Hunter's Find

by June Kramin

  “Let me down.”

  He gently placed her on the floor. He pulled up his jeans as she pulled down her skirt. Her eyes fell to her shirt, and she cursed at the two wet spots now on it. “Dammit.” She pulled her shirt off and threw it to the floor. “I’ve leaked through every shirt I brought.”

  Hunt stood dumfounded at how she could worry about a wet shirt at a time like this. She had a baby? Who the hell is the father?

  He walked into the bedroom where she was sitting on a chair, nursing the baby. The baby was bundled in a pink blanket; he assumed it was a girl. He was a great detective that way.

  “You had a baby?”

  “Eight weeks ago yesterday.”

  “I take it you don’t love the father, or we wouldn’t have done what we did.”

  “Wrong, Hunt. It’s about time I admit to myself that I do love her father very much. I just have thought for the past several months that he didn’t care for me.”

  “And you made this decision when you were fu—” he glanced down at the baby. Even at two months old, he didn’t want to swear in front of her. “Humping me senseless?”

  “You always jump to the wrong conclusion first, Hunt. You always did and always will.”

  “What are you talking about, woman?”

  “Look at her. Just look at her, Hunt. See anything remotely familiar?”

  He closed the gap and stood close to Mandy and the baby. “No. What’s her name?”

  “Hannah. Look closer, Hunt.”

  He reached out and took the baby’s hand. She stopped nursing and looked up at him. Gripping his finger tight, she smiled at him. Her big brown eyes opened wide. His brown eyes.

  “Whoa. What is this, Mandy?”

  “She’s yours, Hunt.”

  “Mine?”

  “Mom was apparently ‘spot on’ when she guessed I was pregnant. I haven’t been with anyone else either. Don’t think it’s because pregnant ladies can’t pick up men. I’ve turned away my share. Let me tell you something. It wasn’t easy to do during the horny months either.”

  “There are horny months?”

  “You have no idea.” She turned the baby to switch breasts. Hunt watched in amazement as she nursed. “Never watched anyone nurse before?” He could only shake his head no.

  “It’s amazing. She’s really mine?”

  “Ours, Hunt. Please tell me you’re not going to be a raving lunatic again. I don’t think I could take it.” Tears began to form in her eyes.

  “Hey…” Hunt leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek then on the mouth. “Shhh…I can’t even put into words how I feel right now.”

  “Well I can.” Hunt looked up, worried at what was coming. “I was just given the okay for sex two weeks ago.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Hell yeah. In fact, when she goes down, I want some of that again.”

  Hunt smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. “This is a little late to ask, but should we be worried about this happening again? I stopped traveling with condoms months ago.”

  “I’m supposed to be okay while I’m nursing. I’m not worried. I never went unprotected before, Hunt. You have to know I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

  “I never did either. You have always brought out the devil in me.”

  “And the good apparently,” she said as she smiled down at the baby. Hannah had finished eating and was looking between the two of them.

  “Can I hold her?”

  “Of course. She needs to be burped. I’ll warn you, don’t aim her at any windows. They say breast fed babies don’t have as much gas, but she could probably put you to shame.”

  Within a few seconds, it was proven that Mandy didn’t lie. “That’s all the paternity I need. She’s mine,” Hunt said with a laugh. With the baby in one arm, he took Amanda in the other. “What now, Mommy?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I do. Marry me.”

  “Marry you? Up until half an hour ago, we thought we hated each other.”

  “Because we were idiots. I’ve wanted you every day. Every day we were together I fooled myself that I wasn’t in love with you. Even through everything that happened, I loved you every step of the way. I’m pissed off that you killed that bastard Gerard. I wanted to kill him for what he did to you. Stay with me, Mandy. Be my wife. Be Mrs. Sheriff of po-dunk. I love you. I’ve thought of nothing but you for months now. Please say you’ll stay here with me.”

  Another tear ran down her face as she nodded yes. As promised, when the baby went down for her nap, they made love again. Hunt was far gentler this time, but Mandy made it obvious she didn’t want him to be. She took over and tried to make up for the months of sex lost. Hunt took her breast in his mouth and was led into a choking fit by the blast of milk he didn’t expect.

  “Sorry, lover. Job hazard.”

  He laughed. “Makes me want cookies.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  As they lay tangled together, Hunt reached for the heart pendant she still wore. He opened it up. There was still a picture of Darci, but baby Hannah had joined her on the right side.

  “You could have told me the truth.”

  “That I was out to kill the son of a bitch? I don’t think so.”

  “I wouldn’t have opened with that, but I think we could have worked through it.”

  “Hunt, please don’t. You would never have let me go anywhere near them. They’d be back in New York and back to the same old tricks. Part of you will always view what I did as wrong. I actually can’t believe you lied for me.”

  “I love you, remember? Besides, I only partially lied. The bastard did horrible things to you. He had it coming one way or another.” He kissed her forehead and pulled her close. He wished more than anything that he could take away her being hurt by Gerard while he was unconscious. “I wanted to beat the crap out of Roy for giving us up. It was hard to do after he actually came through and rescued us.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it, Hunt. It’s history.”

