He hadn't made a sound. How such a large man moved with such stealth, she didn't know.
"Good," he snapped back. "You shouldn't be out here alone."
"I wasn't alone," she said with a tight smile. "I had you spying on me."
She took supreme satisfaction from the tightening of his jaw. It was horrible of her to take such delight, but prying any kind of reaction from him seemed like a major achievement.
He gave her a long, penetrating look. "Something I'm sure you know all about."
Now it was her jaw that felt tight.
He was standing too close. Though her brother and the rest of the men were only a shout away, this was far more alone with him than she wanted to be. Being any kind of alone with him was dangerous.
It made her remember things. Like kissing him and the taste of cloves. Or how the thick muscles of his naked chest had rippled in the candlelight. Or how the damp waves of his hair had curled against his neck. Or how he'd smelled. Like soap and--she inhaled--virile man.
He hadn't shaved, and the stubble on his chin gave him a rugged, dangerous edge that--devil take him!--only added to his appeal.
Furious that he was getting to her after all that had happened, she tried to push past him. An exercise in futility if there ever was one. "There is no need for your concern," she said. "I was just about to return."
He grabbed her arm to stop her, as if the impenetrable blockade of his chest weren't enough. "Next time you leave camp, do not do so without a guard--preferably me or your brother."
Her cheeks burned, furious at his tone and his overbearing attitude. Sir Arthur Campbell, knight in her father's service, overstepped his bounds. "You have no right to give me orders. The last time I looked, it was my brother--not you--who was in charge."
His eyes flashed, and his fingers tightened around her arm. His voice was very low and his mouth ...
She gasped. His mouth was low as well. Perilously so. Achingly close to hers. If she stood up on her tiptoes, she might even be able to reach it with her own.
God, she wanted to.Desperatelyshe wanted to. Heat flooded inside her, concentrating in her breasts and between her legs. Her nipples tightened, aching for the heated friction of his hard chest.
Her body's betrayal was humiliating. He had no right to make her feel like this. Not after his cruel rejection. Not after he'd left and proved that he was the man she'd first thought him. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?
"Do not challenge me in this, Anna. If you'd like me to get your brother involved, I will. I was trying to save you from the embarrassment of being treated like a child, but I'll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe."
Something in his voice made her skin prickle with alarm. "What is it? Are the rebels near? Did you see something?"
A shadow crossed over his eyes. He shook his head. "Not so far."
"But you sense something."
His gaze shot to hers, dark with suspicion, as if he thought she was trying to trap him into admitting she'd been right about the abilities he'd displayed before.
He seemed poised to deny it, but then he shrugged, dropping his hand from her arm. "Aye, I feel danger. And you should, too. Don't be fooled into thinking they aren't out there just because we haven't seen them."
Chastened by what she sensed was genuine concern, she nodded. "I will do as you ask."
Both of them knew he hadn't asked, but he seemed satisfied enough by her agreement not to quibble with semantics.
She knew she should walk away, but something made her ask, "Why are you here, Sir Arthur? Why did you insist on joining our party?"
He looked away. Her question had discomfited him. Good.
He squared his jaw. "I thought your brother could use my help."
"And I thought you didn't like scouting."
A wry, enigmatic smile curved his mouth. "It's not as bad as I feared."
Her eyes scanned his face, but she wasn't sure what she was looking for. "And that's the only reason? Because you wanted to help my brother?"
