Harley’s nostrils flared with anger as she felt the heat of rage rush from her toes to the top of her head. “Women who think they can do as they please? Your sister steals my life away from me and you have the audacity to lump me in with that thoughtless little beast? Get lost, MacKay! My fate is no longer your concern and as far as your fill……you can burn in Hell for all I care.”
Lightening suddenly split the rolling in clouds and thunder shook the ground. Glancing up into the sky, Harley frowned in bewilderment at the quickly rising storm.
Closing the distance between them in one great stride, Ronan jerked the reigns from her hands. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he nearly lifted her off the ground as he forced her to meet his gaze.
“Aye! My sister stole your life. But I’ll not stand idly by and allow ye to throw the rest of it away. Ye will be returning with me to the castle…whether ye like it or not.”
Gritting her teeth, Harley kicked her foot into his groin with all the strength she could muster. As he doubled over, she brought her knee up under his chin, knocking him backward onto the sand.
“Like I said MacKay…burn in Hell!”
Turning to recover the reigns to her horse, Harley fell flat on her stomach as Ronan grabbed her ankle and jerked her to the ground. Rolling over in his grasp, she kicked at his face as he snarled and pulled her toward him.
Crawling his way up her body, he pinned her shoulders into the sand, forcing her to meet his glare. Harley kicked and bucked, trying to dislodge him, growing more enraged the longer he held her down. Grabbing both hands full of sand, Harley threw debris into his eyes, causing him to shift in his balance atop her body. As he roared in irritation, thunder and lightening shattered the skies and rain began pelting down.
Panting, she finally bucked him from her body as he was trying to clear the dirt from his eyes. Scuttling away on her hands and knees, she screamed with rage as once more he grabbed her by the ankles and pulled her back to his side.
As the lightning flashed and the rain sluiced down upon them, Ronan grabbed the hair at the base of Harley’s neck. Forcing her head back, he stared down into her face, his eyes narrowing as he finally knew what he had to do. As thunder and rising waves shook the beach, he crushed his mouth to hers.
His lips were hard and unrelenting, his jaw worked as he bruised her mouth beneath his. He clenched her body tightly against his chest as he stroked the line of her jaw with his other hand. He dove his tongue inside her mouth, possessing her more with every thrust. He was tired of the games. He wanted this woman. It was time she learned that she was his.
Finally raising his head from hers, he stared down into her fiery eyes. “Come with me…to my ship.” His voice deep and raw with passion, it was apparent his words were not a question. It was suddenly clear the raging storm was coming from within Ronan.
Her breath coming quickly between her lips, Harley struggled to ignore the aching inferno Ronan had kindled with his kiss. If she gave into him, what then? Would he just toss her aside? She searched his face for some sort of reassurance.
She was already so vulnerable in this century. So unsure of herself in this time. But the passion blazing in his eyes, the possessiveness of his embrace…she hadn’t felt this connected to another human being since…ever. She needed him….perhaps more then she was ready to admit. Barely nodding, she blinked the raindrops from her eyes.
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice quivering with undeniable need.
Pulling her even closer against his chest, Ronan inhaled deeply as he held her gaze with his hypnotic stare.
“Domum recurro,” he uttered under his breath, then touched his forehead to hers.
Harley shuttered as the air around her seemed electrified….a myriad of colors whirling about her head. Shutting her eyes against the dizzying energy, she tucked her face against Ronan’s throat. She had to escape the blinding haze.
Suddenly she felt the yielding loft of a feather mattress beneath her body, felt the plump firmness of a pillow being tucked beneath her head. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring into Ronan’s watchful gaze as she realized they had somehow been transported to the captain’s quarters of his ship.
“You’re really capable of doing magic?” Harley felt her heart leap to her chest, the beating echoing in her ears.
“Aye….magic is a part of me. But never a part ye should fear. I would never bring harm to ye, Harley. Ye have my oath that I will protect ye for all of my days.” Reaching to smooth her wet hair out of her face, Ronan softly caressed her lower lip with his thumb. He forced himself to go slowly. To carefully stoke the fires of her simmering passion; he knew if he moved too quickly, he’d only drive her away.
