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would you think that?”
    His gaze was so intense that Maddie squirmed, wondering if the clear water made it as easy for him to appraise her as she had assessed him when he’d stood up in his bathtub. Modesty might not be a problem for him, but it was for her. She didn’t gad about unclothed in front of anyone.
    “Why would you think I left for good?” he prompted impatiently. “Answer the question.”
    “First off,” she said, reeling in her wandering thoughts, “you don’t like me. Secondly, I’m interfering with your vacation. I simply presumed that you’d changed your mind.”
    “No, I went to fetch breakfast.” He gestured toward the small campfire, where a rabbit roasted on a spit. “I don’t have all day, princess. Come eat so we can hit the road.”
    Maddie raised her arm and flicked her wrist in a shooing motion. “If you’re in a hurry, then turn your back so I can come ashore.”
    One thick black brow arched and he grinned scampishly. “No. You’ve seen me naked. Turnabout is fair play.”
    “Very amusing,” she muttered. “If I thought for one minute that I could shock you as speechless as you shocked me, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But I’m willing to bet the ransom money that nothing shocks or surprises you. And if this is some kind of test to determine my integrity or my habit of prancing around naked in front of men, you might as well know that I don’t. Ever. You aren’t going to be the first, either.”
    Maddie was pretty sure that it had been a test of some sort, because Jonah stared at her for a long, pensive moment before he turned and walked uphill to the campfire. She glided sideways to come ashore near the bush where she had draped her clean clothes. Dressed in the riding breeches, boots and linen blouse that she’d hurriedly purchased in town—when it had become apparent that she’d have to make a hasty ride on horseback to outrun the two men—she hiked up to join Jonah.
    When his assessing gaze flooded slowly and attentively over her Maddie’s breath jammed in her throat. This man had a unique and unsettling way of looking at her that provoked unfamiliar stirrings inside her.For reasons she couldn’t begin to explain she was attracted to this abrupt-mannered, distrustful Ranger.
    It would have done wonders for her self-confidence if she thought he was the least bit attracted to her. But with Jonah it was difficult to tell, because he wore an unreadable expression. He could be coldly furious or uproariously amused and she doubted she’d ever know which.
    “You gonna stand there woolgathering or are you gonna eat?” Jonah waved a skewer of meat at her. “By the way, those skintight clothes are not a good idea,” he added grouchily.
    “Why am I not surprised that you object to my wardrobe?” she mumbled before tasting the tender meat. “There is very little about me that you do approve of or appreciate.”
    “I would have appreciated seeing you naked,” he replied, the barest hint of a smile on his chiseled mouth.
    With a bite of meat poised a few inches from her lips, Maddie glanced bewilderedly at Jonah. It seemed that he was teasing and flirting with her. He wasn’t very good at it, but it pleased her to realize that he wasn’t an accomplished womanizer whose goal in life was to charm every female out of her petticoats.
    It also made her wonder about his background and upbringing. Given his heritage she imagined his life had not been easy. Maddie decided to overlook his lack of social skills, because the simple truth was that Jonah Danhill intrigued her and she wanted to get to know him better.
    “So you like seeing women naked,” she said belatedly. “What else do you like, Danhill?”
    “Being left alone, for the most part,” he said dismissively. “Enough chitchat, Garret. Let’s hear it.”
    Completely bemused, she gaped at him. “Let’s hear what? ”
    “Your story.” He chewed and swallowed another bite of meat. “That whole abduction,