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hasn t changed over the centuries, even if the
thoughts about sex have.
Was that all it was? Just sex? Did the feelings
and desires he pulled out of her mean nothing more
than a physical act?
Her head started to ache. It was so simple an
hour before, in his arms. Wanting desperately for
him to make love to her. Wanting him to love her.
And to what end? She would be leaving him
eventually, and although she was prepared to lose
her innocence, she desperately wanted it to be more
than a physical release.
I am constantly at a loss as to what I should
do.
He smoothed her hair back, pushing her head
onto his shoulder. It s painfully obvious to me what
you should do, but since I m the only man in the
room, I m biased. His chest rumbled with a little
laugh.
Being with you, having sex...would take away
the threat. She cleared her throat, uncomfortable,
Tis an option. But was she willing to exercise it?
I would happily oblige, but I don t want you
regretting it in the morning. Because I wouldn t.
You confuse me, she confessed.
I can beat that. You scare the hell out of me.
His blatant honesty made her laugh. How?
Oh, come on. One wrong move from me and
wham, ball of fire.
She leaned back, playfully swatting at his arm.
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Catherine Bybee
It s a good thing my family is not here.
I can only imagine.
Nay, I don t think you can. There was a boy
once, when I was all of fourteen. He was much older
than I.
How much older? His face grew serious.
Well at fourteen, he was practically a man at
sixteen. He had already started his training with my
father and brothers, so he could be knighted and ride
in battle when he came of age. Anyway, Daniel took
a liking to me, but because of who I was, he kept his
distance.
What do you mean, who you were? Did he know
you were a Druid? Todd played with her hair.
No. No one knows that. I mean because I was
Lady Myra MacCoinnich. His family wasn t from a
great home or land, and his pursuit of me wouldn t
have been accepted.
So what happened?
One day, on his return from exercising his
horse, he found me in the stables. I was tending one
of our pregnant mares and waiting for him in all
honesty. I had never been kissed and knew he
wanted to do so. We talked for a short time then
finally he kissed me.
And?
Nothing really. I worked it up in my mind to be
something bigger than it was. There was no spark. I
thought maybe we needed to do it again, that I had
done something wrong, so I kissed him back.
Was there a spark the second time?
Not from me. He, on the other hand, must have
felt something, for he didn t hear my father when he
walked around the corner and found us.
Poor Daniel. Todd faked a sympathetic pout.
Poor Daniel? Poor me! My father shot lightning
out of the sky, nearly catching the stables on fire. He
was so angry. She shook her head, remembering. It
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Silent Vows
rained for a solid week.
Your father can control the weather?
Aye. His storms are magnificent, she told him
with pride. Tis his greatest gift.
Clearly alarmed, Todd said, I guess you re right
about your family not being here. I wouldn t want to
feel lightning at my feet.
My father would do more than that at this
point.
More than killing me with lightning?
Killing is instant. Laird Ian would demand you
marry me.
His hand stilled in her hair, his body stiffened.
Relax, Sir Blakely. My father has no way of
coming here. She giggled.
I m not a knight.
That is where you are wrong. You may not have
those titles in this time. But your actions are those
of a knight. You ve dedicated your life to righting
people s wrongs. You uphold the laws of your land.
Your chivalry would not go unnoticed in my time.
Now you re making me blush.
Make fun if you must. My father would reward
you greatly if given the chance.
Is that your way of asking me to come home to
meet the parents? It was easy to tease when the act
was impossible to do.
Would you?
Ha. And risk being shot by lightning? You re
asking a lot from a mere mortal.
She realized then she asked too much. There
was no way of knowing if he was able to travel
through time. Only Druids were entrusted with the
stones. Myra wasn t willing to risk his life to find
out.
Firelight played off the walls, casting shadows
over them both. Myra fell asleep next to him, and he
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Catherine Bybee
didn t want to move. He watched the rhythmic
movement of her chest and felt the small puff of air
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