Blane nodded.
Duncan stared, realizing Reid and the mercs must have tracked them to the cave they’d been heading for. It was more than a little dazing to learn that you’d died and been resurrected, as it were. “I didn’t think time-travel agencies were permitted to change the past.”
“Yes and no,” Max put in. “It depends on the timeframe and circumstances. In this case, it was only a matter of hours, and our superiors knew your demise could cause havoc in this part of the universe. Too many other worlds have looked
with envy
at Ben Nevis and her
ore mines.”
Duncan could only shake his head. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to thank you. I’d ask you all to stay, so I could offer some hospitality, but I imagine the mission precludes a long layover.”
Max nodded. “We have to return within a specified time, but we’ll take a rain check. I think we’d all like to see more of Ben Nevis.”
Brett and Blane made sounds of agreement. Brett adding, “I read somewhere that your ancestors brought Scottish salmon spawn with them.”
Duncan grinned. “They did. Our mountain lakes are full of salmon. Are you anglers?”
“Yes,” they said as one, laughing.
“Well great, let me know when you want to come back and I’ll clear my calendar. I have a cabin on our largest lake.”
“Sounds perfect,” Max said.
Thinking what great company the men would be when they returned, Duncan shook hands warmly with all of them. “If any of you need a favor, if you need me to do anything at all, you only have to ask.”
When he turned and walked toward the three women, he could see Brig was speaking animatedly to her sisters. His heart tightened to think she’d died defending him. It was strange to see her twin. Outwardly, the women were identical, but Duncan would never confuse them. To his eyes, Brig looked entirely different from Lexine.
Brig turned to face him as he approached. “Duncan, may I introduce Kat and Lex.”
“Your Highness,” Kat said, “it’s a pleasure to meet you formally.” She was slightly taller than the twins, but they all shared the same coloring and those incredible silvery eyes.
Cameron waved away his title. “Please call me Duncan. To say I’m appreciative of your efforts on my behalf doesn’t quite make it. I just learned that you gave me back my life.” He looked at Lexine. “It’s astounding that you were able to pick up Brig’s mental message on Earth?”
Lexine smiled and nodded. “Yes, and fortunate that we could time-jump.” She had a huskier voice than Brig, and Duncan felt her intelligent eyes examine him carefully, as if she knew that he’d been intimate with her sister and was gauging his worthiness.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Max shouted from behind them, “but we’d better get going.”
Duncan quickly glanced at Brig, suddenly afraid he might not get a chance to speak to her seriously. “You’re not leaving with them, are you?”
She shook her head. “No, they’re mission active.”
His shoulders relaxed as she turned back to her sisters, moving into a three-way hug. When they separated, Kat gave Brig an affection pat on the cheek. “Call us later, and let us know what’s happening.”
“It was a great pleasure to meet you, Duncan.”
He tore his gaze from Brig. “Likewise, Kat.” He shook the hand she’d extended. “I hope you’ll come back when the men do, so I can repay you in some way.”
The elder Monroe’s eyes twinkled. “Oh, I believe you already have, and yes, we’ll meet again soon.”
As she walked toward the waiting men, Lexine darted forward and gave Duncan a quick peck on the cheek. “You’ll have your hands full, but I’m sure you know that by now.” She laughed, punching him playfully on the arm. “Later, bro.”
As she dashed to join the others, Brig walked forward to watch her family leave. Duncan was smiling to himself. If he’d read Kat and Lex’s cryptic remarks correctly, they were letting him know that they approved of him and Brig as a couple.
With great interest, he watched the group prepare to travel back through time and space. They all moved closer together, the men flanking the women. They glanced down and made adjustment to gadgets on their utility belts, which started to give off low humming sounds.
Duncan walked forward to put an arm around Brig’s waist, watching with wonder as the air around the group shifted and swirled, forming a nearly visible tunnel. Slowly, the quintet of travelers dematerialized with Lexine waving cheerily at Duncan and Brig.
It seemed Alistair Hay
had also been watching the scene with great interest. He walked toward Duncan shaking his head.
