Spellbound in a kilt, p.1
Spellbound in a Kilt, page 1
part #10 of Hot Scots Series
Contents
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Epilogue
About the Author
Connect with Anna Durand
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Kirsty
When a lass gets dumped by the only man she's ever loved, and he calls her insane when he ends things, she has a right to expect never to see that scunner again. For years, that's what I have believed. I will never see Luke Turner again, not even when I die and go to heaven. He must be going to someplace hotter and much further south.
But I won't think about him anymore.
Today, my cousin Jack is getting married. My entire family, including cousins and honorary members, have gathered on the green behind my cousin Rory's castle, where the wedding of Jack and Autumn will take place. The ceremony is beautiful. I cry, of course. Weddings always do that to me. But when Jack throws an arm around Autumn and drags her into him for a passionate kiss, I get a strange pang in my chest.
Luke used to kiss me that way.
Not that I still think about him. That's only happened once—today. Well, maybe I've thought of him on occasion. That means nothing. I think of him only so I can do a blessing to ward off any sentimental rubbish I might feel otherwise.
After the ceremony, guests don't have to walk far to get to the reception. It's happening on the green too. I chat to my sisters for a while, but Isla and Elspeth decide to introduce themselves to Jack's in-laws while I want to talk to Autumn. We've had lovely chats since I met her a few weeks ago, and we've become friends.
I wander over to the table where Jack and Autumn are sitting. "May I sit with you?"
"Absolutely," Autumn says.
I still think it's odd that most of my cousins and my brother have all married Americans. Logan fell in love with Serena, an older woman, last year. I'd been a bridesmaid at their wedding. Jack met Autumn in Las Vegas two years ago, though they got married and divorced so quickly no one even met her. They couldn't get along back then, or right after they were reunited recently, but they soon realized they still love each other. Jack suggested the other day that maybe Luke and I might not hate each other as much as we think. I assured him that's nonsense.
Luke is a horrible man. Very sexy, but still an erse. He can be charming too, but aye, he is always an erse. An enormous one.
Autumn and I chat to each other for a few minutes, and she wants to know more about the metaphysical shop I own in Loch Fairbairn, the village where we both live.
"Come by the shop anytime," I say. "I'll be happy to teach you about Wicca."
Jack still thinks Wicca is bollocks, but Autumn is more open-minded. My brother, Logan, agrees with Jack. But then, he used to be an MI6 agent and got used to relying on facts instead of things he can't see or touch.
"Thanks for the offer," Autumn says. "That's so sweet of you, Kirsty."
I smile, but then movement across the green catches my attention, and I can't help glancing at the figure approaching us. My mouth falls open. I think my eyes go wide too, since they suddenly feel dry. What in the world is going on? Am I hallucinating? I must have gone off my head, because I cannot be seeing who I think I'm seeing.
No, it can't be Luke Turner.
"Hey there, Kirsty," he says, as he stops near our table.
But aye, it is the American ersehole.
I leap up so quickly my chair topples over backward. "Luke? What are you doing here?"
He's wearing a charcoal suit with no tie, but I've never seen him in that sort of clothes before. Luke always used to wear jeans and T-shirts, not posh suits. Why is he dressed like that? Why is he here?
Luke aims his grey eyes straight at me, hooking a thumb in his waistband and cocking one hip. "Nice to see you too, Kirsty. What, no hello kiss?"
A kiss? Is he cracked?
I shake my head, and I'm fair certain my mouth is gaping. "You cannae be here. Crashing a wedding is…rude."
"Crashing?" Luke says with a chuckle. "One of your pals invited me. He called yesterday. His British accent confused me for a minute, but then he said he's married to one of your cousins, and it suddenly made sense. Kind of."
"But I—You—" I stumble backward a few steps. "You hate me. Why would ye want to be at my cousin's wedding?"
"Alex Thorne told me you're in trouble and you need me. I should come right away, he said." Luke walks up to me, halting an arm's length away. "I might think you're insane, but I never turn my back on a woman in need. So, what's the problem?"
"Whuh—" I blink several times quickly but cannae make sense of any of this. "You flew here all the way from America because a stranger told you to?"
"Nah." He shrugs. "I've been living in the UK for three years. Joined a private research institute down in England."
Logan stalks over to us and stops beside me. My brother levels his deadly calm glare at Luke. "Who the bloody hell are you and what have you done to upset my sister?"
"I'm so sorry," Luke says. "I've been disrespectful, haven't I?"
"Aye, and you're one second away from being dead on the grass."
The American erse chuckles again. "I guess that's a Scottish saying? Well, anyway, I'm Luke Turner. Kirsty's ex-boyfriend."
Alex Thorne ambles up to us. "What's going on over here? Looks like quite the rammy."
I slowly rotate my gaze toward Alex. "You did this, didn't you?"
"What if I did? You lot meddled in my life, so I'm returning the favor. You'll thank me later."
Luke glances at the crowd of MacTaggarts gathering around us, then he looks at me. "Could we go somewhere more private to talk?"
