive him crazy like this. His body was already responding to Mackenzie's gentle kiss. How many times had they made love? He'd lost count. By all rights, he should be sated, exhausted, yet his body reacted as if it were their first time.

  "Aye." He would enjoy keeping that promise. But before she could work her wicked magic with those lips, he remembered that there was one last thing he needed.

  "Mackenzie?"

  "Hmm?"

  "You forgot this."

  Green eyes met blue as her confused gaze locked with his.