The Highlander's Vow (Loch Moigh #4)

by Barbara Longley

  “I am.” She studied his handsome features and manly form. Aye, she hungered all right, but for more than food. She hungered for the experiences her lot in life had thus far denied her. What would her father say if he learned she wished to lie with Struan, to give herself to a man who would never be her husband, simply because he sent her blood rushing?

  Mayhap she would seduce Struan before returning to her own time. Smiling at the ridiculous notion, she climbed into the truck and buckled up for the journey back to Warm Springs. What did she ken of seduction?

  “What are you smiling about?” Struan asked as he pulled his truck away from the curb.

  “The prospect of pizza.” Her smile grew. How shocked he would be if he learned of her desire to have her way with him.

  By the time they’d finished their meal in the tiny restaurant and started out for Gordon Hollow, daylight was fading fast, and so was she. With the warm box of pizza leftovers on her lap, she struggled not to yawn. “I am most grateful for your help today, and for the pizza.” She patted the box.

  “You are most welcome.”

  All too soon he pulled into the Gordons’ driveway and shut off the truck. He turned to face her, placing his arm across the back of her seat. “I promised to take you to a hot spring.”

  “Aye?” Another date? Her breath went shallow at the thought.

  “Aye.” His eyes sparkled in that beguiling way he had. “Tomorrow is Friday, and I’m leaving to work at the fair, but once I’m back, we’ll visit a nearby hot spring.”

  “Am I no’ to return to the fair with you?”

  “There’s really nothing for you to do there. Here you can ride, swim, explore . . . whatever you wish. You’d be bored to tears in New York, but it’s up to you. Talk to Ma and Lindsay. See what they think.”

  She nodded, oddly stricken at the thought of being separated from her knight.

  “Sky, about that kiss yesterday . . .”

  “Aye?” she said to the box in her lap.

  “I . . . it was . . .” He heaved a sigh that settled into the space between them. “If I had it all to do over, our first kiss would not have been so . . .”

  “So impassioned? Rash?” She raised her gaze to his. He’d said our first kiss, as if he intended for there to be more. She sensed his uncertainty, and somehow she found his vulnerability bolstered her courage.

  “Aye. That,” he muttered, his tone tinged with self-deprecation. “I apologize.”

  “There’s no need. You said if you had it to do over . . .” She could hardly believe her own daring. “How would you have kissed me for the first time?”

  He undid his seat belt, leaned close and undid hers. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Struan moved closer still. “I would have been far more gentle.” His knuckles skimmed her cheek, and he tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. “Mayhap just a brush of my lips across yours, my lady. Like this.” His mouth touched hers for a brief instant, before he moved away.

  ’Twas all she could do to keep herself from following. “But . . . I rather liked the way you kissed me the first time,” she whispered. With just that brief touch, sensations had streaked through her, lighting every nerve as if they were torches he alone could set aflame.

  Struan chuckled low in his throat. He trailed kisses across her cheek and down the side of her neck, sending glowing embers of heat cascading through her. She sighed and tilted her head, encouraging him to continue. He took the lobe of her ear between his teeth and applied pressure, and a bolt of desire shot like an arrow to the very center of her core.

  A rumbling came from deep in his chest, almost like a cat’s purr, and once again Struan sought her mouth. This time his kiss was insistent, possessive. He held her face with both hands, deepening his assault upon her senses, demanding entrance. Gladly she opened to him, and he drew her tightly against his chest. She threaded her fingers into his thick hair, marveling at how soft it was against her skin.

  Never had she imagined kissing could be so sensational, so inciting. She didn’t want it to end. Sky ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms, seeking bare skin. Sliding her hands up his short sleeves, she reveled over the feel of the bunched muscles of his upper arms and powerful shoulders. More. She needed more. What would it be like to feel his warmth and hardness against her from head to foot? A throbbing ache burgeoned deep within her, and she lost herself to overwhelming desire.

