Maggie stiffened in his embrace. "Are you asking to marry me?"

Braden pulled back to see the indecision on her face. "Would you have me if I did?"

"Nay. I know you too well. You're not the type of man to ever content himself with one woman."

It was true and he knew it in his heart and with every fiber of his body. He couldn't see himself coming home night after night to the same woman. He needed variety, spontaneity.

Worse, he could never give her his heart. That was one part of him that he refused to share with any other person.

And Maggie needed... nay, he corrected himself, shedeserved a man loyal to her. One who would never break her heart and leave her weeping.

Still, his body didn't listen. It craved her with such ferocity that he swore his groin would grow blisters from the heat.

"So, where does that leave us?" he asked.

"At a standoff, I fear."

"Nay," he said, laying his hand on her shoulder. "Not a standoff. We both know I can never have you."

Because I can never be the man you need me to be, and I would sooner die than hurt you .

"1know," she whispered.

Braden kissed her forehead lightly, then pulled away and led her back to the camp. Both their moods were dark as they quietly tried to ignore each other. But it was hard.

On second thought, it was impossible. Her taste and smell was branded into his memory and all he could see was her smile. All he could hear was her moaning his name.

And G.o.d help him, he wanted more.

The sweet bliss they could have together... but Maggie wasn't the kind of woman a man made love to and left. She was the type of woman a man married.

You could...

Braden wouldn't even let his mind finish that thought. He could never marry. Especially not a woman with whom he could see himself falling in love.

Chapter 11.

Maggie spent the entire evening trying to avoid Braden as best she could. But how did a woman manage to avoid someone who meant so much to her?

Even now, as he sat across the fire beside Sin, not even looking at her, she could feel his presence as acutely as if he sat directly next to her. The firelight played across his face, making his eyes appear a midnight black like Sin's.

His mood had been so serious since their discussion, and she missed his lighthearted 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 men 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. She could only 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 dryly, "but I prefer tolive through the night."

"I was just trying to be helpful," she said.

"Then get plenty of sleep," Sin said, turning 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 likethat , 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," she said.

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 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.

She sat back on her heels and trailed one hand slowly over the laces of her shirt. "Then look all you want, for that's the only pleasure you'll ever get from me."

To her dismay, he threw his head back and roared with laughter.

"Oh, Maggie," he said after he sobered. "If I dinna know better, I'd swear you were an experienced little minx. Now go to sleep. I already told you, I have no interest in tupping with you in the woods. But when I find a bed..."

She'd run as fast as her legs could carry her. After what had already happened, she knew she couldn't resist him for long once he touched her.

And his kisses...

It was enough to make a woman forget herself, for sure.

Realizing the virtue of retreat, she settled herself down before the fire. She had just begun to relax a bit when Braden joined her.

"What are you doing?" she asked hurriedly as she remembered the way his body had felt shielding her from the ground.

"I'm bringing you an extra plaid," he said, draping it over her.

"Thank you," she whispered, trying her best not to notice the way his scent clung to the fabric. Or worse, the way his hands felt on her body as he smoothed the material over her.

When he left her, she could feel her entire body temperature drop.

Her heart felt torn as he settled himself across from her. The rational part of her was grateful, but her heart ached at the loss of his comfort.

Sighing, she forced herself to concentrate on what she would say to the MacDouglas when she met him.

That was a relatively safe topic. One that diverted her thoughts from Braden.

At least for a little bit.

That night, Maggie slept from sheer exhaustion.

She came awake just after dawn to see Braden looking straight at her, his face unreadable.

Self-conscious from his attention, she brushed her hair with her hands and wondered what he had been thinking as he watched her sleep.

"Good morning," he said in greeting.

"Good morning," she responded, pushing back the plaid as she stood. She glanced to where Sin slept a few feet away. "Should I wake Sin?"

"Not if you're of a mind to be keeping your head on your shoulders."

She frowned at his words.

Braden moved to stand between her and his brother. Instead of reaching out to touch Sin, or speaking, he pulled his sword an inch out of the scabbard, so carefully that only a tiny, barely perceptible rasping sound disturbed the air.

But it was enough.

Lightning quick and in one fluid motion, Sin rolled to his feet. With the toe of his left foot, Sin caught his scabbard and kicked it from the ground into his hands, where he unsheathed his long sword in a quick, graceful arc and whirled to face them.

The blade came to rest a mere inch from Braden's neck as Maggie froze, too scared to breathe.

His face deadly and tight, Sin only relaxed when he realized it was she and Braden who had disturbed him.

Sin cursed. "I really hate it when you do that," he said to Braden, sheathing his sword.

Braden gave her a warning stare. "Never touch him while he sleeps. Or if you do so, duck."

"I will remember that."

As if unperturbed by the strangeness of his actions, Sin stretched casually, then yawned. "Still no sign of our bandits?"

Braden shook his head. "Not yet."

"Pity. I feel the urge to kill something." Sin left them to tend to his needs.

"Kill something?" she asked Braden when they were alone. "Is he jesting?"

"Most likely not," he said, matter-of-factly.

A chill went down her spine as she left Braden and rolled her plaid up, then placed it into her pack. Sin was a scary, scary man. But then, Braden could be so as well.

Dismissing them from her thoughts, she made herself concentrate on the task ahead.

Once Sin returned, the men gave Maggie her privacy as Braden prepared food to break the morning fast.

Braden glanced longingly into the trees where Maggie had vanished. He'd spent half the night just watching her. Watching the way her chest rose and fell with her deep, even breaths. The way her arm gracefully curled under her head to support it.

The way she had gently reached up in the middle of the night to scratch at her cheek and rub her eye like some adorable little child.

Sleep did the most incredible things to her. It softened the tautness of her face and made her appear like a fey imp. The same imp who had once filled his boots with flour. He laughed.

Where had the time gone?

One day they had been children, running through the heather-filled moors together as they chased b.u.t.terflies, and now she was grown. Grown into a strong woman who captivated him.

And this attraction he felt for her. What was it? Where did it come from?