The bell sounded and roused him. It took Eoin time to orient. Ah, right. He was in the twenty-first century, with the most beautiful woman of all time, wrapped around him, gloriously naked. He was in a place called Dallas, Texas, which was most certainly different than Scotland.
Not just the change of century would take getting used to, but it didn’t matter.
As long as he was with Ashlyn.
The repetition of the sound pushed him in to action, but he didn’t want to disturb his love. Blinking across the ocean had tired them both out, but it was better than having to brave what Ashlyn had called an airplane. She’d explained it would take hours upon hours, even though that was the preferred method of travel to her home state of Texas.
Eoin hadn’t worn himself out with magic like he’d felt when he’d collapsed on her bed, since he’d been a wee lad. He’d even been too tired to take Ashlyn, though they’d ‘Christened her bed’—as she’d called it—in the middle of that first night.
Nessie would faint if she heard the misuse of that term.
He chuckled and dropped a kiss on Ashlyn’s honey locks.
She groaned in her sleep, but he slipped out from under the arm she had across his chest without waking her.
As promised, he’d returned her to when he’d taken her in Inverness—moments after, of course, so they didn’t run into themselves. Ashlyn had roused her best friend, and together they’d explained everything to Kate. Convincing her had taken a few hours, and Eoin couldn’t swear that the redheaded beauty believed them even now.
They’d remained in modern-day Scotland for the rest of the trip the lasses were on. By the end of the second day, his Ashlyn’s friend had told him they had her blessing to be together. And that she liked him. Since it’d meant so much to his love, he’d thanked Kate.
He’d even gotten to tour Dunvegan with them. Talk about surreal, seeing his home in a time so different from his own, but he was immensely proud the MacLeod stronghold still stood. The fake Faery Flag, along with his ancestor Rory Mor MacLeod’s horn, and the Dunvegan Cup were all on display, and the Flag looked very much like the real thing—thanks to the witch, Korinna. Eoin had left the real thing with his Grandfa, and he could only pray it stayed in the eighteenth century.
Despite being a married woman, his little pest hadn’t taken to the idea of him leaving, likely permanently. Fiona had cried in his arms, then in Ashlyn’s. The poor lad she’d wed looked lost, as if he didn’t know what to do with a sobbing lass, but Kenneth had tried his best to comfort her, too. At least he was confident he’d left his sister in good hands. The lad loved her.
He’d promised to visit if it was at all possible, but after blinking across the ocean after time traveling, he wasn’t keen to do it again, even to see his family. Time would tell. He’d probably get homesick and reevaluate. His Ashlyn wasn’t opposed to visiting; more research, she’d joked.
Eoin tugged on what she’d called basketball shorts, and meandered to her front door. She’d told him she lived in a quiet neighborhood, in something that was called a duplex. He’d learn the terms sooner or later.
One thing he liked about the twenty-first century was coffee. In Scotland, she’d taught him to make it, too, and he should do that for her. The machine in her home wasn’t so different he couldn’t manage it. He would, after he answered the incessant alarm.
A man dressed in brown—complete to his boots and hat, was on Ashlyn’s porch, with a parcel of sorts in his hand. “Hi, can you sign this for me?” he asked, holding up some foreign object the likes of which Eoin had never seen.
Of course, he didn’t want to admit that. “Aye. Where?”
The man handed him a round thing that resembled a cigar. “On the dotted line.” He pointed with the object before handing it over.
“I’ve got it,” Ashlyn said from behind him.
He turned to see her clad in a light blue robe that stopped mid-thigh. Eoin wanted to growl for her to cover herself, especially when the man at the door perked up and wore a smile.
His love kissed his cheek, and smiled as if she could read his mind, then took the square-like thing from the man, and the stick-like object, jotting her name with it.
He tried not to gasp. It didn’t seem like ink. It was more like a computer screen. Something else she’d shown him. It wasn’t magic, but it appeared like it.
Soon the door was closed, and the gold-colored fat square was in Ashlyn’s hands. “It’s okay; you’ll get the hang of everything. Hey, this is addressed to you.”
“’Tis?”
She nodded and his heart skipped at the love he read in her dark eyes.
Eoin took the parcel. It was soft, as if padded on the inside. He could indeed see his name written in black, but with Ashlyn’s address. No one knew he was here. “What?”
“I dunno, let’s open it.”
All manner of small things fell onto the kitchen counter, out of what she called an envelope. One was a small card with his image on it.
“What?” he sputtered. He hated to admit he had no idea what he was holding, and looked at his love.
She gasped. Held a hand over her mouth.
“Mò gradh?”
“It’s identification. So you’re here legally, and…present in the, well, present.” Ashlyn indicated the date thirty years in the past, with the correct day and month of his birth. The year of course, was three hundred years wrong. “This is called a Green Card, and people who immigrate to the United States need one to be a citizen. They’re very hard to get. A real pain in the ass. They don’t give them to everyone who wants one.” She gestured to the whole pile of things he didn’t understand. “Even a Texas drivers’ license, though I’m not in a hurry to teach you to drive.” She flashed a watery smile.
Eoin cupped her cheeks and wiped her tears away, couldn’t not touch her. “I love ye,” he whispered.
“I love you, too. But…how is this possible?”
“I’ve an idea.” He pushed through the items and found a piece of modern parchment. He’d never get used to its smooth feel or the way people discarded pieces of it as if it wasn’t the expensive item it should be.
He unfolded the letter and read it…twice.
Laird MacLeod,
Glad you found when you’re supposed to be. Here’s everything you should ever need. Your lady love can explain it to you.
We will meet again someday.
Live your life with love and laughter.
-K
Eoin beamed, and handed the letter to Ashlyn.
She gasped as she read it. “But…Eoin…”
“I know it, mò gradh.”
“Thank you, Korinna!” She threw herself into his arms and peppered kisses all over his face. “I love her! I love her, and I love you!”
Eoin chuckled and caught her up, holding her tight and close. He kissed her mouth, darting his tongue inside so he could fully taste her. “We need ta go back ta tha’ big modern bed, lass,” he breathed against her lips.
Ashlyn grinned, then broke in to a fit of giggles.
“Somethin’ amusin’, mò gradh?”
“Nothing and everything.” She shook her head, her brown eyes dancing. “I didn’t have to write a Happily Ever After this time. I finally got one of my own.”