To Love A Wild Irishman

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"Finn, is this honestly the best town for us to be stopping in?" Cassandra whispered as she warily eyed the large bearded man eyeing her from the dark shadows between two stone buildings. She wrapped her arms tighter around Finnegan's waist and he was laughing as he patted her hands and urged Theo past the imposing character.

"Don't worry none, Little Cass. You're with ol' Finnegan here and I'll keep ya good and safe."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better."

"I'm hurt," Finnegan turned his head and stuck out his lip, "Truly."

"You will survive," Cassandra replied, laughing lightly when his lip protruded further. "And if you continue to do that a bird will lose his bowels directly on that lip of yours."

Finnegan laughed loudly as he turned back around to face front, "'Lose his bowels?'" he mocked. "Oh Little Cass, how I have missed ya."

Cassandra felt her heart flutter a bit and frowned. Finnegan had caused her heart to flutter? She bit her lip and cursed herself a fool. Finnegan was her friend and nothing more. The man did not know how to be more. He was a heartbreak waiting to happen for any woman who dared give her heart to him. Cassandra would not be one of those women.

Cassandra had only ever given her heart to one man and that man had broken it. An Irishman and someone Finnegan knew well.... If Finnegan knew he would probably pitch a fit and so Cassandra kept her secret to herself. Finnegan was her friend. They laughed together, talked together, knew one another and could even finish sentences for the other at times. But it had been five long years and Cassandra was surprised by the new feelings that Finnegan stirred within her.

She had seen him as a brother of sorts when they'd been children but sitting on Theo it certainly didn't feel like her brother that she had her arms around.

Cassandra shook her head again. It was simply fatigue playing tricks on her. They had been riding for two days and she had not been sleeping well in the wilderness at night in fear that some wild creature would appear and eat her face.

While this town, (and she used that word loosely), was quite rough looking with its ancient stone buildings, scary men, nearly nude women and unkempt streets, it would offer a true bed with walls around her as she slept and hopefully a locking door. A good night of rest would certainly make her feel better and help her to get over these addle minded ideas about Finnegan.

"I just want to make it out of here alive, Finn," Cassandra informed him, flinching when a set of swinging wooden doors to their right burst open , revealing a brightly lit bar full of rowdy men, dust and the strong stench of beer and whiskey. Two men tumbled out of those doors, rolling in dirt road as they delivered punch after punch to one another. Blood was pouring from the smaller of the two men's noses and Cassandra found herself both horrified and awed by their display.

"Ah this is my kind of place, Little Cass. Whiskey, beer, brawlin', gamblin' and very friendly ladies who aren't ashamed of them assets the Lord bestowed upon them."

Cassandra followed Finnegan's gaze and rolled her eyes when she saw the women leaning over the balcony, "Are they why we're here?"

"No, we're here to make money but those fine beauties up there are certainly an added bonus." Finnegan waved and shot the ladies a grin and then swooned as they giggled alluringly.

Cassandra shifted behind Finnegan as she wondered what that ache was in her middle. It couldn't be disappointment could it? Disappointment that Finnegan would look at women like that...?