by Lowe, Aden
Finally, he came and dropped down beside Kate and rolled onto his back. "It's been a minute since I put more than an hour at a time in the saddle. I almost forgot how painful it can be after a while."
His groan of misery drew a smile from Kate even if she would have preferred to be annoyed with him. "It is unique, for certain."
"The closest I've come to it since leaving home is a few endless hours crossing rough so-called plains in the back of a beat-up old pickup."
"What were you doing?"
Her question immediately changed his face from smiling and almost relaxed to tense and closed-off. "I was working for a defense contractor at the time. The Taliban decided they really wanted to ask me some questions I preferred not to answer."
"Taliban? Why were you in Afghanistan?"
Green eyes, gone almost gray in the softened light under the willows, watched her through a fringe of dark lashes, as if he were deciding how much he could trust her. "I was investigating claims locals had made regarding a group of this contractor's operators. Uncle Sam prefers his employees not be in league with the opposition. Someone blew my cover and I had to get out fast." He closed his eyes, like slamming the door on a nightmare, and slowly reopened them. "Your turn. What happened?" He gestured toward the general vicinity of her left leg.
Kate's chest froze up, just like it always did when anyone asked. How much of it could she trust him with, if any? But he'd answered her, given at least a sanitized version of the events. Could she do any less? "Our car was hit by a drunk driver when I was a baby. My mom was killed. By the time I was eighteen, I had more than three dozen surgical procedures, and almost two dozen actual open surgeries, on my hip and leg. They wanted to do more but I refused. Haven't gone to a doctor since. They predicted I would never walk independently, and I'm not supposed to do anything that will stress the old breaks and surgical sites."
"Yet you're out here? Doing all this?"
"That I am." Kate let her head fall back, prepared for the coming lecture.
"Cool."
She waited for him to say more. And waited. Cool? That was it? "What do you mean, cool?"
He looked at her from under that fringe of lashes again. "I mean it's cool you don't let anyone else set your limits."
Well, that was a first. And it left her at a loss for how to react. Instead, she changed the subject. "So, I take it you haven't hunted for a while?"
"A little while. I enlisted right out of school, and turns out, I have a knack for languages and I'm good at improvising. I got tapped for a special mission, and more followed. Next thing I know, I'm right in the middle of it, hot on the tail of a high-value target. But lately I've been homesick a lot, and my tour is up. I was taking leave to decide whether to re-up or not, but Uncle Frank died before I got home. Your call caught me trying to figure out what do with his animals." He fell silent and closed his eyes, leaving her to wonder if he'd fallen asleep.
Only one way to find out. "So why are you here?"
His mouth curved up in a slight smile. "Taking advantage of time alone to think. Back home there are constant reminders of what I left, and why. On post there are all the reminders and responsibilities of my duty. I needed to be away from both, and anyone or anything else."
"And I invited myself along and put a real cramp in your plans." No need to make it a question. There was no doubt.
He quirked one shoulder in a half-shrug. "That might not be a bad thing." He patted the ground at his side. "Kick back and rest a few. Once we close on that cat, there won't be time to relax."
True. And the thick cushion of grass did look comfortable. Kate scooted around to the spot he'd indicated, and lay back. Only once she was actually lying down, did she stop to consider why she might have followed his direction so closely. The grass where she'd been sitting was equally thick and comfortable, and she could see the animals clearly. It made no sense, since normally she would have just lain back where she sat. Well, she was there now, no sense moving just to prove a point.
"How long do you plan on resting?" Stupid question, Kate. Since when did silence bother her? Ridiculous. Studiously staring directly up into the tree to avoid looking in his direction was probably something like ridiculous too, but she wasn't sure quite what.
"I don't know, maybe an hour. Long enough to let the horses cool down and graze a little, and drink their fill. I'm not sure what the graze and water situations will be over the next few days." His voice held a drowsy note and tempted her to at least glance in his direction.
