Hunter (HC Heroes Series Book 8)

by Donna Michaels

  Oh, God…

  “You mean…?” she managed to croak out. “You want a child?”

  “Yes.” He nodded, smiling, his gaze warm…and hopeful. “Another one.”

  Stef and Rylee sniffed I unison.

  Hunter was including Dillan. Claiming Dillan, and that was her undoing.

  She slid her arms around him and hugged tight, uncaring that it hurt her bruised ribs and back because her heart was soaring, filled with so much happiness she wasn’t sure it would remain in her chest.

  Perhaps she needed a heart tattoo as well.

  The apartment door opened, and Dillan came rushing in ahead of Mel, and as he rounded the sectional, he caught sight of Hunter and immediately barreled right to him. “Hunter! It was you! You saved me from da bad guys!” His little face puckered. “Are dey gone?”

  She watched Hunter draw back and stare into Dillan’s face. “Yes, buddy. They’re gone. They won’t hurt you or your mommy anymore.”

  Dillan smiled, looking from Hunter, then back to her. “See? I told you he was a superhero!”

  Her son was right.

  Hunter was definitely super and many, many other wonderful things.

  He was also her hero. Her super, special, from the shadows hero.

  If you enjoyed Hunter, please consider leaving a review. Thank you so much.

  There will be more HC Heroes novels coming soon! Keep an eye out for Sinjin’s book in 2021!

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  Are you are interested in reading Kade’s story? It was an award winner!

  HER UNIFORM COWBOY

  Part of the original Harland County Series

  Order Kade’s story HERE

  Turn the page to read the First Chapter of

  HER UNIFORM COWBOY

  Chapter One- HER UNIFORM COWBOY

  He left behind a fiancée and six-month old little girl…

  Try as he might, Kade Dalton couldn’t get that fact out of his head. He’d lost a soldier during his last deployment with the Texas Army National Guard. And that soldier had had dependents.

  He failed.

  Grumbling a curse, he slammed his mug on the counter and strode for the back door. Just because he was up before the ass-crack of dawn, didn’t mean he had to wake the whole ranch. Not that the household wouldn’t be up in a while anyway. His cousin, Kevin, usually left early for his commute to Houston for his vice president job at McCall Enterprises. Jen, Kevin’s sister, would be up soon too, thanks to her four-year old son, Cody. And her husband, Brock, had Shadow Rock, the Dalton family ranch to manage. But even though they would all be up soon, Kade quietly closed the door before heading to the stables. He had no desire for his family to realize how poorly he slept, or worse, to start his day with a lecture.

  Yes, he knew it wasn’t his fault the soldier had died.

  He was just doing his job.

  These things happen.

  It’s unfortunate, but a part of war.

  Well, not on his watch. Not during his three previous deployments. Christ. He was the First Sergeant on the last two tours. He was responsible for the soldiers under his command. Therefore, I was responsible for the man’s…

  Kade closed his eyes and inhaled while he worked to get his mind out of Afghanistan and rejoin his body back in the states. The scent of dirt and manure mixed with the fragrance of roses from a nearby trellis.

  Home.

  Still somewhat cool, the early June morning air felt good on his heated skin. Another deep breath rushed through his lungs. He was home where he belonged. In Harland County, Texas. On Shadow Rock Ranch. His Guard family—minus one—was home where they belonged. He had people here who depended on him. Animals that depended on him. A community that depended on him.

  Every morning he told himself this.

  Every morning he got out of bed and went to work.

  Every damn morning he felt like screaming.

  And that...Pissed. Him. Off.

  He wasn’t weak. Hated being weak. Almost as much as he hated being on edge. And he was on edge. Ever since that damn day.

  Gravel groaned a muffled protest under his two-hundred-pound stride. Keeping busy was the key. So, he helped out around the ranch. Worked with the horses. Went to auctions discerning which would make good stock horses. And being on edge was the main reason he’d agreed to take over the sheriff’s position when the former one had approached him with the offer to finish out the man’s term.

