Big Game: Hunted Love #1

by Aden Lowe

  Determined not to get sidetracked, Jakob turned the water on and adjusted the temperature, then helped her into the shower. The hot water sluiced over her shoulders and ran down her chest, enticing his fingers to follow.

  Kate sucked in a deep breath, but stood and let him explore. Her skin was like some kind of priceless fabric, made exclusively to please him. The texture, the color, everything, was utter perfection. She reached around him for the soap and lathered her hands before sliding them over his chest.

  Dear God In Heaven. A tidal wave of heat rolled over him, following her touch. The way she looked at him, parted lips swollen with his kisses, seared him with desire. It wasn't easy, but he stood and let her wash him. By the time she reached his belly, his cock wanted to jump into her hands.

  In self-defense, he grabbed the soap and lathered his own hands up. The texture of her suds-slicked skin under his palms was too much to bear. He let his hands slide around to cup her ass and dragged her against him.

  Somehow, amid tortured sighs and ragged breaths, they managed to wash and rinse. The water went cool, putting an end to the shower far too soon. Jakob turned the spray off at the same time Kate's fingers circled the base of his erection and dragged a deep groan from him.

  She gasped and stared up at him. "I remember that sound. Jakob, I thought something was wrong with you."

  He chuckled. "Something was. I'd woke up from dreaming about you and thought a cold shower might help." He left out the part about watching her as she slept and dreamed. "It just made things worse."

  Drying her off with the fluffy towel was yet another new form of torture and presented irresistible temptation to taste each of inch of glowing skin. He nibbled his way across the back of her shoulders and down her spine before turning her around with gentle hands.

  Pink nipples beckoned and he bent to kiss first one, then the other. Kate's delicate moans acted as his guide to the exact touch she needed most.

  Somewhere outside, a dog barked and the screen door on the back porch slammed, making Kate jump. The dog sounded furious. "Someone's here."

  "They have bad timing." Jakob passed her jeans to her and pulled his own on, then handed her his shirt. "Here, take mine. Yours is in the kitchen I think." Rather than wait, he headed for the kitchen and the back door, where the visitor knocked heavily.

  Whoever that was needed to move on right away. He stalked into the kitchen, aware of Kate following at a distance. The thin curtains over the glass in the top half of the back door revealed a bulky figure on the other side.

  Jakob's right hand went instinctively to the butt of the .44 on his belt. He stood to the side and jerked the door open left-handed.

  A heavyset man in his thirties stood there, hand raised to knock again. Surprise widened pale blue eyes. "Who are you?"

  Instant distrust seized Jakob and he let the .44 slide into his hand. "Since you're the one knocking, how about you answer that question first."

  Kate slid under Jakob's left arm and settled one hand on his chest. "It's okay. This is my neighbor's son, the one I told you about." The look she gave the man said she'd rather him not be there. "Alexander. What can we do for you?"

  The man levered his bulk into the room. "You can start by introducing me to your…uh, friend."

  Kate remained deafeningly silent, so Jakob answered. "I'm the man she's going to marry. I believe you were asked to state your business."

  The visitor smiled, heavy jowls quivering. "Oh, really? That's news to me." He turned toward Kate. "Kathryn, my father said you were interested in my proposal. I took the liberty of drawing up prenuptials and various other agreements."

  Kate shook her head. "I'm sorry, Alexander. Your dad must have misunderstood somehow, though I was clear on the matter. I told him I would not marry you under any circumstances. I won't subdivide my land and I can easily find other stallions for my mare."

  He threw his head back and laughed. "I'm sorry, Kathryn, it's you who's misunderstood. I don't take no for an answer. Bub, you might as well head on to the next rodeo. She's not available."

  Jakob bit back a growl and disengaged from Kate's hold. Putting her slightly behind him, Jakob moved toward the man and let the .44 rise a little. "Don't make the biggest mistake of your life, mister. I'm not going anywhere. You are. Your only choice is vertical or horizontal." The man started to laugh again, but Jakob raised the revolver a little more. "Now just who do you think the cops will believe? A sleazy ambulance chaser? Or a highly decorated member of the US military…a war hero, even?"

  The man glared and his face went red, but after several seconds, he turned and marched out, leaving the door standing open.

  Only when the car spun out of the driveway did Jakob breathe fully. He despised men like that, and not killing him had been difficult.

