Forever and Beyond: Highland Hearts Afire - Time Travel Romance Read online

  He didn’t need any further prompting, and before she knew it she was relieved of her stitch of clothing, and was naked as he was. She shivered as the damp night air caressed her skin, her pulse pounding in her ears. Her nipples hardened into taut peaks as she raked her eyes over every inch of his body, her gaze settling on his manhood, long, erect, and if she guessed correctly, as hard as steel.

  Without thinking, she touched his member, then quickly tried to pull her hand away. But he caught her wrist and guided her fingers over his velvet length.

  “Dinna be shy, ma gaol. I know you must be curious,” he whispered huskily. “Touch me, and get to know the feel of that which will soon be pulsing deep inside you.”

  Swamped by desire, she resisted the urge to lower her head and take him into her mouth, to stroke him with her tongue and suckle until he begged for mercy. But Katherine feared that Ayden might not understand her ease and skill at pleasing a man, so what she wanted to do to him would have to wait. Engaging in oral sex with any of her past lovers had held no appeal—including with Ethan—but everything about Ayden was different. Once they’d consummated their union, there would be plenty of time for tasting and exploring every nook and cranny of his body, but for now, she’d rein in those desires.

  She reclined on the pelt and stared up at him and smiled. “I love you, Ayden. Make me your wife.”

  Again he needed no prompting as he stretched out beside her, his body molded against her side. “I’ve waited so long for this moment, dreamed about it,” he rasped, as he lightly brushed the pad of his thumb across her lips, then trailed his finger along her check, down her neck and across her shoulders, his trail of exploration ending at the breast. “You are even more beautiful than I ever dared to imagine.”

  He gently cupped her breast, her nipples hard and aching to be touched. A soft whimper of pleasure escaped her lips when he took one into his mouth, dragged his teeth across it, and began to lick and suckle.

  As he paid homage to one breast, then lavished equal attention on the other one, his fingers feathered along the dip of her waist, the curve of her hip, across her belly, and settled between her thighs.

  She moaned, spread her legs, and arched her back, giving him access to her most intimate place. A deft finger stroked her sensitive fold from front to back, and repeated the act. Slow then fast, taunting and teasing, each time getting closer to her bud of arousal, before going back in the other direction and starting again. He was killing her, the tension within her core building with each flick of his finger, until moist heat flowed and the ache of longing grew so intense, she cried out his name and begged for release.

  “Patience, sweeting. It may be torture now, but the end will be glorious, I promise,” he murmured against her heated flesh.

  And when he finally circled her throbbing bud, then thrust his fingers deep inside, she instantly exploded, her inner muscles contracting again and again, until only a ripple of her orgasm remained.

  “That was amazing.” She struggled to breathe, her breaths coming in short sharp pants. “I never dreamed it could be like that.” And she wasn’t lying. She’d never experienced what she had just then with Ayden, and no one had even come close.

  “That is but a sample of what is to come, mo chridhe,” he whispered, then rolled her beneath him.

  Propped on his elbows, he gazed down at her. “I canna wait any longer to make you mine. Will you have me, wife? I will go so I dinna hurt you.”

  He positioned himself at the entrance to her body, his shaft hot, hard, and pulsing against her slick feminine folds, the buzz of her release still humming through her body.

  Unable to wait any longer to feel him inside her, she nodded. “Aye, take me now, Ayden.” But as he eased into her, she thrust her hip forward as hard and fast a she could, burying him to the hilt — shocked when she felt a sharp pain.

  His eyes wide, he looked surprised by her boldness. “Dinna move again, mo Ghraidh, na until your body becomes accustomed to our joining. It will take but a minute for the pain to subside.”

  “I … I’m fine,” she stammered against his shoulder. In the twenty-first century, she was not a virgin, but in 1304 things were different.

  When she began to move her hips, he smiled and set a most pleasurable rhythm of his own. Using a tempo very similar to when he brought her to climax, he set the pace. Slow at first, then faster, shallow thrusts, then plunging deeply, until the tension inside her built again to a feverish pitch, even stronger than the first time he brought her to completion, something she never thought that would ever be possible to top.

