He looked at her for a long moment before he relented. “If that’s what you wish.”
Jackie was shocked by her thoughts. Because what she really wanted was to spend the night in bed chatting...and playing. More than that, she realized she wanted a chance to have a life with him. A chance to create memories together. It might be hard to know how compatible they would be, but she sensed he was easy-going enough that he could manage her bluntness. But then he wasn’t one to hold back either. And she strongly suspected that spark between them would work.
He had a way of chiseling away at the persona she had created long ago, and she liked it. Somehow it felt as if the ‘real’ her was surfacing. Someone who used to smile more. Who wasn’t contained and careful. The person she had nearly forgotten existed.
Someone he truly liked.
Neither said a word as they dressed, but she felt his emotions as much as he felt hers. Turbulent. Conflicted. Jackie bit her lip and eyed him when it was time to tie up her dress. She had help from a servant before.
Her heartbeat quickened when he finished tying his boots and stood. God, he was handsome all done up in Highland regalia. Even the tattoos worked. Or maybe the muscles. Definitely both. And she had never really been into either. She’d always been more into scholarly guys in suits.
Not anymore. Not at all.
A small grin curled his lips, no doubt at her thoughts, but he made no mention of it as he stepped behind her and started tying her laces. “I’ve wanted to do this since you needed your dress tied at the Highland Defiance.”
“Yet you let Heidrek do it,” she murmured and shivered at his proximity.
“Aye.” His voice grew husky. “’Twas good that you didnae feel then what you feel now.”
She bit back a smile. “I didn’t realize you were paying such close attention.”
“Sure you did.” Darach pulled the strings just a smidge tighter than necessary, plumping up her cleavage even more. “There.” He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back against him. “Perfect.”
She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. As suspected, he was eying her chest. “Enjoying the view?”
“Verra much so.”
“What about my inability to breathe because the dress is so tight?”
When he brushed his thumb across the underside of her breast, her breath caught. “You dinnae quite breath correctly around me anyway.” He grinned and winked as he pulled away. “But if you need it loosened, let me know.”
“I need it loosened.”
“Aye then.” He tucked two fingers into her cleavage, yanked her against him and kissed her. She had nearly melted against him when he stepped back and grinned again. “See, your dress is loosened yet your breathing still isnae quite right.”
Jackie scowled and eyed her dress. “Good thing you didn’t rip it.”
Darach continued to eye her breasts. “’Tis too bad, really.” He wiggled his fingers. “But as you’ve recently learned, I’m verra good with my hands.”
She snorted, then chuckled at the unladylike sound. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Darach held open the door. “After you.”
“Thank you.”
He took her hand, and they walked down together. As she guessed, the celebrations were well underway. What she hadn’t anticipated was the crowd quieting as all eyes turned their way.
“Um,” she said into his mind. “What’s going on?”
“I dinnae know.” That same grin was back. “Mayhap you’ve too much cleavage showing after all.”
“Seriously,” she said. “Did you tell someone you proposed?”
His brows shot up. “Now why would I do that unless you said yes?”
“I’m starting to learn that with you anything’s possible.”
“There you two are!” Adlin declared, emerging from the crowd with a wide smile. “Everyone’s been anxiously awaiting your return.”
Jackie and Darach looked at him in confusion as they arrived at the bottom of the stairs.
“Aye?” Darach said.
“Aye,” Grant said, joining them with an impressed look on his face as he gestured across the hall. “After all, my son and his lass created MacLomain Castle’s great mantle.”
Chapter Fifteen
IT TOOK DARACH A MOMENT to realize what his father meant as his eyes landed on the huge mantel over the main hearth. The very mantel he and Jackie had leaned against earlier. Where before it had been wood with no design, now it was stone with several intricately carved faces. It had always been the heart of this castle. The most magical spot.
“Bloody hell,” he murmured. “I dinnae ken.”
“Come, join us in front of the fire.” Adlin beamed. “And I will explain.”
