My Tempting Highlander (Highland Hearts #3) Read Online Free Page A

his destination. But why did the old crone insist he jump through time naked?
    He cupped his hands in front of his cock and bollocks. Somehow, the idea of baring his manhood to an old woman known for her fiery temper didna seem to be in the best interest of his parts. He hadna decided which was worse: the fact that Granny didn’t seem the least bit impressed by his nakedness or the realization that she held his fate in her hands.
    Granny studied the strips of leather and the iron hasp clenched in her gnarled hands. She chewed on her thin lower lip as she concentrated on crossing the straps several times about Ronan’s chest. She gave him a bobbing nod with a final pat to her finished work. “There. That should do it.” After scrutinizing the rest of her handiwork, she leveled her gaze with Ronan’s. “The pull of the moon helps ensure I send you to the proper time and the darkness will shield your landing.” A wicked grin brightened her face. “The girls think I’ve grown weaker with age. Little do they know, my abilities have only grown stronger.” Granny took a step back and looked him over again. “And I dare not risk the vagaries of sending you forward during daylight hours. I sincerely doubt the bustling town of Edinburgh would fail to notice a full-grown wolf dropping from the sky.”
    “Do ye ken I’ll truly be the wolf when I land on the other side?” Damn the old woman. Did she think him without an ounce of control?
    “Skating across the web strikes a deep primal reaction in even the most seasoned of time runners. Men especially have a greater level of difficulty and often fail at the cost of their very lives.” Granny wiped her hands on the apron lashed about her thin waist while slowly circling him. Her impish grin widened into a knowing smile. “But you, Ronan Sutherland, are not most men. Trust me. As soon as you near the other side, your wolf will take control—for your own protection.”
    Trust her? Did he really have a choice? Ronan rolled his shoulders and cupped both hands tighter across his crotch.
    Granny patted a consoling hand on his bare arm. “Your loss of control should only last until you feel at ease with your surroundings. Then you’ll be able to tuck your wolf back inside as you always do.” Granny scratched the side of her head and shrugged. “Although, I’m not really certain about that part. I haven’t had a great deal of practice with propelling males across time and you’re the only shifter I’ve ever known.”
    “Yer scarin’ the livin’ hell outta me, woman.”
    Granny clucked her tongue and patted his arm again. “Now, now. Don’t be such a baby.” She grunted as she hefted a dripping wet bag up from the ground. “And I’m sending you through the web naked so you won’t destroy all your clothes with the fire of your shifting. This pack is fully saturated with water, as are your belongings within. I’ve already sent my friend Eliza the other essentials I figure you’ll need in that time, but I’m sure you’ll want these few things as well. I thoroughly soaked the leather, and the inner lining is stuffed with dampened lavender. Your belongings should survive just fine through your shifting’s firestorm.”
    Ronan sucked in a deep breath and rubbed his knuckles against his goose-bumped thighs. Anticipation, excitement, and fear of the unknown rippled another chill across his skin. He struggled to control the growing urge to throw back his head and howl. He cleared his throat instead. “My plaid and tunic have always survived the shifting, even when I held them in my arms. I fail t’see why they would no’ survive this one.”
    Granny frowned as her gaze followed the tiny rivulets of water trickling down Ronan’s sides. “You said when you shift your body becomes engulfed in flames. Do you douse your clothes in water before every shifting or just make sure they’re held at arm’s reach?” Befuddlement reflected in her eyes as her focus lifted from