"Aye."
Where can I take him? Someplace private? Maybe I should hit him over the head with a dinner plate and walk away.
I seize his arm and drag him through the doorway into the garden, out of sight of the rest of my family and friends. And I shut the garden door to keep my nosy relatives from peeking in here.
Facing Luke, I demand, "What are you doing here? And donnae give me that rubbish about Alex saying I need you."
Luke runs a hand through his dark-blond hair. "It's not 'rubbish,' Kirsty. He said that."
"Maybe he did, but that doesn't explain why you're here."
He tips his head to the side, almost smirking. "How about that hello kiss?"
"You really are off your head if you think I want to kiss you." I fold my arms over my chest. "You called me insane, and I know you're a bleeding ersehole."
"I probably am." He leans closer and speaks in a softer voice. "But I have a valid reason for coming here, and it has nothing to do with the fact you're still in love with me."
"What? I am not in love with you." I stab a finger into his chest. "You are the devil."
He chuckles. "That's not what you said when we were making love. As I recall, you told me I'm an angel with a dirty mind, a god in bed, and—"
"Haud yer wheesht!" I might have shouted that. Honestly, how much can a lass take? Maybe I did call him those things ages ago, but I don't want him anymore. Even if he does look even sexier now. Still, it's impolite for him to point out I said those things. "Well, now I understand the truth. You are the devil, and I know incantations to make you disappear."
"And you wonder why I think you're bonkers." He slings an arm around my waist and hauls me into his body. "But I'd still love to get naked with you. For old times' sake."
I knee him in the groin, though not as hard as I'd like to since I'm glued to his body and can't get leverage.
He gasps and staggers backward—while still holding onto me.
I give him my best evil glare, but I can't do that as well as Logan would. "Luke Turner, you are evil."
"Don't you want to know what my valid reason is?"
"No. I want you to bugger off."
"Can't do that."
I wriggle, trying to get away from him. "Let me go."
He shoves a hand into my hair and kisses me.
Chapter Two
Luke
Kirsty's lips feel as soft as I remembered during all the fantasies I've had of her over the years since I walked away from her. Yeah, okay, I admit I've thought about her a lot. Hard to forget the first girl I ever loved. I don't regret leaving her. No self-respecting scientist could get involved with a woman who seriously believes she has supernatural powers. I'm not thinking about that right now, though. Not thinking, period. Her lips have parted just enough that I could slip my tongue between them if I wanted, and though I shouldn't do it, I can't resist pushing inside her mouth so I can answer a question that has plagued me for years. Does she taste as good as I remember?
Oh yeah, she does.
I wrap my other arm around her too, pulling her body even closer while I thrust my tongue deeper, loving the way a soft moan whispers out of her and she relaxes against me. Kirsty wouldn't do that if she didn't have at least residual feelings for me. Maybe I have those too.
But it doesn't matter. I can't get too close to her.
When I peel my lips away from hers, she gazes at me with a dreamy expression.
No, I'm not looking at her that way. Only women get dreamy-eyed when an old flame kisses them. And that's all Kirsty is to me now—a girl I once dated more than a decade ago. Any stirrings of old feelings I might experience don't mean anything. I got over Kirsty a long time ago.
"Why did you do that?" she asks.
"Because I felt like it. Besides, you never gave me that hello kiss, and I think it's only right that we should greet each other that way. I mean, we dated for thirteen months."
"Aye, and thirteen is an unlucky number."
"I thought Wiccans believed it wasn't unlucky."
She puckers her lips, the dreamy expression disintegrating. "Maybe we do, but anything that involves you is cursed from the start."
"That's cute, Kirsty. You're so desperate to deny you're still in love with me that—"
"Haud yer wheesht, ye demon." She wriggles out of my arms and stumbles backward a few steps, blowing a lock of her brown hair away from her pale blue eyes. "Now, tell me what your valid reason is for being here."
"In a minute. First, I'd like to know why Alex Thorne thought you needed my help."
"Because he's an interfering erse, that's why."
"Come on, kitten, that's not an answer."
"Donnae be calling me pet names." She straightens her blouse, which got a little askew when we were kissing. "And I have no idea why Alex contacted you. I don't need help. All I need is for you to go away. Right now. Bugger off."
She waves her hands at me in a shooing gesture.
I chuckle. "Are you casting a spell on me? Damn, that makes me want to kiss you again."
"Well, I don't want to kiss you."
"Sure you do." I amble up to her and hook a finger under her chin. "You still want me, Kirsty. Wouldn't have kissed me the way you did a minute ago unless you've still got the hots for me big time."
"There is no heat. I'm feeling quite cool at the moment."
"Liar." I skim my thumb over her mouth. "Your lips are pinker, your cheeks too. Your body betrays your lie, kitten."
Her gaze flicks to the closed door that accesses the lawn outside the castle compound.