Darach and Jackie received mugs of whisky and made their way through the cheering crowd.
“All right, my friends,” Adlin announced to the clan once they arrived in front of the fire. “Let’s give this fine couple some time to admire their handiwork. Back to celebrating!”
“It didn’t even register earlier that this wasn’t here yet.” Jackie’s eyes were wide as she studied the mantle. “It looks different than it does in the future. Fewer faces.”
Her friends joined them as well as his cousins.
“That is because many have yet to be born, lass,” Adlin said. “You do know what this mantle is, aye?”
“Not really except that it’s magical.”
“’Tis verra magical,” Adlin agreed. “’Tis also a portal between here and the afterlife for those of the MacLomain clan.”
“Oh, wow,” she murmured.
“That’s what I said,” Erin kicked in. “Unreal.”
“And you helped create it, Jackie,” Nicole added, a wide smile on her face. “That’s incredible.”
“I think that face up in the corner looks a lot like me,” little Robert announced, joining them.
“Why would ye be on a mantle meant for MacLomains?” William scowled as he came alongside. “Are ye of their blood then?”
“Nay, but I’ve a king’s blood,” Robert pointed out.
William crossed his arms over his chest. “So that makes ye able to grace any mantle in Scotland, does it?”
“Hey, you two.” Jackie crouched. “Good to see you again.”
They smiled, both clearly smitten with her as Robert said, “Good to see ye too, Jackie.”
They weren’t the only ones taken with her. He noticed far more men eying her than before. But then she had a new glow about her. One he put there.
Yet it was more than that.
The person he had sensed beneath was slowly surfacing. She was less refined and more open somehow. It seemed everyone noticed because Rònan and Niall had a perplexed expression on their faces as they watched her. Even Erin and Nicole seemed to be studying her with interest. And while some of it likely had to do with the mantle, he knew it wasn’t just that.
“Enough lads,” Lilas said as she smiled at them and started to shoo William and Robert off. “Let yer elders talk amongst themselves now.”
Yet again, he had a strong sense of familiarity when he looked at the lass. It appeared Jackie did too because her eyes lingered on Lilas as she hugged then bid the boys goodbye.
“So tell us, Adlin...” Darach took Jackie’s hand when she stood. “I contributed some magic whilst touching the mantel but how did Jackie and I end up creating it? I for one am not nearly that powerful.”
“Nay, you arenae,” Adlin said softly. “But you and Jackie together are.”
“It took the perfect mixture of things to create this mantel,” Adlin continued. “The magic of air is one of the most unique. ‘Tis constantly changing and shifting. Combined with the power to resurrect and the intense emotions that fluctuated betwixt you two at the time, a doorway was created betwixt worlds.” He kept smiling, immensely pleased. “One made by MacLomains for MacLomains.”
“You mean to say that Jackie and I created this mantel alone?” Darach s
hook his head. “That the rest of you truly had nothing to do with it?”
“Aye, ‘tis precisely what I am saying.”
“Okay, no offense but this is a lot to wrap my mind around. Nothing I’m overly ready to...” Jackie started but stopped and shook her head. “Even if what you’re saying is true, one thing doesn’t add up.” She frowned. “You said it was created by MacLomains. I’m not a MacLomain.”
“Och, but you must be for this mantle to have been created,” Adlin assured. “It can be no other way.”
Grant’s eyes never left Jackie’s, his voice soft. “Do you want to be a MacLomain, lass?”
Darach was shocked. Did his father want him to marry Jackie? Even knowing what would eventually happen to his son because he loved her?
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at,” she murmured.
“I think you do.” Grant’s eyes went from Darach to her. “My son is by blood a MacLomain. Marry him, and you become one too.” Grant tilted his head. “Did he not propose to you?”
“What?” Erin and Nicole said at the same time.
Jackie’s eyes narrowed on Darach. “Did you seriously tell your father?”
“Nay, I did.” Adlin grinned. “’Twas impossible not to sense the verra first proposal made in this castle.”
