The Pleasure Master (20 page)

Bloody hell.
“A passing strange family.” His muttered insult had no effect on her.

“Will your horse carry all of us?” She frowned. “I've never ridden a horse before. The closest I've come was a merry-go-round horse when I was a kid. It made me sick, and Dad never took me on one again.”

He should ask what a merry-go-round was, but something else interested him more, something that pulled at him even as it made him uncomfortable. “Ye speak fondly of yer parents.”

She smiled at him. A soft, sad smile. “They're the best. Married thirty years and still in love. They gave me a wonderful childhood.” She dropped her gaze. “I don't want to think of never seeing them again.”

Would she feel such sadness at leaving
him?
He shook off the thought. Her sadness touched him, as did the tale of her parents. But he must not let sentiment affect him. He must only think of what he had to do to win the challenge. He needed no tales of love and happiness to distract him. “I will ready the horse.”

As he walked from the cave, he gloried in the rare sunny day. The sea would be so blue they would have to shield their eyes against the brightness.
The same blue as Kathy's eyes.

He reached his horse in a few angry strides. Curse the woman for sliding into his every thought.

When the horse was ready, he led the animal to the cave entrance.

Kathy emerged, blinking in the bright sunlight, with Peter and Malin behind her. Ian couldn't tear his gaze from the gold shine of her hair. It seemed that everything about her was bright and shining. She brought newness to everything she touched and danger to a man who must feel nothing for any particular woman.

“What do I do now?” She looked uncertain.

“I'll set ye behind the saddle, then hand Peter and Malin up to ye. 'Tis simple.” His mood lightened in direct proportion to her look of horror.

“Behind the saddle? Why can't I sit on the saddle with you?” She eyed the horse's rump.

“We wouldna all fit. Ye'll be fine. I willna ask the horse for more than a walk.”

She reached out to pat the horse on the nose, but Ian pushed her hand away just before the animal laid its ears back and snapped at her.

She gazed at the horse in bewilderment. “What is it about your animals? They both have attitudes.”

Ian grinned. “The horse isna overly friendly. Ye're fortunate he but nipped at ye. There are several Mackays who suffered broken bones in the taking of him. But he is steady and true in battle.”

“Does he have a name?” She eyed the horse's wall-eyed glare and stepped back.

“Nay. Naming him would make him a pet. Ye
canna grow soft over an animal ye ride into battle. Their lives may be verra short.”

She gazed at him with an expression he couldn't read. “I bet you wish I didn't have a name. No name, no emotion.”

He could tell her it was not her name that drew him, that made him wish no other woman would seek him out, that made him want to . . . “We must get started.” Before she could voice another doubt, he lifted her onto the horse, then handed Peter and Malin up to her. Malin hissed his displeasure.

An hour later, Ian caught sight of the sea. Never had anything looked so welcome. He'd swear the trip had been the longest of his life. Malin had growled, Peter had never stopped talking, and because Kathy held them in front of her, Ian could not even enjoy the feel of her body pressed against his back.

He stopped well back from the shore, then helped Kathy dismount. She almost tumbled off, clasping Peter and Malin in her arms.

“You know, Ross, that was the pits. My bottom hurts, my legs hurt, and my sexy car with the balloon payment is looking pretty darn good about now.”

He wouldn't bother to ask her what a car and balloon payment were because she would only explain in other words he didn't understand. There were moments, though, when he yearned to see her land with its many wonders.

He drew a deep breath of sea air. For now he wanted only to walk along the shore and think. He
clasped her hand and walked toward the waiting sea. “I would walk alone for a while. Ye may sit on yon rock and wait. If ye willna sit, dinna wander far.”

He waited for her inevitable complaint at his orders, but she only nodded. Mayhap she also wished to think.
Would she think of him?

He left her rubbing her bottom as she gazed at the sea. Peter and Malin made no attempt to follow him.

He'd believed he'd be alone, but he was mistaken. No matter how he tried to think of other things or to think of nothing at all, his thoughts would not leave Kathy.

