Chapter One

Present Day

Carnoch, Scotland

Rafe Frasier sat in a chair provided for visitors, his fingers drumming on the cold wood of the armrest. The clock struck the hour of one. He’d been waiting three hours for an audience with the head of the magazine where Dallas was supposed to work. All he knew was that she’d been sent on an assignment somewhere north of here. Desperate, he had to discover her location.

His patience neared the snapping point. Restless, he wasn’t used to waiting for important information. Dallas went missing from his life over a week ago. This was worse. Before that, he’d not seen her for months. On assignment, she told him he needed to remind himself of all the facts. This wasn’t like the first time she went missing. How the hell did he know that? Gut instinct. In the present, he sensed her before she was gone. Vanished without a trace.

Those two words, ‘on assignment,’ didn’t tell him anything he could sink his teeth into. To get this far into the building, Rafe had to lie. Told the secretary in the front of the building Dallas was his wife.

Not much of a falsehood.

Dallas would be his wife as soon as he could get her to a minister, say the necessary words then put a ring on her finger. She would need to agree. After the way she’d been acting, he was worried she would balk at the suggestion of marriage. Now, he didn’t have any thoughts about what ran through her head. Before, he could always read her mind. Her eyes coupled with her facial expressions were an open book. He had to see her before he could read her special book. It was possible she learned how to block his thoughts. If that were the case… Damn, he didn’t wish to think of that possibility.

When she disappeared a few months ago, he thought he would never see her again. At the falls he found her car. The trunk held her tripod along with her computer. Nothing else. Not her camera or the big bag where she kept all her necessities. Fool that he was, instead of leaving the car in the parking lot where she could get to it, he drove the car back to her house. She told him she had to hitchhike into Edinburgh for her interview. Hitchhike! Good God, he put her life in danger!

“Mr. Frasier…” He jerked to attention. Nerves snapped. Heart raced. A strangled gasp of air caught in the back of his throat.

He looked up to see the secretary standing in the doorway leading to the boss’ office. “Yes! That’s me!” She knew it was him. His heart turned over. Hoped he was about to get a few answers. He stood. The chair he’d been sitting in screeched against the floor and rocked before banging against the wall. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants legs.

“Mr. Johnson will see you now. He doesn’t have much time. You need to make this quick. State your case.”

Just as McKenna suggested, Rafe drove to Edinburgh, to the office of the magazine Dallas mentioned she worked for. He waited for an audience. Cole McKenna, head of the Clan, suggested he do whatever was necessary to discover Dallas’ destination. That’s why he lied. Her boss would never give out information as to her whereabouts to just anyone. He needed to be someone. Someone who would be important to Dallas. A person who could be trusted with private information. In this situation, the lie was a necessity.

Blazes, he needed to see her. Hold her. Test their relationship. The spark they felt when he kissed her last time he saw her lit his insides on fire. With the sweet sensual contact, his body roared to life. Before the intriguing moment, there had never been anything substantial between them except an honest friendship. Yes, he loved her. Loved Dallas as a brother loved a sister. Now…now the feelings he harbored for her were far different. There was nothing platonic in the way he felt when he looked at her or thought about her.

After she told him she lived with the man who drove her to Edinburgh before her job interview, he went crazy. Was the name Scratch or Gordon? He couldn’t recall. At the time, he thought he should shake a bit of sense into her. Hitchhiking! She wasn’t acting with logic. Her rational mind tuned out.

She couldn’t give up on them. Not now when there was something tangible they could both hold onto. He didn’t intend to allow her to dismiss him from her life. Not after the kiss they shared. Not after realizing after all these years Dallas was his mate. In a hazy outline, Rafe began to understand what occurred. The universe was in the process of righting itself. He needed to hear more details from Dallas. If she could explain those months she was away, incognito, he would feel much better. As Cole told him, he needed to tell Dallas everything about him. She needed to understand shifters mated for life. He couldn’t leave out one detail. Before they could move on, he would need to show her his cat.

“Have a seat.” The man he came to talk with motioned to a chair.

Dear Lord, he’d been so caught up in thought he didn’t listen. He needed to pay attention. This was far too important for him to mess up. If this man didn’t give him Dallas’ location, he didn’t have anywhere else to turn. There were no clues as to her whereabouts. Nothing in her small apartment that would give anything away.

Rafe pulled up a chair then sat down in front of the big cherrywood desk that seemed to fill an entire wall. Windows behind the desk caught and held the light. The day was a fine one. Sunlight danced in the room.

“What can I do for you?” her boss asked as he appeared to be studying him. “Don’t want any shenanigans. The last man who came in here tried to bribe me. Be apprised, I don’t take bribes from young men. Dallas’ whereabouts is privileged information. Can’t be given out to just anyone. The young woman has put her trust in me. Privacy is important.”

Rafe’s hands were sweating. “I need…” He swallowed hard, a vague attempt to mask his discomfort. “I need to find my wife. No bribes. Just need to know where she is. She said she was going to call me when she reached her destination. That was how many days?” He looked out the window trying to figure out the day she left. “I’ve lost track.” Wouldn’t do to put his foot in his mouth over the day she left. “If she doesn’t have cell service, she can’t call. I’m at my wits end. Frantic with worry.”

“Strange.” The man tapped his pen on the desk. “You’ve misplaced your wife? How does a man misplace the woman he is supposed to love? Where have you been for the last five days?”

A half-smile formed on his lips. That was a lame thing to say. “My texts…they don’t go through. No cell towers. You see. I can only make guesses. I need real information.” Rafe held out his hand’s, palms pointing to the ceiling. “She told me she’d let me know when she arrived at the destination. Last night I gave up expecting a call. At least I’m assuming… It’s possible she forgot her phone. Sometimes she’s a bit scatterbrained.” Rafe lifted his shoulders in what he hoped would appear to be a nonchalant gesture. He wasn’t certain as to how much acting he needed to do. “Assuming she got where she was supposed to go. I’m apprehensive.”

“Dallas…you are looking for Dallas Shaw.”

“Frasier, Dallas Frasier now. We’re married.” He understood he needed to remain consistent.

“Frasier,” he corrected himself looking skeptical. “Frasier, you say. That is what my secretary said. She is your wife. Why should I believe you? There were two other men in here looking for her. One of the men told me Dallas was his wife.” His snow-white brows furrowed together while he appeared to study him.

Damn, he never thought of that scenario. Never believed for a moment those two bozos would be looking for her. Would come here. Why not? She did tell me she agreed to wed one of them. Was it Gordon or Scratch? Yes, believe she said Mathew Gordon. Must have known the mistake for what it was.

“They are lying. Both of them. I have proof of my claim as I’m certain they did not.” Rafe pulled out a forged marriage certificate that Cole insisted he take with him. He was glad he listened to the McKenna. He thought the certificate would provide the proof he needed in order to gain the information. He handed the paper across the desk to Mr. Johnston’s outstretched fingers. “This should provide the verification you are looking for.”

Rafe sweated while Mr. Johnston looked over the certificate appearing to read every word. After what seemed an eternity, he gave him the paper. The man nodded.

“You should pay more attention to your wife. Those men who visited before you were…” he paused as if he didn’t have the words. He went on, “So, the two of you are married. Miss Shaw marked single on her application. Why would she do that?” The frown lines on his forehead became deeper grooves as he looked for a plausible response. One he could believe. While the man waited for Rafe’s answer, he sat back in his chair, his hands folded across his trim belly. “What do you have to say to that?”

The question was not as difficult as it might seem even though her application gave her correct marital status. Cole gave him the needed idea for the reply. He would have never thought of something so simple.

Rafe cleared his throat. Pointed to the marriage certificate. “What is the date on her application? That should tell the true story.”

“Dallas applied in February.”

“If you look at the marriage certificate, it’s dated March ninth. Simple… When my wife applied for the job, we weren’t wed. Now we are. I do need to locate her. Don’t like her out of my sight. We’ve plans to go through the photos she’s taken. Dallas likes my input. Did I say I am an artist? No? Well, I am. I’ve been worried crazy since she left. Sick to my stomach. Half out of my head. Haven’t eaten. Don’t know if she reached that part of the highlands or if she’s in need of assistance. Her car isn’t always reliable. It’s broken down before. Plan on using the money she makes on this shoot for a down payment on a new car for her.”

