“I’m glad they heal well for you, not that even the slightest scar can distract from your beauty.”

She smiled, shaking her head at him. “Compliments roll off your tongue so easily.”

“The truth rolls off my tongue easily,” he said with a smile of his own and a slight tilt of his head.

“I would think lies roll off with greater ease.”

Slatter’s grin grew. “Lies take greater care to tell. They must convince and be kept to memory so that one does not get caught in it at another time. To be a successful liar takes skill that few if any master.”

“And are you a master liar?”

“I am a master at everything, leannan,” he said and leaned in and kissed her quick on the lips.

“You respond without responding,” she said, his light kiss sending flutters through her stomach. “I would say you are skillful at manipulating as well.”

“You are getting to know me well,” Slatter said, trying not to let his smile falter with the lie he had just told.

This time Willow leaned in close and brushed her lips softly against his before saying, “I’m getting to know you far better than you realize.”

Her words disturbed him while her not-so-innocent kiss aroused him. He got the overwhelming feeling that she had seen past his lie.

“We need to get going,” he said, stuffing the remaining food in the cloth sack and rushing to his feet. He hooked the sack to the saddle and turned to Willow.

Her eyes lit with concern when she saw how his brow had narrowed and his dark eyes turned on her with an intensity that sent a shiver through her.

She was getting to her feet when he reached her and yanked her up by the arm the rest of the way.

“You will stay behind me, say nothing, and do nothing that will put you in danger, and on this you will obey me, wife.”

She barely had time to nod when he continued.

He lowered his head and his voice to a whisper. “There are three of them. I will see to them and again you will hold your tongue and do nothing.”

“Is she yours or can we share?” a man called out.

Willow held herself with courage, but took a step closer to her husband when she saw the size of the one man who walked in front of the other two who approached. He was big, not in height, but in girth, barrel chest and arms that looked as if he could easily crush a man. The other two were slim compared to him, though all three seemed to wear similar grime on their garments and skin.

“I warn you now. Take your leave or suffer the consequences,” Slatter said with that cock-sure confidence of his.

The three men laughed.

“Three of us and one of you.” The big man laughed. “I don’t think it’ll be us suffering the consequences. But don’t worry, we’ll let you watch as we enjoy the woman before we kill you.”