  He rocked his hips, pumping into her with reckless abandon until a possessive growl rumbled in his chest, and they plummeted over the top together.

  ~ * ~

  The sound of a lark singing outside the cave disturbed Katherine’s slumber. She brought her hand up to cover a yawn, then stretched, a broad grin of utter contentment tugging at her lips. No lover had ever made her feel as cherished and sated during and after sex as she experienced when Ayden made love to her.

  Until now, that was all it had been. Just sex. An act of mutual consent for the physical pleasure of both partners. But after last night, she could honestly say she’d truly made love for the first time.

  She reached for Ayden, surprised to find the spot next to her was empty. Propped on one elbow, she glanced around the cave and spotted him standing near the entrance, his arm resting on the rock wall as he stared outside.

  “Is something amiss?” she asked, her voice still husky from sleep, and compounded by the dampness of the cave. “I heard the lark. Is it time for me to go?”

  “Soon, ma gaol.” Ayden spun around to face her. “Though I wish this night never had to end.” He returned to the plaid and pulled her into his embrace.

  “Something is troubling you. I can feel it.” She snuggled at his side, resting her hand over his chest, his heart racing beneath her fingertips.

  He remained silent for a few minutes, then released a heavy sigh. “You know I must go to Stirling Castle. And it breaks my heart to leave you behind. But I promised to go, and my men will be waiting to leave at noon today.” He tightened his hold on her and pressed a kiss to her brow. “I wish now that I had na offered to go, but I must honor my word.”

  She wanted to tell him the outcome of the battle, to beg him not to go. But if she told him the truth, he’d never believe her, or think her mad and go anyway. “I understand. But promise me you’ll not be away for long and that you will be careful. Promise me you won’t take any unnecessary chances.”

  “I give you my word. But with the number of reinforcements heading to Stirling, I am na expecting to be gone more than a fortnight. Once Longshanks is forced to deal with the additional men, I suspect he’ll turn tail and run back to England.”

  “I hope you’re right. But swear to me, if the castle falls to the English, you willna trust King Edward to show mercy.”

  Ayden nodded. “I give you my word,” he said, and twisted a strand of her hair around his finger. “It will soon be dawn and we will have to leave. But if you are willing, wife, I’d like a memory to take into battle.”

  “Aye, husband.” She looped her arms around his neck and nipped at his lower lip. “A memory that will carry us both through until we are together again.”

  “Exactly.” He grinned and rolled her beneath him.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Katherine paced the length of her chamber, wringing her hands with worry. It had been more than six weeks since Ayden left for Stirling, but one day seemed to melt into the next as she waited in hopes of his return. Sadly, the more time that passed, the more certain she was that she might never see him again.

  She’d tried to keep herself busy in his absence, hoping to pass the time, which, when longing for Ayden’s return, felt like it had come to a standstill. Settling in to the 1300s was getting easier as each day passed, and she had learned so many new skills over the last few weeks — domestic things she’d
never have dreamed of trying had she not gone back in time.

  A sewing group met every morning after breakfast and Cora had encouraged her to join them when Katherine showed an interest in learning. Sixteen ladies gathered in the parlor to mend clothes, make cording to use as drawstrings, and to sew new garments. Another group met in the afternoons for needlepoint, weaving, and knitting.

  She glanced at the basket in the corner of her chamber, and grinned. She was making a leine for Ayden, but one sleeve was longer than the other and the collar was off center. If he was Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, it would fit, but she was sure he’d love it anyway, because she made it with her own hands. She couldn’t wait to give it to him, if he ever returned.

  Ayden promised to send word, letting her know when he planned to come home, and together they would inform her father of their marriage. But no messages had come. Obviously things were worse than he thought. Then again, she knew they would be. Her chest tightened and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. What if he was wounded, or worse, he might be dead.