Mr. Johnston cleared his throat, tapped his pen on the top of the desk. “Your wife was sent to the Isle of Skye. I’m sure you are familiar with that area. Very touristy. Very photographic. I’m certain the photos will do the magazine proud. She is taking pictures of the Fairy Pools along with other highland scenery. The closest village is Carbost. That’s where her base camp is located.” He picked up a piece of paper then began writing.

Rafe hoped he was giving him the address of her hotel or place of residence. Dallas would pick a rental rather than a hotel to stay in for the duration. He needed to be with her. Must convince her they were meant to be together. His heart quickened when her boss handed him the directions. The breath he’d been holding while the man wrote left the back of his throat, moving in slow motion. Relief plummeted through him.

Taking a moment to read the information, he looked up. Smiled. “Thank you. Thank you, sir. I’m certain Dallas will appreciate this. We work well together. Always have. I did make arrangements to join her. She’s expecting me. Dallas would be disappointed if I failed to turn up. She would wonder why. In turn would be worried.” He folded the paper before stuffing it into the pocket of his jeans, having the feeling he’d said too much.

“Is that all?”

“Yes.” He rose to leave, making plans now to get to Dallas the next day, if possible, reached over the table to shake her boss’ hand. Tomorrow evening he hoped to see her. Hold her in his arms. “Thank you again.” Pleased with his accomplishment, he felt like whistling.

Rafe walked past the secretary, tipped his head in acknowledgement, then into the lobby. Outside, the air was warm. The day was brilliant with sunshine. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair sending an errant lock into his eyes. The delight he felt was tangible. He wanted to kick up his heels then howl his delight. He felt certain the trip would be speedy.

He reached his home in Carnoch in record time, berating himself for not packing his things before heading into the city. If he’d had the foresight to do so, he’d be well into the trip instead of working to get started. Two-stepping the stairs to his bedroom, once there he pulled out a travel bag then tossed clothing into it; underwear, socks, a couple of changes of both jeans along with shirts. Figured if he forgot something he could buy anything he needed in the village where she stayed. Grabbing his toothbrush and shaving paraphernalia, he raced down the steps, tossed his bag into the car.

He was headed north.

Behind the wheel, he tugged in a breath of air, gripping the steering wheel. Focused on the road. So much depended on this trip. He couldn’t mess this up. After he explained his position, he would show her his cat. Tell her about shifters. With exact words, clarify his theory about why she was sent back to another century. Wondered if she believed in the old folklore. While he knew her better than any one of her acquaintances, he wasn’t certain if she was superstitious. In the present, even north in the more secluded places of the highlands, shifters were rumors. Stories told in the night around campfires.

Where superstition was concerned, there were varying degrees. One could walk to the other side of the road to avoid a black cat…or not. If not, a person would test their luck. Take fate into their hands. He grinned. She always avoided walking beneath a ladder. For him, he didn’t pay much attention to minor things. One made their luck. Established their fate. Believed all worked out well unless the universe stepped in to rearrange an accident.

On his way to the Isle of Sky, he mulled the thought over for a few seconds. While he’d never visited this place before, he heard the rugged terrain was beautiful, the Fairy Pools spectacular. She would take gorgeous pictures…absolutely amazing photos. Ones she could frame then sell. He brought his laptop to help her go through the photographs. Her next show would be in June. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. The exhibit would take place in Edinburgh. He never got a chance to see the pictures she took at the falls. Would be interesting if they shed any light on what happened to her. How was he going to get her to speak of that time? Maybe she would want to tell him all that happened. It might be that she wouldn’t remember. That was a very real possibility.

The place where she disappeared from his life. Cole told him he believed she traveled backwards in time. The picture of a woman named Lainie with Cameron Roc Frasier in the McKenna keep haunted him. The woman sitting next to Roc looked enough like his Dallas to be her sister or a twin, they were so close in appearance.

One day, he brought a portrait he’d painted of Dallas to the keep. When he held it up to the one of Lainie for comparison…there were subtle differences. Dallas’ hair was redder than Lainie’s. Her eyes were a deeper blue. Lainie’s breasts were larger. Her hips wider. Cheeks a wee bit plumper. He supposed Dallas kept her body’s natural tendencies to become lush curves by exercise along with diet. If he had his way, she would stop torturing her body to be a shape it should never be. He loved all her lavish curves. When they made love, he wouldn’t have to stumble around in the dark to find her feminine endowments.

When they made love…

That event was still in the future.

After the clock on his dash told him he should be in bed, he pulled over. Stopped at what appeared to be a café that might be open all night. Once outside in the crisp spring air, he stretched. Brought several stimulating breaths of oxygen into his lungs. A few minutes later after using the facilities then buying a large cup of coffee along with a sandwich, he was behind the wheel again. Planned on driving through the night.

The next afternoon, he stopped in front of the rustic log cabin Dallas had rented. His heart skipped a beat then another. He wiped his sweating hands on his jeans. Pulled at the t-shirt that stuck to his damp chest. Nerves seemed to splinter while he tried to breathe deep. Never in his life had he been this damn nervous. His steps toward the door faltered. Was certain his knees would give out before he could knock. With his hand in front of the wood he held back.

Courage. I need courage to face her.

At the front door, he knocked. Knocked again harder when there was no answer. Walked around the cabin so he could look in the windows. Pressed his nose against the pain of glass. As far as he could tell, Dallas wasn’t there. He thumped his forehead with the heel of his hand. She would be working. He checked the front door. It wasn’t locked. Rafe let himself inside, swearing at her stupidity. Dallas never remembered to lock doors. Either that or she didn’t think securing the door was necessary.

He checked his watch. She would quit only after the sun disappeared for the night. He had two options. One was to cook dinner. He could have everything ready when she arrived home. At the last stop, he bought a couple of bottles of wine, chicken he could broil, along with a bag of salad. The second option was to take the trail to the Fairy Pools. Meet her. Help her with her gear. They could walk back after sunset. He opted for the first choice, thinking he needed to prolong the meeting he wasn’t certain about. Had no idea how she would receive him. Would lecture him about the lie he told her boss. He needed to be upfront with her. Tell her all the truths. Answer any as well as all her questions.

A romantic dinner.

They would talk all night if necessary. Convincing her not to run from him again would come before speaking of marriage or showing her his cat. She might need to learn how to trust him. Rafe never believed between them trust would be an issue. As he proceeded now, he wasn’t certain. He had a tendency to get things out of order. Knew there was always a proper order to everything. He just had to discover what that sequence was. He was by nature, far too impatient.

No mistakes tonight.

Whistling, he set about the preparations for the romantic dinner, positive this was the right choice for them. On the small table that sat in the corner of the kitchen next to a window, he spread a white tablecloth. Rafe didn’t know why he brought the adornment. Now he knew. Even when he tossed clothing into his bag, he thought of romance. Stepping outside he picked a handful of wildflowers. With water and a vase, he now set the fragrant decoration on the table. Setting the mood was always important. When he thought about technicalities, he could be romantic.

Dinner was ready to be served. The candles were lit. Wine was poured. He paced outside to see the dying brilliance of the setting sun. He was impatient to see Dallas. His body hummed in anticipation. If he closed his eyes, he envisioned her marching down the trail while she struggled with all her equipment. She would be home soon. The tourist information he read said the roundtrip would take about an hour.

He saw her emerge from around a bend. Thought he should step lively so he could help her with the equipment. For the first time since he arrived some of his nerves vanished. This was his Dallas. He knew her better than anyone. Took her to the doctor when she had no one to help her. Understood her like no other just as she understood him. The two of them were meant to be together. She was his mate.

He knew when she saw him. Was overjoyed by the initial reaction. The smile on her face told him a wealth of information. The most important fact was that for at least one beat of her heart she was pleased to see him. Seconds later there was no frown. She stopped walking. Stood still for the longest time while she stared at him. Turned herself a bit to the side as if speculating various ideas. After what seemed to be a thorough perusal, she started to walk.

Rafe couldn’t wait to reach her. To pull her into his arms then kiss her would be a dream fulfilled. His long strides ate up the distance between them. He was at her side, taking her camera equipment from her. The tripod he collected under his arm. Her large bag which held the cameras along with the lenses he slung over his shoulder. She didn’t need his help. Even so, she looked as if she wouldn’t refuse.

He grinned at her. Touched a wayward lock of hair that had come undone from her ponytail. Pushed the cool silken strand behind her ear. “Hello.”