Why did he not make a stronger attempt to seduce her and be done with the foolish challenge? Why had he not finished it last night? His brothers wouldn't care if he took her by way of trickery so long as he joined with her. Why had he refused to do so?

Gazing at the sand, he paused. Reaching down, he picked up a shell that had caught his attention. Strange, but he'd never noticed the shells that lay on this beach before. Refusing to question the foolish action, he slipped the shell into the pouch he wore at his waist. Then he went in search of another.

Kathy gazed in the direction Ian had gone. She'd wanted to go with him, but everyone needed a moment's privacy once in a while. Besides, it was quiet and beautiful here. Even Peter hadn't interrupted the silence.

She had plenty to think about. As much as the idea made her want to throw herself on the sand and wail, she had to face the fact that she might never return to New York. If they didn't solve the puzzle that was Peter, she might be a permanent resident of Scotland.

Would her cell phone continue working? Would she at least be able to talk to Mom and Dad? What could she possibly tell them that they'd accept?

And what if you do find a way to go home? How will you feel saying goodbye to Ian forever? How will you accept knowing he's been dead for more than four hundred years? And why do you care?

As long as he tried to use his power to manipulate her, she'd resist.
He used his power last night, and you were melted cheese in his hands.
Okay, so much for resistance. But even if he succeeded in seducing her body, he'd never touch her heart. Her heart was immune to manipulative men.

All this introspection was giving her a headache, and what the hell did her heart have to do with anything, anyway? Suddenly angry at the world and Ian Ross in particular, she strode down the beach in the opposite direction from the way he'd taken. She'd never let another man dictate to her. She ignored the clatter of Peter tagging along behind her.

Deep in thoughts of what she'd tell Mr. Pleasure Master next time he cozied up to her, she rounded a curve in the beach and came face to face with five shaggy men mounted on five shaggy horses.

They didn't look friendly. She glanced behind her, but Peter hadn't kept up. Curse his short little
legs. Where was a wee spawn of hell when you needed one?

“Hi. Great day for a walk on the beach. Looks like it might rain later, though.” Okay, she'd exhausted her supply of meaningless chatter.

“Cease yer blather, woman. We look for Ian Ross. Where is he?” The leader glared at her and moved his horse closer.

He looked better far away. “Nobody on the beach but me and a few little friends. Ian Ross? Who's Ian Ross?” Maybe she should've changed her few little friends to hundreds of hulking berserkers. Hindsight didn't do much good.

“Dinna tell me lies, woman. I know he is here somewhere.” His gaze slid over her. He smiled. A very ugly smile. “But if we dinna find Ross, we must make do wi' ye. Ye'll help soothe our anger over not capturing him.”

Ohmigod! “Help!” Her screech echoed up and down the beach. She was surprised they didn't drop their weapons to clutch their ears. Shouting at taxis had strengthened her vocal cords.

She'd opened her mouth to scream again, when she noticed the leader's attention had slipped past her. The approaching clatter warned that Peter had arrived.

She watched the men's eyes widen in shock. Good. Now they'd make some babbling comments involving demons and devils, then gallop off bellowing in fear.

“'Tis a devil's demon. Kill it!” Raising his sword,
the leader charged toward Peter. The rest followed him with slightly less enthusiasm.

She turned in time to see Malin leap from Peter. He obviously wasn't willing to lose one of his nine lives in a minor tussle.

Oh no! She had to save Peter, and she didn't even have her mousse with her today.

Peter, however, was never at a loss for words. His lights flashed defiantly. “The trouble with Scotland is that it is full of Scots.”

“We are
not
in
Braveheart
, Peter,” she muttered.

The leader jerked his horse to a sliding stop, but not in time to halt his momentum. He careened into Peter, knocking the toy over.

At the same time, with a mad howl of rage, Malin launched himself at the horse. Three legs didn't allow for any record-setting leaps, but he managed to dig his claws and teeth into the horse's leg.

Confused, the horse reared, then bucked. Its rider slid to the ground while Malin was flung into the air. The cat landed with a thud beside Kathy.

