Boyett-Compo, Charlotte - WesternWind 01 - Wynd River by Sinner (Ellora's Cave) Read Free Book Online Page A

means?”
    “Woman of my heart.”
    Aingeal blushed. “You don’t know me well enough yet to call me that,” she said in a husky voice.
    “ An rud a líonas an tsúil líonann sé an croí ,” he responded. “What fills the eye fills the heart.”
    Aingeal felt a tremor go down her spine and ached to put her arms around him. His voice was a black
    velvet band wrapping gently around her heart, binding her to him, and she did not have any desire to
    break free.
    He reached out to take her hand and brought her fingers to his lips. “ Tá mo chroí istigh ionat,” he said,
    and when she cocked her head in silent request for the translation, he told her it meant my heart is within
    you .
    She sighed and tears brightened her eyes. Not once in the four years they were married had Donal ever
    spoken a single love word to her. Theirs had not been a happy engagement, for their parents had
    arranged it and the marriage had been one long fight between them with Aingeal on the receiving end of
    her husband’s meaty fists.
    “Never,” Cynyr said, “will I lay a hand to you, mo ghrá.”
    “I know you won’t,” she said.
    He studied her a moment. “Well, let me correct that. Should it become necessary, I wouldn’t be averse
    to applying my hand on your ass if you need it.”
    Aingeal raised her chin. “You’d have to catch me first, Reaper, for that’s something I wouldn’t sit still
    for.”
    “You wouldn’t be able to sit at all if I ever needed to spank your ass,” he stated.
    “Big, bad Reaper,” she said, and took the remaining piece of toast, spreading the last of the peaches
    upon it. She took a healthy bite and chewed, grinning at him as she did.
    “Wench, you are going to give me problems from time to time, aren’t you?” he asked, his eyes soft and
    loving as he looked at her.
    “I’ll keep you on your toes,” she agreed.
    “I’ve no doubt of that,” he said as he wiped his lips on his napkin. “Are you finished or do you need
    another feedbag to calm that fierce appetite of yours?”
    “Well, now that you mention it,” she said, a faint red tinge forming on her cheeks. “I could eat a bit more
    bacon.”
    He delved lightly into her mind as he remembered her hunger from the night before. It had been a few
    days before that since she had eaten, and only then her meal had been a few wormy apples and a
    blueberry pie she’d swiped from a farm wife’s windowsill.
    “How about another couple of eggs to wash down the bacon?” he asked.
    Aingeal’s smile lit the storm-darkened room. “I think I could find a place for maybe four eggs,” she
    replied.
    Shaking his head as he got up, he delved into his pocket and produced a couple of golden coins—more
    than enough to pay for the meal and then some. “If you don’t watch it, I’ll have to buy a team of oxen to
    cart you about,” he joked as he plucked his hat from the coat rack.
    She grinned at him, liking the way the sun crinkles around his eyes made him look so much younger and
    less stern. Settling back in her chair, she poured another cup of coffee for herself and watched him as he
    walked across the room, pushing the door to the kitchen open to ask for more food.
    “I’m going to head on down to the livery. When she’s finished, just roll her on down there if you can
    budge her,” he told the waitress.
    “My nephew has a horse for your lady,” Aingeal heard the older woman say. “And the poncho you
    asked for, mo tiarna .”
    “My thanks to you and yours, Katy O’Hare,” the Reaper said. He barely glanced at Aingeal before
    putting on his hat and going out into the onslaught of the storm.
    The smell of bacon frying made Aingeal’s mouth water and she got up from the table, taking her cup
    with her to the kitchen door. As she drew closer, she could hear the older woman talking.
    “Don’t act like none of the Reapers I’ve heard tell of,” Katy was saying. “Got a mean sense of humor,
    he does.”
    “Make no mistake