To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning Page A

man’s broodmare, Logan.”
    “No woman of mine would ever be a broodmare. Don’t misunderstand me: I don’t belittle the Kirk and Christ’s chosen, I simply don’t see you being drawn to such a lure. You’re too passionate.”
    “I am cool and collected,” she insisted.
    “Not around Grimm,” Ramsay said pointedly.
    “That’s because he irritates me,” Jillian snapped.
    Ramsay cocked a brow and grinned.
    “Just what do you think is so funny, Logan?”
    “ ‘Irritates’ is an interesting word for it. Not the one I might have chosen. Rather, let’s see … ‘Excites’? ‘Delights’? Your eyes burn like amber in the sunlight when he enters the room.”
    “Fine.” Jillian turned back to the window. “Now that we’ve debated our choice of appropriate verbs, and you’ve selected all the wrong ones and obviously don’t know a thing about women, you may continue on with your day. Shoo, shoo.” She waved her hand at him.
    Ramsay’s grin widened. “I don’t intimidate you a bit, do I, lass?”
    “Aside from your overbearing attitude, and the fact that you use your great height and girth to make a woman feel cornered, I suspect you’re more bull than bully,” she muttered.
    “Most women like the bull in me.” He moved closer.
    Jillian shot a disgusted look over her shoulder. “I’m not most women. And don’t be standing on my toes, Logan, there’s only room enough for me on them. You can trundle back home to the land of the mighty Logan, where the men are men and the women belong to them. I am not the kind of woman you’re used to dealing with.”
    Ramsay laughed.
    Jillian turned slowly, her jaw clenched.
    “Would you like some help with Roderick?” He gazed over her shoulder, out the window.
    “I thought we’d just established you’re not a coldblooded murderer, which means you’d be of no use to me.”
    “I think you need help. That man can be dense as sod.”
    When the door to the Greathall opened a scant instant later, Ramsay moved so quickly that Jillian had no time to protest. His kiss was swiftly delivered and lingeringly prolonged. It raised her to her tiptoes and left her strangely breathless when he released her.
    Jillian gazed at him blankly. Truth be told, she’d had so few kisses that she was grossly unprepared for the skillful kiss of a mature man and accomplished lover. She blinked.
    The slam of the door caused the timbers to shudder, and Jillian understood. “Was that Grimm?” she breathed.
    Ramsay nodded and grinned. When he started to lower his head again, Jillian hastily clamped her hand over her mouth.
    “Come on, lass,” he urged, catching her hand in his. “Grant me a kiss to thank me for showing Grimm that if he’s too stupid to claim you, someone else will.”
    “Where do you get the idea I care what that man thinks?” She seethed. “And
he
certainly doesn’t care if you kiss me.”
    “You’re recovering from my kiss too fast for my liking, lass. As for Grimm, I saw you watching him through this window. If you don’t speak your heart—”
    “He has no heart to speak to.”
    “From what I saw at court I’d wager that’s true, but you’ll never know for certain until you try,” Ramsaycontinued. “I’d just as soon you try, fail, and get it over with so you can start looking at me with such longing.”
    “Thank you for such brilliant advice, Logan. I can see by your own blissfully wedded state that you must know what you’re talking about when it comes to relationships.”
    “The only reason I’m not blissfully wed is because I’m holding out for a good-hearted woman. They’ve become a rare commodity.”
    “It requires a good-hearted man to attract a good-hearted woman, and you’ve likely been looking in the wrong places. You won’t find a woman’s heart between her—” Jillian broke off abruptly, mortified by what she’d almost said.
    Ramsay roared with laughter. “Tell me I could make you forget Grimm Roderick and I’ll show a