Again, the urge to tug her into his arms for the kiss he’d been waiting for, for what seemed to be his entire life, rifled through him. Wished he dared sweep her off her feet so he could carry her to the bedroom. Making love to her had been on his mind for the entire drive. In absolute truth, it had been on his mind when he kissed her that long ago day and discovered the inferno she lit within him. He had to be patient as well as realistic. She might not be ready to take that necessary step. Damn, but they had so much to talk about. There were months missing from their lives. If his, along with Cole’s, guesses held merit, she’d been in a different century. She’d been righting something that went amiss hundreds of years ago.

Tilting her head a bit to the side, she spoke. Her voice soft, “I never expected to see you here, Rafe. Why did you come all this way?” She ran her tongue across her lips as if she too wished for that kiss he’d been thinking about. The erotic gesture left a trail of moisture behind. He needed to taste. Savor. Damn.

How could he tell her in a brief sentence? The whys of his appearance were long as well as varied. The reasons all involved her, coupled with what they meant to each other. The need to see her before she could make a mistake with Mathew Gordon part of those reasons.

“I’m glad to see you too.” he ventured with the sarcastic comment instead of the explanation she wanted. She would bristle then retaliate. His Dallas wasn’t a girl who would let anyone take advantage of her emotions.

Dallas brushed strands of hair from her face as she resecured her ponytail. Her brows were drawn together, sunset-colored brows he wished to trace with the tip of his finger. Her lips thinned as she fought to concentrate. “You know what I mean. Don’t get flippant.”

He’d started walking again, unwilling to give himself away. She caught his arm to stop his retreat. He turned to listen, hoping she would say something that would please him. With Dallas one never knew how she would respond.

“I’m happy to see you too.” With a small giggle, she said “Needed someone to carry my equipment. Might as well be you.” Dallas was skipping to keep up with his longer strides. “You don’t have to walk so fast. Nothing is going away.”

This wasn’t what he would have liked to hear from her sweet, kissable lips. Though he did appreciate the small giggle. Before, when they did things together, she laughed all the time. Their relationship was carefree, never serious.

Her cheeks were pink, a slight sunburn marring her tender skin. He wished she would tell him how happy she was he came to help her work. “You forgot your sunscreen again.” Someone needed to take care of her. He meant to apply for that job. “Your cheeks are burned.”

When she replied she sounded in a huff. Dallas never liked it when he took it on himself to lecture her. She was always forgetting necessities as she was too caught up in her photography. “No, didn’t forget anything. I applied sunscreen this morning. Been out all day. The stuff wears off. Got enough to carry without adding sunscreen to the mix.” Her back straight she walked ahead of him.

Sunscreen didn’t weigh very much. Ah well.

He loved to watch her hips sway. She was dressed in walking shorts, not her usual short, shorts that showed off her long legs to perfection. If she wore the smaller variety, he’d find himself treated to a glimpse of her fanny. Before she picked up her pace to walk in front of him, he was able to revel in the thrust of her breasts. They were large. Would fill his hands if he ever got another chance to hold them, test their weight, feel their delicate warmth. He shuddered recalling the last time he touched one breast. The lightning that leapt between them was tangible. His memory had him hard beneath his jeans, throbbing with need for this delightful woman who was his mate.

This meeting wasn’t getting off to a great start. Not the one he imagined as well as hoped for. Backpedaling would be a good idea. He had put his foot in his mouth twice now. Doing so a third time was unacceptable to the path he embarked upon. He caught up to her. They walked side by side for a few seconds. He debated how to begin the next exchange without damning himself to her scorn. “I came because I was worried about you. That’s one reason why I followed you here. Your friends, Gordon and Scratch, were asking about you at the magazine. Wanted to know where you were. Would you have cared if they turned up here to disrupt your assignment?”

“So, you thought you would lead them to me? Those two are the last two men I want to see. They make me shudder with revulsion. There is something evil about those two. Can’t quite put my finger on why they give me those feelings. Though they are real.”

They reached her door. He opened it for her, waiting for her to pass through. Catching the scent of lilies in the air as she entered, he was reminded of other times. As long as they were getting off on the wrong feet, he might as well add another damper to the evening. Dallas might not be too pleased at the romantic setting. She gasped when she saw the table.

The wine.

Candles.

The flowers.

Smelled the roast chicken.

“You cooked?” She reached up to brush a tender kiss across his lips. “Thank you, and you brought wine.” Dallas walked to the table, her hands beneath her chin. After she looked at him, “The flowers are a nice touch too. Romantic. Didn’t know you could be amorous.”

He decided not to mention the unlocked door. That would have been the third faux pas of the day. Too many times to count, they argued about securing her apartment. She grabbed her equipment from him. Stowed the things away.

“I like to cook. You know that. Are you hungry? Not as creative as you.” After splashing some into a glass he pulled from the cupboard, he handed her the wine. Stepping back to observe, he waited.

“Hmm… didn’t expect to be treated as if I’m royalty tonight. Was going to have a peanut butter sandwich and a cup of tea. Intended to look at my photos then go to bed. Thank you. To answer your question, I’d like to take a shower first. Feel dusty as well as sweaty. I am hungry. Forgot to bring something with me for lunch. Do you mind waiting until I get a hot water treatment?”

“Take your time. Brought my computer. Do you care if I take a look at some of your pictures? We can start going through them tonight for your exhibition.” Rafe found he was eager to see what she captured on film. Was eager to sit close to her while they combed through the pictures, debated which ones to use.

“You’d do that?” Her eyes brightened. Her hands were behind her back, unfastening her bra. From prior experience he understood she’d be eager to shed the garment. Didn’t appreciate the underwire digging into her skin or the confinement. “Yes, please… Seems as if it has been so long since…” Dallas turned away as if she hid from him. Her shirt along with her bra slid from her. He saw the length of her back. Imagined the rest of her naked. Around him, she was always at ease with her nudity. He’d painted her nude form numerous times. She was his favorite model. They were like brother and sister. No longer. Soon they would be lovers, then husband and wife.

He huffed in a breath of air, stalling himself from action. The long line of her back beckoned to him. Damn, but he wanted to touch, follow the line of her spine with the tip of his finger then with his lips. “What’s wrong?” He knew there had to be some reason for her to run off without an explanation. This was the second time he felt her abandonment, soul deep, unexpected. Now that he understood her position in his life, fleeing him was worse. “You are…different. Tell me what happened those last months. Maybe I can help.”

She turned. For several beats of his heart, he saw her breasts. He sipped air.

“Rafe…please…not now.” Her t-shirt held against her chest, she backed away from him. After she grabbed her glass from the table then drank, she fled to the bathroom. Left him staring at the empty space she’d occupied but a second before.

“Not now…” Rafe murmured, sifting air through his teeth. What did he do wrong this time? Now, now! His fist tightened. He needed patience. Told himself that time and again. It was just so bloody hard to watch her struggle with her emotions. To understand part of the conflict along with the turmoil she fought. In the past, Dallas would have confided in him.

When? When will she talk?

Over the last few months, they’d both been through more than any couple should be put through. Now she didn’t want to tell him anything. Wouldn’t speak of the months they’d been separated. He needed to understand what happened to her. Where she disappeared. Felt as if he stumbled around in a fog.

Damn…he found her car at the waterfall. He didn’t see her again for over a month. After he saw her on the street, she vanished again.

Unexpected, she showed up at his door one night. When he kissed her that evening, held her in his arms, he felt the spark he’d been looking for all the years he’d known her. While she was gone from his life, she changed. Dallas told him she felt the same electricity between them. The leap of energy…the surge of adrenalin. Not more than a few minutes later, she told him she was living with some man. All she was doing in Carnoch was picking up her car. She fled as if she was afraid of him. How the bloody hell could this woman be afraid of him? He’d taken her to the doctor when she couldn’t ask anyone else. Held her hand when she was in pain. She meant the world to him.

Patience.

More tolerance than should ever be necessary is what is needed now. If I want her, I must give her time to adjust to this new revelation. Give her time to come to me the way I hope. The two of us have always been friends…never lovers. Now I want something different from her. She might be afraid. Dallas is my mate. Soon my wife. Forever my life.

You can’t expect anything from her on the spur of the moment. With no warning, you showed up at her front door. Surprised her. Cooked her dinner. Had romance in mind. She needs time to process this unexpected visit. You aren’t her boyfriend. Never have been. What do you expect?

He sat down with his glass of wine. Nursed the drink. After his emotions slowed to small vibrations, he pulled out her camera then took out the card, put it into his computer to download the first images.

