Wild Thing (6 page)

James dropped his comforting hand and bumped shoulders with her. “Don’t get all dramatic on me too. You missed Yvette. She threw a fit when I told her she’d have to keep her bathing suit on when she sunbathed. It wasn’t pretty.”

Toni opened the door to the cabin and walked into a bright kitchen and great room. A huge stone fireplace was the focal point and went from floor to ceiling. In this part of the house it had a really tall vaulted ceiling and windows everywhere. “I can imagine. Yvette hates tan lines. I think if it were up to her, she’d never wear anything. The way she walks around the dressing rooms, you’d think she wasn’t interested in modeling clothes—just her body.”

“There is that, but I think she was trying to impress the boys. Fisher was all for it, but I put my foot down. This is work, after all.”

“If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here.” She stopped in the center of the entry and stared. The logs didn’t stop on the outside of the house. They formed the inside walls, the exposed trusses, the floor. It seemed as if everything in the house was made of wood save the huge fireplace, the leather furniture, and antler chandeliers, which looked weird to her but fit. Toni walked past the cozy leather couch and chairs and dropped her backpack and her hat on the dining room table.

The house was über clean—immaculate. Who knew Merry Maids came out this far? “I’ll do some work. Just promise me you’ll come back to get me before you leave? Okay?”

James patted her back. “As if Hunter would leave without you. You might have hurt his feelings, but I don’t think he’s going to give up that easily.”

“On what?”

“Wow, you really don’t see it, do you?”

“James, I love you, but I hate it when you speak in riddles. I’m so not good at figuring them out.”

James walked over to the door and opened it. “Tell me about it.”

***

Hunter stalked over to the beach. Man, he’d never been shot down before he’d even made an advance. It wasn’t as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him, but shit. He didn’t hit on just anyone and never on clients. She wasn’t interested, and it was fine with him. After all, he wasn’t that hard up, which is why he’d been relieved when he saw Toni had replaced Bianca. He’d spent a week avoiding Bianca’s come-ons when she was there on her scouting trip, and he wasn’t looking forward to doing it for another week. One of the reasons he’d invited his brothers was that he’d hoped Bianca would take one look at Trapper or Fisher and go after one of them.

Toni made him rethink his entire policy on clients. But then, when he thought about it, Toni really wasn’t the client—she just worked for the client. A technicality, but when it came down to it, he made the rules. It was a damn shame she wasn’t even interested.

He hiked to the boulder they used as a clothing rack and pulled off his shirt. He had seven models to entertain. The last thing he needed to do was coddle a spoiled Goth girl with a smart mouth and sexy voice. Okay, so she was cute and smart and funny—especially when she started babbling—but she also had some serious baggage. The only baggage he was interested in was a lightweight backpack. All he wanted was a good time. When a man lives four months in the mountains and six months on the slopes, he doesn’t have time for a relationship—especially with a city girl who has a fear of the wilderness. No sir. Toni might be cute as hell, but she definitely wasn’t the woman for him.

“Hey, what’d you do with the Goth chick?”

Hunter threw his shirt on the rock and found Trapper walking toward him. “I didn’t do anything with her. I think she’s hiding in the cabin. Why?”

“Just curious. What’s her deal?”

Hunter didn’t like his brother asking questions about Toni. He wasn’t interested in her, but the thought that one of his brothers might be did strange things to his gut. “I’m not sure. She got lost in the woods when she was a little kid, and she’s never gotten past it.”

Trapper leaned against the boulder and crossed his arms. “That must be rough.”

“I guess.” Okay, so he felt bad for her. He had no clue what she’d gone through since she definitely wasn’t into sharing that… everything else, sure, but not the root of the problem. Women. He found himself shaking his head.

“What?”

He’d forgotten Trapper was even there. Shit. His brother had a lot of experience putting the screws to people. The last thing Hunter wanted was to be on the witness stand with his big brother doing the questioning. “Nothing.”

“If you’re so concerned about her, what the hell are you doing up here?”

“I’m not concerned. Well, okay, she’s a guest, and it’s my job to see she enjoys herself, but that’s it. I’m not interested in anything else. We both know I’m not relationship material.”

“Why do you say that?” The curiosity that glowed in Trapper’s eyes made Hunter nervous.

