I fetched some plates and silverware from the kitchen cupboards and came back to find that Hunter had set out plates of country fried steak, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and green beans.
“Holy shit, is it Thanksgiving or something?”
Hunter smiled a little. “No, we just believe in eating three square meals down here in Texas.” He eyed me speculatively as he dished food onto plates for both of us. “I’m guessing it’s not the same in New York?”
I shrugged. “I like to watch my weight.” In truth, I was always on some diet, trying to slim down my curvy body so I could mingle with the body-shaming “it” crowd in the fashion industry. “But I guess if I were working on a ranch all day, I wouldn’t need to watch my weight.”
Hunter handed me a plate. “Don’t see how you need to watch your weight anyhow,” he said, sitting down to his own meal. “You look fine to me. Besides, most Southern men love their women with hips like honey . . . thick and sweet.”
“Why, thank you.” I wasn’t sure what to make of the compliment, so I simply sat down and ate in silence for a while.
“That was delicious,” I said finally, my plate practically licked clean. I didn’t usually finish all my food, but the meal had been so tasty, I couldn’t help myself.
Forget what I said about ranch work. Texas is definitely going to make me put on some pounds.
Hunter nodded, already halfway through seconds. “Leta’s cooking is the best for miles around,” he said. “I’ve missed eating her food.”
I frowned. “I thought you said she was your housekeeper?”
He nodded. “Yes, but there’s only one of her, and I own twenty ranches spread out across Texas. So, I don’t get to eat from her table very often.”
My jaw dropped. “You own twenty ranches?”
Hunter nodded. “My father was an ambitious man,” he said, pushing his now-empty plate back. He met my gaze with a flat stare, telling me there was no pride in the statement, only an admittance of fact. “He started with the ranch up here, where Leta works now, and eventually expanded all across Texas. We’re the largest provider of beef in the Lone Star State.”
“Wow.” I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling like an ass. “I guess that means you know a thing or two about ranching.”
Hunter raised a brow. “A few things.”
I sighed. “Look, I thought about what you’d said while you were gone, and I realize that . . . well . . .”
“Yes?” Hunter prompted, raising an eyebrow.
I scowled, angry with myself for feeling the need to capitulate to him. “You’re right. Maybe I don’t know shit about my great-uncle Daniel. I hardly even knew he existed, but it doesn’t change the fact that he was family. He must have been a good person since it’s clear that you loved him.” I folded my arms and stared out the window, out toward the overgrown pastures faintly visible in the moonlight. Man, there is a lot of work to do. “But I don’t want to be known as the bitch who tore down a good man’s legacy just to make a quick buck.”
Hunter smiled, a genuine expression of warmth softening his features. I caught my breath at the light in his gorgeous green eyes, and for a moment, I wished he was looking at me like that because he genuinely liked me.
Since when have I ever lusted after a man’s approval? Especially a damn cowboy?
Though I was no celebrity, I did work among them, and I was good-looking enough that men usually chased after me with little effort on my part. Even though it had been a while, a quick fling was never far away when I needed one, and as a career-driven woman, I never wanted more than that. Yet, looking at Hunter, who somehow threw off wholesome cowboy and sexy bad boy vibes all at the same time, I suddenly felt the need to impress.
This makes it all the more important for me to get rid of him . . . fast.
“You know, I do appreciate your willingness to help and all, but it’s going to take at least a couple of weeks to get this ranch into any kind of shape,” I said, wheels turning in my mind. “And I’m sure, with twenty ranches to manage, you can’t possibly have the time—”
“Are you trying to weasel out of this already?” Hunter demanded, his brows drawing together. “Because I can assure you, I have no issue with making the time for this. My ranches are fully operational and can stand to lose me for a few weeks.”
“No, I’m not saying that,” I said quickly, putting up my hands. “I’m just thinking . . . what if I try to sell the ranch off as-is to someone who really wants to use it as a working ranch and is willing to fix it up and take care of it?”
