The Duke She Wished For Read online

“Well,” Jaime replied thinking about her options. It was either go along with his plan until she could figure out what to do or sit here in her “weird clothes” and wait for a Scottish thief to drag her off. “Thank you, Alec, I do appreciate you taking the time help. But as soon as I figure out how to get back home…or at least to my century…I’ll be leaving.”

  “Agreed,” Alec responded as he stood up and reached his hand down to help her up.

  Jaime sighed and took his hand, grunting at how quickly and effortlessly he lifted her to her feet. She threw her bag on her back and followed him down the hill and toward the town. As they approached the buildings, the others stopped and stared at Jaime, whispering to each other in shock. She looked down at her clothes and fidgeted uncomfortably. Alec stopped in front of a small building with a hand carved sign reading “Dresses” on the front door. Jaime held back a smile as the huge man in front of her tromped up the steps, nodding at the giggling ladies on the front porch. Inside there were several dresses hung up for display, and she felt the smooth material as Alec spoke to the shop owner. At the sound of her familiar nasally voice, Jaime turned quickly around.

  “Of course,” the lady said, nodding in Jaime’s direction. “I believe I have just the thing to fit her perfectly.”

  “Jaime,” Alec called out. “This is Fiona, she will take care of yer attire. I will be waiting outside.”

  Jaime stood for a moment staring at the woman with bright red hair and round glasses. Fiona smiled at her and reached out her hand, waiting for Jaime to step forward. Alec cleared his throat to get her attention, snapping Jaime back into reality. She followed Fiona to the back of the building and stood while the seamstress pulled several garments from a large wooden chest.

  “These will fit you perfectly,” she smiled.

  “Have we met before?” Jaime asked in a daze, as she took the clothing from Fiona.

  “I donnae believe so, but this area is steeped in history,” she chirped. “Perhaps you have met one of me relatives. Now, go behind that dressing board and try everything on.”

  Jaime smiled, still staring at the familiar face of the flight attendant, realizing now she had completely lost her mind. She walked behind the partition and sorted the clothes out on the table provided. Luckily she had dressed in similar clothing for Halloween several years ago and knew exactly what every piece was. She wriggled and grunted as she pulled, tied, and buttoned herself into the undergarments, dress, and wrap. When she was done, she stepped out from behind the partition and smiled awkwardly.

  “Perfect!” the woman said with a thick Scottish accent, clapping her hands in delight. “This wrap will keep you very warm on yer journey and those boots will be perfect for walking to Perth.”

  Jaime looked down at the leather boots she had pulled onto her feet and struggled to lace due to the tightness of the undergarments. She wiggled her toes, realizing that they were nothing more than really thick leather booties, but smiled and collected her things, shoving them into her bag. She carefully walked through the halls and to the front where the woman showed her to a chair facing a small mirror on the wall. Fiona pulled the hair tie out of Jaime’s hair before brushing through the knots. She left her hair down and around her shoulders, claiming it would help keep her warm, before showing her out onto the porch.

  Jaime stood at the top of the stairs watching Alec, whose back was to them. Fiona cleared her throat to get his attention. Jaime’s cheeks blushed as Alec turned, his face changing from one of impatience to one of shock. Her dress was made of a dark green satiny material that was tight at the top, with a scoop neck and long sleeves. It flowed to her waist, where mountains of fabric cascaded down to the ground. Her shawl reflected the same dark green and red patterns of Alec’s kilt but was made from the same thick material as her gown.

  “I matched yer shawl to yer husband’s clan colors,” Fiona stated as Alec walked up to the two woman.

  Jaime’s eyes shot towards Alec at the mention of their assumed matrimony and Alec winked, stepping forward and handing the woman some coins. She smiled at them and nodded as she turned and walked back into the store. Alec put his hand out to help Jaime down the stairs, which she was more than happy to accept since she knew at some point this fabric was going to send her tripping to the ground.

  “Yer a woman traveling alone with a man,” Alec explained under his voice as they passed others in the street. “So, for now, yer my wife. Understand?”

  “Yes,” Jaime said, deciding not to contest.

  “I was able to secure our lodging, but we will have to share a room,” Alec continued.

