Hunted Love Box Set: Big Game, Bounty, Captured Read Online Free PDF

their bodies and tan over their heads, came eagerly out of the truck kennels, whining and pulling at their leashes. Jakob made no attempt to bring them to heel, instead letting them half-drag him to the designated pen.
    Every second undermined her faith in him as a hunter. If he handled his own animals that way, and made such poor choices before leaving the barn yard, what would he be like on the hunt? A sitting duck for a clever mountain lion, no doubt.
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Five
     
    The tasks of unloading occupied only part of Jakob's mind. The rest he turned toward the puzzle of Kate Holt. She presented an odd mixture of strength and vulnerability, experience and innocence. The instant her little fist connected with his jaw, he'd been fascinated, attracted beyond belief. Lust had never hit him so hard or so fast. There for a second, while his fingers clutched her fragile wrist, he'd been hard-pressed to rein in the instincts that demanded he take her, right there in her own driveway.
    Thankfully, common sense prevailed and insisted he at least find out if she was married. Then she'd climbed into his truck and Jakob was pretty sure her own instincts made some pretty strong demands. When she actually appreciated Metallica, he decided to find out her relationship status at the first opportunity, because as long as she wasn't attached, he meant to have her. Preferably before he left to hunt the lion. And when he returned.
    The pronounced limp she displayed when she got out to help him unload certainly changed nothing about his intentions. If anything, it intrigued him more, though it could explain the lack of experience he sensed in her. People with physical issues often hesitated to put themselves out there emotionally, afraid of rejection, often with good reason. A badly timed remark from one jerk, or a pair of popular girls, could easily mess up someone's head for the foreseeable future. 
    With his animals safely unloaded and the truck parked beside the shed to leave his gear readily accessible, Jakob strolled up to where Kate leaned on a corral post watching his horses. Uncle Frank's spotted mare sidled up to Kate, muzzle outstretched in interest. Kate clucked softly and offered an open palm for the gentle mare to check out.
    "Her name is Whiskey. She was Uncle Frank's favorite."
    "Was?"
    "He passed away a couple weeks ago. That's why I was at his place, came in to start settling his affairs. Otherwise I wouldn't have got your call."
    Kate rubbed Whiskey's head and looked at him appraisingly. "So you aren't actually a hunter?" Her carefully neutral tone said far more than her words.
    Jakob grinned. "I grew up hunting with Uncle Frank, then joined the Army and went to hunt terrorists. Yeah, I'm a hunter." The damn mule darted in and made a grab for his hat in its never-ending game of snatch-and-run. He managed to duck back in the nick of time. "Bastard." He growled, low and threatening, so the mule could go into the run phase of the game. "So, I need a topo map, if you have one, where we can mark what your crew knows about this mountain lion. I'd also like to talk to anyone who's seen the cat's sign or knows anything about it. I'll head out in the morning, right at first light. My animals will be well rested then and I'll make a hard push straight for the lion's range."
    "I have the map, already marked. Brady, the hand who found the kills and sign, will be in for lunch. I agree, we should head out first light. We can use ATVs, or I have plenty of riding stock that might be a little more suited to the terrain than your animals."
    Jakob held up a hand. "Wait. We?"
    "Yes, of course, we. I'm going with you. I can handle horses and guns, and I'm a good shot and a good tracker. Besides. You don't know the terrain here, and I have a thing about strangers wandering around my land unaccompanied."
    "Okay, point taken. But I move fast, sometimes on foot. You prepared for that? And what's your husband going to think of it?" Of