Big Game: Hunted Love #1 (6 page)

The day dawned bright and hot after a mostly sleepless night for Jakob. Kate's dreams had indeed sounded sweet, tormenting him into wondering what sort of scenario her subconscious had invented. He finally gave in to the inevitable and masturbated in the early morning, hoping to manage at least an hour or two of sleep. The effort was mostly wasted, since he dreamed of her and all the things he'd like to do to her, and woke to find he'd moved over in his sleep. He lay close enough to her for his maddening hard-on to prod her hip with each involuntary thrust.

Kate murmured in her sleep and he hurried to roll away, cursing under his breath. The last thing he needed was for her to wake up and catch him humping her like a fucking dog. He slid out of his bag and into his jeans, forced to leave them open to accommodate his stubborn hard-on. By the time he pulled his boots on, Kate was stirring. He made use of a convenient bush and checked over the animals quickly.

By the time he made it back to the fire, Kate was up and dressed. She stood by the fire twisting her hair into some sort of knot, which immediately made him want to thread his fingers into the raw silk and pull it down. Fuck, he had it bad.

Breakfast was a quick, quiet affair and as soon as they finished, they extinguished the fire. Kate finished cleaning up while Jakob started tacking up the horses. She quickly joined him and made the work go fast. In a matter of minutes, they were mounted and heading up the winding trail.

The dogs were already whining and pulling, restless and ready to give chase. He encouraged them, whistling them into a frenzy. The lead bitch suddenly froze, then pulled to the left, casting for a scent. A few moments later, one of the others bayed, deep and clear.

One of Kate's horses blew nervously as Jakob called a halt to release the dogs. Freed from their long lines, they took off like a shot, hard after the one who'd found the scent. After a few confused barks, they all joined in the trailing.

"We'll follow along at a distance until they bring it to bay. They'll hold it until we get there."

They rode along at about the same pace as the day before, following the general direction the dogs were heading. Jakob guided them along the contours of the landscape, letting the horses choose the easiest going.

Just before noon, the dogs' barking changed to a higher pitch. "They're closing in." He urged Ajax to greater speed. The big horse kicked it into high gear and took off, eating the ground with his long-strided running walk and easily outdistancing Kate's horse with its rough lope.

Kate stopped trying to keep up before long and stayed with all their extra animals. She wouldn't have any trouble, since his horses were trained to follow him at their own speed.

Up ahead, the lead bitch's bay changed to her relatively short tree-bay. She had her quarry cornered. Recognizing the change, Ajax dropped his hindquarters another notch on his own and lengthened his stride still more. The other dogs joined their leader wherever she'd brought the lion to bay and set up a cacophony of voices.

Good thing they were getting close. The cougar would be in a pissy mood with all those hounds in his face. Jakob would prefer not to sew up any dogs on this hunt. He looped the reins on the saddlehorn, giving Ajax his head, confident the big bastard would get them safely to the dogs. With both hands free, he checked weapons, first the .44 at his hip, then the .30-.06 in the saddle boot, and the tranquilizer rifle just behind it. Assured all three were ready, he concentrated on helping Ajax find the most direct route to the dogs.

Ahead, the dogs heard them coming and grew even more excited. The youngest of the pack, a male still in the early phases of training, broke from the pack and came running to meet Jakob, eager to show off his achievement. The pup's enthusiasm was hard to ignore, but Jakob refused to acknowledge him. The slightest attention would encourage him to break again and could leave his pack mates in serious trouble, or let the quarry escape. He would get his share of scratches and treats with the others.

Ajax came up out of a shallow gully and they were suddenly in the middle of the dogs. The cougar sat comfortably out of reach in a dead tree, but he was still pissed, hissing and growling.

Jakob pulled his rifles, dismounted and smacked Ajax on the ass to send him out of harm's way. He slung the .30-.06 across his back to stay out of the way and shouldered the tranq gun.

Deep breath.

Hold. Aim.

Fire.

The cougar snarled and tried to turn to get at the stinging wound in his hip where the dart was already working its magic. Jakob called the dogs back and clipped their lines on so they wouldn't tear into the lion when he fell from the tree.

Kate and the other horses arrived as he finished securing the tracking collar and activating it. By the time he got the dogs out of the way and mounted up, the cougar was starting to come around.

"Take the horses back down where we camped last night? I'm going to harass him a little so he gets the idea he'd rather move on. I'll meet you back down there."

Kate agreed and started the horses back down the trail as the cat was struggling to his feet. Jakob hissed the dogs up and had them at full bay when the cat took his first step after waking. Suddenly recognizing the danger, the cougar took off like a shot, hounds and Ajax hot on his heels.