  “It’s our history. What do we tell our grandkids when they ask how we met?”

  “We have a few years before we have to come up with something.” She yawned. “I’m exhausted. Will you stay?”

  “I’d like to see you try to throw me out.”

  “I could take you, and you know it,” she said through another yawn.

  She cuddled into his chest and Hunt held her tight. “Yeah, I do know it,” he whispered to deaf ears. Mandy was sound asleep. Hunt wished he could fall asleep as easily as she did. His mind was too busy racing. Part of him was worried there was someone out there still looking to cause Mandy harm. Even though Gerard’s father was long dead, there was always a never-ending trail of cousins in families like that, just looking for a reason to claim revenge. Hunt knew he could protect her. He finally drifted off to sleep dreaming of doing that. Him—only cooler and better accessorized, with weapons fitting of Roger Moore.

  Mandy woke up to an empty bed and sat up with a start. She looked over to the bedroom door as Hunt walked through with Hannah. “Hey,” she said as she scooted back, preparing to nurse.

  “I’m glad you’re up. I tried to occupy her, but I think she’s hungry.”

  “That’s a guarantee. She has her mother’s appetite.” She lowered the sheet and revealed her naked breasts and Hunt let out a whistle.

  “Hello, titty fairy. I noticed they were bigger last night but holy hell, Mandy. They fill up overnight?”

  “You could say that. It downright hurts some mornings.” Hannah fussed at hearing her mother’s voice and began to cry. Mandy reached her arms out. “Can’t keep the princess waiting.”

  “What’s her middle name?”

  Mandy smiled. “Blaine.”

  “Really?”

  “Really, Hunt. I loved you, you asshole. Of course I wanted you to be a part of her life somehow.”

  He crawled up the bed and sat next to them. “As much as I love it, we’ll have to change
it.”

  “Why?”

  “Because after we’re married, I don’t want her to be Hannah Blaine Blaine. They’ll call her bling bling or something.”

  Mandy laughed. “Okay. You get to give her a middle name.”

  “Can I think about it? You had nine months to pick out a name. I haven’t even had nine hours.”

  “Of course.” She leaned over and kissed him. “This is not at all how I expected this trip to go.”

  “You would have really left and not told me?”

  “I didn’t think I had a choice, Hunt. I wouldn’t have done it trying to be mean.”

  “I know.” There was something on Hunt’s mind, but he was afraid to say it. Mandy must have sensed it because she spoke first.

  “I know what you’re thinking, Hunt. I promise you, she’s yours.”

  “I wasn’t thinking anything like that.”

  “Yes you were. You’re worried that because Gerard raped me, he could be the father.”

  “Okay. It crossed my mind for a second. Would it matter if I said I didn’t care if I was the father or not?” He sat up so he could look at her. “I was finding it hard to understand the lengths you were going through when I thought we were after your daughter. I couldn’t imagine loving someone so much that you’d do anything to get them back and safe in your arms. The second I held Hannah, I felt that. I mean, how could I love something that much that I only knew for twenty seconds?” He stroked Hannah’s cheek and she stopped eating. Again she smiled at Hunt.

  “They tell me she’s too young to really be smiling, but I don’t buy it for a second. She loves you, too, Hunt. She knows you’re her daddy.”

  Hunt stood up and took the baby from Mandy. “You know I have no doubt. She has my eyes.”

  “He used a condom, Hunt.”

  “He what?”

  “He called me a filthy whore and used a condom. He didn’t want to get anything you might have given me. That’s what he said, anyway.”

  “Who would have thought the...” he paused and looked at Hannah again. This watching his mouth was going to be tough stuff. “Who would have thought the D—I—C—K—H—E—A—D would have had the smarts. I really am sorry, you know. No one should be treated like that. Ever.”

  “He wasn’t that rough.”

  “He hit you.”

  “I hit first.”

  “Doesn’t make it okay.”

  “No, but it sure made me feel better.”

  “I’ll never hit you, Mandy.”

  “I know, Hunt.”

  Hannah belched and added comedy relief to their serious conversation.

  “She nap soon?”

  “Almost right after she eats.”

  “Hot damn. Cookie and milk for breakfast.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  “This road looks familiar,” Mandy said as she drove with Hunt toward his house. He didn’t want her to fly back and get her things. He arranged for a mover to do it all. Mandy protested only slightly. She admitted she wasn’t looking forward to a flight with Hannah again so soon. She really hadn’t traveled well. Hunt took her explanation as the green light to take care of things. He was looking forward to spending the next eighty or ninety years taking care of things with the two of them.

  “It should look familiar. This is where you drove after you kidnapped me.”

  “It is!” She squealed as she took in the scenery. “Looks different in white.”

  “The snow isn’t here to stay yet.” He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You still going to love me when it’s ten degrees?”

  “I think you’ll find ways of keeping me warm.”

  He gave her hand a kiss. “Aaaaaand to the left…”

  “Oh, honey. It’s the pond where I almost killed you.” She pretended to wipe away a tear. “It’s so touching.”

  “Smartass. This isn’t just a tour down memory lane.”

  “You actually lived on this road? You never said anything.”