  Kate closed the door and stood with her back against it, biting her lip. "I'm sorry. I had no idea he would show up like that."

  "His idiocy isn't your fault. I doubt we've seen the last of him." Jakob closed in on her and bent to taste her lip, still swollen from his kisses. "I will never get tired of tasting you. Now, go get changed. I owe you a dinner, remember?"

  ***

  Vanquished to her room to change, Kate stood naked in front of her closet for the first time in years, debating what to wear. It had been a long time since she cared much what she looked like, but now she found herself torn. Everyday common sense Kate insisted on clean jeans and work shirt. Frivolous Kate, who was more than half in love with Jakob, wanted to look the part.

  In the interest of quieting any romantic tendencies, she pushed the jeans and shirts aside to reveal clothing from another lifetime, things she'd never expected to wear again. Only practicality had prevented her from throwing them out long ago. Dresses, blouses, skirts and slacks, the kinds of things a young woman might wear for fun or work.

  A lifetime ago, Kate actually thought she might have a life away from the ranch, in the city. College had been the start of that life, and with it, she'd learned to party and keep up with everyone else. Work at a small ad agency had seemed like a dream come true, until it turned sour. Coming home wounded, tail between her legs, had been one of the hardest things she'd ever done. Harder than the endless surgeries of her childhood. Harder than the hurtful words of other kids. But she immersed herself in the ranch and work, and healed, slowly but surely.

  And now it seemed she found herself with another chance at loving someone. Could she trust him? Or would he be the same as Will—truly only interested in her land and what he could do with it after he had a legal claim? On the heels of Trace's visit, the concern haunted her. Would any man ever want her for herself?

  Going forward seemed the only way to find out. Her gaze landed on a blue dress she'd bought on a whim and never worn. It had looked nice on her way back when, and should still fit. She slid it off the hanger and over her head. The silky fabric shimmered as it fell into place, hugging her curves. At her dresser, a light application of makeup and a simple twist to get her hair off her neck made her feel more feminine than she had in years.

  She really should wear heels to complete the look, but she preferred to remain upright. She settled for barefoot, since she no longer owned shoes suitable for the dress. Hopefully Jakob wouldn't think her a fool. With one last look at the strange woman in the mirror, she turned the light off and headed for the kitchen.

  At the door, she hesitated. What was she doing? Jakob would think her a fool the instant he saw her in that getup. She had to go change.

  Except her damn feet refused to turn, and instead carried her on into the kitchen. She froze, captivated by the sight before her.

  Jakob stood over her stove, a steaming pot before him. After a quick stir, he lifted the cutting board to scrape diced onions into the sizzling sauté pan. Tantalizing aromas filled the room. She must have made a sound, because he looked over his shoulder.

  His eyes darkened as he turned, wiping his hands on the kitchen towel he'd tossed across his shoulder
. "Kate." He approached as his gaze swept over her.

  She tried to move, but was powerless. He held her as still with his gaze as he could have with his hands.

  "Come sit. Talk with me while I fix your dinner." He took her hand and led her to the table.

  Sitting, she found her voice. "How did you do this? I specifically remember there was nearly nothing in the house to cook."

  The smile he gave her sent her pulse soaring. "I had a little help. I gave the hands a list of what I needed. They brought it a few minutes ago."

  A hint of embarrassment tried to find its way into her thoughts. The hands knew what she was doing. She stubbornly put the feeling down. It was none of their business, and so what? She was an adult, after all.

  "So tell me about Kate. What makes you tick?" He chuckled. "What kind of music do your normally listen to? Since I'm about to turn you into a Metallica fan."

  For twenty minutes they talked, asking and answering questions about one another. While they talked, Jakob cooked, and set the table, refusing her offers of help. Finally he asked for her CD player and brought the portable one to sit on the counter. As the music started, he set a steaming plate before her, and set his own opposite.

  He took his seat, and waited for her to take the first bite. "I hope you like it."

  The steak was grilled to perfection and incredibly tender, with sautéed onions and mushrooms, potatoes seasoned and roasted, and steamed green beans. It was delicious, but it really could have been dirt and she wouldn't have noticed.

  All that mattered was having him across the table while the music wrapped around them in a surprisingly relaxing cocoon. By the time her plate was empty, she couldn't recall anything they'd talked about, only the sound of his voice. The words weren't important.

