Revenge (Book 3 of Lost Highlander series) Read online

  “Sam will know how,” she said, running her hands over his lapels.

  She’d found him a ruby pin in her great-grandmother’s stash and turned to get it for him. As she fastened it to his lapel, he took her hand and turned it, kissing the tender underside of her wrist, then further up her arm to the inside of her elbow.

  She closed her eyes and melted against him as he traced his fingertips down the exposed skin of her back, raising goosebumps along her spine. Admiring her reflection in the mirror over her shoulder, he smoothed them away with the palm of his hand.

  “This shade of red makes ye glow,” he said. “It’s as if ye’re made of liquid gold.” She laughed softly against his chest, not wanting to tell him about the shimmer lotion she’d slathered on after her shower. “I dinna want to share ye,” he said, his voice a deep rumble as he brushed his lips against her hair, trailing feathery kisses along her jaw.

  Her eyes fluttered closed and she breathed in his warm soapy clean scent, already feeling the heavy languor in her legs as his hands continued up and down her back.

  “Evie would kill you if I didn’t come down,” she murmured, her arms going limp as he continued to trail his lips down the side of her throat.

  She leaned back to look at him and he took the opportunity to kiss her on the mouth, nibbling her lower lip and making a soft sound of satisfaction.

  “That is tasty,” he said, sucking on her lip.

  She smiled, lost in his kiss, swearing to herself to buy every color of the lip gloss she’d put on that night if it aroused that reaction in him.

  “Maybe we better go down now,” she said, tugging his shirt out of his waistband. Her fingers itched to touch the hot, smooth skin underneath.

  Wrapping her arms around his waist, she stood on her tiptoes to press her whole length against him. His hands found the zipper at the base of her spine and tugged. Another thing he’d gotten effortlessly good at.

  “I heard Evelyn speak of guests being fashionably late,” he said, leaning out of her embrace and sliding the straps of her gown off her shoulders. The fluid fabric slipped off her body and landed in a shining heap at her stilettoed feet.

  “Did you?” she said, carefully stepping over the puddled dress and reaching for the buttons on his shirt.

  When his hard chest was revealed, she flattened her palms against his muscles, tracing her fingernails down his rib cage and raising goosebumps of his own on his bronzed skin. Her insides fluttered as she continued greedily running her hands over him. She loved touching him, could never get enough of his strength and power.

  Lachlan put his hands at her waist and lifted her while she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck. In two long strides, they were at the edge of the bed and he scooped her up behind her legs and lay her down, pausing a moment to take her in. She tried not to squirm under his intense gaze, as his eyes roamed her scantily clad body. If the heat in his eyes hadn’t caused her skin to warm, his touch a few seconds later certainly did.

  Dropping onto the bed beside her, he traced the tops of her breasts as she breathed unevenly, causing them to spill out of the lacy demi cups of her strapless bra. He leaned over and kissed her in the hollow of her throat, gliding his lips lower until he reached the bra. Mesmerized by the feel of his mouth on her heated skin, she arched her back and hurriedly dispatched it to the other side of the room.

  With a laugh deep in his throat, he claimed her nipple, circling it tantalizingly with his tongue, then gently drawing it into his mouth. The fiery sensation arrowed straight downward, liquefying her bones. She wrapped her fingers in his hair, pulling it from its tidy pony tail, and held on.

  He continued placing hot, soft kisses all along her side, across her hip bone and along the edge of her panties. She moaned long and low, wriggling against his mouth. He gripped the satin edge in his teeth and pulled them all the way down her legs, tossing them aside and then kissing her ankle before working his way back up her thighs, each kiss causing a tremor to run up her body and settle with a thrumming ache in her center. She was wound more tightly than a bowstring, each stroke of his fingers causing her to hum with coiled need. The barest touch of his tongue and she would come undone.

  “Lachlan,” she breathed, letting her head drop back onto the pillow, not sure she could take much more.

