For the first time in his life, Braden paused.
Never before had he considered such a thing, but then he’d never had to. Women had always come to him. Sought him out and offered their bodies to him without reservation.
But Maggie was different. She had never pursued him. Instead, she had always withheld herself, almost as if she feared him.
Tonight, that bothered him.
Leaning forward, he inhaled the floral scent of her hair, allowing it to wash over him and captivate his senses. She was luscious and soothing, like a warm summer breeze.
Losing himself to his impulses, he trailed his hand from her head, down her arm and snuggled even closer to her warmth.
Maggie’s eyes flew open.
Was he...?
Aye, he was! Braden was actually running his hand down her hip as he smelled her hair.
Is he supposed to do that?
Nay, woman, you know better than that. You’re supposed to be married to a man before you let him sniff your hair and run his hands over you.
Aye, but his hand felt good. Wonderful, in fact.
Maggie!
Torn between wanting to let him have his way and knowing it would be wrong to do so, Maggie cleared her throat. “Braden, would you behave?”
“I am behaving,” he purred against her ear.
See, her mind argued, he said he was behaving.
But she didn’t believe either one of them. Not for a minute.
“Nay…” She noted the odd sound of her voice. “You’re groping.”
“Only a little groping.”
Oh, the man was shameless! A little groping, indeed!
If she didn’t stop him now there was no telling what it might lead to...
Actually, she knew exactly where it would lead and even though her heart might want this with him, her head knew the dire consequences of such an act. She would not be another of his conquests. No matter how she felt about him, she wasn’t going to let herself be used.
Her only thought to save herself, she grabbed his hand tightly in hers and moved it to her stomach, just below her breasts, to keep it still.
“So,” Braden whispered in her ear, his voice husky and deep. “You want me here, do you?”
He reached his hand up ever so slightly and cupped her bound breast in his hand.
Maggie struggled to breathe as a fierce wave of desire tore through her. A strange ache started at the core of her body and it was all she could do not to moan.
“Braden!” she choked. “You’re not supposed to do that.”
“Nay?” He nuzzled his face against her hair.
She closed her eyes as his breath tickled the back of her neck. He felt so good, and right then she wanted a kiss from him so badly that it took all her will not to roll over and claim his lips.
“Braden … if you don’t let me go, I swear I’m going to sleep with Sin.”