The tourist guide was right. This was a beautiful spot, magical. Her images captivated. Held him enthralled. He pulled a few aside for Dallas to look at after dinner. She had enough for the magazine article as well as her exhibit. He would help her choose those to frame.

She was out of the shower. He heard her soft singing. She always sang in the shower when she was at his home. For a lifetime then beyond, he could listen to her voice. Dallas walked from the bathroom in shorts, very short shorts, and a t-shirt. The kind he liked to see her wear. Hell, he painted her while she wore nothing. Now, she didn’t wear a bra. Beneath the pink cotton T, he saw the outline of her breasts, the rose-colored nipples pressed against the fabric. Watched them sway as she walked. Around him, she still seemed comfortable with her almost nudity. Well, he wasn’t as comfortable as he used to be. His penis jumped to life. Being around her was taking on a new angle, a hard edge he had to find a way to hide.

That was the nice thing about their relationship. They were at ease with each other in every way. Dallas posed in the buff for him. He did have a buyer for the last painting. The profit would have paid his mortgage for five years. He didn’t sell. Couldn’t part with the oil. The offer came to him while she was gone from his life. While he didn’t know where she was, he couldn’t bear to have the painting out of his hands. He hung her portrait in the attic where she posed, where he painted. At night he would walk the steps to the room. Gaze at Dallas. Wish for something he didn’t think would ever be.

After she posed for him then dressed, she never wore panties, she would always stuff them in the big bag she carried with her. He wondered now if she wore anything beneath the shorts. If he guessed, he would deduce she wore nothing. The image sent more lightning ripping straight to his groin. He found he was damn uncomfortable. Needed an adjustment to his jeans. Nice that she was at ease. For him, the night was going to be a long one. What he hoped for on the long drive wasn’t going to unfold. There would be no lovemaking tonight. Rushing her would never be advantageous.

Clearing his throat, he stood, “Ready to eat? I’ll dish up. Give you a bit of everything.” Rafe pulled out a seat for her then topped off her wine. “You’ve amazing pictures in the first batch. How many are you obligated to give the magazine? Do you have a choice?”

“Fifty. They have first pick of the photos. I’ve got so many it won’t be hard to find ten or so for the gallery. More to wrap in plastic and mount on cardboard for possible sales. The wine is good.”

After the initial conversation, they ate in silence. Rafe didn’t know how to talk about the past months. How to broach the subject that seemed to send her off in a rush in the opposite direction. He supposed she needed to feel relaxed in his company again. As it appeared now, she was stiff, restrained. Didn’t seem to know what she could or couldn’t say.

She pushed the remnants of her food around on her plate. He gave her more than she would eat. Tried to convince her he loved all her curves. Wouldn’t mind if there were more. Dallas was always careful about how much as well as what she ate. Made certain to exercise. Complained about the cellulite on her legs. If and when she ever gave him the chance, he would taste each tiny dimple.

With a long-drawn-out breath of air, she set down her fork then picked up the wine glass. “Look, I understand we’ve talk that needs talking about. I ghosted you. You should hate me. Want you to understand the ghosting wasn’t intentional. I had no say whatsoever in what happened to me. Never meant to leave without telling you where it was I was going. In a blink, I was in another world sitting on my butt looking at a man I’d never met before.”

That was a start. Maybe she needed to tell him where she was as much as he needed to learn the truth. “Where did you go?” His curiosity spun out of control. So far, she told him nothing about those months when he couldn’t find her. This was the first hint of communication. “You could have picked up your cell. Called me.” He braced himself with his forearms on the table. “I was worried. Terrified something horrible happened to you. Helpless. A man doesn’t much appreciate that vulnerable feeling. You do realize how much I care for you.”

She lifted her shoulders in a tiny shrug as if there was nothing she could do. The movement sent other parts of her in a visual dance treating his eyes along with his senses to a titillating display of female curves. “No cell tower where I was. Nothing. No electricity. Nothing. No cars. Only horses.” Dallas shuddered. “I dislike riding horses. Found myself perched on one…a horse. The ground flew by. I held tight to his arm keeping me from falling.”

“That’s all possible. Were you on some kind of assignment you never mentioned to me? I thought, maybe, there was no service here which is why I couldn’t call you. Why I didn’t give you a heads-up that I would arrive this afternoon. Didn’t mean to catch you unaware. You expected to be alone. I intruded. Do you want me to leave?”

She set the glass on the table, a strange look in her eyes. “How did you find me?” She topped off her wine. “Need something more to bolster me up. Somehow, I understand what you’re going to tell me I won’t like. So, let’s get this over with.”

“I lied to your boss.” He didn’t intend to make any apologies. Would do it again in a heartbeat. “Told the man you are my wife.”

She hissed air in through her teeth. “He believed you?”

~ * ~

The bastard! At least her boss didn’t believe Mathew. Even so, she was surprised to discover her boss told Rafe her exact location. Mathew was a sneak. Oily. Hateful. Not very much time passed before she understood her mistake with the man. On first meeting him, she trusted him to do what he said, helped her out of a tough situation. While he was a cad taking advantage of her weakness. He tried to coerce her into his bed. Only one kiss convinced her his bed was the last place she wished to be. The kiss disgusted. Left her to shudder with displeasure.

When he found her hitchhiking, she was so disoriented she didn’t know if she was coming or going. She was confused. The world seemed to spin in too many different directions. After she hopped into his car, Tinley moved to the back seat. During the ride into the city, she had this uncanny notion she knew these two. The men were less than stellar. It was here, at the Fairy Pools, that she realized where she first saw the men.

At first, she was so muddled in her mind that Mathew was able to sweet-talk her into staying with him at his apartment. Within a span of a day and a half, she moved out. She could do so only because her boss at the magazine gave her an advance to meet her needs until she left for the photo shoot.

For too many days after she settled into the cabin, all she could do was walk the trail to the pools. She would sit for hours staring at the rippling, sun dappled water as the cold liquid spilled over the rocks. Tried to remember all that happened to her. Felt the breeze blowing off the craigs change as if something supernatural touched her. The sunlight dimmed. All around her the scene seemed surreal. Little things came to mind. A touch here. A caress there. The man who set her upon his horse was real, flesh and blood man. The first few days she believed this was the remnants of a dream. The dream wasn’t a dream at all nor was the memory a nightmare. What she experienced was real. When she closed her eyes, even when she didn’t, she saw the fantasy man’s features.

The man in the mist rainbow behind the falls…his face was still etched into her memory. Why not? He could be a brother to Rafe. Tall, handsome as sin, the man captured her attention the moment she saw him, feet braced apart. His hands placed square on his lean hips. He came to rescue her from Scratch and Gordy. Gave commands. Laughed when she acted as if she wouldn’t obey. Asked her if she would rather be with those two men. Until she started to retain her memory, she never made the connection between the two who accosted her in the glen and the two who picked her up on the side of the road. A cloud covered the sun. Shadows deepened. Tourists came and went. Laughed. Chatted. Spoke of the beauty. The enchantment of this mystical setting helped her remember some of her past. There were moments when she felt certain fairies fluttered around the pools. They would slip their toes in the water. Splashed each other. When she tested the water, the magical liquid was like ice to her fingers. Still, a few of the tourists braved the icy cold to swim.

Scratch and Gordy.

Tinley Scratch and Mathew Gordon.

Good God, to protect herself, she pepper sprayed one of them. Couldn’t remember which man was the recipient.

Sunshine broke from the clouds. Chased away the shadows. Even so, given the eerie feelings surrounding her, she could not rid herself of the darkness in her heart that seemed to also possess her soul. The man who rescued her from those two, tossed her on top of his horse as if she weighed nothing. Nothing! A woman of her size? The ride through the forest trails terrified her. As she clung to his massive forearms, he whispered to her that he would keep her safe. Told her to relax when doing so was impossible. She recalled the cave where he took her. Where they spent the night and one or two after that. The exact time was hazy in her mind. Parts of those months she remembered. Some parts she did not.

She sat on a nettle. The man, Roc was his name, Roc Frasier. He rubbed cortisone cream on her butt. He touched her in ways no man ever touched her before. Mentally as well as physically, she felt the spark he ignited she and Rafe lacked. Reveled in feelings that were new to her. Found if he wished or asked, she would have let him take her virginity. In her large bag, she had all she needed to protect herself from disease as well as pregnancy.

While she showed as well as explained these things to Roc, she had the sudden feeling he was angry. Why would he be furious with a woman who wished to protect herself? That was something she didn’t understand. He didn’t like the birth control pills or the condoms. He was familiar with condoms not the pills.