Hunter frowned. “I suppose you could try to do that . . . but with the state it’s in right now, you’d get chump change for it. It would be much better for you to fix it up first. But I think you’re underestimating just how much profit this ranch could turn for you if you kept it in good shape.”
“Oh, yeah?” I folded my arms and sat back in my chair. “Well, why don’t you enlighten me?”
Hunter named a figure, and my jaw dropped.
“Shit! Is that per month?”
Hunter laughed. “More like a year,” he said. “But still, that kind of money is nothing to sneeze at. You could make a nice retirement nest egg . . . or use it for other things, I suppose.” His eyes narrowed. “I gather, from your initial reaction to my proposal, you could use the money?”
I bit my lip. I wasn’t exactly broke or anything . . . but I’d gotten into a fair amount of debt after opening up the studio and purchasing new equipment. And though I was making my payments on time, I wasn’t really living frugally, so I didn’t have too much in the way of savings. The ranch might not make me rich, but I could use the profits to pay back my debt and start putting money away.
“Yeah, I could use the money,” I said after a moment. “But it doesn’t change the fact that I have a condo and a studio waiting for me back in New York and bills to pay, all of which are going to pile up if I don’t get back to work. I don’t see how I can stay here long enough to get the ranch turning a profit.”
“Do you have enough for a month?”
“What?” I asked.
“Do you have enough savings set aside to pay for a month’s worth of expenses back home?” Hunter asked. “Because, if you do, I’m willing to make a bet with you.”
“What kind of bet?” I asked, responding instinctively to the challenge in Hunter’s voice. I kicked myself for displaying such eagerness in my own voice, but I couldn’t help it. I had a competitive streak in me.
“Well, I bet that we can get this ranch turning a profit in one month,” Hunter said. His expression was deadly serious, but there was a gleam in his eye that told me he knew he had me right where he wanted me. “I’ll stay on, teach you the ropes, and help you whip everything into shape. Heck, I’ll even hire some help if we need it.”
“I don’t want your money—” I started to say, but Hunter held up a hand.
“Think of it more as an investment,” he said. “If we pull this off, I’ll get a ten percent share of the profits in exchange for my labor and experience.”
“Hmm.” I nodded, considering. Ten percent was more than fair, considering he was bringing a hell of a lot more to the table than I was. “Go on. What happens if the ranch doesn’t turn a profit by the end of the month?”
“If the ranch doesn’t turn a profit, then you can sell it off to whomever the hell you want. Another rancher, another housing developer. I won’t like it, but I won’t stand in your way either.” Hunter raised an eyebrow. “Does that sound good enough to you?”
“Almost too good,” I admitted. “I feel like I’m missing something. What’s in all this for you?” I spread my hands. “In the end, no matter how all this plays out, this helps me, not you.”
Hunter stood up. “I guess a tough bird like you wouldn’t be able to understand something like an act of selfless love.”
I shot to my feet. “And what is that supposed to mean?” I asked, gripping the edge of the table to steady myself.
> Hunter laughed, but the sound was full of mockery, all traces of his earlier warmth gone. “You’re just like every other woman I’ve met. The only thing that lights up your eyes is dollar signs, and anytime someone does something that isn’t motivated by greed or desire, you’re instantly suspicious of it.”
He curled his lip as he looked down at me, and though I stiffened my spine, inside, I’d never felt so small.
“Let’s get you to bed, princess. The sooner you get back into fighting shape, the sooner you can get to work.”
He grabbed me by the elbow and led me up the stairs, but I dug my heels in.
“Get me to bed?” I demanded. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Aren’t you going home?”
Hunter rounded on me, his big hand settling on my arm, and I gasped as I looked into his eyes. A glowing gold ring surrounded his green irises.
“The doctor said that someone needed to observe you overnight to make sure you didn’t slip into a coma, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I sputtered. “I took a nap on the couch earlier while you were gone, and I woke up just fine!”