She inhaled deeply and shook her head. “We created the mantel without being married so I’d say everything worked out.”
“Well...” Adlin shook his head, and his grin fell away. “’Tis verra likely the mantel will lose its power if things dinnae go as they should.”
“Aye, true enough,” Grant agreed. “Magic can be verra odd indeed.”
“Nothing says I won’t marry down the line.” Her eyes narrowed on Darach, clearly aggravated by the direction of the conversation. “And you’ll be lucky if it’s to you after this.”
At least she wasn’t thinking of her illness anymore. Darach shot her a crooked grin, not fazed in the least by her denial. “If not me, then who?”
“Maybe another MacLomain.”
“Another?” His eyes went from his cousins to her. “In case you havenae noticed, they’re a wee bit taken.”
“I wasn’t referring to your cousins.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m sure there are other single MacLomains floating around somewhere.”
He chuckled. “None like me, lass.”
“So you say.”
He winked and eyed her over with purpose. “So I know.”
“Oh, listen to you two.” Nicole grinned at Jackie. “I didn’t know you had it in you, sweetie. I thought what happened upstairs might’ve been a one-time deal.”
“Aye, ‘tis certainly something betwixt these two, something powerful that created our mantel.” Adlin was back to grinning. “And allow me to clarify, Jackie. It cannae be just any MacLomain but the one you made the magic with.”
Darach couldn’t help but toss a few erotic reminders of what they did earlier into her mind. “Aye, magic indeed.”
The corner of her mouth twitched in amusement. “I’m not marrying you.”
“I think you might.”
“Never going to happen.”
“But ‘twould be verra good if it did,” Adlin said. “And it just so happens we’ve a holy man here this eve.”
“See, ‘tis meant to be.” Darach grinned and set aside their mugs. “Marry me, lass.”
“’Twould make me and your Ma verra happy if she would,” Grant said.
Jackie’s eyes rounded on Grant. “Since when?” She frowned. “And I can only guess what Sheila thinks about this.”
Grant smiled. “Aye, I think you should marry my son.” He looked over Jackie’s shoulder and pointed. “And if you dinnae believe me about his Ma’s opinion then ask her yourself.”
They turned as his mother appeared through the crowd, smiling.
“Ma!” Darach gave her a big hug. “When did you get here?”
“Hi, sweetheart. A little while ago thanks to Adlin.” She hugged him tight before she pulled back. “I hear you’ve been busy.”
He kept grinning. “Aye.”
Her eyes held his as her smile widened. “You look happier than ever despite all you’ve been through.”
“Aye,” he said. “I am.”
“Brother?”
Darach’s eyes shot past his mother to his sister. “Lair!” Laughing, he gave her a big hug and spun her around. “I cannae believe you’re here as well.”
Lair smiled softly. “Like Ma said, thanks to Adlin.”
Where he shared his mother’s temperament of being more open and lighthearted, Lair was more like their father with a careful nature and quiet wisdom.
“Jackie.” His mother embraced her. “So good to see you again.”
“You as well.”
Sheila pulled back and took Jackie’s hands. “I take it you’re feeling more awkward than ever right now.”
“Just a smidge,” Jackie murmured. “But I’m definitely glad to see you.”
Lair hugged her next before his mother took Jackie’s hand. “Mind if I steal you for a few minutes?”
“Actually, I’d welcome it.”
“Great.” His mother led Jackie into the crowd.
“This is awesome,” Nicole said the minute they left.
Darach looked at her in question.
“Do I need to spell it out for you?” Nicole grinned. “Jackie’s totally into you. She’s totally gonna marry you.” She shot Niall a look. “I told you Jackie had a thing for Darach all along. It’s meant to be.”
“I agree.” Erin nudged Darach. “I’ve never seen her act like this before. What you two have is real.”
“Act like what exactly?” he said, happier by the moment.
