“It does if I ask,” he said with a command that brought Annis to a halt.
She turned to face him and was caught by his features that were much too handsome for a man and that she even thought that annoyed her all the more.
She planted her hands on her hips and shot Brogan an intense glare that often withered a man. “So you order me to tell you when I care not to speak with you?”
He smiled and she heard the gasps that circulated around them, though she did not join in. His smile might heighten his fine features, but she did not give a fig.
“Why not speak with me? I thought our last talk was quite invigorating.”
That sent tongues wagging and Annis feared she was making it worse for herself. She could almost hear Bliss warning her to walk away and not engage the man. Unfortunately, it was not in her nature.
“Maddening, it was just that—nothing more than maddening,” she corrected.
Brogan laughed. “I thought it delightful, but we digress. Where did all the dirt come from?” He waved his hand up from her feet to the top of her head to remind her of his inquiry.
She had no wont to answer him, but feared the conversation would remain never-ending if she did not. “A mishap.”
His smile vanished when he hastily asked, “You were not hurt, were you?”
Annis threw her arms wide. “Do I look hurt?”
His smile quickly returned. “No, not at all. You are still a ravishing beauty even with all the dirt on you.”
That really got whispers circulating and got Annis on the verge of losing her temper.
“Maybe your sweet talk works on other women, but it is lost on me. You are nothing more than an annoying fool to me.” That got a ton of gasps and more people stopping to watch them.
“Ouch! That hurt,” Brogan said with a laugh.
“Good, then it did what I intended. Now take yourself off and find a willing lass to cool your ardor.” Loud gasps warned her that she may have crossed a line.
Brogan stepped closer to her and, of course, she held her ground, not daring to show a pinch of intimidation even if there was a little.
Brogan lowered his head and kept his voice low. “I do not take well to orders, lass, and when I see something I want, I make sure I get it.”
Her mind warned her but the anger that had her stomach churning won out and her finger lashed out to poke him in the chest. “I do not take well to orders from men who think to force themselves on me.”
“I do not force women. They invite me.”
Annis jabbed him in the chest again. “Then let me settle this. I will NEVER—I repeat so you hear me clearly—I will NEVER invite you to poke me.”
Brogan grinned. “Mind your words, lass, especially the word never. It has a way of coming back to bite you.”
“Never! Never! Never!” she spat with each poke. A sharp command had Annis jumping.
“You do not touch Lord Brogan without permission!”
She dropped her finger off Brogan and looked to see Cadell.
“You will be punished for that,” Cadell threatened.
“NO SHE WILL NOT!” Brogan ordered with such a strong command that it had Annis turning to see if it had truly been him who had spoken. “If I hear of Annis suffering any punishment, you will receive a worst one. Do I make myself clear, Cadell?”
“Aye, my lord,” Cadell said wisely, though with a bit of anger.
Brogan presented his back to Cadell, blocking Annis from his view. “You intrigue me, Annis. Come sup with me at the keep tonight so we may talk.”
Her response was swift. “No.”
“That is it, no?” Brogan asked, shaking his head. “You offer no reason.”
“I do not want to sup with you,” she clarified. “Now I must be on my way.” She turned to leave and caught Cadell’s words.
“Order her to sup with you.”
That had Annis turning back around. “Lord Brogan, a word?”
He went to her, a gleam in his eyes that she may have changed her mind.
Annis kept her voice to a whisper. “Do you wish to wed me?”
The gleam left Brogan’s eyes. “I would not condemn you to such a hell.”
“What do you think will happen if you continue to show interest in me?” she asked.
His eyes went wide, then they narrowed, a hint of a glare in them. “You are right and I will trouble you no more.”
Annis did not expect to feel sorry for the man, but at that moment she suffered a jab to her heart and got the sense she felt his loneliness. It was a deep, all-consuming emptiness that terrified her. She would never want to feel that way. She almost called out to him, wanting to offer him at least friendship, but she did not dare. The consequences were far too dangerous.