Jakob still hadn't returned, so Kate returned to the creek to wash her face and neck. The heat of the day still sat heavily at ground level, and the cool water felt good. On impulse, she unbuttoned her shirt and ran the washcloth over her chest and stomach, making the evening far more comfortable in a matter of seconds. An actual bath wasn't the most practical of things on the trail, but she would still love one. Maybe she could manage it after he fell asleep, since she wasn't likely to sleep anyway. In the meantime, she could wash her feet.

About the time she got her boots and socks off, Jakob and the dogs returned. He spoke softly to the dogs, probably praising them for a job well done, as he bedded them down. Tack creaked and jingled and a moment later, a horse grunted hard as a heavy body thumped to the ground. More thumping and grunting as Ajax apparently rolled to scratch his itchy back.

Stones and gravel littered the way back to the campfire and required Kate to gingerly pick her way barefooted, but it was so worth the trouble. Cooler and with the trail dirt washed off a bit, she might even sleep.

Jakob worked on something over by one of the packs as she came into the glow of the firelight. He glanced up at her and froze as something wild and predatory flashed in his eyes. "Kate, I'm a man of my word, but I have some limits. Unless you've changed your mind, you might want to cover up a little."

Damn!
She'd been so preoccupied with mooning over him, she'd left her shirt open. Face erupting in flaming humiliation, she whirled to put her back to him. A sharp rock dug into the sole of her good foot and forced her to hop a little to try and regain her balance. Yet another stone completed the trifecta of mortification by letting her foot slide off its damp surface and dumping her on her ass.

"Kate!" Jakob was suddenly at her side, running his hands over her to check for injury. Seeming satisfied, he lifted her in his arms and strode over to the fire and deposited her on her bedroll. "Good God, woman!" he thundered. "What are you thinking, strolling around here barefoot? I should spank your ass."

How dare he scold her like a child? "The day you think you're man enough, give it a try."
Oh, God.
Had she really said that aloud?

The wicked gleam in his eyes said she most certainly had, and that he was about to take up the challenge. "Why, thank you, baby. I believe I will." His grin sent a spear of heat straight to her lower belly.

One hand went up in a vain attempt at self-preservation. "You're right. I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else." The attempt to take her words back fell on deaf ears.

"Stand up Kate."

"What? Why?"

"Stand up, and take your jeans off. Because spanking a bare ass is much more fun than one in jeans."

The earlier spear of heat spread liquid warmth through her lower body and her pulse ramped up a few notches. "No. I'm not letting you spank me like a child."

Another of those blood-boiling grins crossed his mouth. "I wasn't asking. You made the invitation. Are you going back on your word?"

"Of course not!" Shit. "Fine. Get it over with." She stood and turned her back before lowering her jeans the bare minimum for him to deliver a swat and braced herself.

For a long moment the only sounds came from the animals just outside the fire's light. "Not good enough, baby. I said take them off." His voice sounded thicker, gruffer than before. Had she made him angry?

The instinct to turn and face him tried to assert itself, but she refused. The damn jeans had to come off before she could lay down anyway. If he tried to go back on
his
word she'd be in some trouble, for sure. Not for the first time, she was grateful for the custom belt buckle her father had made for her, the one with a nice sharp blade concealed within and ready to spring into her palm at a touch. Reassured, she took a deep breath and dropped the jeans, careful to lay them where she could reach the belt buckle. Just in case.

The way Jakob hissed gave her pause and she nearly made a grab for the blade, but she restrained herself. "Bend over, Kate." He moved closer behind her.

Kate fought the impulse to roll her eyes. "You're really taking your little game too far, you know." She let her body drop forward at the hip, proving he couldn't intimidate her.

He only grunted, whether in argument or agreement was anyone's guess. In the next instant, his palm landed on her ass with a resounding
smack.
The steadying hand he'd placed at the small of her back also prevented her from straightening in reflex.

Before she could squeal with the indignity or move, the same hand landed again, gently massaging the sting away. Outraged, she pulled away and spun to face him, fully expecting him to be laughing at her.

Instead he stood there shirtless, tanned skin gleaming in the firelight. The expression he wore held no humor, eyes gone dark and glittery, mouth full and parted. Nothing funny in the way his chest heaved either.

Transfixed, she watched him approach and circle.

Fuck,
she was beautiful standing there all wide-eyed with apprehension. All that innocence absolutely ate him up. She might have technically had sex, but he would lay money it hadn't been very good. Or very much. His hand still stung from smacking her lovely little ass, and ached to do it again.

Circling her, he tried to gauge the depth of her fear. "I'm not done with you, Kate, not by a long shot. And I'm not backing down." Damn jeans pulled painfully tight against his hard-on. With deliberate movements, he unfastened his belt and opened his jeans.

Her eyes flared even wider, but she stayed silent, only circling to keep him in view.

"You earned a good spanking, and I'm going to give it to you, one way or another. Anything else is entirely up to you. You understand?" He pulled his boots off. "Answer me, Kate."

