He froze at her words. Then, he laughed.
She scowled at his reaction. “What’s so funny about that?”
“My brother would sooner geld himself than lie down with a Scotswoman.”
“Oh, you!” She rolled onto her back to glare up at him and that handsome, dimpled smile of his. “That’s not what I meant and well you know it. You’re terrible. Wicked. Incorrigible!”
His smile deepened and she didn’t miss the dark hunger in his eyes. “Actually, I’ve been told I’m rather good. Especially when it comes to?—”
Maggie placed her hand over his lips to stifle the rest of that sentence. “I’ve heard enough from you. And I’m not about to let you have your way with me out here in the woods like some harlot. I’m a good, respectable lass, and I intend to stay that way.”
And then a terrible thing happened. She realized how soft his lips were beneath her fingertips. Next, she remembered what those soft lips had felt like as they kissed her own.
Heaven. His kiss had been total heaven.
Startled by the thought and the fact that her will had begun to falter, she removed her hand and clenched her fingers into a fist.
A tic started in his jaw as he regarded her. He dipped his gaze down to her lips and she watched the debate play across his face.
Finally, he sighed and pulled back.
Maggie took a deep breath in relief as he settled himself a few inches away from her.
“Tell me,” he said quietly. “How did you make this trip the first time, all by yourself?”
What an odd question. Why would he...
She paused at the thought as she noticed a part of him that was quite a bit larger than it had been before. Her face flamed. He was trying to distract himself and unless she wanted to make it worse, she’d best help him to do just that.
“I was riding a horse,” she said under breath to keep Sin from overhearing her words.
Braden laughed softly.
“I rode during the day and stayed at my cousin’s the first night. Then once I reached MacDouglas lands, I kept to the roads and paid for lodging.”
“And it took four days?”
Maggie blushed again as she recalled her earlier words to him regarding how long the trip had taken. “Nay, I was gone only two days. I’m guessing it’ll take us four on foot.” She cast a fearful glance to Sin. “I didn’t want to tell Sin how I had traveled lest it make him even angrier that we are on foot.”
“You’re wise beyond your years.” Braden leaned forward ever so slightly and trailed his fingers through her hair again. “Do you know, your hair is as soft as silk?”
Not again. If he kept this up, she was going to be hopelessly lost.
Maggie bit her lip as she enjoyed hearing him compliment her. “Nay. I’ve never felt silk.”
His eyes darkened again as he moved his head a little closer to hers. “I would love to wrap you in it.” His touch sent a thousand chills over her entire body. “Aye, a deep green sheet, one that would set off the creaminess of your skin and the highlights in your hair. Believe me, there’s nothing more sensuous than silk skimming over your naked body.”
“Braden!”
His smile was completely unrepentant.
Maggie shook her head at him. “You can’t help it, can you?”
“Help what?”
“Flirting with every woman you meet.”
“Who says I’m flirting?”
