Taken By The Forbidden Highlander (Scottish Highlander Romance)

by Kaley McCormick

  I was the good girl with the intellect to take me to new heights of education. I had designs on becoming the next fashion guru. I wanted to have my own corporation, something that made me feel like I was giving back. “Give me a couple minutes to get dressed. I can’t possibly take you the way that I am.” The pink tank top didn’t exactly hide my obvious assets. They were more than a handful and I had a lot of guys staring at me and most likely willing to do anything to see them.

  I was still covered, but I wasn’t wearing any panties. I was lucky that he didn’t see the well used toy on my night stand hidden by some of my cosmetics. I had to muffle my excitement last night, but it was well worth it to feel that culmination of pressure buildup and then release.

  “I’ll be downstairs and you better not be more than ten minutes, or I’m coming up here and dragging you out by your hair. Don’t think that I won’t do it, because you know that I’m always a man of my word.” He turned on his heels and left my room with the door closing with a resounding crack. He really was quite the hothead, but he was blood and that had to count for something.

  Getting up, I felt the freezing cold of the hardwood floors on my feet. It made me dance to my own tune, until I was able to grab a pair of socks and a pair of tight black jeans that molded to my body like a second skin. It was the best thing that I had in my closet, except for the prerequisite little black dress that made every man drool at the sight of me.

  I was twenty-three and my only experience with a man was going down on him in the cinema. It was awkward and quick. The taste really didn’t give me the incentive to do it again anytime soon. My friends tell me that it’s all in the man’s diet, but I didn’t get to compare to find out if that was true or not.

  I put on a denim shirt, buttoning it and then grabbing my red leather jacket off the back of the door. I slipped on a pair of winter boots and instinctively a pair of leather gloves that were given to me at Christmas. That was a month ago and it seems that everybody gets that itch for the holiday spirit and then it’s over in one day. It seems, so fleeting and meaningless, but tradition was one thing that my family held dear.

  I found David at the bottom of the stairs, tapping his foot and looking at his watch. He looked a little perturbed and to see him a little out of sorts made me smile. He always had to be the first one to arrive anywhere he went. His sense of punctuality was really getting on my last nerve.

  I came to a stop at the door, stretching out my hand and looking at him with an expression that told him that I was not going to budge. He made this exasperated sigh, reached into his pocket and came out with two twenties and a ten. I snatched them up and placed them into the inside pocket of my leather jacket.

  “I know that I’m going to regret this, but fifty dollars will help me to pay for gas on the way back to college on Sunday.” He didn’t say anything, but he did grumble underneath his breath. He couldn’t believe that he had to stoop so low as getting me to drive him to practice. There was no way that I was going to give him the keys. I knew that he wouldn’t give me his, but then again his car was in the shop for the umpteenth time. It was a nice mustang, but it had issues and I thought for sure that he would get rid of it for something more reliable.

  It was freezing outside and I was glad that I had pressed on my automatic starter to get things warmed up. The engine was already purring and I climbed into the driver’s side. He slipped into the passenger side and then I put it into reverse as the first slight snowflake fell onto my windshield. There was conflicting weather reports that there was going to be some kind of storm, but nobody really could pinpoint exactly how much and when it was going to happen.

  “I think that you are very lucky that I’m around to take you to practice. I have the only four by four in the family.” That thousand-mile trek between my house and college was not very pleasant when the roads got dicey. I had one accident in my Toyota and that was all that it took to make me change my tune about SUV’s and winter studded tires. I just needed something that was going to be perfect for me. They’d always said that the color black was slimming, but it was the style of this wrangler jeep that had me hooked from the very beginning. The wheels were studded and my summer ones were in the garage for the season. I didn’t mind spending the extra cash to have a little bit more security on the road.

  Chapter two

  We arrived at the rink and the snow was getting heavier, but my jeep was like a surefooted goat. It did not swerve slide once and we made it in time. He heaved his black Adidas hockey bag onto his shoulder. I tried to lift it myself, but it was full of his gear. I had to admit that I wasn’t very much into muscle-bound guys, but seeing his teammates may have just changed my mind.

  I had brought a thermos of hot chocolate and a book, just in case I got bored and needed something to make the time go by a little bit quicker. “I have to get on the ice. You never know, you might find that you like hockey more than you think that you will. Do you know that you’ve never been to a game of mine? It would be nice if you took some interest in some of the things I like to do.” It was like the pot calling the kettle black. I was very much into dance and I had never seen him at one of my recitals growing up.

  Instead of getting into a long and heated debate, I stayed quiet and shrugged my shoulders to indicate that it wasn’t worth the effort. He made this huffing sound, before disappearing into the back with the rest of his team. I think that it was colder in the rink than it was outside, and that was saying something.

  “I haven’t seen you in over five years.” I knew that there was a possibility that somebody would recognize me, but I wasn’t much for socializing. I was about to tell whoever it was that I just wanted to be left alone, but the only thing that came out of my mouth was this incoherent squeak. Sitting beside me was this gorgeous man with his hockey jersey on and that masculine heat of competition surrounding him like it was a part of him. “I don’t know even if you recognize me. We only met that one time.” I was doing my best to rack my brain, but the only thing that I could think of was how nice it would be if he was completely naked.