“Free. Alive. There’s no other way to explain it,” Erin said. “She’s become good at hiding from life. Building barriers. Rehearsing her response to every question asked of her. She was so guarded and isolated from what was real that I was starting to wonder if she’d break out of it before...”
Erin cleared her throat and shook her head. “Like Rònan did for me in more ways than one, you’re pulling Jackie out of her self-inflicted shell.” Emotion was evident in her voice. “And I’m damn glad to see it.”
“Aye,” Niall and Rònan said at the same time.
“She definitely seems to be changing,” Rònan said. “More likable. Her true self. The woman she’s truly supposed to be.”
When Erin shot him a look, Rònan shrugged. “’Tis true and I told you as much. She wasnae all that approachable before.”
“Well, she seems verra approachable now.” Niall’s eyes narrowed. “Despite being with your mother.”
Darach wasn’t surprised to see far too many men hovering near her, eager for her to look their way. Jackie was remarkably beautiful as it was. Yet now with her new glow, she was drawing more men than he would like.
“You do not need to worry, friend,” Heidrek said, having recently joined them. “Your family is right. Jackie desires you and no one else.”
He nodded. “Thank you, Heidrek. On many counts.” Curious, he said, “One of which was helping complete this castle. I didnae realize you possessed such magic.”
“Actually, ‘tis Heidrek’s addition to this castle that will someday make that Viking tapestry a conduit betwixt our people,” Adlin said. “Yet another reason I imagine he’s here.”
“So it seems.” Darach again nodded his thanks to the Viking. He still wondered at the extent of Heidrek’s power but now wasn’t the time for more questions.
“I like Jackie, Brother,” Lair said softly. “She balances ye well.”
Darach smiled at his sister. “Ye think so?”
“Aye.” She made a tipping motion with her hand, and a smile ghosted her face. “Yer verra off balance but ‘tis interesting to watch ye both even things out. Something I suspect ye’ll do for years to come.”
“Years to come,” he murmured, trying to push her illness to the back of his mind
.
“Aye.” Lair squeezed his hand. “Years to come, Brother. If ye but believe it. The power of the mind is forever stronger than that of the body.”
Their eyes held. Very few were better healers than his sister, so he took her words to heart. “Aye, then.”
“Aye, then,” she repeated and whispered, “Dinnae give up faith.”
“Oh, here she comes. I wonder how the ‘mom’ talk went,” Nicole said, smiling.
“Based on her expression, I’d say Sheila smoothed things over.” Erin nudged Darach again. “So don’t mess this up.”
What did she mean by that? He would have scowled at her if he wasn’t so busy admiring Jackie. He hadn’t meant to propose to her, but yet, he couldn’t help himself. She felt so perfect in his arms. Everything about her drew him. From her body to her mind. And it wasn’t becuase of his dreams or their previous lives. It was simple. He liked her, nay, loved her, for who she was now.
She was repressed but open. Blunt though she tried to be tactful. Strict, though at heart, playful. Watching her bloom and change was like watching a moth morph into a butterfly. And he wanted to be with her every step of the way. He wanted to know the woman she was and the one she would become. So when the idea of asking her to marry him popped into his head, it felt absolutely right.
Unquestionably right.
“Did you just compare me to a moth?” she said into his mind.
“A moth?” he said innocently as she joined him. “Och, nay. Hearing my thoughts is a tricky thing sometimes. Hard to ken on occasion.”
“Liar,” she whispered aloud.
Just having her close again made his heart warm. She could deny him all she wanted, but he wasn’t giving up. “Will you marry me?”
“No.”
He smiled when her heartbeat increased. She wanted to say yes but was fighting it. More so than ever.
“Now who’s the liar,” he whispered. “You want it as much as me.”
“I don’t.”
“You do.”
“There’s no point,” she said, but he sensed a change in her since speaking with his mother. “And you know it.”
“I know no such thing.”
She was breaking.
Time to be more persuasive.
The MacLomain Series: Later Years - a Scottish Time Travel Romance Boxed Set Page 102