  “All right,” Jaime said, clutching her bag to her chest. “You are sleeping on the floor.”

  “Aye, lass,” Alec said laughing under his breath. “I wouldna dream of compromising your distinct virtue.”

  Jaime scowled but then smiled to herself. She followed Alec down the street to an inn. Alec nodded at the man at the front and led Jaime, who kept her head down, up the stairs and to a large bedroom at the end of the hall. The bed was stuffed and fluffy and draped with large fur coverings. The fireplace was already lit, and a large white fur rug was laid in front of it. On the table in front of the window was an oil lamp, lit to break through the approaching darkness.

  “I put some cheese and bread on yer bed,” Alec stated, taking off his cloak and sitting down in front of the fire. “We have a long trip so I figured ye should eat and we could get some sleep.”

  Jaime nodded and set her bag down on the floor next to the bed. She sat on the edge of the low-sitting mattress and picked at the bread and cheese, feeling oddly self-conscious. When she was done, she carried the metal plate to the desk and laid her shawl over the chair back. Unsure of protocol, she kept her dress on but slipped her boots off and left them by the chair. Alec was stretched out on the rug, staring at the empty bed. Jaime laid down and pulled the thick blankets over her, her dress giving her extra cushion. She looked over at Alec, whose face was flashing in the firelight.

  Jaime tried to break the awkward silence.

  “Do you have a big family?” she asked, not sure how he would react.

  “Aye,” he responded, obviously shaken from his thoughts. “My mother died a couple years ago, but I have a brother, the one you met on the road, two sisters, and of course my father.”

  “You aren’t married?” Jaime asked before realizing it might be rude.

  “Not yet. My father has arranged a marriage, but I am unhappy about it,” he gruffed. “She is from a clan that has been at war with the McDermonts for many years.”

  “Oh,” Jaime replied, unsure of what to say. “But is she a nice person?”

  “Ha! Hardly,” he scoffed. “Her name is Alexandra Gillie and the Gillie clan, I am certain, had something to do with my mother’s death, and I must prove it. She is a wretched girl, she thinks herself above others and that she is better than any McDermont. I despise the thought of the McDermont name landing on such an awful lass.”

  “I’m sorry you have to go through that,” Jaime replied, thinking of her most recent breakup. “I almost married once, but I broke up with him after finding him in bed — well, on the couch — with my boss’s wife. That’s why I’m here. I took a vacation to Scotland to get away from it all.”

  “Yer mate had relations with a married woman?” Alec asked, shocked. “Did they put her in the stocks?”

  “No,” Jaime laughed. “But I suppose that would have been fitting. In the end, I was more embarrassed than anyone.”

  “You shouldna be,” he responded. “Yer a fine woman, a little strange after the knock to yer head, but mannerly, bonnie, and though short, ye have hips to bear a healthy brood.”

  “Oh,” Jaime replied, not sure exactly how to respond. “I suppose you mean that as a compliment. In my time period, ‘brood bearing hips’ isn't really a requirement for a mate.”

  “No matter,” Alec responded. “He should feel terrible for the loss. Yer clan is better off without him.”


  “I agree,” Jaime said nodding her head. “Though my clan is pretty much just me now. My parents died several years ago.”

  “I’m quite sorry to hear that,” he responded with genuine empathy in his voice. “’Tis hard to lose a parent.”

  “It is,” Jaime said, her thoughts floating off to her mom and dad.

  “Well, Jaime from the future,” Alec said after a few minutes of silence. “Have a good kip. We’ll head out at first light.”

  “I don’t know what a kip is,” she replied. “But sweet dreams, Alec from the past.”

  Jaime rolled over in the soft bed and stared out at the night sky through the window. The stars were so bright without the noise and traffic. She still wasn’t sure if she believed what was going on was real, but she knew, for now, she was in safe hands. She laughed as she realized a night alone with this fine-looking man was something to be grateful for rather than fearful of. She closed her eyes and fell asleep listening to the crackling of the fire and the deep breathing of Alec McDermont, fast asleep on the sheepskin rug.