  Sky could feel the pounding of his heart against hers. Lord help her, she wanted him, and if she were to be truthful with herself, she wanted more than a brief seduction with Struan. If she allowed herself the luxury, she could easily fall in love with him. Och, best not. ’Twould break her heart for certes when the time came to leave him.

  Struan ended the kiss and pressed his forehead to hers. Several moments passed in silence as they both struggled to regain their composure. “You’re going to be the death of me, lass,” he murmured.

  His words pierced her heart, chasing away all traces of lingering passion. “Nay! I will no’ allow you to put your life at risk for my sake.” She gripped his wrists and held him fast. “I willna’.”

  He straightened and peered intently into her eyes. Taking one of her hands in his, he pressed her palm against his chest. “Can you not feel the way my heart pounds for you? Do you not sense how I can scarce draw air to fill my lungs when you’re near? That’s what I meant. It’s a figure of speech. I wasn’t referring to—”

  “Oh.” Her face burned. He had no intention of returning to the past with her. She didn’t want him to. Shouldn’t she feel relieved? Instead, confusion and disappointment tightened her chest until it ached.

  “We should go in, princess. I want to see my family before I head home.”

  She nodded mutely and retrieved the leftover pizza. At some point during their kiss, the box had slid from her lap to the floor. He came around the truck to help her out almost immediately. The intensity of his gaze held her captive.

  “Nothing is written in stone, Sky.”

  “What mean you by that?”

  He put his hands on her shoulders, drew her close and kissed her forehead. “Only that the future is unknown to us, and everything can change in an instant.” He took the box from her and reached for her hand, twining the fingers together. “Come. Let us say goodnight to Gene and Marjorie.”

  Still puzzling over what he meant, she allowed him to lead her inside. The sound of the Gordons’ TV came from the chamber they referred to as their “family room,” and she and Struan headed in that direction. There they found Marjorie and Gene sitting close together on the couch, watching the flat screen, as they called the device that played movies and such.

  Marjorie smiled a greeting. “How’d it go at the DMV?”

  “It went well.” Struan set the box on the low table in front of the couch and plopped down on the couch, tugging her with him. “Shoot. I left the folder in my truck.”

  Gene’s eyes touched upon her hand in Struan’s, and she freed herself. “I don’t need any of the documents this eve.” She pressed her hands together and tucked them between her knees.

  “I see you stopped at Jason’s Pizza and Subs.” Gene pointed to their box. “What did you think, Sky?”

  “’Twas very tasty, but no’ nearly as delicious as Lindsay’s lasagna.”

  “You’ll get no argument from me on that. You ready to head out tomorrow, son?”

  “I am. Are you coming, Ma?”

  “I’m staying put this weekend. Carol and Ethan need a babysitter Saturday night, and Lindsay has to work. Besides, it’s much more comfortable here than in a cramped camper trailer. You can fend for yourselves for this weekend.”

  “We’ll only take our camper and the horse trailer then,” Gene added. “There’s room enough for the three of us with the bunk beds.”

  “See?” Struan flashed Sky a triumphant look. “You’re much better off staying here.”

  “True enough.” She didn’t wish to be the only woman al
ong, especially in such tight quarters given the way she reacted to Struan’s nearness. Sky relaxed into the soft cushions and stared at the scenes unfolding on the TV. She had little interest, and her mind wandered. What had Struan been thinking when he’d remarked that things could change in an instant? She cast a sideways look at him, only to find him staring back. Her breath hitched, remembering the way he’d kissed her just moments ago.

  Struan rose, stretched and sighed. “I should get going. I want to jog before we leave for New York, which means an early start. Mind if I take the pizza, Sky? There’s nothing like cold leftover pizza for breakfast. Mmm-mm.”

  “Really?” Her eyes widened as she handed him the box.

  “Really.” He laughed. “Good night, all.”

  Gene and Marjorie wished him a good night, and he left. He’d only just gone, and already Sky felt bereft of his presence. “I should retire as well.” She too rose from her place. “This has been a most productive day. I will have my picture ID within a fortnight.”

