“After all, I think ‘tis sweet.”
Sin groaned as they continued to harass him.
“Sweet!” Lochlan howled. “Oh aye, like a ferocious little lion cub.”
Sin snorted. “I don’t want to hear it from a man who parades himself around in a skirt.”
His three brothers stiffened.
“Beg pardon?” Ewan asked.
“You heard me.” Sin looked to Simon and smiled devilishly. “Now I ask you, who is sweeter? The man in breeches or the ones in skirts?”
They lunged for him.
Sin ducked and rolled out from under their feet.
“He’s mine!” Ewan snarled.
Sin ran before they could catch him.
Callie looked up as her husband entered the stable behind her. He was running so fast, she barely recognized him. Two seconds after he entered the stable, she saw why.
His brothers and Simon were hot on his heels like a group of children playing chase.
“What is this?” she asked.
Sin ran behind her and put her between him and his brothers. “‘Tis nothing,” he said, trying to be nonchalant and failing miserably.
The five men were panting from their exertion.
Lochlan caught his breath first. “Hiding behind a woman, are you? Since when did you turn craven?”
She looked over her shoulder to see the taunting look on Sin’s face.
“Not hiding. I just don’t want to hurt you.”
Ewan scoffed. “Oh right, like we’d be the ones hurting.”
The three MacAllisters lunged, but Callie brought them up short before they could reach her husband. “He is injured.”
Braden narrowed his gaze on Sin. “Not half as injured as he’s going to be.”
Callie spread her arms wide to keep the brothers from her husband. “What is all this about, then?”
Lochlan drew himself up indignantly and appeared to be greatly offended by her question. “He insulted us.”
“And so you’re going to pummel him?” she asked incredulously.
“Aye,” they answered in unison.
She ran her hand over her forehead, already she could feel an ache there from trying to deal with the hot-headed group. She directed her stare to Lochlan. “And you are laird of what again?” She paused and clucked her tongue. “Oh, I forgot … a respected and feared clan.”
Lochlan cleared his throat.
“That’s right, my love,” Sin said from behind her, “you tell him.”
“And you...” She turned to face her husband. “King’s advisor, was it?” She shook her head at them, even though inside she found their behavior charming and refreshing.
