Winter's Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon Read Free Book Online Page B

instantly turned around and come back to check on him. Even now he could see her in the dark green riding habit that had no doubt cost more than a year’s worth of his pay as she helped him push the post off his legs. Without any thought to her dress, she had knelt down on the muddy ground, carefully removed his boot, and checked on his toe even while he told her not to.
    She had insisted that since she broke it, she should tend it.
    That had been the first time in his life anyone had ever truly been kind to him without expecting something back in return.
    Later that night when she brought out a tray of steak, potatoes, and biscuits to the bunkhouse he shared with the rest of the ranch hands, he’d known he was in love.
    She had looked like an angel coming through the door with that large silver tray in her hands.
    And that stupid daisy she’d put on it … The other men had mocked him for weeks after that. But he hadn’t cared.
    Nothing had mattered to him, except her smile.
    â€œYou’re doing it again,” Catherine snapped, drawing his attention back to the present as she reached for her burn ointment. Her touch even more gentle, she spread it over his burned toes.
    â€œDoing what?” he asked.
    â€œOgling me.”
    O’Connell smiled at her. “Do you know why I’m ogling you?”
    â€œI can’t imagine.”
    â€œBecause you’re still the most beautiful woman on earth.”
    Disbelief was etched onto her face as she straightened and looked at him. “Is that why you left me?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œThen tell me why.”

3
    O’Connell barely caught himself before he spilled the truth out. Now as then, he couldn’t stand the thought of her knowing what he’d been.
    What he’d become.
    He’d never been proud of what desperation and family obligation had led him to. He knew he should have walked away from Pete and his crazy schemes years ago. But every time he thought about hurting Pete, he remembered his childhood, when Pete had been the only thing that stood between him and starvation.
    The world was a harsh, cold place for two orphans alone, and filled with unscrupulous people who would quickly take advantage of them. But Pete, who was seven years older than him, had always kept him safe.
    If only Pete could let him go. Unfortunately, his big brother saw them as inseparable twins joined at the hip.
    And no matter what he did to escape, his brother managed to track him down like some possessed bloodhound.
    No, there was no way he could ever have her while Pete trailed him. Sooner or later, his brother would show up and use her as leverage against him—just as he’d done five years ago in Nevada.
    O’Connell could only stand strong against Pete when just the two of them were involved.
    Catherine made him weak. Vulnerable.
    Besides, she was a good woman, with a good heart and he would rather she think him a sorry good-for-nothing lowlife, than ever learn she’d married an outlaw. No good could come of her knowing the truth.
    So he answered her question with the first stupid answer that occurred to him. “I don’t know.”
    She arched one dark brown brow at him as she lifted her gaze from his foot to his face. “You don’t know?”
    â€œIt just seemed like the right thing to do,” he offered as a consolation.
    By the irate look on her face, he realized too late he should have just kept his mouth shut.
    Catherine narrowed her eyes on him. “Why don’t you just go and…” her voice trailed off.
    He waited for her to finish.
    She didn’t. Instead, she stared strangely at his right arm.
    â€œAnd?” he prompted.
    She stepped around the bench until she rested by his side. She grabbed at the sleeve of his black shirt, and bent down to look closer at it. The contact brought her head right up under his nose. His gut wrenched. She still smelled like springtime. Her hair held