  “Good night, Sky.” Marjorie’s warm smile lit her eyes. “I’m glad you’re staying this weekend. It’ll be fun. You can help me watch little Gene.”

  “’Twould be my pleasure.” She couldn’t help but notice the way Gene scrutinized her. His expression unreadable, she reached out with her senses. Fear. Fear and sadness. Did he too see her presence in Struan’s life as a harbinger of doom for his beloved foster son? She wished to ease his fears, but to do so would be a breach of privacy. If he wanted reassurance from her, let him be the first to bring it up.

  Guilt weighed heavily upon her as she made her way upstairs to Struan’s childhood bedroom. Though this era held far less political intrigue, the emotional turmoil, for her anyway, more than made up for the difference.

  Sky awoke at the crack of dawn Tuesday morning to the annoying beep of the alarm clock. She reached out and shut it off the way Lindsay had demonstrated. Her blood thrummed with anticipation. Struan had returned last eve, and he’d promised to take her to a hot spring this morning. Their second date. He meant to take her to a place called the Jefferson Pools Hot Springs Spa early in the morning.

  Though the weekend had passed pleasantly enough, she’d sorely missed Struan. Pushing the covers aside, she sat up in bed and stretched. A quick shower, and then she’d don her suit for swimming, wearing it beneath her jeans and top. She rose, grabbed the things she’d set out the night before and headed for the bathroom.

  Quickly she showered and readied herself for the day. Struan had said they were to break their fast at a nearby resort afterwards, and she looked forward to the experience. She brushed her teeth and rinsed her mouth. Toothpaste was another item she’d miss, along with the tiny brush used to clean her teeth. Mayhap she’d take both home with her. She checked her reflection in the mirror above the basin.

  Did Struan find her visage as pleasing as she found his? He’d said he could scarce draw breath when she was near, and she’d felt the pounding of his heart, so he must. In her eyes, he was the epitome of male perfection, despite the fact that Connor easily trounced him in the lists. Struan had been lax is all. Since then, she’d seen him training with Andrew and Michael every day.

  She tidied up after herself and stopped in her room to grab the bag holding a towel, dry undergarments and Struan’s old T-shirt to wear over her swimming garment. Then she checked the clock before hurrying downstairs and out the front door to wait.

  The sun sent fingers of light reaching over the hills, and the day already held a haze of humidity and a hint of the searing heat to come. Another thing she was not used to. Fog hovered just above the treetops bordering the fields, and the grass before her sparkled with droplets of dew, like rare jewels reflecting the early morning light.

  The sound of Struan’s approaching truck brought a smile to her face. She hoisted the straps of the canvas bag to her shoulder, took a deep, pine-scented breath and walked toward the driveway just as he pulled in. He hopped out, and her insides fluttered at the sight of him.

  “Good morning,” he said, his blue eyes sparkling. The tight T-shirt he wore emphasized the sculpted muscles of his torso and the broadness of his shoulders. “Are you looking forward to the hot springs as much as I am?”

  “I am.” She nodded. He took her bag from her and opened the passenger door. Once she was settled, he placed her bag in the backseat next to his. She caught his scent, purely masculine, hot and slightly musky, and her blood heated. She wanted to lean close, take in his essence.

  He climbed in and turned up the fan, sending a blast of cold air through the vents, and backed out of the driveway. “My friend manages the two bathhouses at the spa, and he’s opening up one of the bathhouses for us before the facility opens. If we went during normal hours, you’d have to go to the women’s bathhouse, and I’d have to go to the men’s, because clothing is optional.” He grinned at her. “Blake will meet us there to let us in, and we’ll have an hour or so to ourselves before he returns to get the place ready for the first wave of guests.”

  “’Tis kind of your friend to do you this favor.”

  “We went to high school together, and I’ve done him a few favors myself over the years.”

  The road they were on wound around bends, up hills and down through the mountains. Occasionally the surrounding forest opened up to reveal spectacular vistas of rolling hills, which seemed to continue on forever. Sky wrapped her arms around herself, chilled by the blowing air.

  “Sorry.” Struan turned down the fan. “I showered, but I’m still overheated from my morning run.”