  I was getting slightly embarrassed and for me that translated into becoming quiet and unresponsive. “I don’t know.” It was the only thing that I could say without sounding like a complete moron. I thought that there was something familiar about him, but his name escaped me.

  “I was hoping that I made a better impression than that.” Introductions were made and his name, Owen, really did strike a chord in my memory. It came to me that this was little Owen. He was always following my brother around like a lost puppy dog. They were the best of friends, and anywhere that you would find one you would find the other. Both Owen and my brother were not exactly chick magnets. Apparently, my brother’s sojourn into hockey had dragged Owen along for the ride.

  “You look a lot different from the last time I saw you.” I had a small circle of friends growing up. My brother and I really didn’t travel in the same group. We tried to differentiate ourselves from each other to have our own lives. He was wrong and we really didn’t meet just that one time. I’d seen him several times but we’d never talked, except for that one Christmas that he stayed over because his folks had decided to have Christmas in the Bahamas. He had a girlfriend at the time and being a good boy, he decided to stay and be with her.

  “I never thought that you noticed me.” What I noticed most of all about him right at this moment was that he had filled out in all the right places. We talked for about five minutes and I found out that the girlfriend in question had left him. That was what possessed him to get into hockey and the weight room, in that order.

  “I think that my brother is calling your attention. I think that it goes without saying that he would be very unhappy about you making time with his little sister.” This was the AHL. That was one step below finding themselves in the big leagues of the NHL. My brother wanted that dream, and he was going to do everything that he could to make it happen. David being named captain had certainly given
the Rochester Americans the shot in the arm that they were looking for.

  “I’m not doing anything wrong. I could be kissing you, making out and really making his temperature boil.” I was hoping that he would, but I had a feeling that his connection to my brother was a brotherly bond in itself. “I could take you right here, but I don’t think that I would get very far.” His attempt at levity had only made me squirm in my seat to find a comfortable spot. “Maybe we can talk afterwards. I would really love to catch up and see how everything is going in your life.” I would have loved to get to know him better.

  “Unfortunately, I was the one that brought my brother to practice. He’s going to need a ride back.” I had no idea what to do with my hands. I had this nervous energy and was thankful that the sweater that I was wearing had hidden the fact that he had gotten to me. I was flushed, barely able to make eye contact and this was the first time that I had felt like a man really wanted to get to know me.

  “I might have an idea about getting you off the hook. If you look across the other side of rink, you’ll see this comely young redhead that has always had a thing for your brother. I know her personally and I’m going to suggest that she ask your brother to go home with her. I know that her parents are out of town. They are probably at the same conference that your parents are at.” I saw the girl with the blue ski jacket. She couldn’t take her eyes off of David. There was definitely an infatuation.

  I didn’t really give him a definitive answer, but I did shake my head to tell him that I would be willing to entertain the idea of spending some time with him.

  He went onto the ice. He got a punch in the shoulder from my brother and a few choice words to go along with it. It was a good thing that he wasn’t afraid of him, or his words of caution might have ruined something that was spectacular.

  I was never much into these barbaric sports, but I was willing to at least give it a chance. I held the plastic cup with the hot chocolate in my hand. I watched, as they moved through their drills and then they translated that into a mini game between teammates. I was on my feet screaming for blood.

  I was mesmerized by the way that they moved effortlessly along the ice. Their hand-eye coordination was above reproach. It was no wonder that they were at the top of their game. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Owen. He was a defenseman and his job was to make sure that the coast was clear. He was good at hammering his opponent into the boards. He was a little bigger than most of them. I think he prided himself on giving their competition something to think about.

  The hour went by with a snap of my fingers. I actually wanted to see more. It was thrilling to see the kind of competition between brothers under the skin. There was this camaraderie, something that made them all a part of something that was bigger than all of them combined. After they finished, everybody went to the showers, except for Owen. He purposely waited, until everybody was gone and then he made a beeline for the redheaded vixen.

  He talked to her. There was no way that I could hear what was being said, but the smile on her face could not be beat. That girl was itching to get her claws into my brother. If that was a sacrifice that I was going to have to make for inroads into learning more about Owen, then I don’t think that it was much of a hardship. David was in for a good time and how far it went was going to be between them, as consenting adults.

  Owen waved to me with his gloved hand and then put up his thumb to tell me that everything was going according to plan. The girl got up and looked a little bit too excited for her own good. She went directly to the locker room and stood by the entrance. She waited for Owen to arrange for David to come out.

  When David came out, he was slightly surprised to see this woman standing there waiting to talk to him. She leaned in and lifted herself on her toes to whisper into his ear. I could surmise some of the conversation. David looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He was visibly aroused. He had to find a way to make short work of me. There was no way that he was going to pass up the opportunity to be with a woman of her obvious free sexuality. He put up his finger to tell her that he would need a moment.