She gave a quick, jerky nod. "Yes."

Triumph soared through his blood. "Good." She probably had no idea what that soft tone of surrender could do to him. "Now, are you ready to do as I say?"

Another nod.

"Pick up your jeans and boots, and put them beside your bedroll so your knife is within reach. I don't want you to be afraid. Understand?" Jakob had to admire the inventiveness of whoever had designed her belt buckle to conceal the blade. He wouldn't have spotted it except for her nervous habit of clicking the spring to test it occasionally.

She nodded and complied quickly, sending his temperature soaring a few degrees higher. The way she fidgeted at his approach said she was still nervous.

The rest of his clothing joined her jeans on the ground and she trembled visibly as his hard-on sprang into full view. "You understand I will
not
do anything you don't want?"

Another of those jerky little nods.

"Then why so nervous?"

The deep ragged breath she drew raised her chest and emphasized the shape of her full breasts beneath the thin shirt. "Because I'm not sure how well I'll react to being just a convenient piece of tail."

Her honesty stabbed at him. "Convenient… Kate, if I was into convenient, I probably wouldn't be standing here so desperate for you. There has been no shortage of convenient offers. About a year and a half ago, I got really tired of convenient." Better be careful with the next part. "I've slipped once in that time, the first night I was back in the States. I was more than a little drunk and reeling over my Uncle's death. An old friend offered comfort and I accepted it."

She shook her head a little. "Jakob, you don't owe me any explanations."

So why did he feel like he did? "Maybe not, but I don't want any misunderstandings here. I'm not playing with you, Kate." The truth of the words hit him like a brick wall. "I don't know what that means yet, but I do know I want something real with you."

The confusion in her eyes drew him close, and when her lower lip quivered the slightest bit, he had to taste it. He ducked his head, gently cupping her face with both hands, and licked along her lip. She sucked in a harsh breath and moved closer, scorching him with the heat of her bare skin. Her entire body quaked against him, igniting his needs even further.

A rough growl tore through him. "Kate, if you want me to stop, you'd better tell me now."

She rose up on tiptoe, looping her arms around his shoulders. "I don't want you to stop, Jakob." Her tongue flicked across his lip.

Loosening his control a bit, he dove on her mouth with absolute possession. The drive to brand her as his, only his, surprised him but he didn't fight it.

Needy gasps filled the night and he slid her shirt down off her shoulders and left her mouth to devour her neck and mark her with relentless possession. She returned the favor, small teeth nipping at his skin like fire.

Her bra followed the shirt, releasing her full breasts to fall in to his hands. Jakob wasted no time bending to lick delicate nipples. Driven by a consuming need to
see
her, he drew back.

Kiss-swollen lips parted, she stared at him with the same needs reflected in the depths of her eyes. Strong square shoulders blended into slender arms. For the longest time, his gaze refused to leave the pale globes of her breasts. The contrast of his dark fingers splayed across them threatened to hold him fascinated forever. Lower, her ribcage narrowed into a tiny waist, which flared into perfect hips.

Looking more would have to wait, because he would die if he didn't taste her again, right that very second. Another of those foreign-sounding growls ripped from his throat. God, she was going to think he was some kind of animal. The only problem was, where she was concerned, he very well could be. Never had a woman enflamed him to such a level with just a few kisses. He had to find some distance before he ended up tearing into her like a savage.

A deep breath, dragging her scent into his lungs, didn't help matters at all. Sheer female flooded his senses, no fancy soaps or perfumes to cover the clean smell of her skin. The hint of sweat and horse mingled into the mix to push his primal instincts to a higher level. The way her lust-filled gaze swept over him while she stood there, hiding nothing from his hunger, combined with that slightly innocent surprise, threatened to take him places he'd never imagined.

The truly terrifying part was that he didn't fucking care. Nothing matter as long as he had her, as long as she submitted every iota of herself to his will.

Ffffuuuuuucccckkkk.

He was in big fucking trouble.
Back the fuck off, you dumb bastard, before you scare her away. You'll
never
get enough of her anyway. Take your time and do it right.
The thought of losing her gave him the perspective, the distance, he needed to slow down.

"I believe I still owe you that spanking." His voice sounded strange, choked.

She nodded, meeting his gaze. "You do." The certainty, the willingness to trust, of her words threatened his sanity all over again. "Tell me what to do."

Breathing hard, Jakob lowered himself to sit on her blanket and drew her into his lap. The pink tip of her tongue swept across her lip, begging him to take her mouth again, and he couldn't refuse. Only when she squirmed and the thin cotton of her white panties slid across his cock did he manage to break the kiss.