Never would understand his position on the birth control. Rafe wasn’t like that. Understood the necessity for both.

It rained the next day, forcing them to remain in the cave. While she wanted him to take her to Inverness, Roc refused. Told her in time he would take her to the city. She didn’t remember how many days water fell from the skies. How many days they stayed in the cave and talked. When the weather cleared, she sat in front of him on his huge horse. They traveled to Carnoch. Discovered he lived in the same home as Rafe. By that time, it became apparent to her that Roc and Rafe were in some way related.

The Fairy Pool was silent. There were no tourists for the moment. The day was passing. The sky would grow dark soon. She needed to return to her cabin. With her bare foot, she kicked the water, sending sprays of glistening drops into the surrounding air. Watched as the tiny droplets fell back to the pond sending ripples across the surface.

It was in those first few days she began to forget things she should know. There would be lapses in her memory. She would begin to think something then stop, forgetting what she meant to say. It was during those first days that Roc swept her off her feet, literally as well as figuratively.

All these remembrances were things she should tell Rafe. He should understand why she never contacted him. She didn’t know if he would believe her when she told him she traveled back in time to the year seventeen-fifty-six. There were days that she didn’t believe the reality herself. Now, everything blurred together, the past along with the present. She felt as if she was evolving into a different person. The time in the past century transformed her personality.

He was right when he told her she changed. How could a person travel through time without becoming someone different? Sometimes she pinched herself in order to be positive she wasn’t dreaming. Rafe couldn’t understand. If she told him what happened to her, he would believe she was daft. She wasn’t. What she went through wasn’t a bad dream she would wake up from.

Rafe was here…in Carbost. He came to talk about their different relationship now that she returned from her adventure. Her adventure…one she fell into. Slid down a hill to land at the feet of a handsome Scotsman…a Frasier. She wasn’t ready to talk. Didn’t know if she ever would be prepared to spill her story. Didn’t know if anything she told him would be true. All she seemed to have at her disposal were guesses. Her mind tripped from one image to another one.

After her shower, when she waltzed into the living room as if everything was the same as it used to be, she realized her mistake. Rafe’s eyes seemed to glaze over while he stared at the outline of her breasts. He never before looked at her as if he wanted to devour her. She was reminded of the jump of adrenalin between them when they touched. The electricity that skidded from their fingertips. She even felt that spark when he touched her to take her camera equipment.

In their life before, he never paid much attention to her body parts. Never stared at her breasts. When she dressed this way in front of Rafe, she didn’t think. All she wished for after a long day of walking and shooting pictures was to relax, to be comfortable. With bra along with panties beneath her clothing she would be anything but at ease. She opted for comfort. He was still staring. His gaze traveled along the length of her. Good God, before she went to take her shower, she stripped off her bra along with her t-shirt right in front of him. Her breath caught at the realization she all but invited him to touch.

Now, with Rafe, this was all new to her. Never before had he been interested in her as a girlfriend, as a lover. Rafe never consumed her with his eyes. He was eating her up. Now his eyes kept focusing on her breasts. Her nipples hardened beneath his passionate examination. Through the thin fabric of her t-shirt, he would see her response. She felt as if she should cover herself. Instead, she tilted her chin up and decided that she would ignore the potent stare that flashed her way. Dallas intended to brazen this out. She understood what he wanted. She wanted the same. Terrified didn’t do justice to what she felt having never been with a man in that way.

Earlier today when she saw him striding toward her, she felt as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Pleased to see him didn’t do justice to how she felt. She understood Rafe would listen to her. Attend to whatever she could tell him. Would never judge even though he might be a bit skeptical of what she was going to recount.

After she saw the candles, the wine, the vase of flowers… The romantic setting he created for their pleasure. Her heart filled with love. She understood they had some things to consider…to hash over before they could become lovers. Realized he would not believe she traveled through time… Assumed he would not believe Gordon and Scratch… He would imagine they meant her harm. That much they would be able to come to terms with. They would agree. Gordon along with Scratch were trouble for her. What Rafe wouldn’t understand was why.

Her short time in the shower allowed her to regain a dash of composure. Hot water soothed her knotted nerves along with muscles that had been tense for months. She kept telling herself he would never commit her to some asylum for the insane after she apprised him of some mind jarring revelations. After all, he lived in the highlands his entire life. He would just have to understand her truths. Something unexplainable happened to her. She survived. Scotsmen were a superstitious lot. Maybe that rumor was just gossip. Rafe wasn’t superstitious. So much for that thought.

“You’ve not said anything in the last twenty minutes.” His voice came from out of nowhere, a soft melodic purr. “Where have you been? Your eyes have this glazed over look. You’ve been deep in your head. Can I help? Want to talk?”

Startled by his sudden intrusion to her musings, she jumped. “Oh! Oh, my…suppose I was caught up in my thoughts.” They were looking through her photos. “I…my mind was on something else.” She smiled at him hoping to ease the moment into something more doable.

Rafe sat back, his hands behind his head, a half-smile quirking his lips. Lips she now thought about kissing, as well as how they’d taste. “Care to share? Were you thinking about me…us?”

He was giving her the opportunity she needed to divulge her thoughts, memories, the time that changed her. She looked down, hiding her eyes from him. “No…I don’t wish to tell you what’s in my head right now. I…” She ran her tongue across dry lips. Drank long and deep of her glass of wine hoping the liquid would ease her parched throat. Nothing seemed to help.

Dallas wasn’t surprised to hear him curse beneath his breath. He sat up straight. She’d heard all his words before.

“If you don’t want to talk maybe you can explain these…” Rafe pulled up a page of photos. Pictures of Roc. “Who is this man to you?” his tone harsh. His words filled with anger. “Who the hell is he?” For some reason his anger didn’t reach soul deep. She was glad of that.

My savior.

Unable to stop herself, she groaned. In the cave, she shot photo after photo of Roc. She wanted to have pictures to remember him by. Thought that with the exception of Rafe, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen.

“That’s not fair of you. I… It’s not right that you question me about this man. He has nothing to do with me.” Dallas couldn’t tell him she fell in love with Roc Frasier. Now, she didn’t recall enough about him to understand how that happened. If her feelings weren’t deceiving her again, she was in love with Rafe Frasier. They looked so much alike. Acted very different. They were both demanding. There were more similarities.

“Not fair!” he shouted before quieting his voice. “Not fair… You take over one hundred photos of this man. Who is he!” Rafe moved away from the computer screen so she could see better. Pointed at the photos. “Who is this man? I deserve an answer.”

“Someone…someone I met an eternity ago.” She drank more wine. Let the liquid slide down her throat. Wished the alcohol would soothe her crashed nerves. “A man who is dear to me. A man who is in my past. I will never see him again except through these pictures. You’ve no business going through those photos. No business questioning me.” She felt a sudden rise of moisture to her eyes. Pushed the sensation away.

Rafe placed her hands in his, his eyes focused on hers. His lips were pressed into a grim line. “Do you not recall giving me permission to take a look at the pictures on this card?” He set his finger on the plastic. “Rest assured, I would never go into your photo pool without authorization.” He rubbed the backs of her hands with his thumb.

She felt the shimmer of heat glide across her skin. Knew the sensation as something new between the two of them. Lightning jumped across their fingers. Dallas tugged. Needed distance to think. For a few more beats of her slamming heart, he held her hands. With another curse, he let her go.

“Who is he? I would have you tell me,” He demanded again. This time his words held no venom. He sounded resigned to the fact she took so many photographs because she needed to remember. “He looks a lot like me.”

She doused herself with oxygen. Held the air inside until her lungs burned. Thought she couldn’t hold it any longer. This…she supposed…was the time to begin the tale of her journey. “You will think I’m crazy. Everyone will believe I’ve lost my sanity. Suppose as my best friend you deserve to learn about my insanity first. I’m not certain even I believe all that I’m going to say to you.”

“Who is this man who is plastered on this camera card? This man who you seem to be thinking about while we are working?” he asked again. Appeared he didn’t intend to give up on that single question.

“His name is…was…” That was a great start. She could have said is… He was staring at her as if he was still furious about the photos.

“Is or was?” Rafe picked up on her misstatement which wasn’t a misstatement at all. “Is he living?”

