“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.
