Sadie's Highlander Read online

  As soon as she removed the cap, the warm, rich aroma of chicken and dumplings wafted up from the jug. “Score!” Sadie set the thermos aside and pulled the basket closer to find bowls and spoons.

  Two plastic ziplock bags that had been tucked behind the pair of thermoses tumbled forward as Sadie pawed aside other items. Are those…? He said he didn’t bring any. Sadie pulled the bags out and dangled them in front of Alec. “Did you forget you’d packed these?”

  Alec’s eyes flared wide and his jaw dropped open. “I didna pack those.”

  “Miss Lydia packed these?”

  “That meddlin’ old woman.”

  “Oh my.” A snorting giggle bubbled free. Sadie pressed the back of her hand across her mouth. “Sorry…but it is kind of funny.” She piled the two, same brand as Delia had selected, “super-sized with extra ridges guaranteed to please” baggies of condoms on the blanket beside the food basket. “At least now we know we’ve got plenty—for later.”

  “I will speak to her,” Alec promised with an apologetic bow of his head. “I dinna wish her to offend ye.”

  “I’m not offended.” Thankfully, her stomach chose that exact moment to chime in with another rumbling gurgle. “I’m hungry, and look—” She held up a tightly covered plastic bowl of whole strawberries in one hand and a gigantic economy-sized can of whipped cream in the other. “We’ve got berries and whipped cream for dessert!”

  Alec pushed the basket aside and moved closer. He took the berries and spray topping out of her hands, set them on the blanket, then yanked his kilt out from around his body. “I’d rather ‘later’ be now, ye ken?”

  His impressive erection bobbed in her direction with an I’m so happy to see you again nod. Folding his plaid into a neatly squared bundle, he placed it on the blankets behind her, then gently took her by the shoulders and lowered her to it into a delightfully promising reclined position. He brushed a kiss across her forehead. “And I shall feed ye first—to recompense for Mistress Lydia’s boldness.”

  The hungry rumbling of Sadie’s empty stomach shifted to a fluttering herd of excited butterflies. She nestled more comfortably atop the bundled pillow. “Miss Lydia didn’t insult me.” She hitched in a deep breath, her body aflame as Alec hovered over her with the strawberries and whipped cream. “But I do love strawberries and squirty cream.”

  “Squirty cream,” Alec repeated. “I’ve ne’er heard it called that.” He popped the cap off the can and sprayed out a small amount on the tip of his finger. “Here’s a wee taste, m’sweetling.”

  Sadie sucked the whipped topping off the end of Alec’s finger, not missing how he tensed and closed his eyes as she treated his appendage to a long, slow lick that would also be deeply appreciated were she to decide to use it elsewhere. “Strawberry, please,” she whispered.

  Alec opened the container, drew out an enormous red berry, and placed it between his teeth. Leaning over her, he put the fruit in her mouth, pressing his lips against hers in a juicy, sweet kiss.

  “I need more squirty cream with the berry,” Sadie whispered as Alec lifted his mouth from hers. I need more you, she silently added as she took the can and spewed a mound of white frothiness atop the head of his cock. “Now feed me,” she whispered, lying back atop the folded blankets.

  Alec straddled her body and leaned forward, his smoldering expression shifting to one of sizzling bliss as Sadie sucked the creamy sweetness off his cock, then took another strawberry, bit off the end, and rubbed the juiciness of the fruit up and down the length of him, then followed the juicy strawberry trail with her tongue.

  “I ne’er thought I’d appreciate berries and cream so much,” Alec groaned as Sadie covered his cock with more cream, then swallowed him again while massaging his balls with a handful of the cool, crushed berries. He stopped her as she lifted the can again. “Nay, lass. ’Tis my turn now. I hunger as much as you.” He popped a smaller berry into her mouth and sealed it with a kiss.

  I have died and gone to heaven. Sadie sat up and stripped off Alec’s tunic. “I’d better put this aside then. Wouldn’t want strawberry stains all over it.”

  “Lie back,” Alec ordered with a gently nudging kiss. “I mean t’feast upon ye,” he whispered with such a seductive tone that Sadie nearly came without him even touching her.

  Slowly, never taking his gaze away from hers, he carefully selected several of the largest berries, bit off their broad ends, then lined them along the middle of her torso after sliding each deliciously slick fruit in a teasing trail across her skin.

