Final Hours

by Cate Dean

  “Kane—”

  “Turn around, Beth.” She did, her heart pounding so hard she pressed her hand against her chest. He looked so serious, so alone, standing in the middle of the small living room. “If you’ll have me, I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you.”

  She launched herself at him. He caught her around the waist, his left arm strong as he held her, his lips gentle as he kissed her, with a warmth and tenderness he’d never shown. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck and gave herself up to the familiar heat.

  He broke off the kiss, met her eyes. “Is this a yes, my stubborn, beautiful love?”

  “One question—does the castle come with that?”

  His shout of laughter had her smiling, and happier than she could ever remember. “Stop torturing me, Beth.”

  “You earned your share over the last month. Yes.” She brushed her lips over his. “A resounding, absolute yes.”

  “Thank God.”

  “What about the whole ‘I can live a quiet life here’ speech?”

  A self-conscious smile crossed his face. “I thought if I said it aloud, I could convince myself it was what I wanted.”

  “And?” She raised her eyebrows.

  “It didn’t work.”

  “Next time you want to push me out in the cold, don’t.”

  “Yes, my lady.”

  He kissed her again, and she gasped when he moved, taking her with him. Her knees hit the soft, worn cushion of the sofa as he sat, sliding her forward until she straddled him. He pulled her in tight, and she felt every inch of him, even through the layers of fabric.

  “Kane—” It has been so long, and she wanted him. Her body ached with the need. But he was still healing, and she didn’t want to set him back, just to relieve an itch. “Oh, God, I want you—but I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Not touching you hurt me, Beth, more than I ever expected.”

  “I wish I was sorry for that.” Leaning in, she whispered against his ear. “But I’m not.”

  With a growl, he turned his head, capturing her lips in a kiss that left her gasping for breath.

  “I deserve nothing less.” He sounded a little out of breath himself. “But I would like to make up for it. Starting now.”

  Elizabeth pulled back. “I did mean it. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I am willing to risk it. Can you—help me with my arm.”

  He refused to look at her while she untied the sling, eased his right arm down to his side. His fingers flexed against the sofa, but he couldn’t close them in a fist. She touched his hand.

  “Let it rest. You’re already stronger than you were a month ago.”

  “I’ll not be able to protect you—”

  “You have another arm, Kane. Learn to use it.” He stared at her. “What?”

  “You do know how to cut straight to the heart of the matter.”

  When she would have blushed before she met him, now she smiled. “I’ve always been practical.”

  His laughter warmed her. “Oh, my sweet Beth. How did I ever think I could leave you?” He slid his left hand up her back. “I only have the one hand available. I may need your help.”

  “Just let me know how I can be of service, good sir.”

  “Oh, the replies I could make to that comment.” She did blush this time. A smile tugged at his mouth. “We will move slowly, just in case.”

  She sighed. “So you’ll just make me suffer instead.”

  “I like to think of it as foreplay.”

  He muffled her laugh with his mouth, teased her with his lips, his tongue, moving in the slow rhythm he promised. The tenderness he only hinted at before overwhelmed her now as he took her under, gently, the heat between them warm instead of scorching.

  Elizabeth let out a shaky breath, leaned her forehead against his. “I want you, Jackson.”

  “You have me, Elizabeth. Now and always.”

  He caught her lips again, and with a low moan she wrapped herself around him, relearning the lines of his body, the lean, hard muscle that flexed under her hands. She slid those hands over his stomach, up his chest, her breathing as shallow and ragged as his.

  “I need,” he whispered against her lips.

  “Tell me, Kane.”

  “I need you to,” he interrupted himself, kissing her long and slow, the warmth spiraling to heat. “Help me unbutton these bloody trousers.” Laughter burst out of her. “What I wouldn’t give for a zipper. Every single pair loaned to me has this damn button fly.”

  “It will be my pleasure.”

  They both watched her release each button, Kane’s stomach muscles quivering against her knuckles. She freed him, pausing long enough to hike her dress up and shift the wet cotton of her panties to one side before she slid forward to ease him inside her.

  This time she wanted slow, wanted to spin out the way he made her feel—needed, loved, protected. After all they’d been through, they finally belonged to each other.

  “Beth.” Kane cradled her cheek, his fingers shaking. She loved him for that control, for knowing that she needed gentle right now. “I love you.”

  “I love you back, Jackson Kane.”

  She kissed him, and started moving, setting the pace. Heat shimmered between them. His hand clutched the back of her dress, and he gasped as he broke off the kiss, pressed his face against her throat. She felt him shudder, his breath hot on her skin.

  “Beth—God—”

  “I’m here,” she whispered. His arm captured her waist, and she started to move faster, her need coiling tighter and tighter.

  She let out a raw cry and arched into him as she started to lose control. Kane groaned, and drove himself up, the feel of him so deep inside her pushing her higher. She held on to him, her anchor, her knight, her love.

  He kissed her, hard, fast, desperate, and his final thrust sent her over the edge.

  ~ ~ ~

  Elizabeth dragged her head to one side, so she could suck air instead of Kane’s damp cotton shirt. He fought for breath, and she smiled, well aware she was the cause. It made her feel powerful. She planned to gloat out loud—as soon as she could feel her body again.

