Epilogue
Three Years Later
“Keep ye eyes closed, lass. No peeking.”
Kenzie allowed Ben to lead her through the second-floor halls and the area of the castle that had been restored to bedrooms. She had an inkling where he was taking her, and she smiled, enjoying the little game he was playing.
A door creaked open and he guided her into a room that was decidedly warmer than the hall. “Can I open my eyes now?”
“Ye are so impatient.” His breath whispered against her ear, and she shivered. Finally, after three years of hard work, determination, tears—on her behalf—and sleepless nights, the castle was finally ready to be moved into.
“Three years of renovations will do that. Show me your surprise.” She wanted to see and see now.
Ben untied the blindfold and let it drop to the floor, revealing their room, the very same as she’d had when she went back in time. Right down to the animal skin rugs to the peat by the fire, everything was as she remembered.
“Please tell me there isn’t a straw mattress on the bed?”
“Och, ye wound me. ’Tis nothing wrong with a straw mattress.”
She went to the bed and checked what it was they were going to be sleeping on, happy to feel a very padded mattress. Tears pricked her eyes, and she swiped them away. How was it that anyone could be so happy? She was truly the luckiest woman on earth.
The past three years hadn’t been easy for Ben, but the strong, willful Highlander that he was, he’d conquered all the weird and wonderful twenty-first-century peculiarities that he’d come across and was now better than her when it came to finding something on TV to watch.
The castle was a true testament to his era, not a stone replaced was cut by a machine, the castle rebuilt by hands of clansmen who were still loyal to clan Ross, even after all these centuries. Having the men around Ben had eased him into this life, and although he still hated cars, he was at least willing to travel in them when the need arose.
“I dinna have the room made up for ye to upset ye, lass. I wanted a little piece of our past to be a part of our future. We fell in love in this very room, these walls. I want ye to remember always how much ye mean to me. How much I love ye.”
“I know how much you love me.” Kenzie slipped past Ben and locked the door. Turning about, she watched him as she kicked off her flip-flops and started to undo her blouse button.
“What are ye doing? There are workmen about!”
She shrugged, kicking off her jeans. “So, we’ll imagine they’re clansmen going about their duties while I seduce the Laird of Ross.”
A devilish light lit within Ben’s eyes before he strolled over and picked her up, flinging her on to his shoulder and walking back toward the bed. Kenzie squealed and laughed as he dumped her in the middle of the mattress, coming down over her.
She bit her lip as he slid between her legs. He was still fully clothed, and the naughtiness of their behavior, the spontaneity, made her ache. She flipped open his jeans and pushed them down just enough so he could finish what they’d started.
“Eager, lass?”
“For you? Always.” He kissed her hard, and she moaned as he slid into her, filling her up just the way she liked it.
It was so good, this sizzling desire that coursed between them. Ben fit her perfectly, and she lifted her legs to sit about his hips as he thrust within her, pushing her toward climax. Never before or with anyone else had she enjoyed sex so much. He made her complete in so many ways, and this was just one of them.
He kissed her hard, nibbling on her bottom lip, teasing and tantalizing her at the same time. But it wasn’t enough, his slow, torturous lovemaking wasn’t what she wanted right now. She needed more.
With all her might she pushed at his shoulders. Understanding dawned in his eyes and he rolled onto his back, bringing her with him. Atop him, in this position, Kenzie leaned on his chest, his heart beating fast beneath her palms even with him still fully clothed. His strong hands clasped her hips and he guided her onto him, hard and fast, allowing her to take what she wanted, almost selfishly.
“Ye’re so beautiful, lass. I will never get tired of this view.”
She was so close, and the deep, seductive timbre of his voice only made her want him more. His hand slid across her thigh and pressed against her sex, two fingers finding her bud and stroking her as she fucked him.
Pleasure built throughout her body, and her whole focus was on where they were joined, and what Ben was making her feel. She would never get tired of loving him, being with him, and having him whenever she wished.
Kenzie moaned Ben’s name as she climaxed. Ben sat up, holding her as his own orgasm rocked through him. She watched as his eyes darkened, a loss of control before he kissed her and it was gone.
She laughed as he flopped back on the bed, pulling her with him. “I dinna intend on us doing that when I brought ye up to the room. But now that we did, I may have to sneak ye away more often. ’Tis a pleasurable pastime.”
Kenzie snuggled into his side, idly running her hand across his jaw before she let it drop onto his chest. “I love you so much and I know our life is going to be filled with adventure, travel, children, and happiness. Thank you for staying. Thank you for choosing me.”
Had Ben returned to the seventeenth century, Kenzie would’ve followed. There wouldn’t have been any other choice. Even when they were only separated a day she longed to see him again, to be near him and hear his voice. There wouldn’t have been any chance in hell she would’ve lasted the rest of her life without this man. As he’d said himself, they were two halves of the same soul. Joined forever, no matter how much time had once separated them.
“’Twas not a hard choice. As much as I wanted to return to my time, claim my home and lands once again, I was living in a state of denial. History threw me out of that time for a reason, and a very good reason at that. When ye said you would stay, my own fate was sealed, no matter my words spoken to dissuade ye at the time. I couldn’t have lived without ye, lass. Just as I never want to live without ye now. This time, although different and new, is good for me and Alasdair. My boy will grow up in a world where he isn’t threatened by who he is or how much land he owns. We’re free to enjoy it, and ye gave me that gift and I’ll be forever grateful.”
Kenzie leaned up on her elbow and gave him a long and lingering kiss. “So, either way, we were destined to be together.”
“Aye, ye saved ye savage Scot, and I thank ye for it. Now come back here, and kiss me again.”
“Of course, my liege. ’Twould be my pleasure.” And it was, of course. Always.
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