The Pleasure Master (13 page)

Neil abandoned the cell phone long enough to glare at Ian. “Yer cat is a wee spawn of hell. And that shiny demon the woman brought wi' her speaks in the devil's tongue.”

Kathy blinked. Looked like Neil had covered just about everything.

“Malin is a warrior. He was protecting his own against one who shouldna be here.” Ian sank onto a cushion to watch his brother.

“'Tis ye who chose this shrewish vixen as my challenge, so ye must allow me to speak wi' her.”

“
Shrewish vixen?
I heard that, you bombastic buffoon.” Coco's shout made Neil wince. He held the phone away from his ear.

He glanced at Ian for help. “Bombastic buffoon?”

Ian shrugged.

“Men should be like Kleenex—soft, strong, and disposable,” Peter offered.

Kathy smiled. She'd always liked that line from
Clue.

“I didna ask yer advice, demon.” Neil scowled as he gingerly returned the phone to his ear.

“Ye need to learn respect for men, Coco. If ye were here, I would bare yer bottom and redden it wi' my hand.”

“Ohmigod,” Kathy muttered. She edged away from Neil. Nothing could save him now.

Surprisingly, silence followed his pronouncement, then a soft chuckle. “You'd really try to spank me?”

“Aye.” Neil's hand was clenched so tightly to the phone that his knuckles were white. “Then I'd make love to ye.”

“Hmm. Put Kathy on the phone, hotshot.”

Neil's gaze was glazed as he handed the phone to Kathy with shaking fingers.

Kathy had to know one thing. “How'd you reach Coco? I didn't give you her number.”

Neil stared at her for a dazed moment. “I only
touched yer phone, and she was there.” He stumbled toward the cave's entrance.

Peter followed him, offering advice. “Women need a reason to have sex. Men just need a place.”

How could Neil have reached Coco if he hadn't punched in her number? Was someone controlling . . . ? No, she couldn't deal with that thought now. Drawing a deep breath, Kathy put the phone to her ear. “I'm sorry, Coco, but—”

“What's he look like, Kathy?”

“Neil? He's tall, broad shoulders, great buns—”

“You've seen them, his buns?”

“Well, yes.”

“I won't ask how. What's his face look like?”

“I'm not too sure. He has this beard and—”

“Tell him to shave it off. I hate facial hair. Then we'll talk.” Coco was quiet for a moment. “Sure you don't want to tell me where you're holed up? I know this whole thing with your ex has stressed you out, and I understand you have a new man, but it would help to know where you are.”

“It wouldn't do any good, believe me.”

She could hear Coco's sigh. “Okay. I guess you'll tell me when you're ready. Just make sure you're back by the court date.”

“Court date. Sure. By the way, what
is
the date?”

Coco's silence was longer this time. “January tenth.”

January 10?
Kathy fought back a feeling of despair. Her job would be history by now. Thank heavens Mom and Dad were still on their cruise.

Kathy watched Malin jump back atop Peter.
“Oh, would you check out one more thing for me? See if you can find a breed of cat that likes to swim and tell me where it originated.”

“Let me get this straight. You're with a man who sounds like pure sin, and you want to know about
cats?”

Kathy sighed. “Humor me, Coco.”

“Will do.”

Kathy listened to the click as Coco hung up, feeling the disconnection to her time all the way to her soul. There
had
to be a way back.

Wearily, Kathy pulled off her coat and dropped it on top of Mary's borrowed things, then sank onto a cushion. Ian was attending to the hearth fire.

Summer. It was summer in this time and place, but it was still chilly. No chillier though than the cold numbing her heart.

Silently, Ian knelt behind her, but she couldn't summon the energy to move away from him.

Putting his hands on her shoulders, he massaged her tight muscles. She stiffened.

She felt his harsh exhalation against her exposed neck, where it sent tingles skittering down her back. She shifted, uneasy with her body's instant reaction to him.

“Ye're like the hare when it spots the wolf, lass. I mean only to ease yer body.”

She glanced warily back at him. “That's what I'm afraid of.”