“I’m just like dear old dad, remember? We all know how he handled his relationships. He left. With my work, could I do any better? Between the camp and River Runners I’m working all summer, and you know how crazy things get on the mountain during ski season. I’d be leaving all the time. What woman in her right mind would put up with me?”

“Anyone with a brain. Besides, it’s not as if you’re gonna do this for the rest of your life. It’s a job. Priorities change when you meet the right woman. They did for Ben.”

“It doesn’t matter. Toni’s miserable anyplace she can’t find a latte on every street corner. She has a panic attack anytime she’s more than ten feet away from a building. I can’t solve her problems for her.”

“Did she ask you to?”

“No.”

“But you’d like to…”

“What?”

“Solve her problems. It’s a thing men do. We can’t help ourselves. It’s that damn Y chromosome, or that’s what Karma says.”

Shit, he’d forgotten all about Karma. Hunter checked his watch. If she met Toni, God only knew what would happen. Karma would figure it out, because that’s what little sisters did, and then she’d make his life more miserable than usual. “Look. I better get down there. I called Karma last night and asked her to bring something to the cabin for me. If she meets Toni it won’t be good.”

“Why?”

“What if Karma starts dressing like Toni?”

“Good point. Go on. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on Fisher. I tell you, that boy thinks he’s died and gone to heaven.”

Hunter put his shirt back on and laughed. “Yeah, like you’re not interested in one of your seventy-two-hour flings.”

Trapper ran his hands through his too-long hair. “We have a seven-day contract. That’s a hell of a lot longer than seventy-two hours. We’ll see what happens on day three or four.”

“I should have known.” Hunter shook his head and turned toward the cabin, almost running into James.

“Where are you off to?”

“The cabin.”

James blocked the way. “Maybe you should give Toni some space.”

What the hell was it with everyone? You’d think he couldn’t do anything unless it involved Toni. When he thought about it, going to head off Karma did have something to do with Toni, but not in the way they thought. “Toni can have all the space she wants. I’m going down to meet my sister. She’s dropping some stuff off for me.”

“You have a sister too?”

Hunter narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, why?”

“I’m always looking for new models. After seeing you and your brothers, I figure since your sister went swimming in the same gene pool, she must be spectacular, and maybe she wouldn’t have a problem being photographed.”

It was bad enough Hunter would spend all eternity owing the little brat, and now James wanted to check Karma out to see if he could make her the next Kate Moss. “I’m sure she’ll end up at the beach later. She won’t leave before seeing Fisher and Trapper and sticking her nose in where it doesn’t belong. There’s no need to wait for her with me.”

James held up his hands. “Okay, I get the point. I know you don’t want me hanging around.”

“That’s not what I said. I just need to talk to Karma. It’s private, and she’s not much for privacy to begin with. So now, not only is she going to be pissed at me for not inviting her to be a guide, she’s gonna want to stick her nose into my business.”

“She’s a guide?”

“Yeah.” Hunter wasn’t happy about it either. “She’s as good as they get.”

“Then why isn’t she here?”

It was one thing to invite his brothers for a week of playing with models and a whole other thing to invite his little sister. “I figured you’d come out here with at least a few male models. If you had a little sister, would you want her hanging with men who look like Bruce and Chad? Nope. Call me a chauvinist, but there are some things that will never be equal. Karma is the last person I’d invite to work this job.”

“Yet you invited your brothers.”

“They’re my brothers, not my little sister.” Hunter had spent a week with James and Bianca, so it wasn’t as if they didn’t know each other. But now James was giving him the third degree. It didn’t make sense. “James, all I want is to see Karma come and go without meeting any of you. Since I know my sister, in order to do that I’d have to best her in a wrestling match—which is not a given—duct tape her mouth shut, tie her up, and drive her smart little ass back to Boise. In other words, I don’t stand a chance in hell.”

James didn’t bother hiding his grin. “I for one look forward to meeting her. She must be a hell of a woman to be able to keep up with you and your brothers.”

Chapter 4

Karma Kincaid parked in front of Hunter’s place, climbed out of her Jeep Rubicon, and stretched to relieve the stress only a three-hour drive through the mountains could produce. She grabbed the book and a tin of oatmeal cinnamon chip cookies, hoping Hunter didn’t catch on that she’d eaten about a dozen on her trip from Boise to Stanley.

