Time Travel Romances Boxed Set (38 page)

Baird couldn’t risk losing her now.

*

As soon as Aurelia heard the distinctive
sound of the returning helicopter, she lunged out of the hall and
strode across the turf. She might have lost this battle, but she
could still make one last entreaty before Baird proposed to
Marissa.

She could not let him make this mistake.

She would not let him do this.

She understood the power of destiny, even if
he did not.

Aurelia marched to the paved pad just as Tex
was setting the helicopter’s weight down. Baird erupted from the
noisy chariot even before it hit the ground. He ran for Aurelia and
she was shocked when he swung her up in his arms and kissed
her.

Most thoroughly.

Aurelia almost sagged against him in
pleasure before she remembered what she was about. She pushed him
away and fixed him with a stern glance.

“
What manner of man are you
to kiss a woman thus when you mean to propose to another?” she
demanded, as angry with herself for responding as with Baird for
playing her as a fool.

Baird looked stunned. “What?”

“
We must have one thing
straight between us, Baird Beauforte,” Aurelia declared in a stern
echo of Baird’s earlier denials. “I will not have you toy with me
when you mean to marry that Marissa! It will be all or naught
between us, no less than that.”

Baird frowned, started to say something,
then shook head. “But I’m not going to marry Marissa.”

So, he meant to bed them both and make
honorable women of neither of them! Aurelia folded her arms across
her chest and glared at Baird. “That is not what she says.”

The helicopter quieted to a low roar as they
stared at each other. Baird’s expression turned grim. “What exactly
does she say?”

Aurelia was more than pleased to provide
details. “That you went to a jeweler to fetch a token of your
esteem…

“
And what if I did?” Baird
murmured and pulled a deep blue box from inside his jacket. A
pearly bow perched atop it, looking a little crushed from its
transportation.

Aurelia bristled. What kind of man would
wave a token intended for Marissa beneath her very nose? Before she
could choke out her indignation, Baird offered the box to her.

“
It’s for you,” he said
quietly. There was a flicker of uncertainty in his green eyes, as
though he feared that Aurelia would scorn a gift from
him.

Her anger abandoned her with dizzying speed.
Suddenly she could think of naught but reassuring Baird. “For me?”
She took the box tentatively, all the bluster stolen from her sails
with this one gesture.

No one but her father had ever brought
Aurelia a gift from afar. “You went a-viking again,” she accused
softly as she fingered the bow.

Baird laughed, but uncertainty still
lingered in his eyes. “I thought it was the least I could do.”

Their gazes locked and held for a long
moment, Aurelia desperately confused by this gesture. Baird’s
vulnerability in this touched her heart, just as his decisiveness
in other matters of intimacy made her pulse soar.

Aurelia thought of the pleasure they had
shared and her mouth went dry.

A smile still toyed with his lips as he
stepped closer and fitted his hands to her waist. She was treated
to a heady breath of his scent and desire unfurled deep within her.
His thumbs moved in eloquent circles against her belly and Aurelia
could not have moved away to save her life.

“
Open it,” Baird urged, his
words a breath against her temple.

Aurelia made short work of the ribbon and
opened the box, gasping when she saw its contents. “My mother’s
bracelet!” She lifted the silver circle with gentle fingers,
incredulous that Baird had fetched this for her.

But why?

“
Not exactly,” he admitted.
Aurelia glanced up in time to see him grimace. “It’s a
reproduction, the best one I could find. They wouldn’t sell me the
original.” His eyes twinkled as he took the bracelet and fitted it
to her wrist. His lips twisted ruefully. “But, believe me, I
tried.”

“
I cannot imagine that
anyone could resist your charm,” Aurelia teased.

Baird sighed with mock resignation. “As much
as I hate to admit it, I didn’t even come close to convincing
them.” He traced the central medallion, his warm fingertip brushing
against Aurelia’s skin with electrifying gentleness. She caught her
breath. “Does this signify something?” he asked.

