To Love A Wild Irishman

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

"I still can't believe ya told him about our treasure, Cass. Our treasure! Now we have to share it with a man who'd like to see me dead!" Finnegan grumbled as Cass rode behind him on Theo with Seamus several paces away on his roan mare.

"He doesn't want you dead, Finn, at least I don't think he does." Finnegan could hear the frown in Cassandra's voice. "He only wants his money. And I have apologized fifteen times since yesterday for spilling your secret. I told him to let us go and you would pay him that two-thousand out of what you find but he said no."

"He doesn't trust me then?" Finnegan asked and Cassandra snorted.

"No one in their right mind trusts you with money, Finnegan."

Finnegan turned his head and poked out his lip, "That hurts, Little Cass."

Cassandra laughed and Finnegan was struck by how beautiful the sound was and the way her green eyes sparkled with her happiness. "I've been told a time or two that the truth does," she replied, poking Finnegan's lip back in place.

Finnegan turned away from her quickly and tried hard to fight back the want and need that her touch seemed to create in him. It sure as the world didn't help to have her so close to him on Theo. Her thighs rubbed his hips and her breasts occasionally bumped against his back.

Damn these feelings!

This was his Little Cass. He loved her more than anyone else in the entire world and he needed her—he realized that now. He'd missed her those five years he'd been away and never again would he be able to go that long without the sight of her smile or the sound of her laugh... even the sharpness as she scolded him. Yes he loved her but was he in love with her...?

Of course not. He couldn't be. He didn't fall in love. He was too much like his father. He'd been told that more times than he could count so there had to be truth in the statement. Cassandra was far too good for a man like him and Finnegan would do well to remember that.

But that did not mean he was willing to let her friendship go just to save himself the torment of being around a woman he could not have. Cassandra was his soul mate—not romantically perhaps since Finnegan would never dare be so sappy—but as a friend. She understood him and never judged him harshly (unless she was horribly shaken up from a near death experience) and she stood by him unconditionally.

Finnegan loved her dearly.

Even if she did have a big mouth.

And even if it was her fault that Seamus was now riding along with them.

So much for having fun. Now Finnegan would have to be on the lookout for Seamus' men to show up at any time and try to put a bullet in him or slip another rope around his neck.

"Are you truly angry with me, Finn?" Cassandra whispered as she lay her chin on his shoulder. "I did not mean to tell him and I knew that if I did not agree he could come then he would simply follow us."

"Aye, you're right there. He most certainly would have done that," Finnegan agreed. "He'd been followin' us a while. Like a hound. A stinky, slobberin', clumsy, worthless......"

"Finn! That's enough," Cassandra scolded. "Perhaps he's only grumpy because he needs his belly scratched. I hear hounds enjoy that."

Finnegan laughed loudly and Seamus turned his gaze in their direction though Finnegan knew he couldn't hear what was being said. "Go rub his tummy then, Little Cass. Perhaps he'll give ya another kiss."