His mood had been so serious since their discussion, and she missed his light-hearted teasing. And more than ever, she wished she were the type of woman who could just walk over there, seduce him for the night, and be content with his leaving her come morning.
Perhaps her brothers were right. She did ask too much of a man.
But then, didn’t she have a right to ask for the same commitment and devotion from a man that they demanded of women?
Oh, it just didn’t seem fair to her.
Unaware of her thoughts and sidelong glances, Braden licked the grease from his lips in a way that made her body yearn.
How could any man be so scrumptious? And why, oh why, couldn’t she get him out of her mind?
She averted her gaze.
But what was the use? She could still see those wonderful greenish brown eyes teasing her. Hear him calling her “little blossom,” and feel his strong hands roaming over the most private parts of her body.
The man was simply too gorgeous for her own good. And in that instant, she wished she had never seen him. Just imagine the years of peace she would have known had she not been trying to gain his attention.
Sin rose as soon as he finished eating. “I’ll take first watch again.”
Her own dinner forgotten, Maggie stood in a hurry as memories of the night before coursed through her. The last thing she needed was to awaken once more in Braden’s arms.
She had to do something to put distance between them. “Perhaps I should take a turn at watch?”
Both men stared at her as if she’d lost her mind.
She had, but that was beside the point. Worse, Braden gave her a knowing, rakish smile.
“No offense,” Sin said drily. “But I prefer to live through the night.”
“I was just trying to be helpful.”
“Then get plenty of sleep.” Sin turned his back to her.
Maggie wished she possessed some of Sin’s sarcasm to come up with an appropriately biting retort, but all she could do was sit back down and return to her food.
Braden ran his tongue wickedly over his bottom lip as he leaned to one side and stared at her over the fire. She looked down and tried not to notice how delectably long those legs of his were stretching out.
He propped his head on his hand and looked invitingly at her. “Ready for bed, my love?”
And you had missed that teasing?
Whatever had she been thinking?
Maggie fought the childish urge to stomp her foot at him. How dare he tease her like that, knowing how much she wanted him, as well as the fact that there could be nothing between them.
By the light in his eyes, she could see he was doing it on purpose just to nettle her.
It was then another urge possessed her. One to return the gesture to him. ‘Twas time he was on the receiving end of such tactics.
“Aye.” Then slowly, seductively, she smoothed her hair to rest behind her right ear and gave him an inviting, taunting smile of her own as she leaned forward. “And you?”
He didn’t speak. His eyes bulged ever so slightly as his gaze fastened itself on the small amount of cleavage her position afforded him.
“You have no idea what you’re playing with,” he said, his voice an octave lower.
“Aye, but I do.” She wrinkled her nose at him as she playfully bit her lower lip, imitating his earlier gesture. “You’d never force yourself on an unwilling woman, now would you?”
“Of course not,” he said, his tone offended.
