A Journey Out of Time (24 page)

In the first few minutes Brenna took no less than three of Rowan's pieces! Good girl! Sonya smiled & hurried to her bedchamber for the book. She nearly ran! When she returned the pair had started another game & Sonya hadn't seen Rowan so focused or annoyed! Sonya frowned because Brenna looked down right mad. Did she & Rowan have an argument? The game ended with Rowan's win & another game began.

"Where did Angus send you off to anyway? Before I left." Brenna asked

"I went to the lowlands to be trained for the guard."

Brenna's eyebrows rose. "Really? Was it dangerous?"

Rowan furrowed his brows at her move. "Nay, not really. I was rather bored."

"I bet," she said sarcastically. He didn't miss the insinuation.

"You ken, ye doona have to treat me like I was 14, Brenna."

"Well, ye
have
acted a bit older since I have been here. Maybe…16."

He grinned at her. "E'er the hard lass."

"What do ye mean?"

"The lass that watched, waited, & then punch you in the nose." Now it was Brenna's turn to smile, but then she frowned.

"What do ye mean, watched &
waited
? Waited for what?"

"Ye were as bold as brass as a young lass, never afraid of anything. Yet ye seemed to always be waiting for something."

Brenna angrily slid the chair back, standing with her tightened fists on the table. "I will tell ye what I was waiting for, Rowan ye arse!" Rowan's eyebrows shot up. "I was waiting for ye to grow up & take notice of me!"

Rowan stood now, leaning over the game table.

"I did notice ye! Every damn day we grew up!"

"Ye did?" Brenna lowered her voice & then yelled again, "Well, ye had a funny way of showing it!"

"I did'na think a beautiful girl like ye would want a lad like me."

"What do you mean a lad like ye?" she hollered.

Duncan came silently up behind Sonya, scaring her. Placing her finger to her lips, he stopped & they listened.

"I wasn't a good guard. I wasn't smart like my brother. I hated being at court. I did'na ken how to do anything well. How would I keep a woman happy?"

"Well, ye did'na seem to have a problem keeping all the
other
girl happy, including Sonya," she said tartly.

Duncan & Sonya looked wide eyed at each other.

"Aye, and that was all I was good at, Brenna."

Brenna could see the pain in Rowan's face & she rounded the table & stood in front of him. She took his face in her hands. "I thought ye were a fine lad, Rowan, fine. I did'na care what ye did, I loved ye just as ye were." She was talking in a soft, consoling tone.

"Ye loved me?" he whispered.

"I have always loved ye, ye dolt. Even after I hit ye."

Suddenly, Rowan took Brenna's face in his hands & kissed her. Duncan & Sonya smiled. She quietly pulled the door closed, hearing chess pieces hit the floor. Duncan took Sonya's hand & they walked off smiling. Heading out of the castle door, cutting across the field.

"Where are we going, Duncan?" she asked as he pulled her hand.

"Not far, lass, I assure ye." Sonya smiled at his grin & they broke into a run.

Standing together they stood on top of the crest overlooking the loch. Walking into the trees lining the far side, the sun shone, glinting off of the bluest, blue water. Sonya took a deep breath & smiled. Duncan pulled her towards a large, shady tree. He took off his shirt baring that beautiful chest that rippled as he moved his arms up & then down. Sonya could look at him forever. She took a step towards him & to her happy surprise he stripped off his kilt, laying it under the tree. He turned her around in front of him, his hands on her hips, walked her forward until she was in front of the tree. Then he reached around untying her top, slipping it over her head. He deftly unfastened her bra, freeing her breasts. He grabbed them, squeezing, pulling on the hardened nipples. Sonya leaned her head back onto his chest, moaning softly. He moved his hands down her sides & into the front of her pants. She let out a gasp. When she tried to touch him, he moved his hands to her wrists, placing her hands onto the tree in front of her where he whispered, "Keep them there lass."

She didn't want to hold the stupid tree trunk! She wanted to turn around & kiss him wildly, throwing herself on top of him!

He pressed himself closer to her as he continued to tease her core, moving his hand up & down. He continued until she cried out, feeling like her legs would go out from under her. Duncan kissed neck, holding her up until she regained her legs. He turned her around in his arms, kissing her heatedly, moving down her neck. Taking one breast into his mouth, he sucked & then pulled away slowly, leaving the nipple hard. As he showered kisses down her stomach Duncan slowly took her pants down with his warm hands.
Ever
so slowly.

Duncan lifted Sonya, carrying her to his plaid. She bit his neck & he let out a low rumble. Placing her down, he rolled her onto her stomach & she hardened again at the feel of his body against hers. Her chest heaved as Duncan's breath blew against her neck. Sonya arched her head back & he gently bit the bottom of her neck causing her to moan again, turning her head. His arms continued over her shoulder, down her back, to her butt where he put his hands & squeezed. Slowly his hands moved around her hips to the front where he moved his fingers up & down on her most sensitive spot. Sonya moaned, wanting him inside her!

"Duncan,
please
."

"Please?" he said huskily, "How can I please ye lass?"

"You
know
how."

