"That's it?" I was surprised. It didn't sound too bad. Then I paused, looked cautiously at the woman. "I can't get stuck there, can I?" Wherever there was.
The shopkeeper laughed, her head tilting back. "No. But you must keep the ring on, however, to stay the night." She pointed a gnarled finger at me. "Otherwise, you'll be brought back immediately."
I ran my fingers over the blood red ruby, felt the craftsmanship, the detail. How far back in time would I go? Where would I go?
My body hummed, screamed with need. A need I knew deep down only the ring could give me, and I didn't want to give it back. I wanted to meet this eternal mate. If the woman wasn't crazy, he was the only one who could satisfy me. If putting on the ring brought me to him and an orgasm, I had to do it.
"This is crazy, you know," I said to the woman, giving her a pointed look. She only smiled in return.
Taking a deep breath, I sat down in a comfortable armchair across from her. Glancing her way, she nodded with what I hoped was reassurance as I slipped the ring over my finger. If nothing happened, I'd yank off the ring and head home and spend time with my battery operated boyfriend. It was warm against my skin, then I felt the gold almost singe my skin before my world went dark.
CHAPTER THREE
Lexy
"I now pronounce ye are man and wife. What God has joined together, let no man put asunder."
I stared down at the ruby on my slim finger as I processed what I'd just heard. Man and wife. Man and wife? I whipped my head up to see a man in long black robes standing before me. He was smiling at me, then looking to my right. Oh shit.
I whipped my head around to look at the man who stood beside me. No, make that loomed over me. He was so close, near enough I could smell his clean male scent. Spicy, dark. He was large, well over six feet as I barely came to his shoulder. His broad, thick, very masculine body was covered in a crisp white shirt. He had inky black hair, wavy and unruly, yet short enough to fall recklessly over his forehead and brush the back of his neck. A day or two's growth of dark whiskers covered his rugged jaw. He had the deepest brown and brooding eyes, yet a quick smile. Clearly, he was pleased with the clergy's words.
My gaze shifted lower and took in the rest of him. Holy shit, he wore a kilt. A kilt! A real one, cinched about his hips by a wide leather belt, a long strip of it tossed up and over his far shoulder. My mouth fell open. A man in a kilt. A very hot man in a kilt. I couldn't help but lick my lips.
Cheers and applause broke through my ogling. Spinning around, I took in my surroundings. Thick stone walls, dark tapestries, solid wood furniture in a large room. I felt like I'd stepped into the great hall at Hogwarts, for at the long rows of tables laden with food were people clapping. This wasn't Hogwarts. It looked like I'd stepped into the movie set from Braveheart. Um, double holy shit, I was in Scotland!
The man beside me took my hand in his. It was large and warm, engulfing mine. And the man before me was a Scot. In a flipping kilt! A Highlander.
"Ye may kiss yer bride."
The man's sexy smile widened and I caught a quick glimpse of straight white teeth. I couldn't do more than take a deep breath before he tugged me close. I had to place my hands on his chest for balance. While his skin was warm through his shirt, it felt like he was made of bricks. All I could feel was hard slabs of muscle. His gaze dropped to my mouth as he lowered his head.
He was going to kiss me! I thought that for a split second before his lips touched mine. This wasn't a dream! I felt the warmth of his lips, scented cinnamon and felt the zing of his touch go straight to my pussy. This wasn't a quick chaste kiss, but deeper and with some serious heat. Some serious tongue. This was possession, pure and simple. The scorching heat I'd felt when I first touched the ring was nothing compared to this. My need, desire, only escalated, seeped through my body to my bones. I couldn't help but gasp at the incredible sensation. Power, domination, need, all coalesced in this one kiss. One quick… incredible invasion and he was gone. He pulled back and I felt bereft.
I had no idea I'd closed my eyes until they fluttered open to look at the man who'd given me the best—and probably fastest—kiss of my life. He still smiled down at me, but had that predatory look a man gets when he wants you. Bad.
Good. I wanted him, too. Wanted his lips back on mine, his tongue back in my mouth. The feelings from the jewelry store had only grown stronger. Needier. More desperate. I felt the ring pulse around my finger. I knew this was the man who was going to ease the ache. Oh, hell yes, he could totally ease the ache.
I gazed into his whiskey colored eyes, small lines crinkled at the corners, and long dark lashes. I saw something there, something I recognized deep down. It was totally weird, I knew he was what I'd been missing. I felt it down to the very marrow of my bones. He was my eternal mate. It was like he held a missing piece to a puzzle I'd been trying to solve all my life.