Her eyes slowly filling with tears, Harley closed them tightly as she turned her face into the pillow. How could she trust him? How could she open herself to him heart and soul? Because for Harley…giving of her body was exactly what that entailed. She’d held Scott off…forcing him to wait until their much anticipated wedding night. She’d always wondered if that was what had driven him to find relief in the arms of her best friend.
Hooking his finger under her chin, Ronan slowly turned her to face him. Ever so gently, he tasted her lips….a soft caress this time with the subtle promise of so much more. He kissed her eyelids and nuzzled his way to her ear, all the while barely tracing his fingers along her collarbone.
“Trust me, Harley. Dinna fear that I will hurt ye…or cast ye away. I promise ye…as retribution for my sister’s selfish ways…I will always protect ye and keep ye by my side.”
Ronan’s ill-chosen words of loyalty were exactly what Harley needed to make up her mind. They were better at dousing the flames of her simmering passion then any icy shower could ever hope to do.
“Get off me. I’m going to get dried off and then we can go back to the castle.” Pushing against his shoulders, Harley patiently waited for her words to sink in thru the fog of his growing ardor.
“What?” His brows drawing together, the flames of passion disappearing from his eyes, Ronan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “But..Harley..”
“No but Harley, just get off me and let me up. Nothing’s going to happen between us, Ronan. I appreciate your words of loyalty and if you want to protect me the rest of my life…that’s fine.” Pushing her way past him as he rose from the bed, Harley hastily straightened her clothes. “But that’s where it stops. I do have some pride and pity sex is something I’ll never need.”
“Pity sex?” Ronan ran his hands thru his hair in frustration as he scowled at her across the room.
“Yes…pity sex….as in you’re going to sleep with me because you feel it’s your duty to do so.” Crossing her arms over her chest, Harley jutted her chin in the air. “The man I give my body to is going to make love to me because he loves me….not because he feels guilty over some stunt his sister’s done.”
Snorting, Ronan paced back and forth beside the bed as he shook his head in amazement. He wanted to make love to Harley…because…because….he wanted to…Dammit! Not because he felt guilty over Aveline’s tampering with Harley’s life.
“I assure ye, lass….my making love to ye wouldn’t fall under the heading of duty.”
A sly smile slowly tickling her lips, Harley arched one sleek brow as she tilted her head. “So…you’re telling me that even though you’ve only known me a scant few days…that you find yourself madly in love with me?”
Huffing in exasperation, Ronan clenched his fists at his sides as the sound of rumbling thunder could again be heard growing along the horizon. “Right now…I’d say I’m finding myself sorely tried by ye…and ready to turn ye across my knee!”
“Good!” Harley snarled as she headed to the door, tossing her wet hair out of her face. “As long as you’re just as miserable as I am….there might be hope for this century yet!”
Ronan stared open mouthed at the door she’d just slammed in his face. He didn’t know which he was going to do first. Return home
and thrash Aveline for saddling him with such an impossible woman….or thrash Harley for simply driving him out of his mind.
CHAPTER SIX
Pausing as she brushed the mare’s sleek body, Harley closed her eyes as she leaned her forehead against the beast’s warm side. The stables had become her own tiny sanctuary…the only place where she felt even remotely connected to her past. It had been several days since her and Ronan’s stormy conflict and the entire family seemed to be tiptoeing around her. That was fine by her. She’d just as soon they all left her alone….to wallow in her self-pity.
But a nagging memory kept jabbing at the back of her mind…the memory of how good it had felt to be in Ronan’s arms. With his hard muscled body and those strong but tender hands….Harley had no doubt that he’d be able to take her mind off of her past in a heartbeat.
“Ye should give this time a chance, Mistress Harley. Ye may find that this is when ye shouldha’ been born all along.”
MacCallen leaned against the roughly hewn post supporting the manger within the stall. His dark blue eyes slightly narrowed as he pondered Harley’s fate.