  He paused and looked up at her. She had been unable to take her eyes off him as he made his languid ascent and with her heart beating wildly, she reached down and ran her shaking fingers through his mussed hair. As it fell partly across his face, she brushed it behind his ear, her heart breaking at his sweet smile.

  “Now ye’ve done it,” he said. With a ripple of muscles he pulled himself closer to her, caging her with his arms. He nudged her mouth open to kiss her deeply. “We shall surely be more than fashionably late now.”

  “It’s my birthday,” she said. “You’re all I want.”

  “I canna argue with the birthday lass,” he said as he kissed her behind her ear. “I was warned verra strongly against it.”

  As he settled himself atop her, she laughed, feeling free. Not even the prospect of Evie’s disapproving glare when they came down late could burst through the happy little bubble she was warmly floating in with Lachlan.

  “I love ye,” he breathed near her ear as he plunged into her.

  She let herself wash away on the explosive tide of pleasure he brought, losing herself in his heady kisses and the pounding of his body.

  ***

  “Ouch.” Piper pulled one of her ruby hair combs from under her elbow when it poked her. She reached up to find the other one was still in her hair, but it must have been sticking out in all directions. Lachlan at least still mostly had his shirt on. “We’re going to get in trouble for this,” she said glancing at the clock.

  She was surprised Evie hadn’t been up and banging on their door by now. With a blush, she wondered if she had, and they had been too busy to hear her.

  They got dressed with lightning speed, Piper yanking a brush through her hair and jamming the combs back in as best she could. Her skin was still flushed and glowing, perhaps even more than before Lachlan had worked his magic. She dusted him off, and hoped he wouldn’t notice that he had transferred a bit of her golden glow onto himself.

  Except for the tie, she deemed them presentable and they finally made their way downstairs. They snuck in through the kitchen to try to make an inconspicuous entrance into the grand dining hall from the back way but were caught by Mellie, who was giving orders to the caterers.

  Her eyes flew open when she saw them and she shook her head. “Evie will have your hides,” she said. “Everyone has been here for an hour.” She snatched the tie from Lachlan and smacked his shoulder to get him to turn around. Kneeling on a barstool behind him, she expertly tied the bow tie, then smoothed his still mangled ponytail. She rolled her eyes at them and shooed them into the hall.

  “Act impressed or I shall quit,” she hissed as they made their entrance arm in arm.

  Piper gasped as she entered the huge formal dining hall. She had been in that room a grand total of two times before, deeming it too big for any practical purpose, and gloomy to boot.

  The dark stone and wood beamed room had been turned into a fairy garden wonderland. The crossbeams in the ceiling were hung with hundreds of tiny white lights that reflected off pretty iridescent glass lanterns wound with rich green ivy. The dark and dreary wood pillars that ran the length of the room were swathed in gauzy white fabric, and wreathed with more ivy and gorgeous roses in full bloom. Dozens of tables were covered in fine linen cloth, each with a centerpiece of cut crystal and more flowers. Everywhere she looked, light reflected off of something sparkling or dewy fresh, and all her guests were in their finest attire.

  Evie came over with her sternest look in place, but Piper just shook her head and hugged her.

  “It’s perfect,” she said, noticing more details as she kept looking around the room. “I’ve never bee
n to such a beautiful party, and the fact that it’s for me …” Her throat stopped working she was so overwhelmed by the transformation of the room.

  Evie relented and returned the hug, popping up on her toes to give Lachlan a peck on the cheek.

  “Mingle,” she demanded, giving them both hard stares. “No going off in a corner to make out.”

  She fluttered off before Piper could swat her, and miraculously just as Sam appeared holding Magnus, the baby’s small, chubby body mashed into a miniature tuxedo.

  Piper shrieked and grabbed the baby from Sam and tried to get him to smile at her. “Who’s the most gorgeous baby in the world?” she cooed. He scrunched up his face and she felt a rumbling from below. “Still the most gorgeous baby,” she said, handing him back to Sam as a ripe odor emanated from his diaper.

  Sam laughed, the sound going hollow as Evie reappeared.

  “I’ll take him,” she said. “He’s probably getting overtired from all the attention.” She turned to Piper. “He was the star of the show while we were waiting for you.”