  Sadie shuddered as Alec circled one of her nipples with the cool wetness of a berry, then widened the arc of his painting with the juices until both her breasts shimmered pink with berry stains. She shuddered, sending several of the berries rolling off her stomach.

  “Lie still,” he ordered, replacing the escaped berries to their stations, then taking up the can of whipped cream. “I shall be verra cross if ye upset my meal.”

  “I would never want to upset your meal.” Sadie fisted the blanket on either side of her, willing herself to remain still as Alec finished setting his “table.”

  He topped each of her nipples with a peak of the whipped cream, then ran a swirling trail of the teasing coolness down to her stomach, zigging in and out around the berries he’d so carefully arranged on her body. He rolled back on his heels, admiring his handiwork as he held the nozzle of the can poised just above her mons.

  Sadie caught her bottom lip between her teeth and swallowed hard as Alec pushed her legs farther apart. “I’m not going to be able to hold still if you do that,” she breathed out in short gasps.

  “Aye, ye will hold,” Alec rumbled as he tickled his fingertips across her slit, teasing her opening until she thought she’d surely die. “I’m nearly done preparing m’feast. Ye’ll hold still until I begin to dine and then ye can move all ye wish.”

  Sadie clenched the blanket tighter in her fists and jerked down her chin in a stiff nod. I am going to die, but damn, what a way to go.

  Alec took the largest strawberry of them all and lodged it into her folds, just far enough so that she was more than acutely aware of the large berry’s nubby surface. The coolness of the fruit created a deliciously wicked sensation of fullness. He filled her slit with ever-widening rings of squirted whipped topping, arcing the lines of sputtering sweetness up around her clit, then down past her opening to squirt one last slippery stream between the cheeks of her ass, bringing her dangerously close to a berry-shooting orgasm. “Nay,” Alec warned as he tossed the can aside. “Lie still.”

  “You’re killing me.” Sadie eased out a shuddering breath, doing her best to control the building orgasm.

  Alec crouched above her, hands planted on either side of her shoulders as he came within a hair’s breadth of her mouth and whispered, “The French call it ‘the little death.’ I call it ‘the great fire.’ ”

  “Then burn me up,” Sadie begged, digging her fingers into his shoulders and pushing him lower while still taking care not to upset his “dessert.”

  “As ye wish.” In long, slow licks and nibbles that risked crashing her headlong into orgasm central, Alec ate his way down to the pièce de résistance between her legs.

  “Oh. My. God.” Sadie bent her knees, digging her heels into the blankets as Alec slowly licked and sucked the cream off her clit, then trailed his tongue through the melting sweetness dripping down between her ass cheeks.

  “And now for the fruit nestled in pure sweet heaven.” Alec pulled her legs up over his shoulders. He slid one finger deep inside her, holding the berry tight in place within her folds while he ate it in slow, sucking bites.

  Sadie bucked, arching her back as the body-slamming orgasm refused to be held back any longer. A scream escaped her as Alec shoved his fingers deeper and moved his mouth to her clit, sucking hard and fast to match the rhythm of his plunging fingers.

  Wave after wave of nerve-shocking bliss rocked her, but she needed more. She needed Alec pounding
hard inside her. “Take me now,” she begged. “Take me now.”

  In one fluid motion, Alec ripped open a condom packet, smoothed it down his cock, and shoved balls deep inside her. “Now for true dessert,” he growled as he hammered hard and fast.

  Sadie met him thrust for thrust. The heated scent of strawberry and vanilla filled the air, the fruity stickiness of their bodies sliding together then pulling apart only increasing the strength of the volatile orgasm rebuilding to even greater heights than before.

  And then she came again. Harder than she’d ever thought possible—exploding with body-melding bliss. She screamed from the intensity—a scream long and loud enough that the world around her seemed to shake with every gasping breath.

  The entire population of Brady, North Carolina, must’ve surely stopped whatever they were doing, looked toward the mountain behind the theme park, and asked, “What the hell was that?”