  He came over with his head bowed like he was going to do something unpleasant. I couldn’t let him off the hook easily, or he would be a little bit too suspicious. “I hate to do this, but I don’t think that I’m going to be needing you to take me home.” I was staring at him, giving him that evil eye and knowing that if I was in his shoes, I would’ve tossed me aside for a chance at her body.

  “You have some gall to drag me here in the first place. That floozy only has one thing on her mind and I think we both know what that is. By all means, go and do what you are going to do. I don’t care.” He didn’t get into a long drawn out discussion, taking my dismissal, as a godsend.

  “I don’t know how long I’m going to be, but I doubt that I’m going to make it back for supper.” He was expecting a marathon sex session. I don’t think that he was going to be disappointed. This girl obviously wanted him and would probably do anything to please him in and out of the bedroom. If I swung on that side of the fence, I might’ve been jealous, but that wasn’t where my interests were.

  “You take as long as you need to, big brother. She’ll thank you, if you slow things down and don’t rush it.” I had no real knowledge on the subject, but he didn’t have to know that. He smiled and then clambered back to her for her attention. They walked out of the arena. Owen came over with this big cheshire grin on his face.

  “It’s really snowing out there. I’ve heard your brother say that you were into winter sports. My grandfather’s place is not too far away from here. He has several acres that he allows me to use with my skis. Him and grandmother have gone down to Florida for the next few months. He gave me the key and I’m sure that I can find something to eat for the two of us.” I accepted his invitation, following him out, and we got into my jeep. He had gotten here by a friend and I was happy to show him my prowess on the road.

  “I think that you’ve convinced me that this is the vehicle to get. When I make it to the NHL, this is the first thing that I’m going to buy.” He looked like a kid in the candy store. I’m sure that he would have loved for me to give him the keys to take it for a spin. I might consider it, but not until I could truly trust him.

  “Everybody should have one of these. It’s great in the winter. You can put the top down in the summer and let the wind blow through your hair.” He tossed his locks back and forth like some kind of supermodel going down the runway. I laughed, slamming my hand on the steering wheel and trying my best not to skid into a ditch.

  “I think that you can see that I have no problem with any of that. I take pride in my appearance.” He was clean shaven, but there was this gleam in his eyes that told me that he was a man that usually got what he wanted. And, what he wanted right now was me.

  Chapter three

  I had my skis in the back of my jeep and he had a pair at his grandfather’s old farmhouse. It was quaint, but very huge and the property did stretch out for miles. The snow was coming down at a steady rate, but it was nothing that was going to deter us from getting up on those hills. We followed the assigned path that Owen had made over time.

  The feeling of that adrenaline was not to be missed. I would have rather had my ski jacket, but the leather one that I wore really did protect me from the elements. He had found ski hats for both of us to wear. It was exhilarating to feel that cold wind on my face and to watch his body slide from side to side with the obvious grace of a jungle cat.

  We competed for supremacy with me coming out on top three of the five times that we raced to the top and then to the bottom. Time really didn’t mean all that much. We were enjoying each other’s company and laughing at each other’s insane jokes.

  We finally had enough after two hours and retired to the warm house and stomped our boots clean of the snow. He took my skis from my hands. He leaned in kissed me without any warning. It was spontaneous and a little jarring, but it was something that I wanted to
do again and again. He held me like some kind of prisoner up against that door. His hands unzipped my jacket and pulled it over my shoulders.

  He knelt at my feet and I thought for sure that he was getting ready to do something a little naughty. Instead, he helped me take off my boots. He did the same thing for himself, before disappearing through the kitchen and into the living room. I heard him cursing underneath his breath and then I walked in to find that he was making a fire.

  It finally came to life and the two chairs situated right in front were calling our names. We sat down and let the warmth of the fire take that chill out of the air. He had to excuse himself for a moment to freshen up in the facilities upstairs. It left me alone to think about how wrong this was to go against my brother’s wishes. He had specifically told me that there were certain guys on his team who didn’t respect women like they should.

  Seeing his phone unattended, I decided that I needed to feel secure in this newly found relationship. I knew that I shouldn’t do it, but my curiosity got the best of me. I snatched it from where it was sitting on the coffee table, opening up his contacts to find dirty text messages from women who had found themselves in the same position that I was in. I felt violated. His secret weapon was to bring women to his grandfather’s estate for weekend getaways.

  The disgusting photos that I found on his phone made me think that maybe this wasn’t the right place for me. The way that they spoke of him was different from the way that he was acting with me. The tone of the man that they talked about was different. He may have had a nice package and a good time was had by all, but there was no real connection. Most of these women told of a man that was able to go the distance, but had no emotion when it came to commitment. I didn’t feel that from Owen. He was very gentle and maybe he was putting on airs, but I didn’t believe that.

  One particular passage caught my eye: “Owen, you and I had a wonderful time together. I knew going in that it wasn’t anything special. I want you to know that I have no ill feelings towards you for sleeping with my best friend. I do hope that your cock falls off and it withers away into nothing, but who doesn’t want that. Just kidding. Please take my words in the spirit that they are given. You have no soul and I believe that you made a deal with the devil early on in your life. You can have the fame and fortune, but not the love of a good woman.” This girl was all over the place and I wasn’t sure how I should take what she had to say.