  ****

  Impatience bit at Jakob. He relished the time spent getting to know Kate, but every part of him wanted nothing more than to make love to her again. Finally, she pushed her plate away. He didn't need any further encouragement.

  He stood and reached for her hand and drew her to her feet. God she was beautiful in that dress. "Ready?"

  "For what?"

  How the hell could he answer that without sounding like a pervert or an idiot? Instead of trying, he dipped his head to taste her lips. "I don't intend to be interrupted again, Kate." The doors were already locked up tight. "So if you've changed your mind, now's the time to tell me."

  She laced her arms around his neck. "And if you've decided you'd rather cut your losses, you'd better speak up."

  He'd planned to go slow and seduce her carefully and thoroughly. Something about the way she said those words put him on a reckless edge. Her sweet mouth softened under his, and responded without reserve. The silky fabric of her dress smoothed over her curves as he traced them in fascination.

  For the second time, he lifted her in his arms and stalked from her kitchen. Only this time, he headed for her bedroom, his mind racing with the memory of her sleeping in that big bed. At the door, he stopped in surprise. She'd left a light turned dim to cast a soft glow over the simple room and her bed had been turned back, waiting.

  He let her feet slip to the floor so he could pull her fully against him. Her soft sigh drew him back to her mouth for more of her secrets. The texture of that dress against his bare chest should have been illegal for the things it did to him and made him want. His hips rolled involuntarily, bringing his hard-on closer to her.

  She slipped her hands down his chest, leaving trails of fiery need in their wake. Her lips followed, sliding across his jaw, down his neck and over his chest. And just like that, she took charge, small hands opening his belt and using it for leverage to lead him across to her bed.

  Lips and teeth tantalized, nibbling and tasting, distracting. She dropped to her knees and pushed his jeans down over his hips. Jakob drew a ragged breath and fisted his hands at his sides, torn between wanting her to go on and needing to take control.

  Strong fingers slipped around his shaft and his head fell back. The first touch of her lips on his hard-on threatened to undo him entirely. She opened for him to slip into her mouth, tearing a savage groan from him and forcing his hands into her hair.

  "God, Kate, you have to stop." The words sounded garbled with his teeth gritted, but he had to say it. Somehow, he gathered the strength to pull back and drew her to her feet again. "Time for your lovely dress to go." He bent to devour her mouth while he worked that silky dress up. God, she was naked underneath. He paused long enough to pull it over her head and let it fall to the floor.

  Turning with her in his arms, he let them both fall on the bed. A little luck let him use momentum to carry them both to center of the bed. He hesitated a moment. He wanted to taste her but already his cock sought her entrance, unwilling to give him the time.

  She brought her legs around his hips, taking the decision away. He slid into her, already trembling with the need to drive them both beyond the edge of reason. A thought chased through his mind, just before his brain shut down and instinct took over.

  There could be no other woman for him.

  ****

  I hope you've enjoyed this Bonus Chapter to Big Game: Hunted Love #1. Kate and Jacob's story will continue in a future Hunted Love release. If you have a moment, I'd appreciate your honest review of Big Game on Goodreads.com, or where you purchased your copy. For updates about the Hunted Love series, and the other books I have planned, visit my website at www.adenlowe.com.

  About the Hunted Love Series:

  What happens when a hunter is blindsided by love? No matter their preferred prey, hunters quickly zero in on what they want and go after it with single-minded determination. When love suddenly hits their radar, they do whatever it takes for a successful hunt. Whatever. It. Takes.

  Watch for Bounty: Hunted Love #2

  Bounty hunter Falon Harris is asked to go after outlaw biker Tom Kellen and tracks him to where he's hiding out in a small town in KY, laying low and waiting for the heat to pass. Rita James operates a busy tavern/grill and occasionally rents out the little camper trailer on her back lot. Figuring the Backwoods is the most logical place to watch for Kellen, Falon rents the trailer for a week. The first night, while he's having dinner and watching everything, Kellen shows up and starts giving Rita a hard time. The bartender puts a stop to it that time, but Falon gets the idea it's happened before. Knowing Kellen's past, he knows the biker won't take no for an answer for long.

  And don't forget…

  Pick up your copies of the Dom Wars series, co-authored with Lucian Bane and available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.