Read Online His Judas Bride by Shehanne Moore - Free Book Online

difficult gully. A gully that was more a perilously secret path between the mountains, with rocks and scrambles, she’d had to dismount several times to manage, and when she had, stones had cascaded into the raging torrent hundreds of feet below.
    “What are you so desperate to know for? In a hurry to meet that charming sweetheart of yours, are you?”
    His face was such a grim triangle between the curtain of hair, she wondered if it was in fact politic to open her mouth. She didn’t see why she shouldn’t though. Anything to ease what had somehow taken up residence inside her. Even if it meant drawing this man like a gloveless falconer, with a honeyed hand. She cleared her throat. After all, his contempt made it easier to also clear herself of these stupid feelings that had risen in her in that yard. To acknowledge she didn’t belong and it didn’t matter. Belonging wasn’t what she was here for.
    “Actually, I am, sir. Yes. Indeed I confess to being agog with curiosity. Deprived by not meeting him yesterday and being happily wed to him by now. I know we’ve only been riding for about two hours now, but will I see him by nightfall, do you think?”
    “Like having nightmares, do you?”
    “Not really.” Holding out her honeyed hand was certainly taking a bit of doing, especially when it was savaged like this. “That’s why I’d like to know if I’ll have to spend another night in your company or not.”
    He snapped his brows lower. “My company?”
    She nodded. Why not? Lochalpin was beautiful. The snow-capped peaks, inky blue mist, the trees towering like silent sentinels around her. What she saw, reflected in the plate-glass surface of the loch, was so stunning, she could understand her father coveting this place. Even if his real desire was to walk among the other clan chiefs as an equal.
    By far the most stunning thing here was this damnable specimen. Of course, if she’d now to lay odds on his arm muscle tightening as he tugged on his own reins, on that smile, denting his faintly stubbled cheeks, she’d be rich.
    “That’s the first I knew you spent a night in my company. Did I fall asleep and miss something here, Princess?”
    She tightened her shoulders. Miss something indeed? Knew it, didn’t he—what a stunning specimen he was. Why else turn a simple request for information into a sexual quest? Well, she would not rise to this shabby bait.
    Although she expected a little better from him. Was this honestly the best he could come up? A tit-for-tat retaliation? Slow off the mark at that. Take him down a peg or two though? This would be a pleasure through and through.
    She edged her gaze sideways, letting what she hoped was a smile play. “Of course, I can only speak for myself. If I had, and it’s an if you understand, you’d not have fallen asleep.”
    “That would be beyond your miniscule capabilities.”
    “You like to think?”
    “I don’t just think. I know.”
    Just how the blazes did Meg put up with it though? This very deliberate casting of nets on the waters of female sexuality? So even Kara felt horribly threatened? And his unutterable damned cheek that accompanied it?
    In a few words?
    Because he scorched sheets.
    “You know, Princess, not that I’ve any use for them, but that wasn’t a very virginal thing to say.”
    Now look what she’d gone and done. Made him nudge closer, so their knees almost touched. When she didn’t want them to touch. If she dug her spurs in though he’d probably be after her faster than that damned dog had her belt this morning. Ice. Stone.
    All right, she could tell herself blazing sexuality seldom fished for nothing. Here she was, betrothed to his brother—supposedly anyway—and he still couldn’t stop himself, flashing that confident smile at her. He probably flashed it around half the women in the glen. And they fell at his feet. Well, she wasn’t going to fall at his feet,if that was what this was about. If it wasn’t something more. Some