“Was. His name was Cameron Petroc Frasier. I called him Roc. He called me Lainie. The man rescued me from Gordy and Scratch at the falls when I was lost. Had nowhere to go. He saved me.” The walls in the cabin spun. Darkness closed in on her. She closed her eyes for seconds inhaling deep breaths of air while she counted.

“Did you sleep with him?” his question sounded possessive…condemning.

A slap in the face could never have been so hurtful. Yet… did she sleep with him? She’d wanted to be in his arms, in his bed. There were several times he held her through the night because she was terrified as well as lonely. Understood she wasn’t in her century. Didn’t believe she would ever be able to return to a century she comprehended.

“How dare you?” She found a serenity in her answer she didn’t expect. “What I did with Roc…”

Rafe held up his hands as if he knew he transgressed. Shook his head as if to give emphasis to his mistake. “Is none of my business. I understand. We’ve always been straightforward with each other. Imagine I trespassed into territory where I don’t belong. Jealousy. The concept is new to me.” He wrapped his fingers around the stem of his glass. “I’m sorry…” He drank.

The look in his eyes told her he didn’t mean his words. The man wanted to know if she was intimate with this man. Not that she could remember. The long sigh she let out reflected her distress. She would tell him what she could. “Yes, I slept with Roc but not how you’re thinking. At least I don’t recall intimacy. I was terrified when I realized I’d… Never mind. Let’s just say we never had sex that I can recall. That was the gist of your question. My mind was fuzzy after the first few days in Carnoch.”

Dallas might have laughed at the look on his face if she wasn’t so distressed from the question. If Roc had agreed, she would have gladly given him her innocence. She wanted him from the first sight of him. Coup de foudre…love at first sight. He reminded her so much of Rafe. Rafe, who could never love her. Rafe, who was always her best friend, nothing more…no flash. Nothing. Even though there was no spark, she would have given Rafe whatever he asked for.

When she caught sight of Rafe this afternoon, she felt that same sudden onslaught of lust. The feeling wasn’t love. She already loved Rafe. Couldn’t feel more for him than she already did. What she wished for was so much more. Love coupled with lust.

Lust.

Raw hunger for this man she’d known for most of her life was a new feeling. Desire. The need to be seduced by him. A real kiss from Rafe would never be refused.

“That you can recall?” The pause between sentences was significant. “I suppose that will have to do for now. I’m going to find a way to understand what is happening. It would help if you would speak to me.”

He would know the truth if or when they had sex. It could be tonight. There was only one bed in the cabin. The couch would never be comfortable for either, less for Rafe since he was much taller. Dallas wasn’t at all positive she wanted to share a bed with him. Her newfound feelings for him were just that…too new.

With a thready breath of air puffing from her, she felt resigned. “You’ve got the gist of it. Why don’t you tell me what you’ve been doing all this time?” She was prepared to be out of the line of fire for a few minutes. This interrogation wasn’t to her liking since everything she recalled or didn’t was a muddled mess.

His broad shoulders lifted upward. “The same as always. My life didn’t change when you left except that I didn’t have my best friend to talk to. You are listed as a missing person. Suppose we should tell the authorities you’ve been found.”

“That’s been done. After I moved into my apartment, an officer came to interview me. Couldn’t tell him much. I was here then I wasn’t. Somehow, I returned but couldn’t recall how.” She found her hands were shaking. She didn’t understand the emotions eating her up. “He…the officer blamed me for deceiving the good people of Scotland. He was going to charge me with…” She waved her hands in the air. “With lying. Deceiving the public. Using officers for my gain when someone else might have needed someone to help them.”

“That day you disappeared; I expected a phone call from you when you reached Inverness. It never came.”

“No cell towers…” she reminded him.

“You were going to have dinner at that restaurant you liked…” He stood. Began to pace the room. Rafe reminded her of a cat on the prowl.

“I slid down the hill behind the waterfall,” Dallas blurted out, wishing she dared tell him more of her memories. “I didn’t deceive anyone. Didn’t hurt anyone or lie… Never lied to you. When all this happened, we were like brother and sister. Nothing more. Nothing less. No commitments or promises.” Moisture threatened to fall for a second time. Her throat felt clogged. She headed for the door. Escape seemed preferable to answering questions. Distance from this was something she needed. She raced from the room, tears spilling from her eyes. Behind her she heard Rafe’s muffled curse.

Outside, she didn’t know where she was going. She headed down the trail to the pools before deciding that wasn’t a good idea. She didn’t want to encounter people. Had to get away. Needed distance to think. He confused her. One moment she thought she understood what was happening. The next she didn’t know.

The night sky was darker than she expected. Stars twinkled high in the sky, shining, brilliant. A planet sat on the horizon. The moon gave meager light to the path. Oh, dear, she wasn’t dressed to be running around where people could see her. She didn’t care. She did though. Escape was what she needed. The night was too dark to see much of anything. She stumbled. Caught herself. Wiped moisture from her face.

Dallas heard his footsteps behind her. She stopped, knowing she could never outrun him. He would follow. Understood he was there to protect her from herself as well as the Gordy and Scratches of this world. Why didn’t she have the courage to tell him all he wanted to learn? Rafe wouldn’t care if what she told him was crazy. He was a patient man. He loved her as a brother loves a sister. While he might think she was a wee bit touched in the head, he would humor her.

After she stopped, he rested his hand on her shoulder. Squeezed as if to reassure. The touch was gentle. He stood behind her. She felt the warmth from him. Felt secure, safe. She recalled feeling much the same way with Roc. The two men, of two different centuries, were so similar. “Come, Dallas, we should get back to the cabin. The breeze is cool. You don’t want to take a chill.” He nodded up the trail. Two men were walking toward them, talking, seeming oblivious to them. “Don’t think you would like just anyone to see you wearing these clothes.”

She sniffed. Brushed more tears off her cheeks with the backs of her hands. He was right about that little bit of reality. He turned her. His finger beneath her chin, lifted. Brushed a gentle kiss across her lips. She warmed. Heated all the way to her toes. Desire for this man she’d known most of her life flared. Was disappointed when he drew back. She craved more of a kiss. To her a million lifetimes passed by them. Now her life pivoted back to what should be normal.

“I want you. Don’t ever doubt that, Dallas. Not tonight, not until we understand what happened to you. Since your disappearance, things have changed between the two of us. You asked what I did while you were away. I’ll tell you. We’ll have more wine along with some of the desert I brought. Instead of questions to you, I’ll field questions from you. Would you like that? I will answer all the queries you put in front of me.”

He turned her so her breasts pushed against his chest. His hands circled her butt. The men walked by. Nodded. Said good evening with smiles on their lips. The two gentlemen were gone. They were alone. His arm around her, Rafe walked her back to the cabin.

Once inside the warm interior, Rafe sat down with her. Needing his heat along with the comfort he offered, she snuggled into him, her head on his chest. Took consolation from the steady beat of his heart. The pulses of their hearts seemed to blend together. Almost as if they beat as one. She set her hand on his chest. He covered her fingers with his. With him she felt complete. Damn the questions. She didn’t want to think.

“I hoped you would tell me more of your life over the last few months. Can tell now that you’re too distraught to talk. I’ve the distinct feeling you no longer trust me with your secrets. That hurts. I will begin by telling you all of what I know. Some of what I guess. With Cole McKenna’s help, we pieced together what we believe happened to you. A hypothesis of sorts. I needed a few answers.”

“You did? You went to Cole? I do trust you. It’s just that I’m afraid. As you said, things have changed. Afraid of what we might feel for each other. Uncertain too.” She pushed away from him, looking into the silver blue of his eyes. “What…what happened to me? I remember some of that time. Understand a few facts that I wish I didn’t.” She almost sputtered that she traveled back to another century. Almost told him she fell in love with another man. If she said those words the sentiments would hurt him. Prudence helped her hold her tongue. The last thing she wanted in the world was to upset this man who’d given her so much.

“This could be a very long story. You realize that until you returned there were no sparks between us. We both felt as if there should be. To both our dismay, there wasn’t anything. We loved each other. Even though you were willing to gamble on a marriage, I wasn’t. For us, I acknowledged, there was too much at stake. Things have changed. Those flares I searched for are between us now. Not just sparks but flames, an inferno.”

“Yes. Now I feel warmed through to the marrow of my bones when you hold me. Heat blazes. That small kiss ignited every part of me. I don’t fathom the changes. None of this makes sense. If you can help me figure this all out, I would be grateful.”

