Bounty Hunter (23 page)

“As I was without you. But Annie,” he added quickly, and she knew her hope had shown
plainly on her face. “This”—he gestured around him—“doesn’t really change things.
I’m still not sure what
I want, where I’m headed.” He took her face in his large palms. “I still don’t have
anything to offer you. Certainly not what you deserve.”

“What do I deserve, Kane?” she asked softly, determination lacing her every word.
She was fighting for her life. “Do I deserve to be happy?”

“Of course. More than anything, that’s what I hoped for you.”

“And what about you? Don’t you think you’ve earned the same right? What would it take
to make you happy, Hawk?”

“You.”

“Then why in the hell are we standing here arguing?”

Frustration and pain lanced through his proud features. “Because, dammit! Haven’t
you heard a thing I’ve been saying? I can’t promise you anything!”

“Have I asked you for a promise?” she shouted right back. “I don’t recall needing
a promise before deciding to spend three months of my life learning about ranching
because I knew that’s what you wanted to do.”

“And what if this doesn’t pan out? What then, Annie? Don’t pin your dreams on me.
I’ll disappoint you.” His anger fled as suddenly as it had appeared. He pulled her
into his embrace, and when he spoke, his voice was choked with emotion. “I’ve barely
managed to survive these past five months by telling myself you’d gone back to your
life. That you were
happy. I don’t think I could survive trying, and failing you.”

She ran a trembling hand down his face. “But I’m not happy. What you do for a living
isn’t what made me work so hard to find you. It was a means to an end. It’s you, Kane.
Whatever you are, wherever you go. It’s you that I need to be happy.” Her voice broke.
“Only you.”

Tears brimmed over his thick black lashes. “What did I ever do to deserve someone
like you, little sun?”

“You came to me, offered your protection, your support, your shoulder, your friendship.
Your life.”

“You forgot one thing,” he whispered roughly.

“What?”

“My heart, I gave you my heart. I love you, Elizabeth Ann Lawson. I love you, little
sun.”

Elizabeth jumped up and held on to his shoulders so her face was even with his. “I
love you,” she whispered fiercely, the words interspersed with kisses on his cheeks
and forehead until he lowered her so their mouths fit together.

He kissed her long and hard, soft and sweet. He finally lifted his head so they could
both take in some much-needed air. “I will make you a promise.”

“I’m not—”

“I want to. I may not do this right, and I can guarantee things won’t always be easy.
But little sun, I promise I will always, always give you the best that I have in me
to give.”

“Then that’s the very best I could have hoped for. The same goes for me, you know.”

“But I’ll warn you,” he said hoarsely, “I’m new at this. It will probably take me
years. Sixty or seventy, at least.”

“Wait a minute, I have something else to give you.” He lowered her to her feet. The
feel of his body rubbing along hers almost made her forget her intention, but she
forced her mind back to her purpose.

Reaching inside her blouse, she tugged the leather necklace free. Finally. “I don’t
think I’ll need this to keep me safe any longer.”

He took the amulet and stared at it for a long moment, then abruptly lifted her into
his arms. He stalked down the hall into a partially completed room that was furnished
only with a bed. A very big, very old looking four-poster bed.

“This was Cloud Dancer’s. I’ve had it in storage for so many years …” Kane looked
down at her again, still truly stunned. For the second time, his life had been turned
upside down and changed forever. For the better. Both times it was due to the woman,
this woman in his arms, who actually loved him. All of him. Kane Hawthorne. Eyes of
the Hawk.

He moved to the top of the bed and draped the amulet over the corner of the only decoration
in the entire room—a large silver frame sitting above his headboard.

In it was the picture of her at age seven, standing proudly next to Matt under the
Lazy F sign.

On the other corner of the frame hung an exact replica of the necklace he’d given
her.

She smiled up at him. “I think maybe you had faith in us all along.”

He smiled. The full, sexy, breathtaking smile she’d only seen once before. She decided
then and there that she would see it again. Often.

“Maybe you’re right. That one belonged to my
bi’a
, my mother. Cloud Dancer made it for her.” He nodded at the one he’d just added.
“That is the one my
bi’a
made for me.”

“Your mother? Oh, Hawk.”

He saw the tears trip over her lashes and felt his own eyes burn. “I love you,” he
whispered.

She reached for him, opening her mouth to his as he lowered her to the bed, then turned
and pulled her on top of him. Her weight felt wonderful, perfect, cradled between
his hips. His body responded, he was so hard with the need to reclaim his place in
her warmth that he wasn’t certain he’d make it past removing his clothes.

“Annie,” he whispered, then bit down softly on her ear. She squirmed deliciously on
him, making him groan. “Last time …”

“I know,” she said, her voice as breathless as his.

“But this … This time, I want to take it slow.” He lifted his head and framed her
face in his hands. “I want to know every inch of you, little sun. Taste you, touch
you.”

“Yes. Me too. Every inch of you.” She slid her hand down over his chest. “Touch you,”
she breathed against his lips. “Taste you.”

Kane lost control. He closed the distance, sinking his tongue deeply into her mouth.
His hands moved over her. All over her.

“To hell with taking it slow,” she growled in his ear.

Kane smiled against her lips. “Little sun,” he said, “we aren’t leaving this room
until hunger or thirst drives us out.”

“Could take hours.”

“I was thinking more like days. Two. Maybe three.”

She writhed against him, pulling at his shirt. “Maybe by then we’ll have figured out
how to do this slowly.”

Through clenched teeth he said, “Then again, maybe not.”

She reached up and raked her fingers through his hair. “
Tu’pambe,
” she murmured silkily.