The front door opened before she had a chance to juggle her packages to free her hand. She looked at the woman sizing her up and smiled. Ah, the object of Hunter’s infatuation.

Karma knew the woman who’d catch Hunter’s eye would not be the plain vanilla type. Oh no, she’d have to be an extreme flavor, Cherry Garcia or at least Chunky Monkey. This one looked more like a Dublin Mudslide with a scoop of the others added for shits and giggles. Hunter never did anything halfway—not in his work or his women, but for the first time Karma wondered if he’d be able to handle this one.

“Can I help you?” The stranger asked, guarding the door like a Rottweiler.

“I came to drop something off for Hunter. Who might you be?”

“Oh.” The stranger stepped back and fingered the D-ring on the collar she wore. “Come on in. Hunter is up at the… um… beach.”

Karma nodded and slid past, setting the cookies atop the refrigerator before heading toward the master bedroom. He’d requested the cookies from Mom, and Karma had spent all night baking them. If Hunter or any of her brothers knew she was the creator of all “Mom’s” cookies, she’d never live it down. It took a long time to get them to think of her as anything but a girl. She wasn’t about to blow it now. “Hunter called me yesterday and said he’d be here this afternoon.” She stepped into his bedroom and placed the bag containing the book in the top drawer of his desk, but not before checking to see if Hunter’s mystery woman had followed. She hadn’t.

Karma tossed her backpack on his neatly made bed, sat beside it, and bounced around a few times to get his goat. She’d never seen the point in making a bed since you ended up making a mess of it the next time you climbed in. It was a huge waste of time. Obviously, Hunter didn’t think so. She was cursed with neatniks for brothers. Fortunately, she hadn’t inherited that gene.

Karma peeked in the drawer of his bedside table to make sure he had a stash of condoms. After reading the back cover of the book Hunter requested, she’d stopped and picked up a box just in case. Up here, taking a midnight run to the nearest drugstore could take hours. He only had a few, and from what she knew of Hunter’s sex life, they were probably expired. If Hunter succeeded in his quest with the nameless wonder, he would definitely need more. She slid the box into the drawer because no matter how much she’d love to have a little niece or nephew, she didn’t want an accidental one.

The bedroom door opened wider right after she’d closed the drawer. Getting caught restocking Hunter’s stash of condoms was not something she’d enjoy. Karma considered asking Miss Nosy Pants if she was the flavor of the month, but from the look on the stranger’s face, she was probably wondering the same thing about her.

The girl blushed. “I’m sorry. I was looking for the restroom.”

Karma wasn’t going to invite her into Hunter’s personal bathroom. She’d let him do that himself. “It’s the next door down on the right.” Karma was busy deciding if she should have a little fun with cuff-and-collar girl, or if she should take pity on her big brother and introduce herself. As usual, fun won out. “So, how do you know Hunter?” Karma slid off the bed and walked toward Nosy Nelly.

The girl fingered the collar around her throat. “I don’t. I mean, we just met. Hunter is the guide for my company’s photo shoot. I’m the manager of Action Models. Toni Russo.”

Karma ran her fingers through her windblown hair. It was a rat’s nest—an open window and curls didn’t mix. “It’s nice to meet you, Toni.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Toni was obviously waiting for Karma to introduce herself, but what would be the fun in that?

Karma picked up her backpack and stepped toward Toni. “I guess you should get to the bathroom then, huh?”

“Oh. Right.” Toni turned toward the kitchen.

“Wrong way.” Karma opened the door to the bathroom and flipped on the light. She didn’t bother looking in; she knew it was immaculate. Someday Hunter would make some lucky lady an excellent wife. Karma on the other hand, not so much.

She smiled, knowing Toni had no choice but to go in and pretend to pee. When Toni shut the door behind her, Karma went back to the kitchen to see what Hunter had cooked for her to reheat—the only thing she’d allow her brothers to see her accomplish in the kitchen. The fact that she could hold her own, sometimes even excel at cooking and baking, was a secret she’d take to the grave. As usual, his refrigerator was stocked. She zeroed in on the leftover roast. It was a little early for lunch, but for Karma, it was either that or cereal, and never having been a cereal girl, she fixed herself a sandwich.