  Harland County Sheriff?

  Not something Kade had ever aspired to be. No. He liked horses and ranching and giving up one weekend a month and two and half weeks a year to Uncle Sam in the Guard. Never had Kade ever thought about being a sheriff. Yet, here he was, decked out in the tan uniform, weapons belt, badge and hat. Been that way for the past month. Harland County was fairly quiet, mostly rural, not much crime going on. Still, the extra job helped with his edginess.

  So did sex.

  Hell yeah. But his mutually agreed upon one-nighters had ceased once he’d accepted the badge. Didn’t seem right. And looking for a relationship was out of the question. He wasn’t about to stick some poor woman with his sorry ass. Hell no. Not until he got through some issues. Besides, relationships involved sharing more than a body, and his heart was off limits. Closed off. Locked up tight. In fact, no woman had ever reached his heart in over two decades. If it wasn’t for the way he felt about his family and friends, Kade would question if he even possessed one.

  Bypassing his truck, he headed for the stable on the far right. The quiet stable. The one which housed the abused and abandoned horses. Currently, there was only one. Thank God. That meant most of his fellow Texans were taking their ownership responsibilities of the magnificent creatures seriously. Horses weren’t toys you could ride whenever you fancied. They weren’t pets you paid attention to occasionally. They required work, maintenance, human touch and…

  Son-of-a-bitch, he was edgy again. Nothing pissed him off more than a neglected or abused animal.

  Stepping inside, he sucked in air heavy with the smell of more dirt and manure, but this time laced with the sweet scent of hay. The combination instantly calmed, took off some of that damn edge, and he headed to the first stall.

  For several years now, he enjoyed working with the local vet to nurse the horses in this stable back to health. He’d made it Shadow Rock’s practice to volunteer the stable to the Humane Society. It was a project of his, one he hoped to expand in the future. Now that he was more than likely home permanently, he needed to draw up plans to—

  Sweet mother of Texas…

  He stopped dead at the entrance.

  …that is a beautiful sight to behold.

  Bent over, lightly rubbing down one of the horse’s legs was a local designer. A beautiful transplant from Pennsylvania. God, she was curvy and hot, and he wondered if she felt as soft as she looked. Something he would’ve discovered within the three months he’d known the woman if it weren’t for two things. One, Brandi Wyne was not a one-night stand, and two…she had an aversion to the military.

  The fact she was the only woman to spark part of him to life with just her mere presence didn’t sit well with Kade. Hell no. So you’d think he’d be able to order his legs to slowly back out of the stall before being seen by the sexy woman whose big brown eyes, full of warmth and understanding, sucked him into a false vortex of hope. But no. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward like a complete idiot.

  Seems his legs took orders from a body part due south of his brain.

  Without his permission, his gaze ran down to her battered boots then back up, noting strategic creases in her well-worn jeans where they hugged her long, lean legs and mouthwatering ass.

  What he wouldn’t give to be those jeans…

  About the same time that thought flashed through his fogged mind, the designer stiffened
and slowly straightened. Awareness zinged around them, overloading the air with so much energy the poor horse shifted her stance in agitation.

  Damn. The last thing he wanted was to spook the abused mare.

  Intending to ask the woman to step away from the horse, he got as far as opening his mouth, but not a damn sound came out when she turned and glared at him, gaze full of pure venom.

  He was the one to take a step…backward.

  “You,” she snapped, jabbing a finger at him while she marched forward, hair bouncing around her shoulders in a flurry of sun-streaked caramel waves. “How could you? I would expect this kind of behavior from someone irresponsible. Not you. Wow. This…this is unforgivable.”

  Stopping in front of him, she inhaled, her rant obviously not over. And damn, he wished he knew when he’d lost contact with his tongue because it was not taking orders from his brain at the moment. No, the only part of his foolish body responding was still in the southern region.

  “You know what? I’m calling the police.” She shoved a hand in her pocket and came out with her phone. “Oh, wait…” Snorting, she turned in a circle, arms flailing. “Can’t do that. They’d only send me you!”