“If I meant anything more, ye'd know it.” His lips brushed her neck and she drew her breath in a startled gasp.

“How would I know?” Nerve endings unused to male stimulation of any kind were happily gathering to discuss the possibility of the big
O
. They were doomed to disappointment.
Never
with Ian Ross.

His hands slid down her back, kneading spots that made her moan with relief. Damn him. Everything he did felt good.

“Ye'd know because ye'd feel it.”

Big help. Didn't he know she
felt
it every time he was within shouting distance?

“And because I wouldna hide my intent. I'd speak of it.”

“I don't know how smart that is. If you warn me, I can run.” She
would
run, fast and far. Away from the temptation of trying for sexual nirvana with a man who, even though more sensually persuasive than her ex-husband, still believed that sex and caring weren't connected. Uh-uh, wouldn't catch her with that again.

“Ye wouldn't wish to run.” He transferred his attention to her neck, squeezing gently, reminding her of his leashed power, of what he could do if he chose. She wasn't sure whether that thought frightened or excited her.

“Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?”

“Aye.”

Now
that
frightened her.

He moved away, and she almost slumped with relief.

“I must put yer wee flower back together again.” He picked up Suzy pieces and bent over them, his
hair shrouding his expression. “What do ye do in this place ye claim to come from?”

She watched his strong, capable fingers carefully repairing the yellow flower. And thought about those fingers. On her. “Uh, when I'm finished doing my princess stuff, I cut, style, and color women's hair.”

He glanced at her from beneath dark lashes and smiled. “Yer hair is wondrous. Ye need do nothing to it.”

Nothing except renew the wondrous blond color once a month.
“Thank you. I think.” Was this the beginning of his seduction? Did he start with compliments before launching an all-out attack?

“Ye dinna take compliments well, lass.” He glanced down at Suzy again.

“That's because compliments aren't always sincere. They can be a ploy to get something from someone.”
Like sex.

“Is that what yer husband did to ye?” Suzy was now taking on a recognizable shape.

“My husband exploited my weaknesses—a desire for his love and a need for security.”

Ian didn't take his attention from the nearly restored sunflower. “Those dinna sound like yer words. Ye speak more bluntly.”

She laughed. “Right. That was Coco's lawyer-speak.” Kathy relaxed as the laughter released her tension.

“What do ye do for joy, lass?” He held up the flower.

“I loooove you.”

Yep, Suzy was back.

“Ye must do something in this New York that makes yer heart sing.” He placed Suzy carefully back on her ledge, then reached into Kathy's sack and pulled out Baby Born. Tearing the packaging off, he stared thoughtfully at the doll.

Her heart sing.
Shocked, she realized there was only one thing she did in her time that made her feel even remotely as alive as she felt with Ian Ross. “I skydive.”

He set the doll in his lap and stared at her. “I dinna understand.”

She smiled, remembering all those times Ms. Wilson, her fourth-grade teacher, had told her to write as though she were trying to describe something to aliens from another planet, painting a picture for them in their minds. And here she'd thought Ms. Wilson's picture-painting for aliens had been a waste of time.

Ian offered her his come-and-take-me grin. Leaning forward, he traced the outline of her lips with the tip of his finger. “I must learn yer smile since I dinna see it verra much. 'Tis wondrous.”

Kathy paused a moment to allow her senses to recover from his touch. Amazing how her breathing rate was affected by contact with any part of Ian Ross's body. “Everything is wondrous to you.”

Suddenly, his eyes widened, then he grimaced. Unceremoniously, he dumped Baby Born off his lap to reveal a large wet spot. “Not everything. God's
teeth, I canna believe ye make toys that do such things.”

Kathy bit her lip, but it did no good. She laughed.

“Dinna laugh, woman. Now I must rid myself of this so it may dry.”

Uh-oh. What did ridding himself of
this
entail?

She wasn't kept in suspense long. With no wasted motion, he stripped off his plaid, leaving only his shirt, then turned his attention back to her. “Ye havena explained this sky diving yet.”