Glaring at MacCallen over the horse’s back, Harley resumed the rhythmic brushing that brought more comfort to her then to the contented little mare.
“I can’t believe you’d think I’d ever listen to your advice. Not after what you and Aveline did to me. Why don’t you do us both a favor…and stay as far away from me as you can get?”
Thoughtfully scratching the side of his face, MacCallen’s brows rose as he tsked tsked Harley’s words. “Sweet Aveline heard your words of loneliness by the river. I heard how ye were spurned by the man ye were to wed. Ye canna tell me that ye have lost anything so great as to fill ye with such hatred for all who are here in this time.”
Tossing the brush onto the shelf, Harley edged her way out of the stall. “Oh you’re absolutely right, MacCallen. I don’t hate everyone here. There’s only a select few that have earned that place in my heart and you’re definitely one of them.” Her deep golden eyes were afire with anger. How dare he judge her life! True…she might not have been the happiest person in the world. But it was still her life and neither he nor Aveline had any right jerking it away from her.
Crossing his arms over his chest, MacCallen pursed his lips as he leaned back against the stall. “If ye feel ye must hate anyone…then I’d just as soon it be me. But I would ask that ye give little Aveline another chance. The lass meant well in what she was doing.”
Rolling down the sleeves of her white tunic, Harley’s jaw tightened as she fixed MacCallen with a menacing glare. “I have nothing to say to Aveline…and if she’s suddenly found herself in possession of any sense at all, she’ll realize that she’d best say nothing to me.”
Tossing her heavy hair back out of her face, Harley dismissed MacCallen by heading for the door. She didn’t see the foreboding look suddenly fixed upon MacCallen’s face as he watched her stomp away.
*******
Hugging her knees, Harley sat perched inside one of the arrow niches of the battlements idly gazing out at the sea. The squared out opening formed by the roughly hewn stones was just the perfect size for her to lean into and wedge her feet against the other side to sit comfortably and look out across the land.
She had to admit, Scotland was beautiful. The rugged coast of the Highlands, the heather covered crags and rolling hills. They combined into a song that soothed her soul. Perhaps it was time she came to terms with her new lot in life and made the best of what lie ahead.
Smiling sadly as she inhaled the sharp salt air, Harley swallowed hard as she wished she could’ve seen her parents one last time. Wiping an escaped tear off her cheek, she sniffed and cleared her throat. She wasn’t going to cry anymore. Her parents were alive and well somewhere in the future. They had always taught Harley that no matter what happened….she must realize….life goes on. The only thing was….how would she choose to make that life? A misery…or a joy? The choice was entirely in her hands.
“Lass? I don’t mean to intrude…but are ye all right?” Ronan stepped out of the shadows, his eyes darkening with concern.
Making up her mind, Harley shrugged her shoulders as she gifted him with a tremulous smile. “I’ll be fine. I’ve just been a little slow to remember the lessons I learned as a child from two very wise and wonderful people.”
His face lightening in understanding, Ronan slowly stepped closer to lean against the wall. “Ahh, ye are missing your parents. I’m truly sorry….I can’t seem to say that enough.”
The moonlight shone upon her face as she looked up into his eyes. For the first time, she seemed to notice just how earnest he was…and the sorrow that was written upon his face.
“It’s not your fault,” she whispered as she propped her chin on her folded arms…she had to look away from him or she’d be truly hypnotized. She wanted to feel his lips again, as they hungrily crushed against hers. It would be so easy to toss caution to the wind, and throw herself into his arms.
Ronan sensed Harley’s smoldering emotions and her shifting mood. Another of his gifts as a powerful druid was his ability to listen to another’s feelings as though they were words. Harley was practically crying out to be held. He heard her hunger for his touch. Slowing reaching out, he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, his fingertips barely grazing her cheek.
