Part 8 (1/2)

Why did he have to remember that part? This was going to be more than a little embarra.s.sing and slightly complicated. Not the discussion to have on the sidewalk of Peachtree Street on a busy Friday evening.

”This isn't exactly the place to discuss it. I'll explain on the way home.”

They made it to the parking garage without running into anyone else Kate knew. She'd barely closed the car door, and hadn't gotten as far as the key in the ignition, when Darach said, ”How could I have been the man you were meeting earlier since you had no inkling you were going back in time to Scotland? You had not even met me.”

Torriwould've probably run with his a.s.sumption there was another man on the scene. And while it would probably be good for the arrogant laird ofGlenagan to think he wasn't the only man in her life, it wasn't Kate's style.

”Just listen for a minute, okay?” The dome light went out and she welcomed the dark as she brought him up to speed.

”I knew tonight was the last night before the exhibit closed. I felt foolish that I kept going to see your portrait, even though I was the only one that knew. I was in the doctor's lounge freshening up whenTorri came in. You've seen first-hand how catty she can be. She had an audience so she started needling me as to whether I was getting ready for a date, fully expecting that I didn't have one.” G.o.d, she was about to sound truly foolish and juvenile. ”I knew I was going to see you so you became my date. I told her you traveled and would be leaving town after tonight.”

Darach stared at her for a moment and then he threw back his head and laughed. ”Aye, Kate, you are a clever la.s.sand a l.u.s.ty wench. Let's go home.”

”HERE WE ARE. This is my condo. Just a second,” she said, fitting her key in the lock.

They'd taken that thing she'd called a car, which was a very elegant carriage that moved without benefit of horses, left it in a cave she called a parking garage, climbed flights of stairs and now they were almost in her home, a place inside a maze of a building.

'Twas not a minute too soon. Darach fair ached with the need to have her, especially after she'd confessed to visiting his portrait often, fantasizing about him, and then making him out to be a real man, her man, to that harridan they'd met outside. She had but to look at him to know he existed...somewhere. He had only to smell her scent, to feel a brush of her skin against his and he wanted her.

He cupped her b.u.t.tocks from behind and squeezed. Not a grab as she'd done with him on the street corner, but slower, more of a caress. She slanted a glance over her shoulder.

”Icouldnae help myself,” Darach said, echoing her earlier explanation for grabbing him.

”You'd use my own words against me.” She laughed, an edgy breathy sound, and opened the door. ”Here it is. Home sweet home.”

He followed her in. At a glance, he took measure of the room. Pale orange, the sky's hue when dawn crept over the moor, washed her walls. Bookcases, full of neatly organized books, lined a wall. A desk boasting clean, simple lines stood in one corner and the wall opposite the door was naught but gla.s.s, the city glowing beyond. Worn wood covered her floor. 'Twas vastly different from his castle, yet he knew a sense of home, of recognition. It felt of Katie. It contained her scent.

”I leave a couple of lights on timers so they'll come on before I get home,” she said, indicating a lamp that glowed in the corner of the room. ”I hate walking into a dark room.”

He dropped the satchel containing his kilt and boots on the floor. ”Idunnae care about the lights.” He wrapped his fingers about her arms and pulled her to him.

”Me either.” Her keys and satchel joined his on the floor. She fitted her body against his, linking her arms about his neck. The feel of her in his arms fair drove him to madness. He buried his hands in her

curls and kissed her with a need bordering on pain.

He felt as if he'd lost a part of himself when he'd crossed to her time. A part that he'd find in her. He hadn't dared touch her since she'd kissed him on the street, but now....

She slid her hand between them and cupped him through his breeches. She broke the kiss. ”I've got a reputation as a l.u.s.ty wench to live up to,” she murmured against his mouth.

He responded to her s.e.xy teasing. ”You are not angry about that are you, Katie-love?”

”Angry?” She laughed and pressed a kiss to his jaw. ”Hardly. I should offer to pay you for saying it.”

”Aye. I ken just the payment I favor....” He slid his hand beneath the hem of her s.h.i.+rt, over her smooth skin to the soft fullness of her breast. Her tip pebbled against his hand.

”Oh.” She worked the front of his breeches open and slipped her hand inside, her clever fingers stroking his rod through his undergarment. ”I always pay my debts.”

Aye, she knew just the way to touch him.... ”A l.u.s.ty wench with honor.”

She withdrew her hand from his breeches. ”Come upstairs and I'll show you something you'll like.”

He was perfectly happy right here. He rolled her nipple beneath two fingers. ”I've found something I like here.”

”Come on.” She tugged him toward the stairs to the left. ”I promise you'll enjoy this.”

She flipped a switch and small lights lit up along the wall going up the stairs. 'Twas truly amazing that light appeared as though by magic. ”We are going up there?”

”Uh-huh.”

He reached out and swept her off her feet, holding her close to his chest. Kate laughed and looked up

into his face, but he didn't miss the heat and the flash of excitement in her green eyes. ”What are you

doing?”

”I am carrying a l.u.s.ty wench up yon stairs to collect my payment.” In a fortnight he'd leave her behind and either save his people or die trying. But in the time between, he'd savor every moment with this woman he'd thought he might never see again.

”Because you're a bold brawny Scotsman from the wild Highlands?”

”Aye. We're a savage lot.”

”And you're going to give me a Highland fling?”

”And then some, la.s.sie.” He reached the top of the stairs and she pointed to a doorway to the left. ”In

there.”

He entered, discerning the dark outline of the bed from the stairway lights. He tossed her atop the

mattress and she rolled over with a laugh. He loved to hear her laugh and he loved to know he was the one making her laugh.

A click sounded and her bedside lantern cast light over ivory walls and a pale coverlet on her bed. ”Take your clothes off, Darach. I need you naked for your surprise.”

”Youdunnae have to ask twice. I can finally...how did you phrase it...turn my big boy loose.”

Her laugh, heated, breathy feathered over him. ”There wasn't time to argue the point. You needed to get dressed and we needed to get out of there.” She knelt on the bed and undressed. More than once he had to remind himself to quit looking and undress so they could get to what they both wanted.

She got off the bed, took him by the hand and led him into an adjoining room. ”This is the bathroom.”