  Chapter 5

  Alec

  Alec was up before the sun had breached the horizon and had tiptoed out of the room to fetch some raw cheese and berries for breakfast. He looked over at Jaime, still sleeping soundly, the freckles on her nose bright from yesterday’s sun, and ignored the tingle he felt in the pit of his stomach and the yearn to join the beautiful sleeping woman in the bed. He walked out into the sun, pulling his cloak around him as the November air hit him in the bare chest. The merchants were already out, and he was able to quickly find some food to take back up to the room.

  When he passed back through the doors, he nodded at the owner standing in the doorway of the building. The stairs were creaky, and Alec had a hard time staying quiet. As he entered the room, Jaime sat up and turned over in the bed toward him, her hair a mess, and smiled. He smiled back and set the food down on the table before walking over and smoothing her messy locks down. She blushed slightly and turned her eyes from his to the floor. Alec couldn’t help but notice just how beautiful she was, especially now that she no longer looked thoroughly confused. Jaime looked back up at Alec as he pulled a twig from his red-brown, shoulder length hair.

  “After we eat we will depart,” Alec said, shaking the smile from his face. “I would like to get as close as we can to home can before we camp tonight. I took some blankets from the carriage before me brother left so we can sleep on those.”

  “I like camping,” Jaime smiled as she popped a berry into her mouth. “My parents used to take me all the time.”

  “What is camping?” Alec asked, scrunching his nose in Jaime’s direction as he watched her lick the juice of the berries from her lips.

  She paused, her eyes wide, as he reached out to wipe her lip with his thumb.

  “Oh, um, it’s going out into the woods and…well…sleeping there. You build a fire and eat s’mores and tell ghost stories,” she replied. “At least that’s what we did.”

  “What is a…shmooore?” Alec asked cautiously. “‘Tis some kind of horse?”

  “No,” Jaime laughed. “It’s…um…it’s a dessert.”

  “And ye do this for enjoyment?” Alec asked, not understanding why a person would choose to leave a house to sleep outside.

  “Yes, we don’t get out into nature a lot, so we do that for fun,” she replied.

  “The future sounds miserable,” Alec laughed. He knew Jaime had done nothing more than take a hard knock to the head, but he liked her seeing her happy, and so humored her.

  They finished their breakfast, gathered their things, and set out for Perth. The walk was long but, feeling more comfortable around Alec, Jaime started talking about all the things she thought would interest him about where, or when, she came from. He listened intently and laughed when he felt as he should. Alec thought she was fascinating, and even if she was crazy, had a wild spirit about her. Her stories reminded him of the tales his mother would tell late at night in the winter by the fire. As a child, he would imagine great wars and valiant battles against the English, who, according to Jaime, had reconciled with his people in her future. She was also beautiful, and together her beauty and spirit captivated him as no other woman had before. He kept stealing glances at her, desire and something else he couldn’t quite name pulling at him.

  The day wore on, and they stopped twice to eat some of the bread and berries he had packed for the journey. Once the sun had started to set, Alec could tell that Jaime was exhausted and began to look for a place to rest for the night. Jaime had not complained, though she commented once on “the ridiculous extra fifty pounds of clothing” she was wearing. He looked at his surroundings and led her into the woods for some coverage from any danger lurking down the trail towards his home. They found a clearing and created a space for a fire. As Jaime laid out the blankets, Alec worked hard at starting a fire within the wet soil of the woods.

  “Here,” Jaime said reaching into her bag. “This will help.”

  She held up a brightly colored red tube and smiled. Alec stepped forward and stared cautiously at it. She snapped her fingers once, and a small flame emerged, causing Alec to jump back. Realizing she had frightened him, she let the tab go, extinguishing the fire.

  “You have magic?” Alec said, cautious of the strange instrument that Jaime had brought to him.

  “No,” she replied stepping towards him, reaching the lighter out in the palm of her hand. “It’s called a lighter. It makes a spark and creates fire.”

  “Yer a strange inventor,” Alec said turning back towards the stack of wood. He wasn’t sure where she would have gotten such a contraption, but he decided it better to not ask more questions.

  “Suit yourself,” she said, tossing it back in her bag.