When she did, the first thing to impact her was the unique leaf green shade his eyes had gone. He'd turned to his side, facing her, and wore a smile that made her heart do some kind of fluttery gymnastics. She should probably say something, but for the life of her, couldn't think of anything that made sense.
"You're used to this? Spending days on the trail?" Jakob plucked a slim blade of grass and spun it in his fingers, fascinating her.
"Somewhat. We still do a lot of things the old-fashioned way. Someone rides line once a month to check all the water and make sure the pumps are working right. Someone else drifts along the edges of the property every few weeks, making sure the fences are holding and watching for trouble. We do roundup in the fall and move the horses to winter pasture, closer to the main ranch." Talking about the operations of the ranch was easy, and didn't require much in the way of thinking. Which freed her mind up to wander a little more about Jakob, mostly things best left un-wandered.
The blade of grass twirled in his fingers for a moment before he brought it to trail along her forearm, tickling briefly and withdrawing. "Tell me more. The mare you're riding. She's way more than run of the mill cowhorse."
Kate smiled. At least he knew quality horseflesh when he saw it. "Southern Sunrise. Sunny. World Champion Cutting Mare, three years in a row. Then a torn tendon took her out of the arena. These days she's chilling and putting on a little weight to get ready to be a momma."
"You got the lucky fella picked out already?" The blade of grass made another trip across her forearm, long enough to tempt her into a half-assed grab for it before he chuckled and withdrew it.
"Narrowed down to two candidates." Another transgression from the blade of grass. Another grab, a bit more serious. "My neighbor owns one of them, but the stud fee is too high, so I'll probably go with the other." Yet another lick of the grass pushed her for a real grab, which Jakob easily avoided.
"What's too high for a future champion?"
"A wedding ring." Kate turned to face him. "The asshole is demanding I marry his son."
The blade of grass returned, this time to play along her cheekbone. "Would that be so bad?"
The grass wasn't easy to ignore, but she managed it. "It would. The son is a troll, some sort of lawyer, full of plans to develop all the ranches here. Mini-estates, he calls them. Where the well-to-do can own a part of the heritage of the Old West." Annoyance got the better of her suddenly and she made an aggressive grab for the grass.
Only to find her wrist pinned in that iron grip again. Jakob's eyes had gone dark with some emotion she didn't recognize. Whatever it was made her heart pound in a mixture of fear and anticipation. He stared at her mouth with intense focus.
"Kate?"
"Yes?"
"I'm going to kiss you now."
Before she could think he leaned forward and over her, pausing with his lips just a hairsbreadth from hers, as if offering her a chance to refuse him. She waited, silent, watching him close the distance.
The first brush of his lips across hers sent an explosion of sensation rocketing through her. Seemingly encouraged by her lack of resistance, he increased the pressure and brought his hand to the back of her head to lace through her hair.
Her eyes refused to stay open, despite her wish to watch him and record every detail. He sighed a little and flicked his tongue across her lower lip and startled a gasp from her. Mind-bending tension swept over her as he leaned further in, bearing her shoulders to the gro
und and tasted her lip again.
Gentle teeth pulled at her lip and he slid closer to bring his body half over her. "Beautiful Kate, I wanted to taste you the moment I saw you." Taking advantage of her surprise again, he slid his tongue across the delicate flesh inside her lower lip, and then against her teeth until she parted for him.
A groan, almost familiar sounding, rumbled through him as he plundered her mouth, allowing her to keep nothing from him. The world rocked around her at the amazing rasp of his tongue across hers.
God in Heaven, how had she existed twenty-eight years without experiencing that? Her entire body quivered against him, in search of something more.
One of the horses stomped and snorted, breaking the spell and the kiss. Jakob drew back only far enough to rest his forehead against hers, breathing hard. "Woman you are a puzzle. A very sweet puzzle I fully intend to solve."