  He watched as the phone made its way back into her pocket with an angry thrust before the designer advanced closer. Kade backed up, leading the crazy woman out of the stall and away from the nervous horse. Half of him wanted to set the beauty straight, the other half wanted to set her against the wall, press into her luscious curves and put her delectable lips to better use.

  He did neither.

  “Well?” she asked, hands jammed on her hips, head tipped back, chest heaving.

  His gut took an invisible blow. Damn…the woman was gorgeous.

  “Well?” she asked again. “What do you have to say for yourself? This is inexcusable. How could you? Did it make you feel like a big boy, treating such a beautiful creature that way? Huh? Did it? Seriously, who do you think you are?” the banshee continued, not giving him a chance to speak. “You think because you’re in the Guard or because you’re the sheriff you can do what you please? Well, you can’t. You’re not going to get away with this. You hear me? You’re accountable for your actions just like everyone else, mister.” She pressed closer, her heaving chest now brushing his in tantalizing bursts with each indrawn breath. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

  He cleared his throat and managed to get his tongue to cooperate. “She’s not mine.”

  Okay, not the best of explanations, but hell, he didn’t owe any.

  “Of course, you’d try…wait…what?”

  Brown eyes blinked up at him, confusion clouding the fire.

  “The horse isn’t mine,” he repeated. “The Humane Society brought her in yesterday.”

  More blinking.

  “Oh.” Her shoulders relaxed. “You’re housing her?”

  He nodded, anger starting to heat his blood. “She’ll be here until she’s healthy again, and the vet releases her.”

  “That’s so sweet.”

  Tears filled the woman’s eyes before she flung herself at him and crushed his body with her curves. The beauty’s about-face made his head spin.

  On any normal day, he would’ve been pleased, damn pleased to have her fulfill a fantasy that had been running through his brain for months.

  Him.

  Her.

  No air between their bodies.

  But this morning was far from normal, and he was far from pleased.

  Grasping her shoulders, he set her away from him. “Yeah, imagine that, a National Guardsman and sheriff who’s sweet. You must be mistaken.” He released her, fished the reflective sunglasses out of his shirt pocket and shoved them on his face. “Good day, ma’am.”

  Warm fingers curled around his bicep and pulled hard.

  “Kade, wait. Look, I’m sorry. I really am.”

  He halted and turned to face the clinging designer. “Fine. Duly noted.”

  “No.” She frowned. “It’s not fine. I accused you of something horrible, and I was wrong. I’m sorry.”

  Shit. Tears were filling her eyes again.

  “I think it’s wonderful that you help out the Humane Society.”

  He did more than that, but he wasn’t about to enlighten the crazy woman. “Thanks.” His tone gave away his less than sincere thoughts, but he didn’t care. He was ticked off. Damn high-n-mighty Pennsylvanian.

  “Why are you so sensitive? I said I was sorry.”

  “Why indeed.” He stepped closer then stalked the frustrating Yankee when she backed up. “Tell me, Ms. Wyne.” He didn’t stop until her back hit the front of a stall. “There are several other people who live on this ranch, did any of them cross your mind as being the culprit?”

  Eyes round, she swallowed and slowly shook her head.

  Kade bit back a curse. “Figures.”

  He stepped away, and then changed his mind. Grasping the spokes on either side of her head, he pulled himself in and stared into her widening brown eyes. “Just what the hell is your problem with me, lady?”

  She drew in a breath, her luscious mouth opening as if to respond; the action brought their bodies in contact in a hell of a delectable way. And son-of-a-bitch, if his body didn’t overrule his mind and take over the interrogation. Tightening his grasp on the bars, he pressed closer, rejoicing in her hitched breath and the way she trembled against him.

  “Well?”

  “I…” She swallowed, blinked a few times, then asked, “Wh-what was the question again?”

  Damned if he knew. Christ, he was lucky to remember his own name with her soft curves brushing him, pulling him out of himself, busting his restraint, making his need a number one priority. And he never put himself first. Ever.