“Me too. I’ll try to put some of this into its proper place. At the keep, there are portraits of all the McKennas, the Stewarts as well as the Frasiers. They line the stairway. The couples…let’s just say there are some resemblances throughout the centuries.”

“I’ve never been there. Is there some significance…in the portraits.” She tilted her head while thinking. “Was I there? It seems that I…no…” If she heard the wobble in her voice, it was certain Rafe did too. “I just don’t remember details. I see flashes of things. Then what I thought I saw or felt is gone. I don’t believe I’m supposed to recall anything. There is something strange going on, seems eerie. Maybe the supernatural is at work. It’s almost as if I was turning into a different person.” Just like that. She snapped her fingers. “I’m me! I want to stay me…” she murmured.

Smiling down at her, he shook his head. “Nothing of what I intend to tell you will make a difference to us now. What I’m going to say to you is the fact your picture wasn’t on the stairway when I visited the keep. I know in this lifetime; you have not been to the McKenna keep. Believe you were there…in the past.”

“I…this lifetime…?” Perhaps Rafe comprehended more than she gave him credit for understanding. Did he guess she traveled through time…twice?

“Yes, when I was looking for you, I visited Cole. He showed me a portrait of Cameron ‘Roc’ Frasier painted with his wife Lainie. Elaine is your middle name. Is it not? Did you tell me he called you Lainie?”

“Yes, yes, he did. When I told him my name, he picked up on my middle name. Said that was what he intended to call me. Told me I didn’t look like a Dallas. Whatever that is supposed to mean. So…?” With a start Dallas realized she was eager for Rafe to talk to her. The pressure to let out all her emotions vanished.

“Lainie resembled you so much you could have been sisters or passed for twins. Roc looked a lot like me. What do you think? Do I look like that man on your camera card?” he persisted in this line of questions. Maybe he knew more than he let on. “I should not have grown so angry. Suppose I was jealous.”

“What I remember of those days it’s true. The two of you are much the same. What does that have anything to do with it, except coincidence?” She remembered a story Roc told her when she mentioned she would return to this time. “Roc told me…he said…no…it’s too unbelievable. He didn’t wish to risk my life by sending me through that portal a second time. I didn’t believe what he said. I was determined that he take me back to the glen where he first found me. I needed to find a way home. He didn’t want me to leave. Didn’t wish for me to go home. Even then, he spoke of marriage. I didn’t know what happened to me. I refused to consider marriage.” She gasped, realizing what she told him. Rafe had this way of drawing her out. She always felt as if she could tell him anything.

With his fingers supporting her chin, he lifted. Smiled with his eyes into hers. Bore deep as if he saw into her soul. Their relationship was all-encompassing. “What don’t you believe?” His eyes focused on hers. He appeared so sincere. “You wished to find a way to return home? To this time? Roc was against doing so? Because he loved you. Sensed something else.”

“You won’t think I’ve gone insane?” Dallas was frantic with anxiety. This tale was so preposterous. Roc showed her his cat. Did he? Was that a dream? He prowled around the bedroom just as Rafe prowled in his human form around this room a few minutes ago. In his cat form, Roc teased her. Could Rafe change into a cat too? Could anyone change shape? Was this all a product of her vivid imagination? Maybe she was crazy.

“I saw him naked.” She thought her eyes would cross with the blurted revelation. She’d never seen Rafe naked. Never slept in a bed with him even just to be held. Until these last few minutes, never wanted to see him wearing nothing. Except…she always thought it would be fair if when he painted, he would do so without clothing. She never truly cared. Now she imagined how he would appear in the buff.

“Some of your memory returns?” Rafe chuckled as he bent to kiss her again. The brush of their mouths was soft, sweet. He was tender. “I believe I’m still jealous. Jealous of a dead man. That seems at odds with logic.”

“How do you know that he’s passed?” More questions. Her breaths turned ragged. The walls once again began to spin. She felt strange, the feelings bazar.

“I’m going to start with the beginning of this story. You’ve heard of the Clan Chattan?” he stroked her back. Touched one vertebra at a time as his finger traveled up then down the length of her spine.

Dallas began to melt at his touch. Was this how a man seduced? “Gossip…tales told to frighten children. Yes, I’ve heard of the clan of the cats. What does that have to do with anything? Superstition, that is all the tales are. Rumors passed down over generations.” Dallas wished he’d get to the point. Bits and pieces of thoughts flashed through her head. Nothing she saw in her mind made sense.

“They, shifters, mate for life then into eternity. It’s always that way. If something happens, future generations will not know their mates. Will never connect or feel the…spark of eternal love,” his voice was so serious. He held her hands, rubbed the back of her wrists as if to soothe.

Curiosity soared through her. Never feel the spark of eternal love? Rubbish. “Shifters don’t exist,” she insisted. “How can a person change from a human into a sleek black panther? Doing so would be beyond the imagination…impossible.” She felt as if grasping at straws would be easier. A niggling thought in the back of her mind began to take root. Again, flashes of remembrances warred with the present. Fought reality or dreams, she couldn’t be certain.

“Or a tiger? There are other cats that change from human then back.” His voice continued in a modulated rhythm. Continued to sooth, reassured even while she questioned. She closed her eyes for a few seconds more than a blink.

“I’m listening. It’s obvious by the look on your face you’re serious. Go on.” If Rafe believed, she would have to find some way to also give credit to his facts.

Rafe ran his hand along the back of his neck. Heaved in a large breath of air. For the first time since she first saw him, he seemed nervous. Riddled with anxiety. Until now, he’d been confident. She sat next to him. He no longer held her. The crease of his brows told her he was apprehensive. His lips pulled into a thin line told her the same.

“We think… Cole and I believe that something happened to Lainie Shaw back in the seventeen hundreds. She was Cameron’s mate.” Rafe cleared his throat before continuing the story. “Shifters mate for life then on into eternity. Believe I just said that. If something happens and the male doesn’t claim the female in his lifetime, they will no longer…”

“No longer what?” She thought he might be teasing her. Fought for answers. “Rafe, no longer what!” she cried out again as he seemed to be hesitating. This was something she needed to know.

“The male shifter will no longer be able to claim the female. They will continue living during other times, but they will never mate. They will continue to search for the one woman who is supposed to be theirs, never finding her. Maybe as in our case, finding but not realizing the truth.”

She waved her hand in the air. Stared at him for a few seconds her insides fluttering. “That’s utter nonsense. I’ve always known I loved you.” Again, that feeling of his truth assailed her. She’d heard those same words somewhere before.

Imagination or reality?

“You fell through that time portal for a reason. Slid down the hill to land at Roc Frasier’s feet. You had to bring Lainie Shaw home to Roc Frasier. Otherwise, Roc would never find his mate nor would all the following generations. I’m part of those ensuing generations as are you. Your presence in the eighteenth century righted our lives as well as many others. I’m guessing.”

“No…”

“You are my mate.”

~ * ~

On the stairway of the McKenna keep, Cole McKenna stood in front of the portrait of Lainie and Roc Frasier. Together, they seemed to smile down upon him. The two found happiness because fate stepped into their lives. Their story had been told through the generations of the clan. The tale was one of loss then discovery. Bitter despair then happiness. Roc worried over ever finding his soul mate just as Rafe did now. Dallas Elaine Shaw stumbled from another time to help bring Lainie and Roc together. The how didn’t matter. The why was obvious.

Cole marveled at how destiny found a means to help the struggling couples. By now, Rafe would be learning about Dallas’ adventure. Cole wondered what part of it she could recall. Bits and pieces…bits and pieces that would forever leave Dallas wondering about the past. He hoped the couple would find happiness. Now that Roc and Lainie came together, there was little doubt in his mind that in time, Rafe would marry Dallas, claim her so future generations would also find happiness.

A wedding soon in the keep would be wonderful. It had been a few years since a celebration such as this one had taken place. His older sister had been the last recipient of a clan marriage celebration. While his mother berated him to look harder for his mate, he waited with patience. Cole knew she would come to him in time. Indeed, he knew who she was. Too young at the moment for him to marry or claim as his as in the way of the clan. He needed to remain patient while he waited for her to grow up. In the distant past, he would not have needed to wait. Life was different now.

Striding down the stairs, he decided to take a look at the woman who would one day say vows with him. Who he would claim in the master chamber of his tower room. In the present, she was a little hellion, turned seventeen almost a year ago. At eighteen, he could claim her as if…he would try to wait at least another year. Patience was never his strong suit.

