Wild Ride: BBW Western Romance (Under Open Skies Saga Book 2) (8 page)

Why had
n’
t Hank told her about this? From what she could gather the situation was not dire, but there certainly had to be an investigation under way. Or at least there should have been. Kat walked right into Han
k’
s small office and threw a small folder filled with her findings before him.

“
What the hell is going on
?”
she demanded, glaring at him.

“
What do you mean
?”
He said as he opened the folder and searched through the books. His lips pursed together after he saw her detailed notes and highlighted findings.

“
You should have brought this to my attention. The fact that you did
n’
t makes you seem pretty damn suspect
.”
She tried to look as adult as she wanted to feel, but this was the man who bounced her on his knee when she was a little girl. She knew that her nose was scrunched and her cheeks were red, she could feel the heat blazing through them. Just like when she used to have tantrums.

“
Yo
u’
re right, but I was
n’
t sure you would give a shit
.”
He looked up at her, a little smile on his face. He thought it was a tantrum, alright.

“
Excuse me
?
”

“
Yo
u’
ve been vacant for months, Kat. Not even coming into the office. Doing it all on the phone, telling me t
o‘
handl
e’
it. I figured this was just one more thing for me to handle. I made a promise to your daddy so
I’
m handling it
.”
Hank did
n’
t scream. He did
n’
t yell. He just gave her a look that said it all, he still thought she was a little kid.

“
Who is it
?”
She asked, sitting down. She needed to calm down. Blowing out a few breaths she let her face relax.

Hank waited until she was visibly less agitated before he started talking.

“
I have a couple of ideas, but you need to be patient with me, Kat.
I’
m just tryi
n’
to devise a plan. Give them some bait and then catch them red handed. But, if you are interested, I sure could use your help. I have a contact or two out at the practice facility who want to help
.”
Hank ran his hand through his thick salt and pepper hair. At forty-eight he still looked good, strong and handsome, but the weight of stress was evident in his eyes and it made him look every bit his age.

“
Who
?”
She asked tentatively.

“
Wyatt and Hunter
.
”

“
But Hunter is
n’
t even a part of this
.”
She was confused. He was just a recruit. Someone who used the facility and rode. Someone Hank asked her to look at
.“
He does
n’
t belong to the ranch at all yet. Still has to sign the papers for my sponsorship.

“
He has
n’
t told you
?”
Han
k’
s eyebrow cocked, just slightly
.“
Thought that you had been in contact with him on more than one occasion by now
.
”

“
Told me what? That he is willing to sign on with us
?”
She was starting to get frustrated
.“
It has
n’
t happened yet. I am working on it
.
”

“
Is he now? Well, tha
t’
s something else. What
I’
m talking about, well, it is
n’
t my place
.”
Hank was always crafty like that, giving her just enough information to be curious about, but never divulging more. All because he knew she would investigate.

Oh come on.

She was
n’
t going to get anything out of him and she knew it.

“
I
t’
s my company, Hank
.”
She could feel her face going red. Again
.“
What are
n’
t you telling me
?
”

“
I
t’
s our company. You hold majority partnership. I do
n’
t know how to explain how serious this is, Kat. This could ruin your stake in the company. You are being framed, and people are going to force you to sell. There are people who would benefit from that.

“
Like who? My partners? You would
n’
t do something like that, Hank. I trust you
.
”

“
Yeah, but you do
n’
t know all your partners, Kat. Some of us are totally honest, me, Muriel, but not everyone. You have a couple other partners to worry about
.
”

“
A couple
?”
She had
n’
t exactly read the partnership agreement when she signed it, her lawyers told her that everything looked legitimate and that she was by far the majority owner. She just assumed that Hank was her only partner. The only partner that her father had ever spoken about.

“
Talk to Hunter
.
”

“
I intend to do just that
.”
She gathered up her things and looked at him. He was hiding something and so was Hunter.

And she was
n’
t going to let it stand.

The last thing Kat was going to do was come at Hunter without any kind of information about him. She needed to know everything there was to know about him if she was going to get the answers she needed.