"I want ye to tell me. I want to hear ye say it, lass."

Sonya said it & he pushed inside of her & she cried out, "Oh, Duncan!" He rode her until they both cried out.

As they lay on his kilt with him still inside of her, he put his arms around her & she sighed, content. She stroked the bit of his hair that fell down over her shoulder.

"Are ye alright, lass?"

"I am more than alright. I am whole."

"Aye, me too." Duncan kissed her on the back of her head. "I love ye, Sonya, lass."

"I love you, too."

Sonya & Duncan rose. He wrapped his plaid around them as they gazed through the trees at the loch. She leaned back in his arms. Sonya knew the moment she said
yes
, she would never return home. She knew the moment that he touched her, she never could. The moment he made love to her,
he
became
her home.

"What are ye thinking lass?"

"That I am glad I am here with you."

Sonya turned to face him & he lifted her chin, kissing her tenderly. When she pressed into his arms & he held her, she could have stayed like that forever. Instead they dressed & headed back towards the castle. Stopping just by the roses Sonya always stopped to smell, she stood there & hugged Duncan to her. She smiled & he rested his chin on her head. She loved this wonderful, beautiful, caring, sexy man.
How did I get so lucky?
Duncan made her feel safe & she hugged him tighter & he sighed.

Brenna came running out of the castle out of breath, concern on her face, her hair disheveled. Duncan & Sonya looked at each other & smiled. She skid to a halt & looked down at their hands as they headed towards her. She let out a big sigh, smiling the biggest smile Sonya had ever seen. Her face was glowing & she was radiant. Sonya understood that glow. Brenna came forward & hugged Sonya, whispering in her ear. She kissed Duncan on the cheek & ran back towards the castle. Rowan was waiting for her, smiling a genuine, happy, yet mischievous smile. He raised his hand to them.

"What did she say lass?"

Sonya glanced up at her fine, wonderful man. "She said, thank you."

Duncan pulled her into his side & they continued towards the castle.

*

"Duncan?" Sonya asked sitting on the bed.

"Aye Lass?"

"Who is the MacLeod Clan Chieftain?"

"My brother."

"Your brother? I thought your brother died?"

Duncan sat down next to her. "I have another brother, lass. His name is Cullen. He lives in the ancestral home."

"Gee thanks for telling me. Hiding any other relatives? Secrets?"

"Well, probably, but you will just have to drag them out of me."

"Hmph. It doesn't happen to be called Dunvegan, does it?"

"Aye, lass, how did ye ken?"

"Well, that is what it was called when I'm from. Nice to know something is the same." Duncan grinned.

"What else is different?"

"Well it is called Scotland, not Scotia. There hasn't been any King Angus of the McPherson Clan."

"Och, well, lets not tell Angus!"

"No, lets not. And Scotland no longer has its own king."

"Och, that fashes me greatly."

"I know. Personally, I like your Scotia better," she smiled.

"Aye, well, ye better!"

After a few moments Sonya asked, "Do you see him very much? Your brother, Cullen."

Duncan took her hand & held it on his lap. "Nay." Sonya waited, but he didn't say anything further. "You don't get along?"

He looked at her & laughed. "Och, nay, it is'na that lass. It is well…he is cursed."

She could see that he was very serious. "What is wrong with him?"

"Ye believe in curses do ye lass?"

"You are asking me if I believe in something
unbelievable?
You helped me up from the ground after I landed in a steel, flying, ship."

He smiled. "How did I get so lucky to get a woman like ye?" he asked.

"Well, apparently, I had to come from another time."

He smiled & kissed her. "The last time I saw my brother I thought he might kill me."

"Well, we won't be inviting him to the wedding," she teased.

Duncan chuckled. "When he met his mate, everyone said he started to change, but no one could understand why."

"In what way?"

"He would be fine one moment & then seem to go mad another."

"Why did he try to hurt you?" Duncan grinned sardonically at how she phrased her question. "Okay, why did he try to kill you?"

"I don't ken. One second we were talking about the lassie he was going to marry & then he lunged at me trying to kill me. Some men pulled us apart."

"And this woman he married?"

"I don't ken. I had just met her. She seemed verra nice & verra much in love with Cullen. I was happy for him. For some reason he felt threatened, but I doona ken why. I did'na want to be Chieftain & I did'na want his woman."

Sonya raised her eyebrow. "
Why
would he think you wanted his woman?"

Duncan let out a long sigh. "Ah lass, I doona ken. I doona ken if that was even it. Come here." Sonya sat on Duncan's lap & he held her close.

"So, has anyone tried to figure out what is going on with Cullen then?

"We have been looking through whatever books we can find, Angus & I. I canna seem to find anything that explains it. I have looked through everything Angus has here. I look in anything I can get my hands on. I have'na been back home to Dunvegan, to see if there is anything there that may have been missed."

"What if we go together?"

Duncan smiled at her. "I have one smart woman!" He kissed her, pushing her back on his bed. His hands caressed her face as he moved his hard, muscled body onto hers. Sonya inhaled & reached down, grabbing under his kilt. He gave her a crooked grin & she grinned back.