Practically panting with anticipation, he helped her turn and lay across his lap. His fingers spread across her ass and squeezed. God, she was fucking perfect. He slipped his fingers under the elastic at the top of those panties and worked them down, touching, teasing every inch of skin as it was revealed. His cock burned against her lower belly, tormented mercilessly by the faint tickle of silken curls against the head.

"God, Kate, you are so fucking beautiful." And it was true. She should never wear clothing, never hide that glorious body. "Are you ready?"

She nodded vigorously and sent her hair cascading over her arm where it pillowed her forehead against the blanket. The silky tangle snared his fingers when he reached to draw it back so he could see her face and the gentle tug drew a fevered moan from her. Rather than release it, he filled his hand with a knot of the heavy mass.

At the same time, his other hand found the perfect angle on her delicious little ass. A gentle squeeze of warning, then he delivered a sharp
smack
and she tucked her ass a little in reflex. The movement brushed her mound against the head of his cock and made his hips roll involuntarily, seeking more of her heat.

The next smack brought a repeat, taking him closer to the edge. He gave a sharp little tug on her hair. "Don't move, Kate." Another blow to the hot, reddened skin. And more. With each one he took the time to rub a little of the sting away. When both cheeks were suitably reddened, puffy and hot, he paused to caress the highly sensitive area, dragging another of those moans from her.

Her eyes were heavy-lidded and her expression almost slack, intoxicated with the rush of endorphins. Seeming to possess of will of their own, his fingers slid into her cleft. She instinctively spread in gratifying reaction to his touch and allowed him greater access. Her outer lips were already wet and swollen with need. He parted her folds just enough to fit one finger along her slit.

"Jakob…" The breathy sigh accompanied her lifting her hips, begging for more.

Rising heat and tension delivered another jolt of adrenalin. His desperate thrust gave him more contact with her mound, but not enough. It could never be enough. Every instinct hammered at him to flip her over and drive his cock into her wet heat. He grit his teeth on a ragged groan, resisting, enforcing his will over instinct.

His finger slid further forward, encountering the swollen nub of her clit. She hissed frustration when he only circled it gently rather than give her the direct touch she craved. She thrust back against his hand, hard, needing more, and he adjusted his fingers to give. His index and ring fingers spread her to allow his middle finger open contact, while his thumb poised at her opening.

She whimpered and writhed on his lap, trying to turn over, trying to push back.

Fuck, she was close.
"Listen to me, Kate. Do you hear me?"

She nodded, frantic.

"I want you to bring one hand to my cock. Stroke me." Just the thought of her little hand on his cock threatened to send him into orbit. He'd be lucky not to go off like a rank virgin the instant he touched her wet heat.

She complied, fast, her hand shaking as her fingers circled the base of him and slid along his length. He rewarded her by letting his thumb delve into her slightly, pulling a ragged groan from her. Inner muscles clenched hard, trying to draw him deeper even as he even as he withdrew.

Taut muscles quivered, her entire body strung bow-tight. "Jakob, please…" Her words trailed off to whimpers. Slender fingers found the moisture at the tip of his cock and smoothed it over the head. He let his thumb sink deep and flicked his finger across her clit and reveled in the cry she gave.

He'd had about all the torture he could stand if he hoped to last longer than eight seconds. "Come here, Kate. I need you." The way his hands fit around her waist as he lifted her fascinated him. He moved to his knees and helped her turn to sit astride his lap but stopped short of allowing his cock to have its way. Instead, he poised at her entrance, loving the way they looked together like that.

And God, her breasts were so fucking perfect. He filled his hands as she wriggled in his lap, trying to shift her position to take him inside. He gave, just a little, and slid the head into her tight furnace. She cried out and arched against him, muscles clenching. He leaned forward, lowering her shoulders to the blanket and keeping her hips on the incline of his thighs.

The passion and heat glazing her eyes was fucking glorious, something he could never get enough of. She bucked her hips and writhed on him, seeking more.

Helpless to continue denying both of them, he moved forward, every muscle trembling with the strain of holding back, and worked his way into her inch by slow torturous inch. He stopped to let her adjust to him as she half-sobbed with need. A single slow, careful stroke and he was fucking lost.

She left him powerless to do more than thrust into her, hard and fast, with a nuclear blast about to go off at the base of his spine. He slid one hand between their bodies to stroke over her clit.

Her body locked in a pulsing, quivering knot and she cried his name. Another stroke of her clit and her inner muscles clamped down tight, rhythmically pumping him until his orgasm hit like a freight train and he emptied into her. He barely managed enough presence of mind to collapse sideways and keep his weight off her.

He wanted nothing half so bad as to stay hard inside her, driving them both to the stratosphere. Forever. God, he was in serious fucking trouble if she didn’t feel the same way. And he was likely the biggest fucking fool on the planet, as bad as a virgin falling in love with the first woman he fucked. He wasn't fool enough to say it yet, at least.