“Maybe, but I’m not taking any chances,” Hunter said, his grip tightening on my elbow. “You’re not going to cop out of our agreement by going into a coma and leaving me to do all the work by myself. Now, let’s go.” He tugged me toward the stairs.
“Fine,” I hissed. Then I yanked my arm out of his grip, stomping toward the staircase. “But I won’t have you manhandling me. I’m perfectly capable of climbing the staircase, even in my weakened state,” I sneered.
Even so, I had to grip the railing as I climbed the stairs to the second floor. And I couldn’t help but feel Hunter’s burning gaze on my ass with every step I took.
CHAPTER 7
Hunter
THE ALARM CLOCK ON the nightstand buzzed, and I rolled over and slapped it. The digital readout told me it was two a.m., and I gazed blearily at it for a moment before remembering why I’d set it.
Time to check on Sleeping Beauty.
Swinging my legs over the bed, I tugged on the pair of lounge pants I’d packed, considered putting on the matching shirt, and then shrugged. It wasn’t like she’d be able to see me very well in the dark, and I was only waking her up for a brief moment. I hoped like hell she had worn something baggy and shapeless to bed. The last thing I needed was to see her in some flimsy negligee. My cock hardened at the very thought, and I bit the inside of my cheek to counteract the lustful thoughts zipping through my mind. Thoughts I couldn’t attribute entirely to my wolf.
Just don’t lift the damn bedcovers.
I opened the door, and my bare feet hardly made a sound as I crossed the wooden floorboards to Kia’s room at the other end of the hall. I thanked the Lord that Daniel hadn’t built side-by-side—or worse, adjoining—rooms. My wolf would have wanted to take full advantage of that.
Not to interrupt your less-than-chivalrous thoughts of me, my wolf said somewhat snidely, but something’s wrong. Can’t you hear it?
I paused a few feet from Kia’s door, tuning into my senses. A tiny whimper reached my ears—one I should have heard earlier, but I’d been too wrapped up in my internal battle.
“Shit,” I muttered, realizing the sound was coming from Kia’s room.
Is she hurt?
Maybe that blow to the ribs was worse than I and the doctor had thought. I hoped like hell they weren’t actually broken.
Pushing open the door, I stepped into the room to see Kia wrapped up in the sheets, tossing and turning. She whimpered again, a pain-filled sound, but something about it told me that it wasn’t a physical pain causing the sound of distress.
“Please . . .” Kia cried softly. “Please, Mama . . . don’t . . .” she sobbed.
My heart ached at the gut-wrenching noise. Before I could stop myself, I crossed the distance, settling myself onto the bed and gathering her in my arms.
“Shh . . .” I rocked her slowly, stroking her head as she trembled in my arms. Her thick locks slid sensuously along my palm, and I resisted the urge to run my hands through them. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”
“Hunter?” She lifted her head, looking up at me through eyelashes spiked with tears.
The sheet slipped off one shoulder, exposing her sienna-hued skin, and I cursed inwardly.
Damn. She’s naked.
Ignoring the sudden surge of arousal, I looped my arm around her shoulder and pressed her head against my chest, removing her tempting mouth from my line of sight. I knew if she looked up at me like that again, I would kiss her.
“I came in to check on you,” I murmured. I stroked her back, the way one might when comforting a small child, but there was nothing childlike about the smooth curve of her back, even with the sheet I’d hastily pulled back over her. “Bad dreams?”
She nodded against my chest, sucking in a deep breath. Some of the trembling subsided, and I felt a sudden surge of anger.
What the hell happened to her to make her suffer such bad dreams? And about her mother no less?
“Do you want to talk about it?”
She shook her head then slowly pulled back to look at me. Her eyes were luminous in the moonlight streaming in through the open window, and a slight breeze wafted in just then, stirring her locks.
“I want to forget,” she murmured, her eyes sliding half closed as she looked at my mouth. “Please . . . help me forget.”