  “Beth?”

  “Here.”

  “Thank—God.” His hand inched up, under her loose dress, his fingers sliding over her sweat slick skin. “Thought I might have—done you in.”

  “Close.” She found the strength to lift her head, and met Kane’s dark, exhausted eyes. Her heart jumped. “Are you—”

  “Fine, love.” He brushed her lips, leaned his head back against the sofa, and let out a sigh. She used his chest to push herself up, and he groaned.

  “Kane—” He twitched inside her. “Oh… oh.” Her eyes widened. He was already getting hard again, filling her. “How—”

  “No woman has ever flipped my switch as easily as you do. Let me—”

  “No.” She clamped herself around him. “Stay.”

  “Beth.” He spread his hand over her back. “I haven’t the strength for another—”

  “I know. I just want—I want to feel you inside me, just a little longer.”

  “Oh, love.” Kane kissed her, his hand rubbing her back, soothing and so tender tears stung her eyes. His hand slid down, over her right hip, stopped at the raw scar on her thigh. “I am so sorry you suffered because of me.”

  “This had nothing to do with you.” She leaned her forehead against his. “If it was the price I needed to pay to save Ramsay, to save you, I’d pay it again, without hesitating.”

  “I love you, Elizabeth Barritt.” She let out a shaky breath, cradled his face. “It would be my honor if you joined me while I find a way to get us home.”

  “I will, on one condition.”

  He leaned back, obviously startled. “What would that be?”

  A smile curved her lips. “Once we get back, I want to see your castle.”

  His laughter rumbled through her chest, and he moved inside her. She let out a c
hoked gasp.

  “I was wrong. I believe I may have the strength to try this again.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Would you like that fast, or slow?”

  His lips captured hers in a kiss as he showed her.

  Sixteen

  Mac showed Dr. Kinimoto the memo he found.

  After reading it, she tore it into tiny pieces and burned them in a small bowl on her desk.

  “Who else saw this?”

  “Me. Just me, Doc.” He refused to drag Carrie into this mess; he was still unsure of Colette, so he kept her at a distance. “You’re not surprised.”

  “Glendon Harper came to me months ago, wanting full access to the portal. I told him no. He got pissed. A word of advice,” she pulled off her glasses, rubbed her eyes. “Never piss off MI-6. The fact that he didn’t do anything about it worried me, made me wonder if he was acting without consent. It seems I was right.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  She moved around her desk and sat in the chair. “Nothing.”

  “Nothing? What the hell, Doc—you can’t just—”

  Her raised hand cut him off. He thought she was dismissing him—until he saw her finger pointing, just for a second, at the desk lamp.

  “Nothing, Mr. Macaffrey. Are we clear?”

  “Crystal.” He watched her scribble on a pad of paper. She held it up. Meet—utility closet in the lab. No bugs. How she knew there were bugs at all was number one on the list of questions. “Am I dismissed, Doctor?”

  “Please.”

  He stomped out, slamming the door for effect—then sprinted to his quarters. He planned to record everything she said, so he could use it to hang Harper with his lying, forked tongue.

  He dashed around the corner leading to his quarters—and skidded to a halt.

  Colette stood in the hallway, her pistol out, aimed at him.

  “Damn it—don’t do it, Colette.”

  “I am so sorry, Mac. I really am.”

  He lunged sideways as she fired. The blast caught him in the right side, and he went down, fighting to breathe.

  “Hold still.”

  He turned his head, found her standing over him. “Colette—”

  She pushed the charge up button. “I promise, it will be painless. Just hold still.”

  Tears filled her eyes as she aimed the pistol.

  Seventeen

  It took another month of healing and physical therapy before Kane was ready to leave. His right arm still hurt him, as much as he denied it, and Elizabeth saw how quickly he tired if he used it. She would make sure he kept up his physical therapy, whenever they were able. With any luck, they would tumble out of the portal and back in his time.

  Elizabeth arranged a party their last night, to thank everyone who offered so generously when they could hardly afford to cover their own needs.

  The party spilled out of the small cottage and to the wide courtyard, a double celebration. The Battle of Britain, fought practically over their heads, was headed for a decisive victory against Germany. A victory she already knew would happen.

  The late summer evening was mild, the wind soft, and Elizabeth knew she would miss every single person here. Gryffyth joined her as she stood at the edge of the courtyard.

  “You should be enjoying your own party.”

  “I am. I’m just going to miss all of you.”

  He leaned down, kissed her temple. “That is mutual, beautiful.” Then he surprised her by closing both hands over her shoulders. “Tell me this—will you be safe?”

  “Yes. As safe as anyone can be. Thank you, for worrying about me.” A flush stained his cheeks, reminded her how young he was, for all his bravado.

  “If you need anything, you know where to find me.”

  With a final squeeze of her shoulders, he left to join the other revelers. Elizabeth watched him laugh and flirt with one of the local girls, and her heart broke all over again, for everything she’d miss.

  By the time the last people left, she was exhausted from keeping up a happy façade.