“
Jenny, do we have anything on Hunter Daniels
?”
She asked, bursting into her office her drive renewed. Solving problems was easiest when she had leads, when she had any kind of evidence or device pointing to her to a solution.

“
Oh, Ms. Brooks! I was so hoping you would be around, especially because you looked so upset when you came in this morning. I have just the thing! I bought some donuts for us, and I even went and picked up a few different brews of coffee for you to try, you dad always liked it dark and blac
k…
but you seem more like a flavored kind of girl
.
”

That sweet smile greeted her, and she found herself faltering at it. Jenny really wasn't that bad, she was kind and persistent. She could see why her father chose her as an assistant, aside from her pretty smile and long legs. The young secretary had a way of lifting spirits.

“
Thank you, Jenny.
I’
d appreciate a cup of something flavored and a donut. Do you think you could get me what you have on Hunter
?
”

“
Hunter? He should be in the data base of trainees, for the sake of insurance, at the very least.
I’
ll see what I can pull up on him, might be more
.
”

She was grateful for her new assistant. A smile came to her lips, she had him now.

One jelly donut and a pumpkin caramel latte later, she had everything she needed. All it took was a quick search through employee records and she left with an address for Hunter Randall Daniels. He was
n’
t listed as anything more than a ranch hand and a hopeful on the database. But she knew that he was more.

“
This is all we have
?’
She said between mouthfuls of donut.

“
Yeah, there is
n’
t much about him. I do
n’
t know anything, really. Seen him a few times, before your da
d
…
”
Jenny tucked her hair behind her ears and busied herself with some files on Ka
t’
s desk, arranging them so that they were in a perfect pile, and then pushing the stack, so she could arrange them all over again
.“
I called the training facility to see if he was there, but apparently he comes and goes as he pleases, but today is usually his half day. He was there early this morning, training, but left around eleven. Might be at the bar, might be home.

“
What are you going to do
?”
Jenny asked, when she finally looked up, the topic of Ka
t’
s father replaced with her question about Hunter.

“
“
What I have to. I am going to go down to his place and get some answers
.”
She said it more for her own benefit than for Jenn
y’
s.

Kat grabbed her bag and practically ran out of her office, heading right towards her little coupe. She got in her car and drove. She had questions that needed to be answered and he was going to be the one to answer them.

There was too much going on here for her to be in the dark. Hank may have been trying to keep her safe, keep her protected, but someone was very obviously trying to send her a message. That her company was not safe. It could be taken out of her hands in a momen
t’
s notice if it looked like she was mismanaging money.

And it did.

She would be forced to sell her shares, and she might even face charges on embezzlement. Except she was
n’
t the one who was stealing, and, besides Hank, she was the only one who knew that.

He said Hunter was the key to finding out who was stealing from her, but he did
n’
t say how. He did
n’
t give her any information. All she knew was that he was acting behind her back, all while pretending to be interested in her agency.

So she did the only thing she could do, she prepared to ambush him at his house.

It was
n’
t much, just a little side apartment off of a house on 321 Drake Street. Kat pulled up to the small add-on structure off the side of the home. The driveway was
n’
t long but between the drive and parking, Kat was back to being furious.

How could he use her like that? Wrap his strong arms around her, tell her that she was his. All the while lying to her about who he was and what he meant to the company. She parked and got out of her little coupe, slamming the door harder than she should have. If he did
n’
t know that someone was there before she got out of the car, he sure as hell knew with that move.

She spotted a little stoop that had to be the front door to his house. Squaring her shoulders, Kat walked up to the door and rapped sharply on its facade.

Appearing bedraggled,
complete with hair that looked like it had just come up off a pillow, his hazy eyes and bare torso said it all. He had been asleep.

“
Morni
n’
beautiful. What brings you here
?”
Hunter scratched his hair and looked at her, a lazy smile splayed across his lips. He tried to reach for her, but she dodged it deftly. She was
n’
t just some pretty thing. Her daddy taught her a thing or two about the rodeo. Particularly the cowboys who might want more than just a friendly conversation.

“
Who the hell do you think you are
?”
She glared at him.