Toni reappeared and sat at the table, pouring over a bunch of notes clipped onto the wickedest clipboard Karma had ever seen.

“Hey, Toni, where’d you get that clipboard?” Karma snagged a Coke out of the fridge and grabbed her sandwich before heading over to check out the clipboard. “Oooh, that’s nice. I want one bad. I use a clipboard every day and hang it on the wall in my office. I’ve never seen one that was a work of art.”

“Oh thanks.” Toni lifted it and showed her the back.

“Even cooler.”

“I bought it at a little shop in SoHo. Do you ever get to New York?”

“Not often, but I have. My cousin lives there… in Brooklyn actually. Maybe I can have him or his wife pick it up for me. Would you write down the name of the shop?”

“Sure, I’d be happy to.” Toni tore off a blank sheet of paper and jotted it down.

Karma sat opposite Toni. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t ask if you wanted a sandwich. I’d be happy to fix you one. Between the homemade bread and the roast beef, Hunter’s got the makings of a dreamwich.”

“He made the bread?”

Karma took a bite and chewed. Heaven. After a sip of Coke to wash it all down, she nodded. “He has a bread machine. It’s not like there’s a market down the street. There is one in Stanley, but it’s definitely not close. When you live up this far, making everything is par for the course. Lucky for him and me, he’s an amazing cook. Me—I’d starve without takeout.”

Toni nodded. “Yeah, me too.”

“So, do you want a sandwich?”

“Oh—thanks, but no. The Sawtooth Inn provided lunch for everyone. I guess I could grab it and eat with you.” Toni stood there waiting until Karma realized she was looking for permission.

“Sure. If you don’t mind eating early, that would be great.”

“I skipped breakfast so an early lunch sounds good. I’ll be right back.”

Karma took another bite of the sandwich and watched Toni scoot out the door. Oh yeah, Hunter would definitely need those extra condoms. He was really lucky his little sister thought ahead.

When Toni returned, she opened a brown paper sack and pulled out her sandwich. “How long have you known Hunter?”

Karma took a sip of her drink and licked the mayo off the side of her finger. Toni passed her a napkin. “Thanks. I’ve known Hunter all my life. We grew up together.”

“That must be nice. Do you see him often?”

Karma couldn’t help but snort. “Not as often as I’d like. It’s hard to have any kind of relationship with Hunter; he works up here all summer, and in the winter he’s always busy on the Rock.”

“That must be difficult for you.”

“You get used to it.”

“I guess. Still, don’t you worry about him around so many other women? I don’t know how you do it. This week he’s guiding ten models, seven of whom are female.”

“Eight. You didn’t count yourself, did you?”

“No, but I’m hardly a threat.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Toni rolled her eyes, obviously unaware of her own appeal. Odd, since Karma and anyone who wasn’t legally blind would take one look at her and think Toni was gorgeous in that no-nonsense, naturally beautiful way. She didn’t look the type to care enough to spend hours putting goop all over her face before she’d be seen in public, not that she needed it. Karma laughed. “Am I worried?” If she were worried about anything, it would be Hunter getting in way over his head with this chick. She shook her head. “No, not especially.” Damn, this was easier than third-grade math and a lot more fun.

The door swung open and hit the wall. Aw hell, Hunter had caught her, and just when things were beginning to get interesting.

“Damnit, Karma. When did you get here?”

Hunter saw she’d been there long enough to make a sandwich and wolf down more than half of it. Not to mention drink his last Coke. He grabbed the can off the table and finished it. “Did Mom make me cookies?”

“Yeah, they’re on the refrigerator. I put the book in your desk and stashed the other things I thought you might need in your bedside table.”

Karma smiled that wicked smile of hers, and he knew exactly what she’d stuck in his drawer—damn, the girl was embarrassing, not to mention perceptive.

“You’re welcome, by the way.”

Toni’s eyes went wide when he tugged on Karma’s hair. “Toni, I see you’ve met my little sister, Karma. I’m sorry.”

Karma looked up at him with that same grin she always wore when she was getting him in trouble.

What the hell was she up to? God, the possibilities were endless. “I trust you’re not behaving.” He grabbed the tin off the top of the fridge. “And you helped yourself to my cookies too.”