“I . . .” I knew what she was asking for, and my body burned to satisfy her request. But my mind shouted that it was damn wrong, that I would be taking advantage of her vulnerability, and besides, I would be a fool to get involved with her. “You don’t know what you’re asking . . .”
She cut me off by pressing her lips against mine, and I froze, electricity arcing between us at the light contact. My inner wolf howled in approval, and before I knew it, my arms were around her.
“Ouch . . .” she breathed against my lips.
“Sorry . . . your injuries . . . we need to stop.”
“Fuck that. I can deal with a little pain.”
And just like that, I was kissing her. Her response was instant. She tossed the sheet off her body and climbed into my lap. She kissed me for all she was worth, drawing my tongue into her mouth and sucking with a ferocity that was surprising yet incredibly arousing.
Most of the women I bedded were fairly passive, willing to get as down and dirty as they wanted, yet always waiting for my lead. And that was generally the way I liked it. But Kia, I sensed, liked to be in control, and I suddenly realized why my inner beast was so attracted to her. He, too, wanted to rise to the challenge, to dominate her until she was drowning in him and begging shamelessly for more.
See? my wolf said smugly. This is a real female. One actually worth chasing after, not those boring females you content yourself with pursuing. They’re no challenge at all.
I slid a hand along the curve of her hips to cup her voluptuous bare bottom, and Kia arched her back, practically purring in response. I groaned as her hardened nipples scraped against my chest. My blood burned with the desire for me to take her and learn every curve of her body like the back of my hand.
I could feel the heat of her pussy through my pants as she pressed her core against me. Her thighs clamped around my hips, and her dark hair fell around us like a curtain, creating the illusion that we were in our own little world.
“I want you inside me,” she breathed huskily against my mouth, her hand reaching down between us to free my cock from my pants.
Her slender fingers wrapped around my hard length, and I hissed as pleasure throbbed through me. It would be so easy just to slide myself into her wet folds.
No! Nothing good can possibly come of me sticking my cock inside her.
Coming is always good, my beast countered.
I had to admit, that was a pretty good argument, especially from where I was sitting right now. My balls were so tight, I thought I was going to burst if
I didn’t get a release soon.
Not in this case. There’s a reason I don’t go after women like this. I’ll get attached to her, and she’s going to go home to New York in a month, no matter which way this plays out. I can’t afford to develop feelings for her.
I swore and then gently lifted Kia off me. I placed her bottom on the mattress before I practically vaulted off the bed like a gymnast to put distance between us.
“What the—” she protested.
“I think we’ve established that you’re awake now,” I interrupted. I couldn’t afford for her to get enough steam to make any kind of argument because I knew I would crumble and begin fucking her like a soldier on leave. “Good night.”
I closed the door and headed for the hall bathroom, remembering there was a bottle of lotion sitting on the counter. I sure as hell was going to need it if I planned on getting any more sleep tonight.
CHAPTER 8
Kia
WHEN THE SUN FINALLY rose the next morning, I had hardly gotten a wink of sleep. I just wanted to pull the covers over my head and hide from the world. I was utterly mortified about the way I’d so wantonly thrown myself at Hunter last night, especially when all he’d been trying to do was help me out of my nightmare. Now, with the way I’d rubbed myself so shamelessly against him, he probably thought I was some kind of sex-crazed hussy.
My cheeks burned as I remembered the way he’d jumped out of bed, as though he couldn’t get away from me fast enough. I supposed I would have reacted the same way if someone had tried to jump my bones out of the blue like that.
But no one forced him to grab my ass last night. And he sure sounded like he liked it when I squeezed his cock . . . which was pretty damn big. There were stronger women than I who would cream in their panties just to have even a fraction of that inside them.
I scowled because, typically, I wasn’t one of those women. This was part of the reason I was so embarrassed about my total loss of self-control last night.
Operation Wolf: Hunter ~ Sedona Venez Page 4