Aurelia forced herself to concentrate on the
bracelet. “It is an eagle, the kind that used to frequent the
island. My mother always braided one of their long white tail
feathers into her hair as a talisman.”

“
Gemma
Whitefeather.”

Aurelia nodded. “It was said that her gift
for prophecy was like the long vision of the high-flying eagle.”
She smiled in recollection. “They used to come to her, though
normally they were shy of people. They were magnificent birds, and
held in great reverence by Pict and Viking alike.”

“
But there aren’t any here
now.”

“
No.” Memory tightened
Aurelia’s throat but she forced herself to share the tale. “On the
day that my mother died, a great group of eagles circled the hall,
crying aloud. Everyone gathered, for the sound was so mournful that
all knew it a sign of ill fortune. I shall never forget the sight
of them ascending in a spiral, their white feathers trailing
behind. They circled once over the hall before they turned as one
and flew out over the sea, never to be seen at Dunhelm
again.”

Aurelia looked up to meet Baird’s gaze and
found a sympathy there that made her loss seem a little less
painful. At least Aurelia had known her parents and their love,
while Baird had been alone from his first breath.

“
I am sorry,” she said in a
rush. “You must think me foolish and sentimental.”

Baird smiled crookedly. “Those would be the
last two words I’d connect with you, princess.”

Aurelia did not know whether to take that as
a compliment or not. To be certain, Baird had brought her a gift,
but it was not this diamond ring that Marissa was certain she would
receive. Was this a mere token of friendship, while he brought
Marissa a betrothal gift?

After all, this proved Baird had been to a
jeweler!

And he had spent the night before in
Marissa’s bed. What a fool Aurelia was to let his gift distract
her!

“
I thank you for the
bracelet,” she said formally and stepped away to watch Baird’s
expression. She lifted her chin proudly. “I suppose you have
another box with a great diamond ring for Marissa, as she
anticipates.”

Baird’s dark brows drew together in
annoyance. Was he angered with her for knowing his intent? “What
are you talking about?”

Aurelia straightened proudly. “Marissa
declares that you mean to propose marriage to her upon your
return.”

Baird shoved a hand through his hair and
muttered a curse. His bright gaze locked with hers, gleaming with a
sincerity that swayed her conviction. “Princess, I’m not going to
propose anything to Marissa Witlowe.”

Aurelia’s heart skipped a beat but she did
not ease her stance. “Then why did you go to Inverness?”

Baird’s voice softened. “Because I had to
see whether something was true.” He stepped closer and lifted a
hand to Aurelia’s cheek, his voice beguilingly low. Her traitorous
heart twisted at his touch. “Princess, I’m sorry I didn’t believe
you sooner, but I believe you now…”

He was making her forget herself again!
Aurelia danced away, not trusting herself to listen to him any
longer and hold to her will. “Spare me your pretty lies! I would
know the truth!”

Baird shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Aurelia, I’m not lying to you. I know now that you are a twelve
hundred year old Pictish princess.” A tentative smile tugged at his
lips. “I just wish I’d believed you sooner.”

Again that fear of rejection filtered
through his eyes and Aurelia’s heart contracted. She wanted to
believe him, but there was one matter that could not be denied.

Aurelia could not keep the hurt from her
voice. “Then why did you spend last night in her bed?”

Baird’s lips thinned and voice dropped
dangerously low. “She told you that?”

“
I heard you go
there!”

His eyes flashed with anger. “You heard
wrong, princess, and I’m going to prove it to you. I don’t know
what kind of crap Marissa is talking but we’re going to get to the
bottom of it right now.”

And to Aurelia’s amazement, he laced his
fingers between hers and headed for the hall at an uncompromising
pace. The very purposefulness of his stride made Aurelia wonder if
she had misunderstood matters.

Could Marissa have lied?

Did Aurelia dare to hope?

*

Marissa was painting her toenails in the
west hall when Baird practically dragged Aurelia back into the
hotel.

“
Hello, darling! Whatever
has taken you so long?” The welcoming smile died on Marissa’s
reddened lips when she saw Aurelia right behind Baird.

