The grip she had on his shirt loosened, and suddenly, she took over the kiss, pulling him closer. Her mouth slanted over his, and she was the one who deepened the kiss. The shock from her boldness had him catching his breath, but he couldn’t let the small break in the moment, stop him from what was happening.
Maverick shifted his arms, running both his palms up and down her back while her hands rubbed tiny circles on his chest. The pleasurable sigh he’d been waiting to hear didn’t come from her – but from him. If it was with any other woman, he might have been embarrassed, but sighing this way seemed very natural. After he’d lost control for a second, the eagerness in the way she kissed had sped up a notch.
It was very refreshing to see that Hannah Ross was not shy in the least. In just the little passion he was able to experience, he felt she would make a wonderful wife.
His mind created a more comfortable position for their intense kiss, and just as he started to gently push her back to lie on the floor of the wagon, he heard the clip-clop of horses’ hooves and the crunch of wagon wheels from outside the cave.
Gasping, she jerked out of the kiss and snapped her attention toward the entrance. Maverick grumbled under his breath and glanced toward the end of the wagon. From out of the cave, he saw the man jump down from the wagon and march toward them. His arms were folded over his wide chest, and the man’s glare pierced right through Maverick. Of course, it always did when he did something to upset his older brother, Bryan.
As he came to a sudden stop at the end of the wagon, Bryan’s gaze jumped from Maverick to Hannah. The poor woman’s red face probably told Bryan what Maverick really didn’t want his brother to know about.
“Let me guess...” Bryan’s mouth thinned in irritation as he met Hannah’s startled gaze. “You must be Hannah Ross.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything.
“I shouldn’t be surprised that my younger brother found you before I did.” Bryan took a deep breath and met his brother’s gaze. “Maverick? What do you have to say for yourself this time? You’ve stepped over the line by stealing my bride!”
THREE
Hannah’s mind scrambled to return to reality since Maverick’s kiss had put her high in the clouds. Yet, at the same time, she felt as if she’d just been dunked in the river during a cold spell in December.
“Pardon me? What are you talking about?” she said with a shaky voice, staring at the intruder. He resembled Maverick a little with the brown hair, wide shoulders, and handsome face. However, this man looked a few years older and sported a mustache.
Beside her, Maverick released a defeated sigh. He lifted enough to swing himself over the side of the wagon. Once on his feet, he slowly walked toward the other man. Had the intruder really just called Maverick his brother? And she must have heard wrong because she thought he’d mentioned that she was his bride.
The rhythm of her heart took a different beat. Panic rushed through her as she watched Maverick saunter cockily toward the slightly older man.
“You should know by now, Bryan,” Maverick said, “that I don’t give excuses.” He held up his hands in surrender. “What you see is what you get.”
Anger filled Bryan’s expression, and he swung at his brother, connecting his fist to Maverick’s jaw. He stumbled back, rubbing the spot.
“You knew I had sent away for a mail-order bride.” He rubbed his sore fist. “And yet, you still took it upon yourself to get her before I could arrive. I just don’t understand how your brain works – or if you even have a brain.”
Was this a joke? Tears stung Hannah’s eyes. She couldn’t believe any of this. She, and her unborn child, were the ones getting hurt from all of this. Didn’t these men care about that?
Maverick continued to rub his jaw as he glared at his brother. “Don’t you care that I came to town to check her out for you?” He rolled his eyes. “Being the oldest brother, you need to be able to carry on the family name with your wife. All I wanted to do was make sure you were getting the right woman for the part she’ll play in our lives.”
Hannah’s chest was so tight with emotion she wanted to scream. She wanted to cry first, and the more she held back the tears, the more she couldn’t breathe. This couldn’t be happening. Why couldn’t she stay away from making bad choices? It was as if they followed her around until she finally gave in. This wasn’t fair. But once again, she had no other choice but to follow through with her decision to become a mail-order bride.
“Out of the three of us,” Maverick continued, “I’m probably the only brother who uses his brain, which was why I wanted to make sure you weren’t getting played for a fool.”
Bryan’s expression was tight, and his breaths were ragged and slow as if he was trying to gain control. He looked at her again, a little longer this time, before switching his focus back to his brother.
“Maverick, I will probably never forgive you for this one.” Bryan moved toward her, holding out his hand. “I want to apologize for my insane brother’s treatment. I hope he didn’t offend you in any way.”
Slowly, she shook her head. Her body trembled from keeping her emotions under control. “He was... a gentleman.”
Bryan snorted a disbelieving laugh. “Well, I can assure you, he was playing a role, because Maverick is definitely not a gentleman.”
“Who... are you?” she wondered, even though she knew.
“I’m Bryan Easton. I’m the one you have been corresponding with as we set up