“
I take it you are
n’
t here for a social visit
.”
His face went hard, any sign of emotion draining from it. He sighed and moved aside, his door open.

“
What do you think
?”
She was
n’
t going to give in to him. Even if the way his mouth was down turned made her want to kiss his soft flesh.

“
Could we please not have this conversation on my doorstep for the entire neighborhood to see
?
”

They were
n’
t exactly in the middle of a booming metropolitan area, but he did live in a small town. She looked around to see the telltale signs of noisy neighbors. Curtains shook in just about every direction she looked.

He had a point.

She stormed into his apartment and looked at him.

“I’
m tired of the lies, Hunter. I want to know how you are involved in the business and I want to know now
.”
She steeled her resolved and looked him right in the eyes. It almost made her go weak, but she refused to let him sway her
.“
Because if Hank is using you to help find the assholes that are stealing from me, you are
n’
t just a rider looking for a sponsor. You are something else. What, was this supposed to be a ruse? A way to gain my confidence so that you two could make me into the business woman I should be? What the hell, Hunter
?
”

“
Sit down. Let me make you some coffee
.”
Hunter padded over towards the kitchen area, his muscles of his back moving and shifting as he went. She could
n’
t help but stare. She had
n’
t actually gotten a good look at his body before and no
w…
it was right before her. She noticed a series of scars on his back, peeking just out of his jeans. Someone or something had gored him. She made a note to ask later.

“
I want to know why you are so involved in my fathe
r’
s company, Hunter. Are you one of the silent partners
?
”

“
And you will. Now sit down and let me make you a cup of coffee
,”
His face softened
,“
Please
.
”

She stretched out the couch and eased herself down onto it. Refusing to let herself relax, Kat waited not so patiently for him.

“I’
m invested in the business, yes. But
I’
m not a partner, Kat. My mother is
.”
Hunter busied himself in the kitchen, moving around and fixing the coffee before walking back over towards her, leaning against the back of the counter that divided the two rooms.

“
What
?
”

“
Your father was good friends with my dad. He died when I was just a kid. They rode together. So your dad kind of took over. He helped my mom. Moved her into one of the first ranches he purchased. Gave her a job and in return for her labor gave her partnership in the company. So now she is
a
…”

“
Partner, which means you will inherit someday
.”
She put it all together. Why he cared so much. Why he wanted to see it go someplace good. Why he knew so much about the company
.“
Unless she sells
.
”

“
No, I do
n’
t want to earn it that way
.”
He walked over and handed a cup to her
.“
I want to earn my way up through the ranks, like your dad. To make my own way
.
”

Her anger melted away. He meant exactly what he was saying. She could tell by the look in his eyes.

“
Well, you certainly earned sponsorship
.
”

“
I hope
I’
ve earned more than that
.”
He pulled her off the couch and into his arms.

“
What do you hope yo
u’
ve earned
?”
She asked, her eyebrows drawn. Her pulse was going so fast it was the only thing that she could concentrate on. The way it pounded in her head over and over again. His touch was too much. It was doing all kinds of things to her that she just could not control.

“
I think you know, especially after the other night
.”
He bent down, his lips hovering over her before taking hers. His kiss was soft, sweet and lingering, as he held on tight to her.

“
I want to be your man, Kat
.”
It should have sounded corny, but it did
n’
t. Not when his husky voice rasped those words
.“
I want you. All of you
.
”

Kat held on tight to him, clinging to his naked torso as he pushed the kiss deeper. He tasted good, like sweet milk and a bit of hazelnut. She probed a little deeper, her tongue tasting and teasing. Her nipples stiffened against him, dragging across his chest, their peaks hard through her blouse fabric. She pulled herself back away from him. The way he heaved in breath after breath. The look on his face. She loved the way he looked after he kissed her. She almost believed that she had an effect on him in the same way that he affected her.

“
I know you wo
n’
t fight it. You ca
n’
t. I do
n’
t want you to
.”
Hunter picked her up like she was nothing. Wrapping her legs around his waist he walked back toward the hallway and through a door into the bedroom.