  Sam raised his eyebrows at Piper, obviously glad she was the recipient of the digs and not him this time. He pulled Mags away from Evie’s outstretched arms. “He’s just had a monster poo, Ev. Let me change him so your nice dress doesn’t get messed up.”

  Piper held her breath, waiting to see what kind of a dragon this statement would release from Evie’s cave of crazy. Even Sam seemed to wilt a little in anticipation of what she was going to say.

  Evie just laughed and chucked Magnus under his chin. “Monster poo?” she said, glancing shyly up at Sam. “Better let daddy take care of it, then.” She actually smiled a sincere smile at him before he took Magnus away to be changed. “Come find me when you’re done,” she called after him. “We can tuck him in.”

  Piper watched as Sam’s shoulders tensed slightly at these words, and he nodded but kept walking. Piper looked hopefully at Evie, but Evie just shook her head sadly.

  “Stop,” she said. “Don’t read into anything. I’m just trying to get along.”

  Piper didn’t want the party to be ruined by her ungranted wishes for Sam and Evie, so she wrapped her arms around Lachlan’s neck and dragged him to the polished dance floor that had been put down for the night.

  “Just hold onto me and sway back and forth,” she said when he protested he didn’t know the modern dances.

  He settled his hands on her waist and she rested her head against his chest, letting the soft music from the nearby band lull her. She felt loose and happy, glad to be celebrating.

  “All the men look the same,” he said after a few minutes of quiet dancing. She looked around and saw that he was right, almost all the men were wearing black tuxedos. “How do ye tell what clan anyone is from?” he asked. “It canna be the color of the neck ties?”

  She swallowed. “It isn’t really like that anymore.”

  When he had first appeared in her tower room, they had been careful not to share too much of his future, only telling him that the United States was independent of Britain now, and showing him modern things like airplanes to convince him he’d traveled forward in time.

  She couldn’t imagine someone appearing from almost three hundred years in her future, able to tell her everything that happened to her one…five…all her remaining years down the road. She would be scared to death to know. And Scottish history wasn’t exactly the happiest. Would Lachlan want to know what became of his clan, his neighbors, allies, friends?

  “People have no family alliances?” he asked, looking down at her with a troubled frown. “Yet this land has passed down in the Glen name all these years.”

  “Yes, there’re families. Of course.” She rested her forehead against his lapel, feeling the cold satin.

  “Things happen after my time that ye dinna want to tell me?” he asked.

  He tipped her chin up to show her he wasn’t upset. It was just as when she’d had to tell him he was down in the family crypt. He’d been surprised and confused, but not overly upset about it. She loved that about him, his ability to take whatever came in stride.

  “It’s not so much that. But you have to remember, I grew up in another country. We didn’t study this history so I hardly know myself what happened. If you want to know, you should ask Sam.” She looked at him a moment longer. “But, you’re right. It isn’t good.”

  “This is my time now,” he said, stooping to kiss her. “It’s tempting to try to find out what happens to Quinn and Catriona, and my other kin, but perhaps it’s best no’ to.”

  “Whatever you decide, Lachlan. I’ll help you.”

  “It does pain me that I canna wear my kilt.” He shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot and she laughed to see that it really did pain him.

  “Poor modern man,” she said, wrapping her hands around his bottom and giving him a quick squeeze, causing his face to redden as he scanned the room to see if anyone had noticed her brazen display.

  What he saw caused his eyes to widen. A look of disbelief crossed his face and Piper turned in his arms to see what had upset him.

  A man in full, glorious Highland regalia came into the room, followed by an equally splendidly bedecked piper, giving lie to her assertion that he had to wear the suit. At the injustice of it, he looked down at her like a little boy who was told he couldn’t have dessert even though he ate all his broccoli.

  “They must be entertainers,” she said, glancing around. No one seemed phased at their entrance, and Evie, who had just returned with a baby monitor in her hand, actually gave them both quick kisses on the cheek before pointing the piper in the direction of the makeshift stage. “See, the one is going to play the bagpipes.”

