I shook my head, speechless while my heart took up acrobatics in my chest.
“I begged my father to find a way for me to cross the bridge so I could find you in the modern world.”
“Why?” I croaked, picturing my kilt-wearing, sword-wielding prince showing up at Bainbridge High—for real.
“I couldna wait round for the Centennial. Doing nothing was killing me. I had to know if you were real, if you were everythin’ I’d dreamed … angel or devil.” He stepped closer and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I shuddered under his fingertips. “But without the rings, there was nothing for me to do but wait for you … to come to me.”
Tears began to leak out of my eyes. With a half curse, half groan, Jamie gathered me into his arms. “So, no. I dinna hate you.”
I slumped against him, unable to resist the comfort he offered. Resting my head on his strong chest, I sobbed. “I’m so sorry, Jamie. I’m sorry, for everything.”
“Shh … shh. Luv, stop,” he whispered as he stroked my hair, resting his cheek against my head. I wanted to stay there in his arms forever. After a long moment, he guided me over to the sofa. “Here, sit.”
I curled up with my feet under me, trying to regain control as Jamie gently wiped the tears that continued to stream from my eyes away with the pad of this thumb. The sweet, familiar gesture made my stomach tighten.
“Hush now, lass. I believe that ye didna purposefully seek to harm us.”
“What about the warning dreams?”
His smile gone, he wiped my cheeks again, staring into my eyes. “Perhaps since I stopped ye from leaving, the danger has been averted.”
But the true danger hadn’t been averted—it was tucked under me in the sofa at that very moment. I hadn’t yet completed my mission to get the journal out of Doon.
Jamie lowered his face toward mine. But as desperately as I wanted him to kiss me, I didn’t know if I could survive the repercussions. “I thought you said to leave you alone?”
His face stopped a hairsbreadth away. “Tha’ I did.” His husky voice slid through me like hot, spiced cider on a crisp autumn day. I licked my lips, tasting salt, and watched in fascination as Jamie’s pupils darkened, his gaze shifting to my mouth. “But I canna hold myself to the same standard.”
The kiss was soft at first, his lips warm and firm on mine. Then his hand cupped my head and he increased the pressure, opening my mouth with his. Sparks shot from the base of my spine, setting all my nerve endings on fire. I lifted my hand to his face, the stubble on his cheek alluringly rough against my fingers. As the kiss deepened, his other hand caressed my neck, his thumb sweeping along my jawline.
I’d been kissed before, but never like this. Any illusions I still held of him as a picture-perfect fairy tale prince vanished in that moment. This boy knew exactly what he was doing.
When he slowly pulled his lips from mine, he was breathing hard. I stared up into his dark eyes knowing my emotions were written all over my face but unable to look away.
“Verranica, did ye dream about me?”
Did he know the power he held over me at that moment? That I would have done anything he asked?
Except tell him the truth. His dreams had warned him for good reason; I’d brought the witch’s evil into his kingdom. I couldn’t let him get too close. I still had to leave—get the journal out of Doon and make sure Jamie ended up with the right girl. So I told him a half-truth. “I had some visions, but they weren’t really significant.” I straightened, moving slightly away from the magnetic heat of his body.
“Indeed.” His brows lowered over his eyes.
I turned away and swallowed the lump in my throat. Could I really do this? Push him away for his own good? Follow my head and not my heart?