“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it.”
Time-travel was still petty hush-hush, and normal citizens knew very little about it.
Brig imagined the security chief had had his mind opened in several areas over these last few days. Now, she noticed he was carrying a neatly folder white shirt, which he held it out to Duncan. “Crawford asked me to bring you this, Your Highness. He thought you might need it.”
Duncan laughed. “Leave it to Crawford to worry about my sartorial image.” But he quickly stripped off his torn bloodstained shirt, replacing it with the clean one. “You can head back to the palace with your men whenever you’re ready, Alistair.”
Hay blinked. “Do you think that’s wise, sir? There may be some stray mercenaries out there who don’t know it’s over,” As he spoke, he glanced at Brig, clearly expecting her to agree with him.
Before Brig could say she didn’t sense anything threatening, Duncan said, “Fine, you can accompany us, but maintain a wide perimeter.”
Hay opened his mouth as if to argue, then evidently realized that Duncan wanted to be alone with Brig. He cleared his throat as the tips of his ears turned red. “Of course, sir, but I’d like to leave a new com-unit with you. So you can reach me if necessary.”
Chapter Eleven
With Brig sitting in front of him once more, Duncan kept his stallion to a gentle pace while Hay and his men peeled off to the right and left.
What now, Brig wondered. She figured he was going to ask her to stay, but for how long?
Don’t think about that now.
“I don’t suppose I have to explain about my special powers any longer,” she said. “You’ve see them all.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Astounding doesn’t come close to what you are.”
“But you still don’t know that I’m time traveler.”
“Are you from the past or future?” He didn’t sound the least bit surprised.
“My sisters and I were born in past, but as our great grandmother was from the future, we were given the opportunity to move forward in time.”
“Sounds like a fascinating story, but right now I’m more interested in the fact that y
our sisters seem to think we’re heading for a permanent relationship.”
She was surprised he’d picked up the threads of that conversation, but figured he was
feeling her out to see if she would try to prolong things when he was ready to end it. She let him know he didn’t have to worry. “Pay them no mind. Obviously, they sensed heat between us and jumped to the wrong conclusion. Now that they’re both hitched, they think everyone else should be, but I’ve always been the lone wolf in the family, able to go and come as I please—”
She gasped when he lifted her and turned her so she sat facing him. “Okay, I know you’re expecting me to say stay with me for a while, but I’m going out on a big emotional limb here to say that I want you in my life permanently.”
The resulting silence was filled with their breathing. Her heart began to race, but she figured he was still high on adrenaline and not thinking straight. “What we’re feeling at the moment,” she began, “is heavy duty lust, and that rarely lasts. Plus you’re a royal celebrity. Having me around long term could be encumbrance.”
His white teeth flashed.
“Yeah, you’re a pain in the ass all right, but I’m stuck because I need you.” Before she could reply, he put a finger on her mouth. “Yes, this is happening fast, but I’m deadly serious, and when you’re ready, we’ll talk about marriage.
“Marriage! Oh, I don’t think so.” She shook her head rapidly.
He took her hand in his and gently kissed her fingers. “If you say yes, I’ll never try to change you. I want you to keep doing what makes you happy.”
She recovered her breath. “Carry on with my career you mean.”
“Absolutely, the restrictions on me won’t apply to you. I just want you to be part of my life.”
She felt her eyes misting
—she never cried.
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Let go of the barriers, Brig, and say yes.
There are no guarantees, but I think we have a good chance.”
She blinked rapidly. “I’ll say it again because I want you to know what you’re getting yourself into. I’ll make a terrible wife for a prince, even without the restrictions.”
He smiled. “I’ve been well warned. Now, say yes,
damn it.”
She lifted a hand and fanned herself. “Give me a minute here. It isn’t every day a girl lands up in a real-life fairy story, with a proposal from the prince. Will I have to wear one of those jeweled circlet things on my head?”
He grinned. “A tiara, I think it would lovely on you.”
She grimaced. “More like a practical joke.”