Chapter Nine
Jakob adjusted his seat yet again in a vain attempt to ease the pressure of his hard-on against his jeans. Much to Ajax's displeasure, he'd reined the big horse back to allow Kate and Sunny to take the lead. The original intent had been pure. Since Kate knew the land, it followed she would also know the best route to where her man had found the dead horses. However, within seconds, his purpose devolved into a purely selfish desire to study the way the saddle hugged the perfect curve of Kate's gorgeous ass.
What the hell was he thinking? Chasing after a woman when he was supposed to be deciding the course of his future. If he'd had a brain, other than the one in his cock, he'd have insisted she stay safely at home where she belonged. But something about the beautiful Kate beckoned to him, some irresistible quality. He hoped he didn't regret allowing her to come along.
He also had to be careful of her emotions. She was hardly some stripe chaser, working her way up through the ranks at the local off-post club. Kate was altogether different from any woman he'd ever encountered, a strange mix of innocence and experience that drew him like a moth to flame. Maybe he'd better be careful of his own emotions, too.
Ahead, the mare topped a small rise and Kate rose in the saddle to gain a couple of inches perspective as she surveyed the way ahead of them. Jakob had little interest in what she saw. Instead, the way the snug denim of her jeans molded to her hips and thighs held him mesmerized.
How the hell was he supposed to hunt a lion when he couldn't look away from a shapely ass? If he had half a brain, he'd have taken what she freely offered back there at the stock tank, and got her off his mind. But no, he had to be a nice guy and go easy and slow in consideration of her seeming innocence. Hell, she could probably teach him a thing or two.
The thought of Kate having that sort of experience, of another man touching her, created a vague knot in his chest. He'd far rather imagine her as virginal and untouched, waiting for him to be her Prince Charming. Damn, he had it bad.
The hours passed, and much to his shame, Jakob barely noticed. Rather than become tired of watching her, he became more fascinated with each new detail he discovered. The way her hair escaped the twist she'd tucked under her hat to curve around the tender skin at the nape of her neck. Her ability to communicate her wishes to her horse with the slightest shift of her weight in the saddle or movement of her leg. In fact, he could probably study her every moment for a year and still not know everything about her he needed to learn.
The sun rode low on the horizon when Kate finally called a halt. Dismounted, she waited for him to close the distance and join her on the ground. When he approached her from behind, his hands ached to test the curve of the ass he'd watched all those hours.
"Over there is where Brady found Chaser's remains." She pointed to a small outcropping shaded with scraggly brush. "He must have been injured or sick. I just don't see a cougar being able to take him in normal circumstances, or even trying to."
Jakob wrestled his thoughts away from how Kate's neck might taste to the problem at hand, figuring out how and why a mountain lion would attack a stallion in his prime, and manage to bring such prey down. A young or inexperienced horse wouldn't pose much problem, but a stallion ready to fight to protect his herd? Not likely.
"Wait here. I'm going to take a look and see if there's any sign still here." With no hesitation, Jakob drew the .44 Smith & Wesson that rode on his hip. He intended to tranquilize the cat and fit it with a radio transmitter so Fish & Wildlife could monitor it, and then harass it until it decided to move on. However, that did not mean he was up for taking ridiculous chances.
Paying particular attention to the high ground and any points of concealment, he combed the area for sign, and found a crapload of it. The ground was torn all to hell, telling of an epic battle. Several horses had moved through, meandering and grazing at first, then bolting. The stallion's tracks were distinctive both for their size and because he'd favored his right hind.
He found where the cat had lain in ambush atop a slightly larger outcropping than the first, and the scene played out in his mind. The horses had come within range, and the lion quickly calculated the easiest kill, adjusted his position, and leapt. The horse had fought ferociously, but in the end, couldn't overcome the crushing jaws and slashing claws.