  Once the fire was going, without the help of the lighter, Alec sat down next to Jaime on the blanket and warmed his hands. The sound of an owl startled her and Alec felt her move in closer to him. He could still smell the lavender in her hair as she hummed a strange tune he never heard. He smiled slightly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He turned and caught her face looking up at his, her green eyes flashing. She stared back up at him, entranced by his handsome face.

  “Are ye warm enough?” he asked gently.

  Jaime nodded her head, and Alec turned his face away, fighting the urge to kiss her. It would not be right for him to take advantage. He could feel her shoulders slump slightly and he pulled his arm back as she sat up, and reached out to tip his face towards her. As he turned, she pressed her warm lips against his. He knew he should pull away, but there was something about her that caused him to pull her closer instead. Whether it was the night air or the chemistry between them under the Scottish stars, Alec let go of his conscious state of guard and ran his hands down Jaime’s back, slowly unsnapping the buttons one at a time. He waited for her to pull back, the affection being so sudden, but was pleased when she pulled herself to her knees and ran her fingers through his hair.

  The sounds of the woodland creatures faded into the background as Alec’s heartbeat mixed with the sounds of Jaime’s increased breathing echoed through his ears. She was bolder than any woman he had ever known, and her hands over his hot skin excited him. He pulled her dress down off her shoulders, and she wriggled the rest of the way out. Slowly he untied her undergarments and pulled them from her body, kissing the skin they exposed. They both sat on their knees staring into each other’s eyes, exploring each other’s bodies with their hands. Her light skin glistened in the night, and he grabbed her by the waist, lowering her down onto the soft blanket beneath them. Alec let out a small gasp as she slid her hands up his thighs, under his kilt, and grasped his pulsating manhood.

  As the red-tailed fox screeched through the night and the cold wind blew, Alec took Jaime next to the roaring and crackling of the fire. Their moans of ecstasy calmed the surrounding creatures and the warmth of the fur blankets caressed their naked bodies. Quickly the heat of their encoun
ter escalated until Alec was left holding on to Jaime shaking in pleasure beneath him. He lowered himself down, pulling the blankets overtop of them, and rubbed his cheek against hers, listening to her heightened breath. Jaime’s grip on his back lessened until all the muscles in her body relaxed and she moved to her side to let Alec lay next to her. She put her head on his heaving chest, and he watched as this strange creature fell asleep to the lullaby of his beating heart. Shortly after, he also fell victim to the comforting feeling of Jaime’s warm touch and drifted off to sleep.

  In the morning, when the sun woke Alec from his deep slumber, he reached for Jaime but found an empty space where she had slept. He turned towards the smoldering ashes of the fire to find her folding blankets, and returning their things to the bags they had brought. She looked up with blushed cheeks and hid a small smile.

  “Good morning,” she whispered.

  “Mornin’,” he replied, still watching her tidy up their makeshift campsite. “How did ye sleep, lass? I hope my snorin’ didn’t keep you awake.”

  “I was out,” she replied with a bit of a giggle. “And I hope my snoring didn’t keep you awake.”

  “Pretty sure the woodlands creatures across the ocean stayed awake for yer snorin’,” Alec teased as he stood up and pulled his kilt around his waist.

  “Little ole’ me?” Jaime feigned shock and playfully slapped Alec on the arm, his teasing putting her at ease. The two laughed for a moment before pulling their bags on and eating the cheese while they walked.

  “I expect we’ll be there shortly,” Alec said looking ahead at the horizon. “Everything is lookin’ familiar to me again.”

  “I hope I am not an inconvenience to your family,” Jaime replied, feeling sheepish. “I’ll do whatever you need me to around the house.”

  “Trust me, yer going to be doing a great deal for this family simply by being with me,” Alec responded as he moved ahead of her in pace.

  He glanced back nonchalantly and saw the look of confusion on her face. He felt guilty for tricking her, especially after last night, but he had to save his clan. Jaime falling from the tree to his feet was, to Alec, a sign, and this was one sign he wasn’t going to ignore. Alec picked up the pace, hoping to have the introduction over with as soon as possible. He knew once Jaime met his family she would fall in love with them, at least with his sisters, making this all that much easier on everyone involved.