The Sunstone Brooch : Time Travel Romance by Katherine Logan (i am reading a book TXT) 📕

Austin wrapped his arms around her, and his warmth and secure hold kept her feet on the ground.

“He survived it, Ens,” Austin kissed the top of her head. “But we need to give him time to heal.”

“If I hadn’t opened that damn brooch, I wouldn’t have disappeared, and JC wouldn’t have come after me.”

“The brooches have minds of their own. We can’t pick and choose what we do or don’t do,” Kenzie said. “Each one has a plan, and we’re merely players.”

“Speaking of players, did Paul show up?” David asked.

“He arrived right after Erik brought James Cullen to the farm. When Erik suggested James Cullen go to the monastery to finish his healing, Paul agreed to take him there.”

Kenzie glared at Elliott. “So you left Paul behind, too? That’s five people.”

Elliott growled. “I had a choice to believe Erik or not. I made my decision based on what he told me. Then he said he had to leave to finish his work.” He looked at Ensley. “He went to protect ye, lass.”

“He came to my rescue several times before JC found me. The last time I saw him was a couple of days ago when he fought the grizzly bear. Austin arrived in time to kill it, but it was too late for Erik. His sacrifice was—”

“Personal,” Elliott said.

“Yes, that’s exactly how I feel.”

“I’m sorry Erik died,” Kenzie said. “But right now, I’m more worried about Meredith and the others. We’ve never left anyone behind before, and it could be hours or years before we see them again, just like Philippe and Rhona Baird. So I don’t give a damn what you thought you had to do, Elliott. You screwed up, and you have to go back right now.”

“Then Austin and I should leave right now, too,” Ensley said. “We left Tavis.”

David’s eyes flashed. “Ye what?”

“Calm down, Uncle David. We didn’t exactly leave him,” Austin said. “It’s more like he left us. He had to take Erik’s body back to his time. He said if he didn’t come right back, then we should go get him.”

“Retrieving Tavis might not be so easy,” David said. “If he’s gone back to the early 1100s with the body of a Council member, the rest of the Council might take it out on Tavis. We might have to fight for him.”

Elliott scratched his forehead. “There might be another way. As soon as James Cullen has settled in at the monastery, we’ll go back for Tavis.”

“We can’t make any plans until you go back and bring the others home,” Kenzie said.

“What about the Illuminati?” Ensley asked. “If they knew about JC and me, do they know about MacKlenna Farm? Are Meredith and the others in danger?”

“Jesus Christ,” Kenzie said. “Yes, they’re in danger. If they found JC, we have to believe they’re a step or two ahead of us and could well be on their way to the farm.”

“I’ll go with you,” Ensley said.

“If you’re going, I’m going,” Austin said.

“Ensley, after what you’ve been through, you should take time to decompress and write a post-action report,” Kenzie said.

“The lass can come if she wants to,” Elliott said.

That’s a surprise. Why do I feel that he knows something he’s not telling?

“Kit’s father is there,” Elliott said.

“Uncle Donald?” Braham asked.

“Aye. He just arrived, and he’s very ill. Kit wants to stay until… Well…she wants to be there at the end.”

“Then I must go,” Braham said.

“I think you should,” Charlotte said. “If I didn’t have two patients, I’d go with you. I’ll pack extra vials of insulin for Emily.”

“When do you want to leave?” Ensley asked.

“I’m going to go up to the house, get something to eat, and clean up. Say, an hour?” Elliott asked.

“I have to find something else to wear. I shouldn’t show up with blood all over my dress.”

“I’ll pick something out for you from our wardrobe department,” Kenzie said. “What size do you wear? Your bone structure suggests a size zero, but with all the layers you have on, it’s hard to tell.”

“She’s a zero,” Austin said. “I’ve seen her in jeans. She’s not any bigger than JL.”

“Good. I’ve got dresses down here for Kit and JL. I’ll find something.”

“I’d rather wear pants.”

Kenzie shook her head. “Nah. Not to MacKlenna Farm in the eighteen hundreds. You’d cause a stir. JL’s clothes from our trip back to 1881 should fit you. I’ll find something while you take a shower.”

Ensley entered the locker room, where she found four bathrooms along one side, each with a shower, toilet, and sink. The other side had cabinets holding towels, scrubs, underwear, and toiletries. The scrubs were organized by size, as were the men’s and women’s underwear. Whoever they gave the job of keeping this place organized was a neat freak.

After gathering toiletries, clothes, and towels, she entered one of the bathrooms, where she stayed in the shower until she almost shriveled up. She towel-dried her hair, slipped on a pair of scrubs and disposable flip-flops, and dumped her bloody outfit into a dirty-clothes bag.

“Ens,” Austin said, knocking on her door. “Want me to do your hair again?”

She got a hot flash just remembering the sensual feel of his fingers in her hair. Do her hair again? Hell, yeah! She opened the door and almost fainted at the sight of him wearing only a pair of gym shorts. There had to be ten miles of him. Without clothes, his long, lean body and muscular limbs went on forever and a day.

She held up the hairdryer. “You have competition.”

Austin leaned against the doorjamb. “My hair might be short, but I know how to use one of those.”

David barged in. “Good, ye’re out of the shower, Austin. Pops is on the house phone.”

“Shit. How’d he know I was back?”

“I sent him a text. He wants to speak to ye before ye take off again.”

Without taking his eyes off Ensley, Austin said, “Will you tell Pops we’re good and that he did the right thing, insisting I