The Warrior Bride Read Online Free PDF Page B

and it most certainly does… the details were very well proportioned.”
    She watched him for several long seconds, then turned away again, leaving him to stare at naught but the quiver of arrows that was strapped across her back. It was crafted of fine leather and stamped with knot work designs that somehow reminded him of deep water conchs all laid in a row. The quiver ended at her lower back, and though her long, bull hide jerkin revealed little, it seemed now that he could discern a thousand idiosyncrasies that belied her guise-the grace of her stride, the sway of her hips, the-
    “So you are like the others.”
    “Others?” he asked and, lifting his gaze from her backside, suddenly felt the sear of some bitter emotion he could not quite name. “What others?”
    “Other men. You are obsessed with a woman’s form.” “Hardly-”
    “You’ve but to be in the vicinity of them and your mind turns to miller’s bran.”
    “‘Tis not-”
    “You are a man trained to battle,” she said and nodded up from her task of collecting firewood. ”Aye, you have had some tutelage. And despite my initial suspicion you are not completely inept. But one sight of me chest and…” She scowled as if baffled, as if talking to herself. “I could have killed you with ease.”
    “Not…” He grimaced, remembering. “Not with ease.” She laughed. “Are you daft? You practically begged me to slit your throat. And why? Because me chest is conformed a bit differently than yours?”
    “Nay, ‘twas not the reason. ‘Tis simply because…” Very well, perhaps he had been a bit discombobulated. “You are the fairer sex.”
    “Fairer!” Anger punctuated the word. Her teeth were gritted and her hands formed to fists. “Fairer than what?”
    “I meant no insult, me I-”
    “I am not your lady!” she growled.
    He almost stepped back a pace at the force of her emotion. What had he said to make her so irate? “‘Tis simply that me mother taught me to revere the fairer… the female gender.”
    “Well your mother was a fool!” teach him better manners at the end of his sword, but now he merely scowled. “Me mother is many things,” he said. “But a fool, she is not.”
    Silence fell between them.
    She tilted her head. “You cherish her?” she asked. Her voice was strangely soft and he nodded in some confusion. ”Aye. Certainly. And you?” he asked, but she had turned away already.
    “You change the subject,” she said. “Because you know I am right. Men make fools of themselves for no reason more substantial than the sight of a woman’s body.”
    “‘Tis not true.”
    She laughed. “Oh, aye, it is and you well know it. One glance of a woman’s bosom and all thought flies from your head.”
    “I was merely surprised,” he countered.
    “Surprised! You looked as though you’d swallowed your heart. Had I not wished to kill you I would have laughed at the sight of your face. Tell me, MacGowan, have you not seen a woman’s breasts before?”
    He mouthed something, but no words came for a moment.
    “Well?”
    “Of course,” he said. “I’ve seen… scores-”
    “Then why did you all but swoon at the sight of mine?”
    “‘Tis a far cry from the truth. In fact, I barely…” He wasn’t sure, but he may have winced at this point. “… noticed.”
    ”Truly.” she said, and scoffed. “So I could disrobe this very instant and you’d not be the least distracted.”
    “Nay I- ” he began, but the possibilities suddenly penetrated his brain. Beneath his plaid, his interest raised its horny head. “Are you considering it?”
    Hunter’s gaze held his and then, slowly, irrevocably, she lowered her hands to the buckle on her scabbard. It came away in her fingers and fell to the ground.
    Lachlan stared like one in a trance, and then, like a butterfly, her fingers moved the slightest degree. For a moment, he was almost aware of danger, but already the narrow blade had been slipped from the hidden sheath and