Page 34 of The Champion

Strange, but he rather missed the angry minx. She was easy to keep his guard against. He found this new side of her disturbing. Beguiling.

And the talk of her claws caused his gaze to drop to her hand where he noted she had her nails perfectly manicured. They were long and elegant.

A perfect set to have skimming down a man’s spine...

He stepped back as that unwanted thought went through him. He was beginning to think like Swan.

“Where were you off to in such a hurry?” he asked, trying to distract himself.

“Any place where none of my ladies-in-waiting can be found.”

“And why is that?”

“They have this foolish notion that you and I should wed.”

He let out a long, aggravated breath at that. “Then let us put them with my men who are equally determined to see me bachelor.”

“Truly?”

“Aye. They’ve no wish for our lives to change.”

Her face turned speculative at that. “It might be interesting to let them loose on each other, just to see who wins. But, in my experience, ‘tis the man who invariably falls to the woman.”

He arched a skeptical brow. “I wouldn’t say that. The surrender seems to be mutual.”

“How do you figure?”

“Man may take a bite of the apple, but afterward, the woman ends up following him wherever he leads.”

“You think so?”

“You think not?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “I think some lady needs to take that ego of yours down a notch or two.”

Stryder gave her a hot once-over. “And are you the lady to do it?”

“Aye, Lord Charming. Unlike the others you have known, I am quite immune to your assets.”

“My assets?” he asked, intrigued by the notion that she had attributed any to him after their confrontation in the hall on the night they met. “And what would those be?”

“I think you know well enough what most maids fawn over.”

“But not you?”

“Nay.” She raised her chin a degree. “I have never been swayed by bulging arms or a handsome face.” She placed her hand against the center of his chest. “It’s what a man has in here that matters to me.”

Rowena had meant the words playfully, but the light in Stryder’s eyes went out immediately. His face turned gravely earnest.

“Then we are truly ill-suited, since I have nothing left in there but a charred husk.”

His words surprised her. “Nothing?”

“Nay, lady. That part of me died long ago.”

His heart beat fiercely under her hand. It was every bit as strong as the man who stood before her. “For something dead, it seems powerful enough to me. Indeed, you didn’t hesitate to save Kit.”

He withdrew from her.