  “I really dinna mind the chill if you still need to cool yourself. I can close the vents on this side if need be.”

  “I’m good.” He turned onto a gravel road. “We’re close to the springs, princess.” He sent her a boyish grin. “You’re going to love this. The men’s bathhouse is the oldest spa in the nation, harking back to 1761.”

  “Hmm, that hardly seems old, since I was born in the year of our Lord 1423,” she murmured. ’Twas his boyish grin and his enthusiasm about sharing the experience with her that she loved.

  “That’s too weird to think about.” He shot her a wry look. “That makes me, what, one hundred four years older than you, since I was born in 1319, but I’ve only been alive for twenty-four of those years.”

  She giggled. “If we go by the year of my birth, I’m nearly six hundred years old, yet I’m not quite one and twenty.”

  Struan turned onto a gravel road and drove for a short while, and signs for the Jefferson Pools Hot Springs Spa began to appear. Soon, a cluster of unimpressive buildings appeared, huddled together in the midst of a field. They turned onto a shorter lane leading right up to the complex. One of the structures was circular in shape with two tiered levels. Another was rectangular, resembling a cottage where someone might live, with a broad porch in front, and the last was also rounded, but with flat sides.

  A lone car was parked in front of the cottage-like structure, and a young man stepped out as they drove near. He waved, and Struan waved back as he pulled his truck beside the other car.

  Again she found herself awash in Struan’s excitement. He grabbed their bags from the backseat and hopped out. She climbed down and circled around to where he stood with his friend. Blake’s curiosity and speculation surged toward her.

  “Blake, this is Sky MacKintosh. Sky, this is my friend Blake Johannes.”

  Struan’s broad smile, his happiness, brought forth an answering smile. “’Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Blake.”

  Blake leaned against his car with his arms folded in front of him. His brow lifted, and amusement filled his warm brown eyes. “’Tis a pleasure to make yours as well,” he said in a teasing tone. “Where’d you find her, Struan? At one of those Renaissance festivals where you play medieval knight?”

  “Exactly.” Struan cocked an eyebrow. “She fell into my path, and I picked her right up and kept her. Finders keepers, losers weepers.”

  Finders
keepers, losers weepers? What could he possibly mean by such a ridiculous statement?

  “Mmm.” Blake’s studied her, his eyes lit with interest. “Might have to start hanging out at Renaissance festivals.”

  Struan grunted. “Good luck, buddy. You’re not likely to find anyone there like Sky. She’s one of a kind.” He slung his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side.

  “Ah, well.” Blake winked at her. “If you get tired of this lug, you come find me, Sky. OK?”

  “Not going to happen,” Struan said, tightening his hold around her shoulders. “Which pool do you want us to use?”

  Blake pointed. “I’ve unlocked the women’s bathhouse for you. Go on in and have a soak. I’ll be back around nine.”

  “Thank you, Blake,” Sky said. The air was redolent with the scent of rotten eggs. Sulfur, her mother had explained once. She’d smelled the same whilst she and her family traveled near a hot spring on their way to visit Aunt Elaine. Because of spring flooding, they’d been forced to take a more difficult route through a mountain pass on Sutherland land. She glanced at Struan. Mayhap now that they’d become closer, he’d be willing to share more about his kin.

  Struan shook Blake’s hand. “I owe you.”

  “You do,” Blake quipped. “Since you already have yours, next time you’re at a fair and a beautiful woman falls at your feet, toss her my way.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Struan laughed. “But don’t hold your breath.”

  Blake grinned, circled around to the driver’s side of his car and climbed in. Struan waited until his friend drove away before ushering her toward the women’s bathhouse with his arm still around her shoulders.

  They entered the large, round building, and Sky found the inside as in need of maintenance as the outside of the weathered complex. All around the inside wall, curtained stalls were set up for changing. The steaming water at the center was clear enough to see the stones at the bottom. And every few seconds, bubbles rose to burst through to the surface. The air inside was heavy with steamy, sulfur-tinged moisture.