  Kane wrapped his left arm around her waist, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Tell me what is hurting you, Beth.”

  “How do you do this? Get caught up with them, knowing you’ll never see them again? Never know how their lives turned out?”

  “Before now, I never spent enough time in one place to talk to anyone, much less form attachments.” He let out a sigh. “My job was to keep our agents from affecting the past. Now I am doing that, and worse.”

  “What we did was put history back on track.” She brushed his cheek. “I am sorry about Guy.”

  He looked surprised. “I know it was self-defense, Beth. I have never blamed you, not for the choice he forced you to make. What I would like to know is how Harper persuaded him.”

  “He strikes me as oily enough to resort to blackmail.”

  Kane laughed. “You pegged him from the off.” His humor faded as he studied her. “And he is the reason I need to find a way home. Before I find yours, I’m afraid.”

  Her heart skipped. “I’m not going anywhere. Not without you.”

  “Beth—”

  “Argument over. You’re stuck with me, so get used to it.”

  She let out a gasp as he hauled her against his chest and kissed her until she couldn’t think.

  When he finally freed her, she held on to him to keep from falling over.

  “Wow,” she whispered.

  “I promise you, Beth, I will find a way to get us back to my time.”

  “I—”

  He kissed her silent. This time they had to pause to catch their breath.

  “You touch me, love. No other woman has ever found their way to my heart.” He tilted her chin until their eyes met. “I want you to be quite sure before you make a commitment. I am not an easy man.”

  “Two months in the same house with you told me that.”

  His smile warmed her all the way to her toes. “I do like you, Elizabeth Barritt. Another first for me.”

  “I like being your first.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “And I like you, Jackson Kane.”

  His arm tightened, kept her there. “Kiss me again.”

  “Okay.” She did, startled by the intensity in his eyes. “What?”

  “You really don’t see them, do you?” There was wonder, and more than a little surprise in his quiet voice.

  “See what?”

  “Exactly.”

  He kissed her, his lips gentle as he drew out the kiss, her head spinning from the power of it. She slid her hands up, cradled his face, and understood what he meant when her fingers brushed the scars on his right cheek. Then he deepened the kiss and it was all she could do to breathe.

  The wind picked up, and she gasped against his lips as it sliced through her thin sweater. Kane eased back, and smiled at what she knew was a look of stupid bliss on her face.

  She laid her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was the last thing she heard every night, as she drifted off. She wanted to do that every night for the rest of their lives. However long that turned out to be.

  “Beth.” She closed her eyes, loving the sound of his deep voice. “I am afraid this next journey may be—”

  “Fatal?” She lifted her head, met his surprised gaze. “I know we’re taking a chance.”

  “Why did you wait to say anything?”

  “I didn’t want you to worry about me.”

  “I will, so get used to it.” He brushed her lips one last time. “Let’s get inside. We’ll need to dress warm.”

  They crossed the yard and entered the cottage, turning off lights, like they normally did, leaving a small lamp on in the larger bedroom. Elizabeth had packed earlier, filling two backpacks with what she and Kane thought they would need.

  Once she changed into the loose black trousers and light, but warm wool sweater, she helped Kane with his heavy sweater. He still had trouble lifting his right ar
m. She gathered up the backpacks while he strapped the transport to his wrist. A flash of blue caught her eye, and she unzipped the outer pocket of her backpack. Her heart skipped when she saw the notebook she left behind in his time. The edges were scorched, but other than that, it was intact.

  “Kane?” She held it up, watched as he turned around, and froze, guilt written all over his face. “You looked, didn’t you?”

  “Mac sent it with my transport. He thought you might want it back. Yes, Beth, I saw just how incredibly talented you are.”

  Heat spread across her face. “I’m not—I just sketch, to capture what I see in the world.”

  “I seemed to be one of those things you saw.”

  She stared down at the notebook. “You have a striking face. I couldn’t—help myself. My mind refused to let me sketch anything else. I thought I’d get you out of my system by putting you on paper.”

  “Did it work?” Damn him, he sounded amused.

  “No—and you know it.”

  She felt him move next to her, his body heat, the clean woodsy scent of him, like a drug.

  “I am thrilled it did not.” One finger tipped her chin up, and his lips caught hers before she could take in a breath. “Life before you was much less interesting.” He let her go, checked the knife on his belt, a gift from Gryffyth, and picked up the backpack. “Ready?”

  Elizabeth nodded and tucked the notebook in the main part of her backpack, where it would be safe, before she swung the strap over her left shoulder. Her right was still tender, the burns from Guy’s pistol flaring at odd times. She didn’t need one of them to be now.

  Kane turned off the lamp, waited for them to adjust to the dark, and led her out the back door. They decided to leave in the back garden, with the high outer wall of the castle there to block any prying eyes.

  He stopped in the cleared center of the garden, touched the small screen. It glowed, picking out his aristocratic profile. The profile that took her breath away the first time she saw it.

  “Kane?”

  “What is it, love?” He lifted his head, his eyes glinting in the dark. “No last minute change of heart, I hope?”

  “No—just a question. Okay, two questions. How did you know that I would be able to change what Guy did? That there was only so much time before it became irreversible?”