  “That is the Campbell plaid,” Lachlan said. “‘Tis no costume.” He almost looked dizzy, as if he’d recognized an old friend.

  Piper grabbed his hand to keep him steady. She knew what he must be thinking, as she was thinking it too. Had someone been dragged forward with them when she’d done the spell to bring them home? They’d been deep in the forest, away from anyone, or so they thought. Her brain clicked back to reality when she saw Evie leading the strange Highlander over to them. Stop going bonkers, she admonished herself.

  “You’re one of the re-enactors,” she said, almost wanting to wipe her brow with relief. “He’s a historical re-enactor,” she laughed, tugging excitedly on Lachlan’s arm.

  “So glad to finally meet our fair hostess,” he said, dropping an impressive bow while reaching for her hand. “Archie Bancroft at your service, as always.”

  He was tall, not Lachlan tall, but probably at least Sam’s height, and had tight curly black hair, soulful chocolate brown eyes and a charming, slightly snaggle-toothed grin. He snapped his feet together and saluted Lachlan. “Milord,” he said, glancing down at Piper with a wink. “I’ve heard from Evelyn that you’re the foremost expert in these parts on the eighteenth century, and I would be honored to pick your brain now that you’re back in the Highlands.”

  Piper couldn’t close her mouth. The man was overwhelming, to say the least. She glanced behind him and saw Mellie hovering in the background, also staring at him with her mouth unattractively open. There was one thing that stood out about him most glaringly.

  “You’re English,” she sputtered, then looked chagrined at his crestfallen expression.

  “Yes,” he said sadly. “An accident of birth. I assure you I’m Scottish in my heart.” He said the last with a fairly bad accent.

  Lachlan looked horrified. “Ye must no’ do that anymore,” he said, causing Archie to laugh good naturedly. It was a deep, infectious laugh and Piper couldn’t help but join in.

  “I’m Scottish in my heart, too,” she said, taking his arm and leading him to a table so they could chat.

  “Love, ye are actually Scots,” Lachlan said. “By blood if no’ by birthplace.”

  “Oh, yes, I always forget,” she said.

  Archie began to tell them in great detail of the camp he had set
up, how many people participated in their little experiment in historical living, and how they had rebuilt one of the ruined crofter’s huts. She assured him she would come out and take a look at it all as soon as she could, letting him know she had heard nothing but good things about his group.

  “That’s a relief,” he said. “After the rumors of the original lot being such ruffians, I wanted to make sure we didn’t get a bad reputation by default.”

  Lachlan coughed, having been the basis for the ruffian rumor in the first place, and Archie pulled out his sword, nearly causing Lachlan to jump out of his chair to defend himself, or Piper, or anyone who needed it.

  He quickly relaxed when Archie showed him the hilt and started asking questions about whether or not it looked realistic enough. They tried to get as many actual artifacts from the time as they could, but some things had to necessarily be replicas. Lachlan seemed to take a great interest in it, also asking to see the small knife he had strapped to his sock. Piper was a little disturbed that someone should be so well armed at her birthday party, but she imagined he’d wanted to go all out with his costume.

  Poor Mellie kept hovering and passing by the table and finally Piper couldn’t stand it anymore.

  “There’ll be plenty of time to show each other all your weapons tomorrow,” she said. The men looked up at her and blinked, having gotten lost in their conversation about sharpening methods. “I think we need to appreciate the band and dance some more. Oh, look, Archie, why don’t you dance with Mellie here.”

  Piper reached out and snagged Mel by her sleeve before she could escape, her face bright red and eyes full of murder. She quickly relaxed when he bowed gallantly and said he’d be more than delighted to take a turn with her.

  They spent the next hour dancing and speaking to the guests. Piper was surprised at how easily Lachlan communicated and got along with everyone, then laughed at herself. He wasn’t a caveman. But she had always pictured him battling or swinging his axe around, tearing across the countryside on horseback. When she found he was gracious, friendly and drew people to him like flies to honey, her pride in him grew.