Her face was a mirror of disbelief. “You arrogant, apish, under-honest lewdster!”
Braden laughed at her insults. He had to give her credit, she could rival his brothers for creativity.
Her body rigid with rage, she whirled around and stomped ahead of him.
Braden hurried his step until he stood directly behind her and Sin.
Sin cast a curious glance at him over his shoulder before looking at Maggie.
Her eyes snapped amber fire. “Your brother is a beslubbering, churlish, hell-governed princox, and I hope one day he gets the beating he deserves for it.”
Sin threw his head back and laughed.
“You find that funny?” she asked incredulously.
“Indeed.” Sin smiled . “You’re the only woman I have ever known who insulted him. And you do it so well.”
Braden joined Sin’s laughter.
Now, she was furious at them both. If only she wasn’t so beautiful when she was angry, Braden mused ruefully. Aye, bright red looked good in her cheeks.
“Men,” she fumed as she stomped on ahead of them. “Who needs them?”
Nine
“Braden,” Maggie called. “I need you. Help!”
Braden paused at the plea, amazed by it.
It had been nearly an hour since they had lost sight of Maggie in the dark forest. Yet they had known the entire time she wasn’t too far ahead of them because her angry, often derogatory tirade against men in general, and Braden in particular, had kept them highly amused.
“Braden, please!”
It must cost her dearly to utter those words after the large amount of condemnation she had heaped upon him, his hide, his soul, and every human being who had ever met him.
Normally, such a plea from a woman would have him rushing to her side. However, Maggie’s tone was too rational for her to be in any real danger. It sounded more as if she were merely annoyed.
Resuming his walk over the peat-covered path, Braden looked at Sin. “Did we not hear her say, several hundred times in the last hour, ‘Men, who needs them?’”
“That we did.”
“Think we should ignore her cry, then?” Braden asked.
The baffled frown on Sin’s face was priceless.
Braden chucked Sin on the arm. “I’m jesting. You know I would never leave a woman in distress.”
“‘Tis what I thought, but you looked a little too sincere just now.”
And for a fraction of an instant, Braden had considered ignoring her. Especially given the severity of some of her curses. God help him if any of them ever came true. Why, he’d be a two-headed, three-toed, monkey-nosed, blind, son of a cesspit licking lackey if she had her way.
But, in spite of her uncharitable remarks, he couldn’t leave her in whatever condition she was currently in.
All in all, as much as he hated to admit it, he actually liked the hellion.
“Braden!”
“I’m coming,” he assured her, stepping around a large shrub to see her....
