Page 80 of Wine & Warlocks

Although he dreaded her response, he manned up. “My father said it was due to my insolence and to make sure I told you that if I ever saw you again.”

She laughed.

“Not the reaction I was expecting,” Ronan muttered.

“The idea of a forty-plus man paying for his insolence, like a child, is what’s ridiculous, to be sure.” Pressing her forehead to his, she slowly rolled her head from side to side. “You weren’t to blame for that scaldy bastard’s actions, Ronan. Loman’s evilness was his own, and murdering my da was one more way he could think of to sabotage your happiness.” With a butterfly-soft kiss, she said, “Anyone with two eyes could see he couldn’t bear it that you were your own man. That you didn’t subscribe to his brand of hatred. Loman wanted you to be the image of him, and he despised you when you weren’t. Of course he was going to do whatever it took to make you miserable, to pay for your ‘insolence.’”

“How is it you’re so wise, love?”

“Well, thisismy second lifetime,” she replied with a saucy smile.

“Aye, and it’s happy I am for it. I’ve never been so lost and alone as I was this week without you.”

“We’ll make a pact to share a long and healthy life together. Guardians ready to fight the good fight as soon as the Aether supercharges us.” When he nodded his agreement, she scrunched her nose. “And there’s likely no coming back. I may have sealed the portal on my way out.”

He grinned and did what he had wanted to since she first appeared on the headstone. Tangling his fingers in her thick, silky hair, he lowered his lips to hers.

As Ronan savaged her mouth,Dubheasa moaned her pleasure and returned his kiss, tongue thrust for tongue thrust, tasting the last of his fading grief and desperation. Wishing she could erase his suffering, she clung to him and pressed her body to his.

What she didn’t tell him was that she’d been present in the cell the entire time. His tortured thoughts, however brief before his rescue, were hers, and although their connection had been suspended when she was on the earthly plane, it had been restored the instant she received the arrow to her chest. He’d just been too distraught to hear her. If she’d ever doubted his feelings for her, they became clear in those moments, and yet again as she listened to his confession by the grave when he believed no one was around to hear.

Buttercup’s pitiful whine caused them to part.

“No shagging in front of our child,” Dubheasa scolded with a mock frown.

“The pup needs to learn the art of timing.”

“Or you do. I’m guessing my family’s graveyard isn’t the best place to get down and dirty.”

Ronan barked a laugh and rolled her onto her back on the muddy mound as he grinned down at her. “You’ve much more living to do, Dove, if you’ve never shagged in a graveyard.”

A giggle bubbled up, and she shook her head. “I’m not after getting soil in places it doesn’t belong, Ronan O’Connor.”

“But that’s half the fun of bathing after.” He leered, flaring his eyes wide.

Laughing, she pushed at his chest. “Get off me, ya fecking giant. I want to meet my baby.”

Ronan rolled onto his back and flung his arms wide with an overly loud sigh. “I can see I’m to be replaced in your affections by Buttercup. Look, I had a small window of time, but I lost it.”

“Hold yourwhist, ya eejit.” Dubheasa tapped his stomach with the back of her hand, then held out her arms and made kissing noises to tempt the puppy closer. “Come, Buttercup. Your new mam wants to spoil you.”

The impact of the large pup knocked Dubheasa backward, but Ronan was there to break her fall with an arm around her shoulders.

Two wide pools of chocolate, the color of Cadbury Milk Bars, stared up at her as Buttercup’s tail swished back and forth so hard, it rocked her entire body. No match for the soft, pleading light in the dog’s eyes, Dubheasa kissed Buttercup’s nose. “I already love you.”

“You say that now, but what about the wee hours of the night when she needs to go outside?” Ronan warned good-naturedly.

“That’s what I’m keeping you around for.”

He snorted. “Is that all?”

Dubheasa laughed at the suggestive quality of his question. “Among other things.”

After a few minutes spent playing with Buttercup under Ronan’s indulgent eye, Dubheasa sighed and looked toward the Black Cat Inn in the distance. “I suppose it’s time to tell the others I’ve come back.”

“Can’t we be selfish a while longer?”

“No.” Dubheasa gestured to a lone figure in the distance, heading toward them. “Unless I miss my guess, Bridget’s on her way here with a basket of food and a stern lecture for you.”

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