  Chapter 10

  If not for Dwyn sitting in the backseat of the Jeep, Alec would’ve already pulled Sadie into his lap and revisited some of yesterday’s delights. Her beguiling scent filled the vehicle, hardening him instantly and making him thankful he’d not donned his kilt today. Lore a’mighty, if I’d worn m’plaid, my cock would’ve tented the MacDara colors up past the steering wheel.

  “Did Miss Lydia serve ye strawberries for breakfast?” Dwyn asked as they bounced along the roughly graveled network of employees-only roads running behind all the features of the park. “I distinctly smell strawberries and I dinna remember seein’ them on the table when I had my coffee. I love strawberries. I canna believe I missed them.”

  Sadie shot a wide-eyed glance at Alec, then exploded into a fit of coughing.

  “Are ye all right, lass?” Dwyn leaned up between the front seats, peering at Sadie with concern. “What on earth choked ye?”

  “I’m fine,” she gasped with another quick look over at Alec. “Caught something in my throat, I guess.” Her eyes flared open even wider and another attack of choking coughs seized her.

  Alec held his breath and forced himself to keep his eyes on the road, shifting uncomfortably to ease the denim stranglehold on his crotch. Aye, sweetling. Something caught in yer throat all right.

  Sadie wheezed in another deep breath, then thumped her fist against her chest. “I must’ve sucked in a bug or something.” Still coughing, she pawed at the window controls in the center of the dash. “Gonna put up the window so that doesn’t happen again.”

  Alec bit the inside of his cheek. Must not laugh. Must speak nary a word. Perhaps the sweet fragrance of berries didna wash away after being branded into the flesh with the melding heat of passion. He shifted in the seat again, yanking down on a pant leg to give his hard-on more room. He’d ne’er look at a bowl of strawberries the same way again—nor a can of spray topping.

  Rounding the bend, he pointed to the rows of trucks, campers, and trailers filling the southeastern field adjacent to the park. “It appears Ross has them well settled. Seems yer sister doesna travel light.”

  “It takes a lot of people behind the scenes to make a movie happen.” Sadie directed his attention to a gleaming black RV with Realm Spinners Productions emblazoned down its sides in silver lettering that dissipated into a trail of stars. “That one’s Delia’s. We’ll find her in there.”

  “I’d prefer we walk through this chaos first so ye can enlighten me on the need for all this”—he flipped a dismissive hand toward the filming entourage—“clutter.” He didna like all this mess on his land and he failed to see how the production company could possibly return the peaceful meadow to its original state when they left. A burning uneasiness set him on edge.

  Alec parked the Jeep in the only corner of the field not cluttered with equipment. He glanced in the rearview mirror at Dwyn. “Ye can come with us or ye can vex Mistress Delia and get her good and stirred up afore I speak with her. Which are yer druthers?”

  Mischief flashed in Dwyn’s eyes. He winked at Sadie, then arched a bushy red brow at Alec. “I believe I’ll start this lovely mornin’ by havin’ a go at Mistress Delia.” He lowered his voice and leaned closer to Alec. “I’ve always had a way with the banshees. Let’s see if I’ve lost me touch.” At the sound of Sadie’s sharp intake of breath, he turned toward her and barely ducked his chin. “No offense meant toward yerself, lass.”

  “None taken.” Sadie giggled as she pushed open the door and hopped out. “ ‘Banshee’ is one of the nicer things I’ve heard my sister called.”

  Alec exited the Jeep and strode around to join her. The transformation of the formerly serene field that could usually be found dotted with grazing deer and any number of kinds of other local wildlife disturbed him greatly. The place had become a noisy, chaotic mass of machinery and cables, crammed full of strange equipment he’d never seen before. It was crawling with workers rushing about setting up tents and tables and generally making Alec more tense by the second. So many. He’d ne’er thought there’d be so many. How the hell would they ensure none went where they shouldna go? The Heartstone and goddess weapons had to remain hidden at all cost.

  “I dinna like this,” he said, a choking sense of something about to go terribly wrong tightening around his chest.

  Sadie squeezed his forearm. “I know it looks really bad, but it’s a controlled chaos. I promise.”

  Her touch calmed him somewhat, but he still had too many doubts. Sadie had no idea what was at stake here if the Heartstone and the goddesses’ weapons were discovered. Especially if they were found by this group of—he had no idea what to call these people, but none of the words coming t’mind were good.