Jakob climbed back up to the top of the outcropping and took a good look around. The location seemed like a favorite, with the ground cover worn away where the cat had lain under the fringe of brush. The scent of heavy musk permeated the place, suggesting a male cat. Nothing he spotted seemed a likely spot for a den, but he didn't expect to find that anyway.
He climbed back down and returned to where Kate waited with the animals. Ajax picked up the scent of the cat on him and tossed his head, not happy about it. Jakob calmed him with a hand to his neck and some soft words. The horse was a veteran of many hunts, but he still preferred to keep his distance from the predators. Couldn't blame him.
"Is there a water source or good spot to camp within a mile or so?"
Kate nodded. "Cherry Creek is a mile and a half to the west. There's a good sheltered area there to camp, too. The hands use it regularly when they're over this way."
"Let's head over there, then, and get some rest. We'll come back here first light and get the dogs casting for a trail." He swung up on Ajax, letting the horse fidget for a moment. Just like old times, the bastard had gone all day and was still fighting for more. He'd missed that feeling, the way the horse dropped his haunches and engaged the turbo boosters to fly across even the roughest terrain. No other breed could duplicate that thrill.
Kate took the lead again and led them along a low ridge for a short distance, then dropped to a valley where Jakob spotted the ribbon of brush and trees that signaled a stream. The horses were eager to leave the scent of mountain lion far behind and moved quickly, so the distance closed fast. A well-used trail led down to the creekside and ended on broad gravel bar that merged into ankle deep water.
Kate swung down at the edge of a narrow strip of grass. "It's not a lot of graze for this many horses, but it'll work for a night or two, and there's room to tether them all close by."
Jakob looked around critically, and couldn't find anything wrong with the site. The small copse of trees along the creek would serve as a windbreak, but they shouldn't need that anyway. The horses could stay in a loose group and still graze, and the hounds would be comfortable too. He swung down and led the pack animals over to where a well-established firepit waited, with a small supply of firewood piled to the side.
He lifted the heavy packs off the horses and arranged them in a semi-circle to act as a sort of border for the side of the camp away from the creek, and Kate did the same with her horses, and reinforced the makeshift wall with the saddles. He stopped a moment, just to watch her. He'd never set up a hunting camp with anyone other than his Uncle Frank, and the experience was a just a bit unsettling.
She glanced up and caught him watching her and froze. "Am I doing something wrong?"
"Of course not. I was just…" Probably not a smart move to tell her he'd been com
paring her to his uncle. "I was remembering how you taste."
Her cheeks flamed in a charming blush before she looked back to her task. Something vulnerable in the set of her shoulders warned him to proceed carefully. But now that the thought of how she tasted had been resurrected, he was powerless to resist going to her.
She straightened and faced him, eyes wide. There must be a million things he should be doing other than this, but for the life of him, he couldn't imagine what they were. The only thing that mattered at the moment was tasting her again.
He didn't stop until his chest nearly touched hers and still she didn't back down. One hand rose of its own volition and pushed her hat back until it toppled to the ground and her hair slid down around her shoulders. And still she stood her ground.
The only sign of nervousness came when the tip of her tongue slipped over her lower lip. "Just so you know, I intend to have you. Soon." The words dragged themselves from him before he could stop them.
Kate's eyes flared wide and when she opened her mouth to say something, he struck, leaning in to claim her lips before she could say anything he didn't want to hear. She could have pulled away at any instant, but she stood firm and accepted his kiss.
Chapter Ten
Why the hell did she just stand there and let him ravish her mouth? He only touched her with his mouth, not holding or forcing her by any stretch of imagination. And yet nothing could have made her move away from him. Not even his warning.
Every fiber of her being wanted to surrender, to lean into him and have him put his arms around her and kiss her for real. Yet if he got any more real, she wouldn't survive it.
A low sound rumbled through him and he dropped his hands to her waist, his fingers searing through her shirt. He drew back a little, just enough to prompt her to meet him more than halfway. And like some kind… Well, like someone else, she followed, practically begging for more.