  But when her hungry gaze dropped to his mouth, all bets were off. He had to know. Had to taste her.

  With a curse on his lips, he bent lower, his attention pulled to the mouthwatering cleavage peeking out from the rounded neck of her brown T-shirt. Absently noting how the color matched her darkening gaze, he was about to finally get a taste of her sweet lips...

  The loud snorting of a horse broke through his fogged brain.

  Glancing through the bars, he caught sight of the skinny mare shifting its weight on sadly neglected hoofs. The same horse the woman melting into him accused him of abusing not ten minutes earlier.

  Shit. With a jerk, he released the stall and stepped back.

  What the hell was wrong with him? His lack of self-respect was disturbing. The designer, although sexy as sin, was off limits. A no-touch zone. Her opinion of him was too poor to ignore.

  Setting his shoulders, he stared down at the blinking woman. “I have work to do.”

  Not waiting for a reply, Kade stepped around her and into the stall with the female that needed him, and away from the one his body mistakenly thought it needed.

  ***

  Brandi Wyne had come to accept she had good days and bad days. Today was starting out to be a bad day. A very bad day. Dammit. Why did her brain take a hike whenever Sheriff Kade Dalton appeared? Was it his strong, can-do, capable attitude? Thickly lashed, mesmerizing gray gaze? Tall, broad, deliciously muscled body? Lips that curled when he smiled? The sexy hollow between his square jaw and high cheekbones?

  Oh, I don’t know. Hello…maybe all of the above?

  Turning, she sighed and grabbed the bars still warm from his touch. Maybe it was his voice. She watched as he carefully approached the nervous mare, talking softly but firmly while he reached out to gently stroke the creature’s neck.

  Brandi shivered. Yeah, definitely his deep, sexy voice.

  The horse stepped closer to the sheriff/cowboy/soldier and gave a soft whinny. Was it wrong to wish she could change places with the mare and be the one his big, strong hand currently stroked?

  Another shiver raced to her toes.

  Well, if she’d stop stuffing her mouth with her foot whenever the gorgeous guy was around, then maybe she’d hav
e a shot at replacing the horse. Or at the very least, avoid tripping and falling on her face, making a big fool of herself.

  Okay, she may be stupid, but she wasn’t dumb. Before the debacle at the Harland County Fair back in April, she’d received many interested glances from the cowboy. Many. And she’d returned every last one.

  Even now, her heart raced at the thought of enjoying one of her friend’s stuffed strawberries with the man. Kerri Masters had handed her the decadent dessert while Kade’s best friend, Connor, had called him over to help her share the confection. A whole swarm of mutant butterflies had invaded her stomach, and she’d been so excited to finally kiss the sexy, gray-eyed cowboy she’d been flirting with for weeks.

  Until he’d approached wearing a National Guard uniform.

  It’d felt as if she’d stepped on a rake. A really big one. With both feet. At mach speed.

  Still, there’d been many a night she’d lain awake imagining what it would’ve been like to lick strawberry juice from his sexy bottom lip.

  Great. Now she was hot in all the right places. But for the wrong guy.

  Her gaze took in the horse-whispering man. Why did he have to be in the military? Wasn’t owning a horse ranch and being the sheriff enough? Okay, that wasn’t fair. Kade, no doubt, made a great First Sergeant.

  One thing she’d observed over the past few months was how the man helped anyone, no matter how big or small the problem. He always put others first. And now that she had a moment of clarity, she realized how utterly stupid it had been to accuse him of animal abuse. He was a good man. A good sheriff. And despite what he may think, she really had nothing against the military. Heck, she wouldn’t have joined the Guard at eighteen if she had, and if it weren’t for…

  She gave her head a quick shake to dispel the worn-out thoughts. That was the past. And unimportant. Only the here and now mattered. New job. New state. New friends. Brand new beginning, and Brandi was bound and determined to do the things she wanted to do. And she was, and was enjoying life for the first time in far too long. No more taking orders. She was in charge now.