Through a haze of fury, she charged the fallen rider. “You hurt my cat and my friend. You're toast, bog-breath.”

Dimly, she could hear Peter yammering, “The time traveling is just too dangerous. Better that I devote myself to study the other great mystery of the universe: women!”

As she flung herself onto the fallen rider, she heard the pounding of hoofbeats and a shout she recognized as Ian's. Thank God, the cavalry had arrived.

Kicking and screaming, she vented all her accumulated frustration on her hapless victim. She must have connected with a sensitive area because he rolled away from her cursing, and clutched the affected body part.

Glancing up, she saw Ian in the midst of the other men, slashing left and right with his sword while his horse struck with deadly front hooves and bit anything within reach. Now she understood the value of a horse with attitude.

While she gawked at Ian, her victim managed to crawl back onto his horse. In panicked disarray, the five men galloped away.

Ian flung himself from his horse's back and ran to her, gathering her into his warm embrace. “God's teeth, woman! I leave ye for but a moment, and ye find five Highlanders to battle. Ye're a menace to all Scotland.”

Then he kissed her. A hard, savage kiss that took her breath and accelerated her heartbeat to a triumphant drumroll. His lips tasted of salt air and conquering male, a combination she'd never duplicate in New York.

He broke the kiss to pull her head against his chest, where she could feel the pounding of his own heart. “Ye've just met the Mackays. I dinna know how they knew where to find us.”

Kathy turned to search for Malin and Peter. Malin was already on his feet, none the worse for wear. He limped toward a still-prone Peter.

Ian hurried over to Peter, with Kathy close behind. Peter's lights flashed weakly.

“And the last thing he said to me, ‘Rock,' he said. ‘Sometimes when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper.' ”

Ian lifted Peter upright while Kathy touched a small mark on his shiny top. “Umm, Peter, there's nothing but a little dent here. You'll be okay.”

She couldn't help it, she picked Peter up and hugged him. “You and Malin were very brave. Did you see how brave they were, Ian?” She could feel the moisture in her eyes as she looked at Ian.

She didn't recognize the emotion that shimmered briefly in his gaze, but it warmed her from the inside out.

“Ye were all verra brave. The Mackays willna stop running ‘til they reach the safety of their keep. 'Tis my guess they willna tell any how they were beaten.”

His lips lifted in the smile that turned Kathy's resistance to melted butter. Or was it cheese? Whatever, it was soft and mushy.

Ian inhaled sharply at what he saw in Kathy's eyes. She'd gazed at him with desire and with anger, but never with the soft gaze she gave him now. It was a look that could unman the strongest warrior.

To cover his uncertainty, he scooped Malin up and awkwardly petted him. Malin and he didn't exchange many outward gestures of affection.

Malin rewarded him with something rare and
precious. He purred. The sound was rough and rasping, but still a purr.

“Is Malin purring? I can't believe that cat is purring. What will happen if you pet your horse?”

“He'll bite me. 'Tis his reaction to all who come near him. Each time I ride him we must speak of all that concerns the day's journey. If he doesna agree, 'twill be a ride on the devil's own back.”

Her laughter brightened the day and pushed aside his dark thoughts of why the Mackays had been waiting for him in this place.

“I must wash the blood from me; then we may eat what ye brought.”

Her laughter disappeared. “You're hurt? Where're you hurt?”

“Nay. 'Tis Mackay blood I must wash from me ere its poison sickens me. I would wish Fiona and her father gone from the Highlands. Their evil plagues me.” He recognized the bitterness in his voice, but he couldn't hide his feelings where the Mackays were concerned.

Malin stuggled to be free, so Ian set him on the beach, then grabbed his horse's reins. Leading the horse, he strode back toward where they'd been. Kathy, still holding Peter, hurried to keep up with him.

“Who are you, Ian Ross? One minute you're the Pleasure Master, the next you're the avenging Highland warrior.”

He shifted his gaze to meet her stare. She would see what she must in his eyes, and mayhap understand. “They are the same. There isna a dividing
line.” He lowered his voice. “Ye must know that all joys of the body have their birth in pain.”