Hunter kissed along her jawline, small pecks from her ear to her very chin. His hands slipped under her shirt and worked up her back. Zeroing in on her bra he unclipped it swiftly and then pulled her shirt off with one hand, the other bracing her bottom. She lifted her arms and let him strip her.

“
I do
n’
t know what it is about you
.”
Kat whispered against his ear as he laid her down.

Reaching for his jeans she unclasped the button and smiled up at him.
Why is he what I want?

Kat bit her lip and looked into his eyes as Hunter shucked off his pants, leaving just him and a snug pair of boxer briefs. Pulling herself up onto her knees in the bed, she knew that if she touched him in just the right way she could get the reaction that she wanted out of him. Her hand grazed the area just above his knee and moved slowly up that strong, sinewy, inner thigh. He had muscles everywhere, and she loved the way they felt against her hands. She glided up past his underwear and into the flap, pulling out his very large, very hard cock.

Wrapping her hand around it she stroked it once, twice. Pearls of pre-cum beaded out from the slit of his head. She bit her lip and stroked again. A strong hand landed on her shoulder. Hunter had to brace himself for her touch. Exactly the kind of effect she wanted to elicit from him.

“
I think you want me
.”
Kat smiled, her look positively wicked.

“
You know I want you, Princess
.”
Hunter ran his hand through the strands of her hair, his fingertips ghosting along her scalp
.“
All of you, down to the very last detail
.
”

Unable to take anymore, she took the plunge, wrapping her lips around that thick fleshy head. She swirled her tongue and cast her eyes up at him. He was bracing hard against her now, pushing in and out of her mouth with small pushes. Each thrust slipped up against the small of her throat, urging her to suck harder. So she did.

She worked quickly, pushing her mouth over his cock again and again, swifter with each movement. The touch of his skin against her shoulder, the feel of his body against hers. It was what she wanted. It was all she wanted.

He pulled her off of him, looking down at her with a smile on his face
,“
Baby, you need to stop.
I’
m not going to be able to hold on if you keep worki
n’
the way you are
.
”

She was there on her knees, on the bed looking into the eyes of the most handsome man she had ever seen. Even if he was littered with scars across his back, and a single mark above his eyes. She fingered it, looking into those deep gray eyes.

“
Maybe I want that
.”
She did
n’
t really. She wanted him for as long as she could have him.

“
Oh, but girl, I want you so much more than that
.
”

Hunter leaned her back on the bed so that she was flat on her back before he crawled over her.

“
I just want to make you feel good, Kat. Let me do that for you
.”
He undid her pants and pulled them down, along with her panties, in one fell swoop.

God, h
e’
s good at that. What else is he good at?

She was about to find out. Hunter kissed her deeply, the stubble of his chin brushing against her own. It was positively delicious. She went in again after a quick breath, wanting to taste him. Taste all of him. She filled his mouth, sampling all that he had to offer, but it was
n’
t enough. She pulled him down onto her and ground her hips into his. She wanted him. Now.

“
Not yet, Kat
.”
He pulled himself off of her and kissed her chin
.“
I have other things to take care of first
.
”

Hunter kissed down her body, each little peck landing lower than the first. It heightened the emotion between the two of them, little kisses, foreshadowing what was to come. Her body tensed. She felt vulnerable and open to him, something she very rarely let any man experience. Something she hid from.

His moist breath on her most sensitive area brought her to life. She let a small moan escape her lips as she held tight to the bed and closed her eyes.

“
Pleas
e
…”

He descended, his mouth directly kissing her little nub. She sucked in a quick breath, the sensation of his touch caused her to buck right against his mouth. He grabbed her hips and held her tight, the force of his push pinning her against the bed. It only increased her desire for him. She could feel herself dripping. Getting wet with each touch, each kiss on her swollen fleshy clit. He licked her, his tongue moving horizontally across her clit as his fingers found her folds.

His strong fingers entered her, filling her up as he continued to lap at her hooded lady. It was too much. It was perfect. Writhing against his hand and his mouth, there was little she could do but moan. She ground out a high pitched moan that only seemed to spur him on.

“I’
m gonna cum
,”
She whispered the admission, barely audible, even to her.