Her gaze dropped to their entwined fingers
and she inhaled sharply.

But Baird had no interest in social
niceties. And he wasn’t going to let go of Aurelia’s hand.

“
What in the hell have you
been saying around here?” he demanded. “Did you tell everyone that
we were going to be married?”

“
Well…” Marissa had the
grace to flush.

Elizabeth hovered on the other side of the
hall, her eyes bright with interest and Julian slid through the
door to watch.

“
I may have hinted at such
an eventuality, darling. You know, even Darian has said how
absolutely perfect we are for each other -”

“
Like hell we are!” Baird
snapped. “And what’s this garbage about our spending last night
together?”

Marissa’s eyelashes fluttered. “Baird,
darling! Don’t let’s air all our personal details before the
staff!” She smiled coyly and returned to painting her nails.
“You’ll have me blushing, darling!”

Baird bent and snatched away the brush, the
move leaving a ruby trail across Marissa’s toe. She looked up at
him, alarm lighting her dark eyes for the first time.

The idea that this woman’s malicious lies
could cost him any chance at persuading Aurelia he was sincere made
Baird see red.

“
Enough lies,” he said
sharply. “Time to tell everyone the truth, Marissa. Did we or did
we not spend the night together?”

Marissa swallowed. She looked to the group
of people avidly listening and her cheeks flamed. “We didn’t
actually, darling, but we could have.” She tried to smile, but
Baird wasn’t satisfied.

Aurelia’s hand was still cold in his.

“
Have we ever slept
together?”

Marissa’s lashes fluttered. “Well, no, not
actually.”

“
Actually?”

Her lips tightened with the concession. “Not
at all.”

Baird straightened and folded Aurelia’s hand
more securely into his. She was listening, but he couldn’t begin to
guess what she was thinking.

They might as well have it all as clear as
crystal. “Have I ever done anything to make you think that we
might?”

Marissa’s expression turned mutinous. “No.”
She plucked the brush from Baird’s fingers and jammed it back into
the bottle, shoving her feet petulantly back into her slippers.
“Have you finished humiliating me?” she demanded in a hostile
undertone.

But Baird was fed up with Marissa’s
interference and troublemaking. It was more than time to do what he
had suspected needed doing a long time ago.

“
Have you finished the
drawings for the Series B guestrooms?”

Marissa sulked. “No, not exactly.”

“
Series C?”

“
No.”

“
The tower
restaurant?”

She fired a glance of loathing at Baird.
“No.”

“
Have you done anything
since you got here besides complain and upset Aurelia?”

Marissa pushed angrily to her feet and
propped her hands on her hips. Her ruby lips drew to a mean line
and she sent her British accent packing. “Now, you listen to me,
Baird Beauforte, and you listen good. You’re making a fool of
yourself with this nobody who doesn’t even know how to dress, let
alone how to get by in the real world. She’s far too stupid for a
man like you -”

“
That’s enough.” Baird
turned crisply to Julian whose eyes were snapping. “When does
Marissa’s contract come up for renewal?”

“
April thirtieth,” that man
supplied with a telltale smile.

“
You wouldn’t!” Marissa
breathed.

“
I would,” Baird asserted.
“I don’t need people on my staff who don’t pull their weight, let
alone those who spread rumors and deliberately hurt people close to
me.”

He gave Aurelia’s fingers a squeeze so she
wouldn’t miss the reference and heard her catch her breath.

“
Pack your bags, Marissa,
and dig out that return ticket that Beauforte Resorts paid for.
You’re leaving Dunhelm and as far as I’m concerned, you’ve already
left Beauforte Resorts. Your compensation will be paid through the
end of your contract. I’ll call New York and let them know that
you’ll clean out your desk by the end of the week.”

Marissa’s face contorted with a very
unflattering rage and her fists clenched. “You can’t do this!”

“
Actually he can,” Julian
supplied smoothly, then coughed into his hand as he crossed the
room. “That’s the true beauty of an employment contract. A
per-annum deal has some major advantages on the employers’ side of
the situation beginning with…”