  She quickly dismissed the morose thought and paused to look out the window. Dark clouds shrouded the sky and steady rain pelted the earth. Apparently, the weather had been inclement for several days, but she hadn’t noticed. For nearly two months, when she wasn’t learning how to sew, cook or grow turnips, she remained holed up in her room, pining for Ayden. The few times she did venture outside, she’d tried to find Seonag, hoping the seer could clarify her purpose for being here and tell her if Ayden was alive. But her search always came up empty. The only saving grace in all of this was that Lord MacConnery had not returned from his trip yet either.

  Bringing a shaky hand to her brow, she wiped away fine beads of sweat that collected there. It was so hot that not even the summer showers brought relief. She’d lost a few pounds and was tired all the time. But according to Cora — who hovered over her like a mother hen — the reason she was feeling off was because she hadn’t been eating or sleeping well enough. She’d taken it upon herself not only to teach Katherine how to cook and sew, but was constantly sending food and drink to her room and prompting her to eat. She was like a mother, and Katherine had to admit she kind of liked the attention and nurturing—things she never had from her own mother. She was supposed to meet Cora this morning after sewing circle for a cooking lesson, but was feeling ill and couldn’t drag herself out bed. Eating was the last thing on her mind.

  Her stomach retched at the thought of food, bile rising in her throat as she hurried to the chamber pot and heaved. There was nothing to expel. She hadn’t consumed anything since noon yesterday, and aside from a few sips of water, she’d not had much to drink. As the nausea subsided and her belly stopped churning, she rocked back on her heels. She’d been plagued by a stomach ailment the past few days and had passed it off as the result of consuming spoiled meat. But as she sat on the floor, cradling her head in her palms, she wondered if there was something more seriously wrong with her.

  Once she was certain the danger of vomiting had passed, she rose slowly, using the wall for support, then padded to her bed. Unable to get Ayden off her mind, she laid down and soon fell asleep, only to be awakened a short time later by a knock on her door.

  “Who is it?”

  “Lily. May I come in, Lady Catriona?”

  Katherine slid from the bed and sat on the edge, waiting for her head to clear. “I’ll be right there.” She’d barred the door so she’d not be disturbed by Lord Grant, should he decide to barge in. It was as if his goal in life was to harass her and make her life miserable.

  But she welcomed Warren’s visits, always hoping he might have some word on Ayden. She’d grown quite fond of him over the last few weeks, and having a big brother looking out for her was everything it was cracked up to be. She loved when he reminisced about his and Ayden’s childhood antics and how Catriona tagged along everywhere they went. He told her about a lass in the next village he was fond of, and when he shared some of his darker memories, like confrontations with their father, she offered him a comforting hug.

  “Lady Catriona, it’s important I see you.” Lily knocked again.

  “Of course, Lily, I come anon.” Katherine hurried across the room, removed the bar, and opened the door. Lily was another person she’d become very close with and was starting to think of her more like a sister, friend, and confidant than she did a servant. She’d even told her about her marriage to Ayden, knowing the lass would not only keep her secrets, but be thrilled for her as well.

  Katherine tugged open the door. “I know it is getting late and I promised to meet Cora in the kitchen for a lesson in making bannock, but I was just not feeling up to it this morning.”

  “I tried to bring you something to break your fast a while ago, but you had your door barred.” Lily cocked her head and studied Katherine. “Och, you’re pale and look as if you’ve na slept in a sennight. Are you na well?” Not waiting for an answer, or permission to enter, she brushed by Katherine, carrying a tray that contained bannock, cheese, and a mug of ale. After sitting the trencher on the bedside table, she pointed at the untouched meal she’d brought last night. “You havena eaten enough to keep a wee bird alive these past few days. I’m starting to fash about you.”

  After closing the door, Katherine approached the bed and sat on the edge. “I’ve na had much of an appetite. I think the mutton I ate a few days ago may have been spoiled. When feeling better, I have some suggestions for Cook about the way food is stored during the summer month. And keeping it hanging in the sweltering storage room on a hook for weeks on end, then seasoning it to death to mask the smell and taste is not one of them.” She rubbed her stomach when it rumbled. She was hungry, but knew if she ate, the food would return a short time later, expelled into the chamber pot.