  “Good morning, everyone! I didn’t expect to see you here so early.”

  The sound of Delia’s voice ratcheted Alec’s already raw nerves to battle readiness. He liked that foul woman even less than he liked this venture. He pointed toward the field full of equipment as Delia made her way over to them, gingerly stepping through the tangled mounds of grass and struggling to keep the four-inch heels of her thigh-high leather boots from sinking too deep in the soft earth of the field.

  “All this is necessary?” Alec jerked a thumb toward the tents and campers.

  Delia’s pinched face brightened with an irritatingly smug look as she pointed a slit-throat shade of red, perfectly manicured nail at Sadie. “Ask your assistant. That’s what she’s with you for—to explain all this.” Her eyes narrowed and her voice sank to an insultingly suggestive tone. “At least I thought that’s what you wanted with her. Wasn’t it?”

  Alec lunged a step forward. “I’ll be damned if I allow ye t’insult—”

  Dwyn shoved between them, cupped a hand under Delia’s elbow, turned her aside, then pulled her stumbling along beside him. “Come along, Mistress Delia. I wish to review the layout of the filming to ensure all the terms are met.” He tossed a meaningful look back over his shoulder, one that Alec completely understood. “You two look around for a bit on this nice cool morning and then meet us in that fine black bus when ye’ve finished, aye?”

  Alec clenched his fists until his knuckles popped. He knew damn good and well what Dwyn was doing. This was the twenty-first century. He couldna verra well knock Delia on her arse without serious legal consequences. Damn the ways of this time! He took a step back, sucked in a deep breath, and slowly blew it out. “Aye. That we will.”

  He soothed himself by imagining Delia bursting into flames from the demigod’s righteous touch as he watched the pair walk away.

  “Don’t let her push your buttons,” Sadie said. “She’s like some twisted succubus that feeds on pissing people off.”

  “What?”

  “She’s a bitch and she enjoys it.” Sadie snagged his shirtsleeve and tugged. “Come on. I want to see if there’s a trailer for the writers. I can’t believe Delia would have them working on all the scenes at the keep instead of doing some of the patchwork here at chaos central.”

  Grudgingly, Alec allowed Sadie to steer him to the center
row of campers lined up down the field. Each of the compact units, nothing more than white metal boxes on wheels with a window and a door, had a sign taped on its side denoting who could be found inside: Makeup. Wardrobe. Director. Producer.

  Alec shook his head. He had no idea it took all this for what amounted to barely two hours of make-believe. He tromped along beside Sadie, struggling to understand why anyone would want to spend precious time watching such foolish things instead of experiencing life firsthand. He’d much rather be riding up in the mountains—he stole a sideways glance at Sadie—or making love to this fine woman.

  “There.” Sadie pointed to the last camper in the row. Two handwritten paper signs were taped to the door: Writers and Enter at Your Own Risk. The closer they drew to the trailer, the more animated Sadie became as she hurried him along. “You’ll like Seth and Holly. Abe’s a bit of a quirky jerk, but he’s not too unbearable once you get to know him.”

  “A quirky jerk?”

  “He’s kind of weird, with a dash of asshole.” Sadie paused, one boot propped on the first step leading up to the door. “Actually, Seth and Holly are a little odd too, but all writers are.” She smiled back at him as she yanked open the door. “We fit into the worlds we create a lot better than we fit into the real one.”

  If she only knew how much he understood about trying to fit into this world—into this time. “So…they are yer friends?” Alec ducked through the narrow door and nudged his way closer to Sadie. God’s beard, this place is smaller than a priest hole.

  “I wouldn’t say friends. But we all work together pretty well…most of the time.” Sadie edged her way around a table filled with dog-eared packets of papers, markers, and half-empty cups of coffee. She rested her hand on top of the closed laptop in front of one of the benches. “Still warm. We must’ve just missed them.”

  The door to the camper flew open and a dark-haired male who looked to be barely older than his teens stomped into the trailer. He nearly ran into Alec, coming up short just in time to keep from head-butting him in the chest. The man-boy blinked a long, slow up-and-down look at Alec from behind the thick, black-rimmed glasses perched high on his long beak of a nose. “Damn—you’re big,” he said, adding a long, rude sniff as though his nose were about to drip.