She'd have a hard time explaining her own name with all that golden skin to distract her. Temptation didn't just beckon as Ian bent one leg at the knee in what she now recognized as his
comfortable
position. It grabbed her by the throat and shook her.

She coughed to free her throat from temptation's hold. “Skydiving? Oh, skydiving. Well, you go up in a plane. . . .” What if she reached out and ran her hand up the inside of his thigh? Would she surprise him, or would he just smile that I-knew-youcouldn't-resist smile?

“What is a plane?”

“It's a machine that flies. People ride in it, and it takes them into the sky higher than birds fly.” How high would he let her go? Would he open himself to her, allow her to glide her fingers under his shirt, touch—

He frowned. “'Tis a hard thing to believe.”

Hard.
Her breathing quickened. When she finally touched him, would he grow hard beneath her fingers, would he thrust against her hand when she clasped him? “Hard. Right. Uh, where was I?”

His gaze turned thoughtful as he watched her; then his lips tilted up in a secret smile. “Ye were flying through the air.”

“Okay. Got it. Air.” Funny, she was having trouble getting any air into her lungs. “When the plane reaches a certain height, everyone except the pilot jumps out.”

His frown returned. “It doesna seem a wise thing to do.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I forgot something.” She slapped her forehead in a symbolic gesture meant to indicate that her brain was scrambled, and she was trying to knock all the pieces back into their correct slots. “You have a parachute strapped to you. It's like a giant umbrella that you open part way down and it slows your descent so you can drift to the ground.”
Down.
What would he do if she slid her hand down his length, cupped his—

“What is an umbrella?”

Arrgh!
“Forget it.” She forced her gaze away from the place no sky dive could take her.

“Ye seem overly fond of those words. Do ye escape all that bothers ye by using them?” He lowered his leg.

She didn't feel capable of logical reasoning, so she shrugged.

“It matters not. If I visited yer kingdom I would try this skydiving.” He picked up Baby Born and set her safely on the rug between his spread legs.

“You would?” She didn't try to hide her surprise. It didn't take much gray matter to know that this
wasn't a normal response for someone from his time.

“Aye. I've always had an uncommon curiosity about all things.” He slanted her a challenging smile. “'Tis a great weakness and will bring grief to me in time. Many have told me so.”

Kathy could have told him he was uncommon in many ways, all intriguing to any woman breathing. Okay, so maybe the woman didn't even have to be breathing.

Ian picked up Baby Born and examined her. “How does this toy work?”

Poor Baby Born.

The voices reached her in the night—soft, secret. About the same time her bladder informed her that it didn't give a hoot whether there was indoor plumbing, she'd better
do
something or else. It was the “or else” that made her struggle from her bed.

What to do? A short hospital stay that involved unpleasant bedpan memories made her determined
not
to use the chamber pot, but she darn well wouldn't go outside in the dark by herself. Anything could be outside at night—marauding barbarians, land-dwelling offshoots of the Loch Ness Monster's family.

By herself.
Hmm. Maybe Ian would walk her to the entrance, then stand guard while she went.

The voices reached her again. She searched for Ian in the faint glow of the fire. She didn't see him, but he had to be somewhere in the cave because she recognized his voice.

She'd never mistake his voice. Made for the night-deep, dark, filled with hidden meanings. She followed the sound.

Kathy finally traced the murmurs to a tapestry-covered doorway she hadn't noticed until now. She hesitated only a moment. The night was the Pleasure Master's time, but if she didn't interrupt him she'd explode.

What were they doing in there? Their voices sounded normal, no passionate whispers, no heavy breathing. Should she call out? Maybe she should just stick her head in and beckon to Ian.

Maybe she should do something fast because all she could think about were phrases like “water balloon” and “broken water main.”

Be honest. You want to know what the Pleasure Master does, catch him in the act, whatever that might be.
Ian wasn't the only one with too much curiosity. She sighed, giving in to the temptation that would land her in hot water for sure. Water. Damn the consequences. She pushed aside the tapestry and peeked in.