  “That surprises me. No one else has complained of being ill. But it was cooked several days ago, so I will tell Cora, and have her see that anything that might be left is fed to the dogs.”

  The idea that unrefrigerated meat was still being consumed days after it was cooked made her stomach roil. She pitied the poor hounds.

  “Maybe a bit of fresh air will help chase the blues away. It has been a few days since we went for a walk to the meadow and back. It always brightens your spirits. I know you miss Lord Ayden, but I believe in my heart he will come home soon.” Lily sat on the bed beside her and patted Katherine’s hand.

  Katherine really did love the meadow. It was so beautiful and peaceful, but more than that, it was where she and Ayden spent happy hours together both in her dreams and while she was in 1304, the place she felt most connected to him. Since the day Ayden left, the dreams had stopped too, which she found odd, given she’d been going to her secret place every night since she was thirteen.

  “If you don’t mind, I’m really not in the mood for a walk right now. Perhaps if you come back later, I might feel up to it.” She crawled onto her bed and sprawled out. “I wish to sleep.”

  Lily tugged on the cover. “I understand you are na feeling well, but in addition to bringing food, his lordship sent me to fetch you.” She moved to the window and opened the shutters. “This room is so stuffy and needs a good airing out.” She glanced at the chamber pot in the corner and screwed up her nose.

  “What could be so urgent that my father sent for me? Couldn’t it wait until he conducts his daily harassment visit?” Katherine propped herself up on one elbow and peered at Lily.

  Lily’s lowered her gaze to the floor in front of her and shifted from one foot to the other. “I’m afraid it canna wait. Your da got word this morn that Lord MacConnery has returned from his trip. He is coming to see you this afternoon and your da wants you to take a bath and prepare yourself for his visit.”

  Katherine’s hand immediately shot to her throat and she couldn’t catch her breath. “No. It’s too soon.”

  “I knew you wouldna be pleased, but your da insisted I tell you something.” Lily approached the bed and was about to give Kath
erine the news, but stopped when the door flew open.

  “Are you going to lay abed all day? Stay there too long and you’ll grow roots,” Warren chuckled as he entered the room, then glanced at Lily. “Does she know?”

  “Lily just informed me, and am surprised you are so cheerful about the prospects of my being bound to man I detest. I thought Ayden was your dearest friend,” Katherine muttered despondently. The news about MacConnery was enough to make her want to crawl under the bed, but as it sank in, she knew there was nothing she could do but face the man and do as she and Ayden discussed — ask for more time to plan the wedding.

  “I’m sorry Ceit. I know you were hoping Ayden would be back in time to stop the wedding. And naught would have pleased me more.” Warren moved to the bed, his brow furrowed. “You dinna look so good. Are you ill?”

  “I haven’t been sleeping well the last few days. But I’m sure it isn’t anything serious.”

  “I hope na. Da wants to see you in his solar once you are dressed. I can stall him for a bit, but na sure for how long,” Warren said. “As unpleasant as it might be, I’d suggest you see him and get this over with.”

  She studied Warren for a moment before she spoke. There was something wrong, something he had not told her. “What else have you to say? I have the distinct feeling you are not telling me everything, Warren.” Katherine rose, standing toe-to-toe with Warren. “I can tell by the sheepish look on your face that all is not right. Tell me.”

  The abrupt change of position caused her to swoon, but Warren was at her side in and instant. “You are ill and as white as the sheets.”

  She clutched at his arm, both to steady herself after rising too quickly and to keep him from leaving. “I’m fine. Have you news from Stirling?”

  Warren’s expression turned grim and he glanced away.

  “Tell me,” Katherine demanded.

  Warren coughed to clear his throat. “If you must know, the news isna good. I was hoping to find a way to tell you and na upset you.” He gently stroked her cheek, catching a tear that rolled down her face. “The last I heard, Stirling was doomed and Longshanks was pummeling it with his trebuchet, that even if they surrender, he is na prepared to stop his assault on the castle, until every last rebel is dead.”