He stroked a finger over her cheek. “How can you be so unaware of your beauty?”
She screwed up her face. “Don’t start with the mushy stuff. I’ll give your offer a go because you’re damn good at sex.”
Now, his smile was pure male. “Should I be insulted that you only want me for my body?”
“You do have a few other things going for you, but the sex is a biggy.”
He laughed, his fabulous eyes intensifying to electric blue.
“Pucker up, Monroe.”
Still hardly believing this was happening, she realized her hands were unsteady as she put her palms against his chest, sliding them upward to link around his neck. She kissed him slow and deep with aching sounds fluttering in her throat that spoke of emotions too long delayed.
Duncan’s hands gripped fistfuls of hair at the back of her head, his groans rising to match hers as he slanted his mouth, thrusting and withdrawing his tongue with a rough, tender rhythm.
Now that commitment was part of the deal, she wanted to touch him everywhere, skimming her hands over the large bands of muscles in his shoulders before she slid her hands beneath the wide neckline of his shirt, to stroke his warm skin. His breath thickened as he lifted her top to cup her breasts, his fingers plucking and rolling her straining nipples.
Brig moaned throatily, arching into his hand while she moved her hands downward to touch his hard abdomen and rearing erection. “Wow, this can’t wait.” She glanced around to check for onlookers, even though her senses told her Hay and the guards weren’t close enough to see them. “Have you ever done it on horseback?”
He raised his eyebrows and grinned. “Brace yourself on my shoulders, and put your feet on top of mine in the stirrups.”
Sizzling with anticipation, she completed the maneuver, as if she’d been doing it all her life. He helped her to unzip her pants and slid them down to her knees along with her panties. All the while, the well-trained horse continued in his slow pace.
Brig managed to unzip his pants and free his shaft before he brushed her hand away and slid his fingers into her dark pubic curls. “I love the look of you down there.” He leaned closed as he separated her pouty labia lips, as if to inhale the musky scent of her sex. Then he ran a finger along her slippery cleft, causing her breath hitch.
She fought against the growing sensation, because the moist red crown of his jutting cock was moving tantalizing close and away again with the horse’s gait.
When he pushed two fingers into her opening and thrust deep. She made a whimpering sound, knowing she was going to climax soon. “Put it in me.”
“Hold on tight.” He shifted as she positioned herself, ready for his entry, watching him arch upward. The fiery shock of his thrust brought a sharp explosive sound to her lips. Duncan gripped her hips and pushed her body upward. “Go! Take all of it.” To which, the stallion, apparently believing the
Go!
was directed at him, increased his pace to a canter, inadvertently enhancing Brig’s movements as she met each thrust of Duncan’s body with her own. Her bare bottom bounced on iron-hard thighs as she clenched her inner muscles on the solid thrusts and relaxed on the sleek downstrokes, working that luscious length for the deeper pleasure just ahead.
* * * *
Duncan watched her through heavy lids, enraptured by the look of her impaled on his throbbing flesh—her eyes were blurred to a deep opaque silver, her lips opening with little gasps of ecstasy. She was the most exciting woman he’d ever known, soft and sweet as well as strong. He would never get enough of her. Always crave more.
He inhaled as he felt his testicles draw up, tightening his grip on her hips to take control of the rhythm, but she wouldn’t take the passive role. Clinging to his shoulders with her pussy clenched around his dick she rode him like a wild woman. Up and down, in and out, stronger and faster, the ripe smell of sexual heat, both his and hers, heavy in his nostrils as the exquisite friction built and built.
* * * *
When the first wave of climax shuddered through Brig’s body, Duncan was still pumping away, his breath hitting her cheeks in harsh wheezing gusts. Though her vision wavered, she kept it fixed on his fabulous face, watching him hit the edge, seeing the ravening madness in his eyes turn to stunned blue as his body convulsed upward and jerked repeatedly. Brig’s head fell back on one last vaulting surge of rapture, her deep throaty cry spiraling up through the treetops.
“God almighty!” He reined the horse in as Brig collapsed against him.