As if she owned the place, she ran wild through the keep. Acted with a free spirit. On more than one occasion she’d been called a hellion. He did enjoy watching her. When she was younger, she would stick her tongue out at him when he reprimanded her for her unruly behavior before dancing away on a whim and a breeze. Once when she managed to upset a cart of apples and the owner slid on them, he threatened to take her over his knee to give her a child’s punishment for her reckless gallop through the village. She laughed at his threat then dashed off in another direction. He could have caught her. Chose to watch her escape the scene of the crime. Didn’t wish to give her the wrong impression. Despite his threat he could never lay a hand on her.

The girl was a flirt. Understood her female power over the males of her age. Knew how to lower her lashes as well as toss her hair over her shoulder. Coiled the young lads with care as well as wanton abandon around her little finger. She could draw them in if that was what she wished. Phoebe knew she was beautiful. She was used to getting her way in all she did. He needed to guard her well. When they wed, he needed to know that he was the only man who tasted those sweet charms she flaunted with carefree abandon. Her father was careless with her. Seemed he didn’t know how to handle the wild child that she was. With a delicate touch, is what he had in mind. If she continued to test her wiles on all the young men of the village, he would need to revise his commitment to wait for her to mature. If she did show signs of maturity within the year, he would begin a tender seduction. Hell, he didn’t know if he could wait another year. Eighteen was old enough to marry. Even in the modern world women wed younger.

Her golden hair she tied into a ponytail that hung down to the middle of her back. When the strands were not tied back, the silken waves tumbled around her shoulders all the way to her delectable, curvaceous rear. She wore shorts that showed off her sassy butt. Showed too much of her was his opinion. He held no sway over how she chose to cover her body. Even though he wished she would wear more, he would never dictate.

Her breasts were small beneath the tight-fitting top she donned this morning. Today, she went braless. The tight buds pushing on the fabric seemed to beg for attention. His attention. The tips were prominent for all to ogle. His hands fisted. Her legs long and well-shaped appeared to go on forever. He needed to talk to her father about moving her into the keep. Into the castle would be better. There were unused rooms in the north as well as the south tower. The two could live there in comfort. Would live beneath his, along with his mother’s, observations. He would have a bit more control over her activities. If he mentioned the connection to his mother, she would take Phoebe under her wing. Guide her. Teach her what her father could not or refused to acknowledge. Cole wasn’t certain.

As to date, she’d not directed any of her burgeoning charms his way. Had not flirted with him as she did the young lads who were closer to her age. She would think of him as an old man. He was ages away from being considered decrepit. The thought gave him cause to smile. He meant to teach Phoebe that he was hers. From time to time, he would remind her he was the head of the Clan McKenna. He wasn’t certain what she knew about the Clan Chattan. Rumors still abounded. Most of the time, the clan hushed those rumors. Phoebe, he knew, was no shifter.

Phoebe’s back was to him. Animated, she spoke to the school math teacher’s son. He was a nice lad. Calm. Mature for his lack of age. Would never do for this woman who lived life with energy that would bedevil a lesser man. Her vitality overflowed her small form. Cole wasn’t worried about the boy. What he lost sleep over was the football coach’s son, Rex. Rex turned twenty-one a few weeks ago. Had his eye on Phoebe. He was a young man filled with his self-worth. He watched her with lust-filled eyes. If the young man seduced, the innocent that Phoebe was would lose her virginity to Rex. He couldn’t allow that to happen. Cole wasn’t at all certain how to go about keeping Rex away from his mate. Given some thought, he would come up with some diversion.

Bloody eyes, why did Phoebe have to be so young? So, beguiling as well as beautiful. He was twenty-six. Not that old but almost eight years her senior. By this time next year, he would be ready to settle down with this young woman. Doubted if she would be prepared for marriage. Seduce her. Take her off guard with his many charms. Make her want what he alone could give her. Perhaps he would begin the day after her high school graduation. He could take her swimming to the loch near the village. Perhaps show her how a man kissed a woman. Give her a small taste of something she might not wish to live without.

“Phoebe?” With long, determined strides, Cole approached her, sporting a smile. “You’re looking very pretty today. Any new conquests to speak of?” He looked to the math teacher’s son then back to her. The boy blushed a deep shade of red.

“Cole! What a pleasant surprise?” Her tone held a wealth of sarcasm. He supposed he deserved the mockery. In the past, he’d spoken few words to her. Had attempted to ignore her, along with her outthrust tongue. Though, it had been a few years since she resorted to that means to show him her dislike. This year, he saw major changes in her body as she turned from girl to woman. He did appreciate all her new curves, the shape of her hips, the bounty of her breasts. She should wear a bra.

“Not so much. You are always in this part of the keep after school. You are in your junior year?” He tried to put her age with the grade. He knew full well what grade she was in at school, as well as her age. Had been watching her for the last three years. Wished to see how she would respond to him.

“Senior year,” she told him, while she tossed her hair then smiled at him for a beat, lowered her lashes. The smile was one of a siren. “You forget I’m almost eighteen. Will be so before graduation.” Again, she lowered her lashes at him. Turned her shoulder a bit, giving him a full view of her shapely yet unconstrained breasts. When she opened her lashes again, her aquamarine eyes sparkled with mischief. Bloody eyes, the girl-woman could seduce a saint. He was no saint.

What was she planning now? He knew there was some type of plot hatching in her head. “I…” she moistened her lips. Let her tongue slow glide across the pink lips he’d like to savor. Smoothed the fabric of her tight-fitting top until it was stretched taut across her beautiful breasts. His body reacted. Her nipples accentuated by the calculated gesture. They were larger than he first thought.

Much to his dismay, he wasn’t immune to her flirtations. His body began to tighten while he imagined tasting what she offered. “Want to go for a walk?” Cole held out his hand needing to feel the warmth of her flesh against his skin.

A walk with her might be a huge mistake. He wasn’t ready to show his intentions. Before he could do so, she needed to graduate from high school. He needed to get to know her better. The time was coming when he would begin his quest for her hand with serious determination.

“Why, that would be nice. Would rather go for a ride…in your car,” she amended with a flourish of her arms. “That convertible is…” She winked at him. “You know what I mean. Awesome.”

The groan rumbling up through his chest had to be tamped down. He hoped he didn’t know what she meant by the inuendo that she covered up with a quick addition to her statement. If she did understand, it might be too late. Maybe he didn’t have time to wait until she graduated. The football teacher’s son might have seduced her beneath the stadium. Shaking his head, he caught her elbow. Began to walk.

“You should not be making such scandalous inferences. Do you know what you’re talking about?” he berated her. Of course she knew. Most young women understood the act of mating better than they should. He would like to be the man to teach her. Didn’t want her to rely on social media for her information. “Come now, a nice walk through the rose garden will do us both good. I’ve need of some exercise. Saturday we can go into the hills. Maybe to the lock to swim.” He needed to turn on his McKenna charm. Whether she was ready to wed or not, he must bind her to him.

“Why are you being so nice to me? You’ve never been pleasant before. Never asked me to go anywhere with you.” She skipped along beside him, deciding not to take his hand. “You’ve always berated me for my behavior. Why the change?”

Before this she was a little girl. “Why shouldn’t I be nice?” he questioned, rumbling different thoughts through his head for a decent answer. “You’re a sweet girl.”

She stopped, staring at him as if he’d gone daft. Her hands on her hips, those perfect breasts thrust forward, moving with each breath of indignant air she inhaled. Nipples hard, thrusting against thin fabric. Enticing. Her brows drawn together, leaving scowl lines marring her perfect forehead. To trace that soft line would be nice. “Liar. We both know I’m not a sweet girl. So, I repeat, why are you being nice to me?”

“Just wished to talk.” Guess he was not showing his charming side. Berating her did nothing to give him an advantage. She called out his lie.

“Talk about what? I’m telling you…” She was shaking one long delicate finger at him. “Even though you are head of the clan, I don’t give away my favors to anyone. Not even you, Cole McKenna. Want the man I marry to be the only man to know me. Even if I say a few outrageous things, the words mean nothing. You hear me? Nothing!”

Cole couldn’t stop the huge grin from framing his mouth. He would forever be pleased with her answer. “Don’t wish to take anything from you that you don’t wish to give. Indeed, that was one of the topics I wished to speak with you about…the way you flaunt yourself to the village lads.” Well, he put his foot in his mouth again. Needed this beguiling child-woman to graduate soon. Oh, but she would give her favors to him. That moment was only a blink away. He could wait now that he understood her conscious.