Read Laird of Her Heart (Dundragon Time Travel Trilogy Book 1) Online
Authors: Sabrina York
Tags: #Romance, #Romantic Comedy, #Time Travel
Laird of Her Heart (Dundragon Time Travel Trilogy Book 1) (14 page)
“Half our crop?”
“Or all of it? If you wait too long the rains will destroy everything. What’s more, your crofters will die if they’re not brought into the castle walls.”
“What makes you think the rains will be that bad?”
Dominic cracked open a lid in time to see her waggle a thick tome at his brother. “Because this says so.”
Declan frowned and tried to take the book from her. She didn’t allow it.
“No. I told you. It’s not a good idea for you to know too much about your future.”
“That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. What’s the point of knowing the future if you canna use the knowledge to keep your people safe?”
“I’m telling you how to keep your people safe, for God’s sake. Why do you have to be so fricking stubborn?”
“What does that mean, fricking? Jenny said it all the time.”
“Stop trying to change the subject.”
It was damn entertaining watching them quarrel. He had no idea why.
Or he did.
The energy between his brother and his woman was just as it should be. A prickling irritation.
He might have chuckled because she turned to him. Her eyes widened and she dropped the book and rushed to his side. “He’s awake! Look Declan, he’s awake!”
“I see that. Welcome back, brother.”
“Welcome back?” The words clung to his throat. Maggie poured him some water and helped him drink—although he needed no help. It was a delicious wash, bathing his throat with cool clear water.
“Ah.”
“Aye. We feared we would lose you.”
“That bad?”
“Your wound became putrid,” Fergus, the doctor, said from somewhere beyond his field of vision. But then, all he really saw was Maggie.
She rolled her eyes. “Ugh. Don’t use that term. It’s revolting.” She patted his shoulder gently. “You had an infection,” she said, enunciating each word as though he were a child. “We gave you some medicine.”
He frowned at her then shot a glance at his brother, who nodded. “Penicillin.”
“What is that?”
“A miracle potion, apparently.” Fergus stepped forward, his palms raised to the heavens. “It brought you from death’s door in three days.”
Maggie frowned at the doctor. “Pish. It’s just medicine.”
“And where did you get this just medicine?” Dominic asked her.
She glanced at the doctor and pressed her lips together, then murmured, “Um, Declan went to Seattle to get it.”
What the hell?
She patted his hand. “We’ll tell you all about it later.”
“Right,” Declan nodded and for the first time Dominic noticed what he was wearing. The same strange breeks Maggie had worn the first time he’d seen her. He opened his mouth to ask…something, but Declan didn’t allow him a moment. “Now,” he said. “According to Maggie, a great rain is coming. One that will flood the valley. She thinks we should have an early harvest, though if we do that, we will likely lose half our crop…”
He babbled on, but Dominic wasn’t listening. Not really. His gaze was locked to Maggie’s face as she glared at his brother.
God he loved her.
He needed to tell her.
And he would.
Soon.
With that thought, his exhaustion overcame him and he drifted off to sleep while they squabbled around him.
* * *
He was stronger every day, a fact that made Maggie’s heart ache. There was no way she could have the dreaded conversation with him while he was ill…but he wasn’t so ill anymore, was he?
Though she desperately needed to know how he felt about
them
, most specifically, if he wanted her to stay, she was frightened to death the answer wouldn’t be the one she needed to hear.
That was probably why she put it off for over a week.
Not that they didn’t spend time together—they did. Talking, cuddling, kissing. Nothing more, though, because his wound was still healing. She had to insist. Though he was somewhat adamant as well.
He enjoyed exploring all the trinkets Jenny had sent with Declan, enjoyed quizzing Maggie on their purposes. The toilet paper befuddled him, as did Maggie’s delight at finding it. He really enjoyed the perfume Jenny had sent, but he was especially intrigued by the Swiss knife and the powerless egg beater drill her cousin had found at a store that specialized in prepping for the Zombie Apocalypse.
But then, men were probably bedazzled by tools no matter the era they lived in.
Dominic was also fascinated with the book Jenny had sent—
The Macintoshes of Dar
.
Maggie came upon him reading it in bed when she went to check on him one morning.
Though the sight of him poleaxed her—beautiful and braw, stark naked on the bed, reading a book, was there ever a more alluring vision?—she attempted a glower. She propped her hands on her hips and growled, “You’re not supposed to read that book.”
He glanced up at her and grinned. “It’s interesting.”
She tried to tug it away from him but he resisted. “Come on.