Kane’s chest swelled, and his heart tightened. Lord, it was a lucky man who’d be blessed
with hearing the sweet sound of Annie’s voice each morning for the rest of his life.

Damn but he’d be forever grateful that man was him.

He suddenly realized what she’d called him.
Tu’pambe.
Shoshone for black hair. He remembered what she’d said earlier. “You really did go
to the reservation.”

“Mmm-hmm,” she mumbled as she started to undo the buttons of his shirt.

“
Waipe
,” he said.

“Woman,” she responded, as if he was quizzing her.

Unable not to, he whispered, “
Gwu’aho.
”

She immediately lifted her head to look into his face. “Wife,” she said softly, her
eyes bright with hope.

“Another new dream,” he admitted roughly. When her eyes turned wary, he tightened
his arm around her. “But only until I can find a preacher.”

He was rewarded with a fierce kiss, and returned it wholeheartedly. “There’s one thing
this
tu’pambe
needs to know first.”

“Anything.”

“I want to know if it’s true what they say?”

“About what?”

He raked her curls back into her face, reveling in every scent, taste, and texture
that was her. “About blondes having more fun.”

She tossed her head back, then slid her toes slowly up his calves. “I’m not certain.
But I know a great way to find out.”

Welcome to Loveswept!

Happy New Year! Kick off 2013 with an e-original from Loveswept: debut author Wendy
Vella’s sexy romance
THE RELUCTANT COUNTESS
–our second historical release! Set amongst the intrigues and scandals of London society,
Sophie Countess of Monmouth is forced into playing a dangerous game to secure both
her and her brother’s futures. She fears if anyone is to unmask and find the truth
to her charade it will be the persistent Earl of Coulter, who is led to believe as
well as the rest of the town that Sophie is recently widowed. Overly curious to the
rumors that surround the Countess and even more enchanted by her beauty, Patrick is
compelled to uncover the facts surrounding the mysterious Countess of Monmouth. I
can’t wait for this release!

And we have more fantastic books for you to start the new year. Donna Kauffman’s exhilarating
WILD RAIN
, Karen Leabo’s passionate Brides of Destiny story
MILLICENT’S MEDICINE MAN
, and three absorbing books from Linda Cajio:
SILK ON THE SKIN, HARD HABIT TO BREAK
, and
THE RELUCTANT PRINCE.

If you love romance … then you’re ready to be
Loveswept
!

Gina Wachtel

Associate Publisher

P.S. Watch for these terrific Loveswept titles coming soon: In February, we have another
alluring e-original for you, Sharon Cullen’s
THE NOTORIOUS LADY JANE
, Patricia Olney’s touching and funny
JADE’S GAMBLE
, Linda Cajio’s sexy
STRICTLY BUSINESS
, Sally Goldenbaum’s wonderful
A DREAM TO CLING TO
, and two enticing books from Sandra Chastain,
LOVE AND A BLUE-EYED COWBOY
and
MIDNIGHT FANTASY.
March brings some classics you’ll want to read: Patricia Olney’s moving and funny
STILL MR. AND MRS.
, Juliana Garnet’s compelling and sensual
THE BARON
, Jean Stone’s exceptional and heartwarming
FIRST LOVES
, Linda Cajio’s extraordinary
UNFORGETTABLE
, and beloved author Iris Johansen’s brilliant
AN UNEXPECTED SONG.
Don’t miss any of these extraordinary reads. I promise that you’ll fall in love and
treasure these stories for years to come.…

The faint, metallic screech sounded as loud as thunder in the oppressive silence of
the dark bedroom. Julianna froze, silhouetted by the moonlight against the back wall,
the sudden noise stealing her breath away.

“Unless you care to be shot this evening, I wouldn’t move from where you’re standing.”
The deep voice was quiet but firm and it came from the shadows of the big bed.

Julianna remained still as a statue, her mind awhirl. For a moment all was silent,
but then she heard the bedsheets rustle and the mattress groan. She cast her eyes
toward the bed, afraid to move even an inch. She could see from the man’s outline
that he was now leaning against the headboard. His arm appeared to be resting on his
upraised knee, but it was too dark to tell whether or not he was actually holding
a gun.

“You’re probably wondering if I do indeed have a gun,” he said nonchalantly, and Julianna
had to suppress a gasp.
How did he know?
She closed her eyes and pursed her lips in annoyance at herself. Of course he knew.
It’s what any halfway intelligent person would be thinking if they were discovered
in her position.

“Let me reassure you that the answer is yes.”

His reassurance was hardly necessary, since she had already concluded that to be the
case. In her experience, gentlemen were alarmingly odd, at least in most respects,
so it was no surprise that this one apparently slept with a gun. Given his wild and
reckless reputation, it would perhaps be more surprising if he did not.

He snorted inelegantly from the bed, which amused Julianna in spite of the dangerous
situation she was in. In that moment he didn’t sound at all like the Honorable r.
Alasdair Sharp to whom she’d recently been introduced, but very much like an annoyed
schoolmaster.

“Stand up, for God’s sake,” Mr. Sharp ordered from the bed. “You look like a caricature
of a thief, hunched over and creeping along the wall.”

Julianna started to straighten and she heard another rustle from the bed.

“Slowly,” Mr. Sharp admonished, and she froze again for a moment before straightening
very, very slowly.

“And now you must tell me what you found so irresistible in my bedroom in the middle
of the night.”

Julianna heard the amusement in his voice and it irritated her. So he found her amusing,
did he?

The slight weight in the secret pocket of her shirt burned into her side like a brand
as she faced him. “Let me reassure you that it was the Stewart Pearl I found irresistible,”
she retorted, “and nothing else.”