  “If I did, I certainly wouldn’t have said anything, but I didn’t. I do now, though. Correction. We do now.” He pulled into a driveway and Mandy brought her hand over her mouth.

  “You bought the farm?”

  “That I did,” he said with a big smile as he put his truck in park.

  “Not that I had the chance to see much of it, but I loved this house!”

  “I found the owner. He was anxious to unload it, actually. It needs work, so I bought it for a steal. He even threw in the old truck.”

  Mandy began to remove Hannah’s car seat, but Hunt stopped her. “I have her. You go on in.” She didn’t wait to be told twice. Mandy rushed in. When Hunt walked in, she was coming down the stairs.

  “It’s huge!”

  “What every man wants to hear.”

  “You nut. There are rooms everywhere. It’s gorgeous. Did you do much to it? I didn’t exactly get a tour of the upstairs when we were here last.”

  “I haven’t done anything to it. I’ve only been here for two months. It was cheap, but still a bitch to close. Inheritance issues and stuff.”

  Mandy walked over to him. “What made you do it, Hunt?”

  He put Hannah down and wrapped his arms around her. “Isn’t it obvious? I missed you, babe. If I couldn’t have you, I was going to make myself miserable and surround myself with everything that reminded me of you.”

  “You really are hopeless, Hunter Blaine.”

  “And I’m all yours.”

  Mandy looked down at Hannah. “And the baby is still asleep.”

  “You’re making up for those horny months, aren’t you?”

  “You bet I am. Now shut up and do me, Mr. Blaine.”

  “I love a woman that…” Hunt caught himself and grinned.

  “Yes. I do recall you liking a lot about women.” Mandy pulled him closer by the hips.

  “Only you from here on out. That’s a promise. I finally have you back. There’s no way in hell I’m messing this one up.”

  Hunt couldn’t get enough of looking at Mandy. He had almost forgotten how stunning she was. As they lay together naked in bed, he ran his hand gently down the side of her face and angled her chin up slightly to kiss her again.

  “You’re really making me sorry I stayed hidden.”

  “That’s my intention. I don’t want you away from me again for any length of time.”

  “I really should be in touch with the office. There has been no indication of anyone looking for me, but I’m not sure if it’s the smartest thing to move here.”

  “I don’t think anyone would attach you to me after all this time, but do what you need to. I mean what I said. You’re not leaving me again. If I need to relocate and change my name, we’ll do it.”

  Mandy propped herself up on her arm. “Really? You love this town, Hunt.”

  “What do I have here? Roy? My life is you and Hannah now. I can be a cop anywhere.”

  She snuggled into his chest. “This is so not what I expected at all.”

  “You think you would adjust to a mellow life after all you’ve been through?”

  “I welcome it with open arms.”

  Hunt held her tight and kissed the top of her head. “Will you tell me something?”

  “Is it something you think I don’t want to tell you?”

  “Maybe. I want to know about the night I found you.”

  “I figured you would have pieced that together long ago.” She tried to scoot back but he held her tight.

  “Don’t go anywhere. I’ve waited a long time for this.” He paused to kiss the top of her head again. “I figured it was Bennett and the other goons. I guess I’m wondering how you ended up in the bushes.” Mandy rested her cheek on his chest, but remained silent. “Are you searching for the right words, or are you trying to make up a convincing lie?”

  She sat upright. “I know you don’t have much to go on with me, Hunt, but I only lied when I had to. I don’t make it a habit, and I promise you—you don’t have
to ever worry about me lying to you.”

  “Do you want to tell me? It’s okay if you don’t.”

  “There’s really not much more than what you’ve figured out. They were on to me tailing them and seized me first chance they could. I let my stupid guard down for a second. They were taking me to the cabin, but I put up a fight.”

  “I’m well acquainted with that. You have your fiancé shaking in his boots. I don’t ever want to cross you.” He said it in jest, but the look on her face implied that she took it differently. “Hey. I’m teasing.”

  “I know. It’s just…it’s a past I want behind me. All of it, Hunt. I know I wouldn’t have met you without every detail that happened, but I want it to be left in our past. Please?”

  “Of course.”

  Hannah stirred. Mandy got out of bed and began to get dressed. “I took quite a beating in the car, but I was lucky and punched Bennett good in the nose then nuts. I bailed out of the car, and I guess hit my head on the sidewalk. I swear that’s the truth. They were doing probably sixty down that street. When I bailed out, I must have rolled into the bushes. You have to take my word on that. No more lies, Hunt. I promise you that much.”

  He walked over to her after pulling on his own jeans. He wrapped his hands around her waist and she snuggled into his chest again. “I trust you, Mandy. I only wish I could kill Bennett again for what he did to you.”

  Hannah’s stirring was now accompanied by a wailing that brought a halt to the hug. Hunt was satisfied…for now. The rest of the night they wandered through the house as Mandy explored every nook and cranny, discussing the possibilities of what to do with the space.

  “Screw the Menuscos. I love this house. We’re staying.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Hannah woke them both up at three a.m. She had a dry diaper, didn’t want to eat, and was completely inconsolable.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong,” Mandy said, almost breaking out into tears herself. “Maybe we should take her to the hospital.”