The Sunstone Brooch : Time Travel Romance Katherine Logan (no david read aloud TXT) 📖

a few pieces on the black market and then anonymously donate a few pieces to the National Roman Museum. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if the treasure and the light disappeared. I have a feeling both will cause trouble for the family.”

“Let’s hope not.”

Elliott pulled back the covers and climbed into bed. “Ye should get some sleep. The trek up the mountain won’t be easy.” Elliott wasn’t sure he’d make it to the top, thanks to the numbness in his lower leg. And if he didn’t, Charlotte would figure out why and have him in the hospital by the end of the week. He knew he wasn’t in immediate danger, but she watched over his medical care like a neurotic stage mother.

“Ensley will only make it halfway. She tries to hide the pain in her hip, but I’ve learned the signs. If she wants to go back for Tavis, she’ll have to spend time training. To do that, she has to be smart. Climbing up the mountain to the monastery is one thing, but climbing those eight hundred steps to the entrance will be an impossible feat. But to her, quitting is synonymous with failure.”

“I may have a solution,” Elliott said.

“What’s that?”

“I’ll tell ye later. But as for Tavis, I was hoping she wouldn’t want to go.”

“Good luck with that. Tavis came for her, so she won’t let anything get in the way of going back for him.”

“Ye care for the lass. Don’t ye?”

Austin turned off the iPad and put it away in the seat pocket. “It happened so fast, but what I feel for her is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I’ve heard stories of the weekend JL and Kevin met and what happened after the cartel kidnapped me. Our story is similar.” Austin chuckled. “Although, Kevin and JL acted on their feelings immediately. That part’s different.”

“As her adopted father, I’m glad. But I have to admit I’m surprised it’s ye she picked. If I’d participated in yer uncles’ betting pool, I wouldn’t have picked ye.”

“Who would you have matched her with? Tavis? JC? Remy?”

“Not James Cullen. If it had been a match, they’d have hooked up years ago. But if I’d analyzed it carefully, it had to be ye.”

“Why?” Austin asked. “Not that I’m objecting, but I am curious.”

“Ye have a nurturing soul, lad. Ensley’s drawn to that. JL has one, too, but she tries to hide behind her tough-girl persona.”

“JL’s a ragazza tosta all right.” Austin pulled up the covers and adjusted his pillow.

“Ye’ve got yer own ragazza tosta now. But ye won’t have the problems Kevin had. Ye and Ensley were both brought up with guns. Kevin wasn’t, and he couldn’t live on the edge like JL was used to living. And Ensley will like Colorado, with all its outdoor sports and hunting seasons.”

“When this is over, Elliott, I want to talk about the ranch—”

“Ye want to buy it so ye can operate yer therapeutic riding center from there instead of Denver?”

Austin threw his pillow at Elliott. “Damn it! Is there anything you don’t know?”

“Did ye honestly think I’d ignore ye, lad?” Elliott tossed back the pillow. “Or the ranch?”

Austin shoved the pillow under his head. “I guess not, but who else knows?”

“If anyone else knows, they didn’t learn about it from me.”

“Why didn’t you say something before now?”

“I wasn’t sure about yer motivation or yer drug use. Once I had all my facts, I would have said something to ye.” Elliott slipped on an eye mask and settled down to sleep for a while, chuckling softly.

They’ll make a hell of a match.

69

MacCorp Jet—Elliott

It seemed to Elliott that he’d just put on his eye mask and fallen asleep when Aubrey woke him with a gentle nudge.

“Dr. Fraser, we’re an hour out from Bhutan. If you want to shower, you should do that now.”

“Damn. I slept straight through the stop in Turkey. Must have been a smooth landing and takeoff.” He raised his seat, yawning. “Give me a few minutes, then wake Meredith.”

He went to the midcabin bathroom, took a quick shower, and as he stood at the sink shaving, he stared at himself. James Cullen had his eyes, his nose, his cheekbones, and his chin. Right now, that was all they had in common. James Cullen didn’t even share his hatred for the men who tortured him.

But only because he didn’t remember.

What worried Elliott most was what would happen when James Cullen’s memory returned. Would his hatred for those men consume him?

Elliott gave himself one long, last look, accepting blame for all he’d done wrong, and turned away from the mirror—brokenhearted.

Meredith was waiting at the door when he walked out. “Good morning. Did ye get any sleep?”

“Not much, but enough to get me through the day.” They switched places in the narrow hallway. “Tell Aubrey I’d like my regular breakfast in ten minutes.”

He kissed her. “Anything for my bride.” They hadn’t shared a bed in days, and he missed having her naked body next to him. She turned him on as much after almost thirty years of marriage as she had when they first met. And he desperately needed that closeness now. Their intimate life had a way of removing the inevitable chill between them caused by their intense, controlling personalities. And when they shortchanged that part of their lives, the chill turned frigid rather quickly.

Right now, their relationship wasn’t chilly or even frigid, but it wasn’t warm either. The only cure would be uninterrupted time together to talk, make love, share a meal, or saddle up and go for a long ride.

By the time he returned to his seat, Ensley and Charlotte were digging through their carry-on bags, and Austin had covered his head with a quilt. He might as well sleep a few minutes longer since the women would keep the bathroom occupied for a while.

Elliott’s breakfast and coffee were waiting for him, and he sighed at the first sip of the hot brew. He quickly ate a bowl of