I
want to read it.”
He pulled her down by his side instead. Kissed her brow. “You’ve read it.”
“I have. But it’s different now.”
“The book changed?”
She shrugged. “History changed. We changed it.” Fortunately not too much. Liam had not died without sons; her family lineage was intact. And Declan had assured her the Nazis lost the war…and Starbucks still served leaded coffee.
“I like that.” Dominic kissed her again. He was so warm, his skin so soft. She regretted her decision to wait until he was fully healed to have him again. “We changed history, you and I.” He turned back to the book, opening it to a page near the back and she frowned.
“It’s not good to know too much about your future.” She knew this. It was an immutable fact. It was brought up in each and every time travel movie she’d ever seen.
“I’m no’ reading about
my
future.” He curled her against him and pointed to a very familiar photo, a smiling woman in the arms of a very handsome man who stared down at her in adoration. “Did you know this woman made a fortune selling apples?”
She patted his arm. “I do. That’s my grandmother. And it wasn’t apples. It was Apple
stock
.”
“Stock?”
“In 1980, she invested in a small start-up company that made computers—” At his frown, she began again. “A company that made…tools for people.” Surely he would understand
that
. “She invested on a whim because she liked the name.”
“What was it?”
Maggie winked. “Macintosh.”
His chuckle warmed her.
“Anyway, it was a smart investment and it made her very rich.”
He flipped back a few pages. “Was there really a world war?”
“Hmm. A couple.”
“They sound horrible.”
“They were.”
“And a man on the moon? And these…cars?”
She pulled the book from his grasp. “It’s not a good idea to know too much about the future.”
“You keep saying that.”
“It’s true. Self-fulfilling prophesies, future times, grandfather paradoxes and all that. You don’t want to create a rip in the space time continuum.”
He ignored her blethering. “You really do live in a miraculous age, Maggie.”
Hope flared in her chest. “Would you… Would you like to see it?”
His frown burst her bubble.
“Nae.” He forced a smile. “Declan’s been telling me about it. How fast things are. About the crowded cities and the stone roadways. The fact that people are no’ a
community
anymore.” His lashes flickered. “Will you be happy? Going back?”
She stilled. She swallowed heavily. This was it. This was her moment. She met his eye and said, “No.”
“Nae?”
“I would no’ be happy. Going back. I would rather stay here. With you.”
He stared at her. Said nothing, only stared.
Her chest tightened. Her lungs locked. A cold wind howled through her soul “But if that’s not what you want, I’ll leave of course. I’ll—”
“You are no’ leaving me, Maggie-mine. Not ever.” His expression went fierce. His nostrils flared.
Oh lord. She loved his ferocity. She loved his snarl. She loved him, her highland warrior. “What are you saying Dominic?”
“Do you no’ know?”
“I’d like to hear it.”
“Then I shall say it. You willna leave me, Maggie-mine, because I love you. Need you. Cannot bear to face life without you by my side. And…” A glimmer danced in his eye. “Because you’re carrying my son.”
Her eyes widened. “I…am?”
“Aye. According to this book you love so much.” He flipped through the pages and found what he was looking for. “He will be born in April. And his name will be Steve.”
“Steve?” Her joy, her elation fizzled into bewilderment. She wrinkled her nose. Why on earth would she name her baby Steve?
“Aye. Steve Jobs of the Macintosh Clan.”
“It does not say that.” She snatched the book from him and scanned the page. And lord have mercy. It did.
She also saw, before she had a chance to look away, that there would be many more children coming from this union. And that she and Dominic would both live long and happy, healthy lives and—
Dominic smacked the book closed and shot Maggie a blistering, hungry stare.
Enough reading. He had other thoughts dancing in his head. He was feeling stronger, and she was here in his bed, and it had been far too long since he’d had her.
He tossed the book to the floor and pulled his woman into his arms.
Oh no. She would not leave. Not ever.
She opened her mouth to protest, or to say something at least. It began with, “I love you t—”
Whatever it was, it was not as important as the message he needed to give her.
Without a word, he settled his mouth over hers.
He kissed her for a long, long while.
And more.
THE END
Don’t miss Declan’s adventures in Seattle in the next installment of The Dundragon Trilogy, coming soon!
If you love hot highlanders, be sure to read Sabrina York’s Untamed Highlanders from St. Martin’s Press!
Lana and the Laird—Coming in 2016
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy to scorching romance. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests.
For more information, or to connect with Sabrina, visit SabrinaYork.Com
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