Hannah Howell Read Online Free PDF

registered in Royal's mind. Those two appeared in the doorway an instant later but he was unable to acknowledge them. He only faintly noticed that the ladies at the table were looking terrified and the men were gawking.
    The girl wore snug black pants that nicely displayed her gently rounded hips and slim legs. Her black shirt fit equally well over her high, full breasts. Her cornsilk hair was gathered in one thick swatch, tied with a red bandana, and brought forward over her right shoulder to hang in a heavy, glossy wave past her hips. A single holster was at her tiny waist, sloping to her hip, and a knife hilt was visible over the top of her boot, yet, strangely enough, none of it distracted from her femininity. When she reached him, she pushed back her hat which gave him a brief glimpse of purple eyes, grinned as she sat on his lap and began to heartily kiss him.
    Startled was not all that Royal felt. He forgot all about the guests seated at his table as her full breasts pressed against his chest, her long fingers stroked his neck, and her honeyed tongue stroked the inside of his mouth. When she pulled away, he finally put purple eyes, black clothes, and cornsilk hair together to make a name.
    “Antonie,” he croaked, hoping his guests would think he was dazed with surprise instead of white hot lust.
    "Sí, gringo." She wondered where her breath had gone. “Now we are even, eh?"
    “No. I think you're a notch above me. I didn't kiss you like that,” he said softly. “What are you doing here?"
    “Royal,” hissed Marilyn.
    “Oh.” He realized he was still holding Antonie on his lap and set her on her feet before him.
    “I brought your sister and brother back, gringo." Leaning against the table, Antonie nodded toward the door.
    His gaze flew to the doorway where Patricia and Justin stood with a matched set of well-armed men and he finally looked closely at his siblings. Patricia was looking wide-eyed and shocked, but Justin was snickering along with the twins. It was that slight sign of camaraderie that lessened the threatening appearance of the well-armed twins. Justin's battered appearance told Royal that there had been some trouble, however, and, with Cole following suit, he started toward them. Antonie slid into Royal's seat and surveyed the table.
    Patricia gave a small cry and ran to the ready shelter of Royal's arms. “We were attacked. The hands were killed."
    “Ramirez, the bastard,” roared Henry Collins.
    “No,” Antonie said quietly as she helped herself to a piece of pie. “It was Raoul Mendez."
    “Are you sure?” Cole asked as he helped Justin sit down.
    "Sí," Oro replied as he sat on the arm of Antonie's chair and helped himself to some wine. “There were six of them."
    “Nonsense,” growled Collins. “Mendez doesn't come to this area. It was that damned Ramirez, I tell you."
    “And I tell you,” snapped Antonie, “that it was Mendez. Ah, por Dios, strawberries.” She stabbed one with her knife and rolled it in the sugar, then popped it into her mouth, giving an ecstatic sigh.
    “Ah, folks,” Royal began apologetically after he had found a seat for Patricia, “I think we will have to call it a night."
    He hastily cleared his home of guests. It was hard not to tell Henry just why he trusted Antonie's word on who the attackers had been. He replied to Marilyn's somewhat shrill demands about who Antonie was with the same vagueness. It was not only a need to hear what had happened that hurried him, but an eagerness to feast his eyes on the woman Antonie had become.
    “Never seen a house emptied so fast,” drawled Cole as Royal strode back into the dining room.
    “They'll find excuses to come by tomorrow, I've no doubt.” He collapsed into a chair next to Antonie and sent her a mock glare. “Was it necessary to insult one of my guests?"
    “Bah, that pig talks through his,” she paused and grinned, “hat. I know my bandidos, eh, gringo?"
    “Without doubt, but I am not about to