“She wished she could understand her reaction to him. Why, her heart was pacing a wild beat again.Madelyne dared a quick look up and found Duncan was watching her intently. He looked so handsome.She wanted him to be ugly.”

“She'd been told time and again that it was rude stare, but she didn't obey her mother's rule now. The giant mesmerized her and she wanted to remember everything she could about him.He must have felt her staring at him, though because he suddenly turned and looked directly her.Brenna decided to make her papa proud of her and behave like a proper young lady. She grabbed a fistful of her skirt, hiked it up to her knees, and bent down to curtsy. She promptly lost her balance and almost hit her head against the floor, but she was quick enough to lean back so she could land on herbottom.She stood back up, remembered to let go of her skirts, and peeked up at the stranger to see what he thought about her newly acquired skill.The giant smiled at her.As soon as he looked away, she squeezed herself up against Rachel's backside again."I'm going to marry him," she whispered.”

“She couldn't believe what she did then. Before she could stop herself, she leaned up on tiptoes, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the mouth. Her lips brushed over his for the barest of seconds, but it was still a kiss, and when she came to her senses and dared to pull away and look at him, he had the most curious expression on his face.Brodick knew she regretted her sponatenity, but as he stared into her brilliant green eyes, he also knew, with a certainty that shook him to the core, that his life had just been irrevocably changed by this mere slip of a woman.”

“I am not a poor child, Lady Eleanor," Madelyne announced, letting her anger sound in her voice."Duncan won't marry you. He won't sign the contracts. He'd have to give up his greatest treasure in order to marry you.""And what be that treasure?" Lady Eleanor inquired, her voice mild."Why, I'm Duncan's greatest treasure. He'd be a fool to give me up," she added. "And even you must know that Duncan is anything but a fool.”

“Listen, you. Don't threaten me. I could make your life a nightmare. He put his hand in front of her face and unfolded three fingers as he said, I'm F-B-I. She smiled. It wasn't the reaction he expected. You want to talk nightmares? she said. She put her hand up to his face and unfolded her three fingers. I'm I-R-S.”

“For though Duncan was a mere mortal, flawed as well, he'd accomplished a daring feat. Aye, he'd captured an angel. And she belonged to him.”

“I do know, however, that they took more than one man to their beds.”Adela gasped and Madelyne nodded, thoroughly satisfied by her friend’s reaction. “More than one at a time?” Adela asked. She whispered the question and then blushed with embarrassment. Madelyne nibbled on her lip while she considered if that was possible.“I don’t think so,” she finally announced. Her back was to the door, and Adela’s full attention was centered on her friend. Neither noticed Duncan now stood in the open doorway.”