“You’re just lucky there’s any left after the trip. I left before I could eat breakfast, and I missed dinner last night since I was driving all over Boise running your little errands. I had to go to two stores.” She turned to Toni. “I do him a huge favor, and this is the thanks I get.”

Hunter shoved a cookie in his mouth and offered the tin to Toni. She shook her head and slid the tin away. “Thanks, but no. She’s your sister?”

Hunter nodded. “Yeah, why? Who did you think she was?” Damn Karma and her games.

Toni shrugged. “I don’t know… a girlfriend maybe?”

Hunter closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead where a headache was settling. “Karma? Why would Toni think that?”

Karma threw out her arms. “I haven’t the foggiest.”

“You could have introduced yourself.”

Karma’s Cheshire grin peeked out again. “Well, what would be the fun in that?”

Toni pushed away her lunch before crossing her arms. “Where have I heard that before?”

Hunter couldn’t help but notice Toni had hardly eaten a thing. “If you don’t like the sandwich, I could fix you something else. I have plenty of food.”

“No thanks, I’m not very hungry. Besides, you’re the one who said I’m heavier than I look, remember?”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

Karma laughed. “I’m sorry, Toni. You’ll have to excuse my brother. He can’t help himself. I’m told he takes after our father—a sweet-talker he is not. His mouth sees more feet than a treadmill at a crowded gym. I know him. Any comment he made about your weight was meant as a compliment. It’s his way of saying you’re in great shape, which, by the way, you are.”

Hunter couldn’t wait to get rid of his sister. He’d thought once she grew up, Karma wouldn’t be such a pest. He’d been wrong.

Karma’s hand slid toward the open tin. Hunter slapped the top on. Craning her neck back, Karma looked up at him. “Do you really want to go there?”

“Fine. You can have one more, but that’s it.”

Shaking her head, Karma looked back at Toni. “Brothers.”

Hunter secured his stash of cookies and grinned. “Oh, look, you’ve finished your lunch. Thanks for stopping by.” He pulled the little brat right out of her seat and walked her toward the door. “It’s a long drive back. You better get on it.”

“Oh, no rush. I’m not working tonight, and lucky you, I have a few days off. I was thinking of hanging out here. You don’t mind, do you?”

“As a matter of fact—”

She cut him off. “Where are Fisher and Trapper? I have tins for them too.”

Hunter crossed his arms to keep from strangling her. “And you ate all mine?”

“Yours were on top. Sorry.” She looked anything but. “I’m sure Trapper and Fisher will share. Not.”

Hunter scrubbed his face with his hand. “They’re at the beach. Did you bring a suit?”

Karma pulled off her T-shirt and tossed it at him revealing her turquoise bikini top. “I never leave home without it. And if I do, it’s on purpose.” She grinned again and waved to Toni before sashaying out the door.

***

Toni stood beside Hunter at the window watching Karma as she headed toward the beach. Her cutoff jeans had holes in all the right places. “Just wait till Bruce and Chad get a load of her.”

When she looked up at him, she figured he was mad about the models who were probably going to go after his little sister.

“You thought I had a girlfriend and was coming on to you at the same time?”

Then again, maybe not. She wondered if it was a rhetorical question, but he waited too long for the lack of conversation to be considered a pregnant pause, not filling the silence like she’d hoped he would. She really didn’t want to answer him, especially since they were alone in his house, and he seemed so affronted. She crossed her arms, mimicking his pose. “You said you weren’t coming on to me, remember? Subtle you are not. You might as well have used a bullhorn.”

He didn’t say anything. He stared at her like a guy stares at an engine when the car won’t run. As if he were expecting Manny, Moe, and Jack to show up and say, “It’s the carburetor.” Unfortunately for him, no one had figured her out yet, not even her. If she understood half the things she did or felt, she’d be tempted to hand out CliffsNotes to anyone interested. Hell, the wave of jealousy that had hit her when Karma walked in and made herself at home was a real shocker. Toni still couldn’t figure out what was up with that. “You wouldn’t be the first guy to have a girl in every port, or campground, or whatever.”

Hunter tilted his head toward one shoulder and then the other, all the while staring at her, as if looking from another angle would change his view. Then he squinted like she did when she looked at her Victoria Frances poster of a girl in a graveyard.