Harley shivered at the fevered trail left by his touch. Closing her eyes, she held her breath as she felt him run his hand deeper into her hair. She could feel the quickening of her heartbeat as Ronan leaned forward to barely taste her lips. She hungrily opened her mouth to his as she slid her hand to the back of his neck and laced her fingers in his hair.
Lifting her out of the stone alcove without leaving her lips, Ronan pulled her into his arms. They were the perfect match as he held her close, her soft body melting into his.
“Ye set me ablaze, my honey-eyed lass,” he whispered against her throat.
Harley shivered as he nuzzled her skin, kissing and nipping his way ever lower with each caress. Her eyes suddenly flying open, Harley struggled to push Ronan away.
“Wait!” Breathless, she stared up into his startled gaze as she quickly shook her head. “How do women keep from getting pregnant in this century?”
Looking to the heavens, Ronan groaned as he tried to carefully choose his words. “There are ways to keep ye from getting a bairn. But ye will have to trust me….to have some….control.”
Her eyes widening as she realized his meaning, Harley took a step back from his awaiting arms. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying…that is about the most unreliable method there is to keep me from getting pregnant.”
Running his hands thru his hair in erotic frustration, Ronan struggled to keep from raising his voice. “Harley…we havena’ even made it to the bed and ye’re already afraid ye’re with child.”
Her eyes narrowing, Harley folded her arms across her chest, effectively shielding her lovely breasts from his sight. “You have to be careful about these things. I may be a virgin but I know that it only takes one time….and then it’s too late to think about what you should’ve done.”
“A virgin?” Ronan muttered as he slowly rubbed his chin. This news made her even more enticing.
Her head slightly tilting to one side, Harley ground her teeth as her face flushed with anger. “Yes…a virgin. Might I ask why you seem so surprised?”
“Well…your age!” Ronan blurted before he thought. He immediately regretted his ill-chosen words as he saw Harley’s face grow darker with rage. “What I meant was…you’re from the future…and at your age…I figured ye had already….”
“Keep talking, MacKay…you’re digging that hole a little deeper with every word that falls from your lips.” Pushing past him, Harley grabbed the iron circlet of the door and pulled it open with a yank. “Your charm and wit is going to ensure you never have to…..have some control. The only way I’ll ever get pregnant with your child is if you suddenly
become mute!”
Throwing his head back, Ronan roared his frustration, his ragged cry echoing across the land. How could one woman be so infuriating…and so complicated! Just when he thought he’d gained some ground, she quickly pushed him back to where he’d started. He’d never had this much trouble bedding a lass….and never wanted it so badly.
Turning at the sound of the opening door, Ronan snarled again when Dagun’s startled face appeared around the edge of the doorway. Stomping to the edge of the walkway overlooking the sea, he gritted his teeth as he watched the waves.
“I…um….heard the battle cry…and I…um thought I’d best see what was going on?” Dagun stammered as he edged his way closer to Ronan’s side. He’d never seen his captain in such a state.
“The woman’s driving me insane! That’s what’s going on.” His fists clenched atop the stone wall, Ronan continued glaring out at the sea.
“Ahhh…woman troubles.” Dagun nodded wisely as he leaned against the wall. “Ye’re better off tupping one of the kitchen maids. Mistress Harley doesna’ strike me as a lass that would take too kindly to an idle roll in the hay.”
His eyes narrowing, Ronan slowly turned, seeming to grow larger as leaned closer to Dagun. “Who says an idle roll in the hay is what I want? Do ye no think I’d ever want to take a wife?”
His hands flying up to fend off Ronan’s onslaught of words, Dagun backed away as he spoke. “I meant no insult to ye or the lady. I just meant…I just thought…Hell! Ye know I’m no expert when it comes to women!”
Scrubbing his face in frustration with both his hands, Ronan snorted as he stared at his friend. “Obviously, I’m no expert either or else I’d not be standing up here talking to you.”
Cupping his chin in his hand, Dagun’s brows rose thoughtfully as he gazed out across the gently rolling waves. “Ye must find a way to woo the lass. How do they do it in the time from which she came?”
A Heartbeat Back to the Highlands Page 9