We're standing right beside that door, and I can hear the faint sounds of music and revelry going on out there. A heavy bass beat thumps, audible even through the stone wall. The wedding reception is in full swing.
I rub my thumb across her lips again. "One more kiss. For old times' sake."
"How many old-times kisses do you expect to get?"
"Just the right amount. When you're sagging against me and begging me for more, I'll know that's enough kissing—but not enough of other things."
Her pupils have dilated, and her breathing has grown labored. She does want me. And I want her, one last time before I tell her the real reason why I came here. Kirsty will never let me touch her again once she knows the truth.
I back her up to the wall and press my body into hers, our mouths almost touching. "We want the same thing. There's nothing wrong with scratching that itch."
"Are you suggesting we shag?" She says that in a surprised, almost breathless tone. Then she licks her lips, her gaze fixated on my mouth.
"Yes, I'm suggesting that." I palm her breast through her blouse. "If you don't want this, just knee me in the balls again. I won't try to kiss you after that."
"I…" She looks into my eyes. "Bod an Donais, I do want it."
That's all I need to know.
Pushing a hand into her hair, I seal my mouth over hers and plunge my tongue deep. She kisses me back, curling her tongue around mine and making hungry little noises that ensure my dick gets hard in record time. God, to feel her body again, pliant and willing and as starved for me as I am for her. Kirsty is the hottest girl on the planet. She seems like a sweet, innocent lass who would never get down-and-dirty with a guy like me, but she turns into a wild thing in the bedroom.
Who needs a bed? I'll be fucking her in a castle garden.
I shove a hand under her skirt and hike it up, thrusting my palm inside her panties so I can slide my fingers between her folds. Damn, she's wet and ready. Kirsty always was quick to get aroused, so I shouldn't be surprised now. But I am. In a good way. Though I'd love to feast on her, I don't think we have time for that. Her family is right outside that door, and I fully expect her murder-obsessed brother to storm in here anytime and drag me away from his sister.
So I rip her panties off and drop them on the ground.
Kirsty throws her arms around my neck and hoists one leg up to hook it around my hip.
I kiss her harder, deeper, groaning as I push a hand between our bodies to unzip my fly and free my dick. I should stop and make sure she's on the pill, since I don't have a condom, but I can't hold on to that thought for more than a millisecond. I have Kirsty in my arms, devouring me with her tongue, and she has her leg strapped around me, all but begging me to fuck her.
She rocks her hips forward, brushing my cock—and it throbs for her.
Christ, I can't stop myself. I grasp her hip with one hand and her ass with the other, and I thrust into her hard.
Her head falls back, her mouth open, as she clutches me with her leg.
I pound into her, over and over, grunting and pulling her hips into me with every inward lunge. Her cream dribbles down my cock and instigates a wet sucking noise, but I can't think about anything except how good it feels to be inside her again, watching her enraptured expression and driving her toward climax. She gasps and digs her nails into my shoulders. I pump harder and faster, the pressure in my dick escalating every second until I feel like my whole body might explode if we don't both come soon. Her tits bounce with every thrust, and she swings her other leg up to clutch me with both thighs.
"Ah, Kirsty," I growl.
She buries her face against my neck and sinks her teeth into my shoulder, stifling a cry. Her body convulses around me, her inner muscles gripping me so many times that I couldn't count them even if I tried.
I grit my teeth as fire scorches down my spine, straight into my cock, and machine-gun spasms force me to unleash everything inside her. My strangled shout echoes off the castle wall.
Kirsty sags against me, her legs still strapped around my hips.
I'm breathing too hard to speak, but I drop soft kisses along her throat until I reach her ear. For a moment, we just stay like that. Entangled. Joined. Too stunned to speak or move. Then I push her legs away and set her down on her feet.
Zipping up my slacks, I clear my throat. "Damn, I needed that."
She blinks several times quickly. "What?"
I kiss her cheek. "Thanks for that."
"Thank—" Her gaze narrows, and her lips pucker. "Ye bleeding ersehole. Did you do that just to prove you could seduce me?"
"No. I did it for old times' sake."
"Stop saying that bloody phrase." She slams her palms into my chest, making me stumble backward half a step. "You really are evil."
"Admit it, kitten. You enjoyed that as much as I did." I chuck her under the chin. "You came hard, that's for sure."
The she-devil swings her knee up, clearly intending to nail me in the balls again.
I catch her knee in my palm. "Uh-uh-uh. That's no way to treat the guy who just screwed you so good you bit me."
She sidles away from me and straightens her clothes. Then she tries to fix her hair but gives up. "Go away and never come back. Leave Scotland. If you ever cross the border again, I will—"
"What? Sic your brother on me?" Before she can snarl at me again, I change the subject. "About time I told you why I came here. Don't you think?"
Kirsty scowls. "Fine. Tell me, if you must."
"I want to study you."
"What?"
"You heard me. I want to study you and your Wiccan ways, to understand why people like you feel the need to indulge in all that nonsense. This will be an objective effort to uncover the delusions behind these folk beliefs."
