Chapter Thirteen

Hunter backed Ivy against the counter. At the hot feel of his chiseled body, she moaned into his mouth.

Ever since he wrapped his long fingers around her thigh in the truck, she'd been on fire for him. Need tingled through her lower belly and blazed between her legs.

He skated his hand up her waist to cup one breast. When he swiped his thumb across the aching tip, it shrank to a tight point.

"Hunter!"

In answer, he pinched her nipple hard. Desire flared through her. She dug her fingers into his shoulders and dragged him closer. When he slipped his hand down her ribs, over her stomach, and under her skirt, she stopped breathing.

He ran his finger along the seam of her pussy. As he worked over the small bump of her clit, she clung to his shoulders to hold herself upright. A soft moan escaped her.

Breaking the kiss, he stared into her eyes and slid his hand in her panties, over her bare pussy.

His low growl rumbled through her. "You're so fucking wet."

Swirling his fingertip over her bud shot sparks through her. She ground into his touch, seeking more. Each stroke over her clit made her feel more alive.

The depths of his eyes churned as he held her gaze and tormented her by strumming her clit. When he glided his finger to her opening and dipped it inside, she gasped.

"You were so damn cute today. Shopping with you had me hard as steel."

Her breath caught. "Really?"

"You in this skirt? Hell yeah." He thrust his finger deep.

She barely muffled a scream, but he helped her by slamming his mouth over hers.

Their tongues met in tandem as he dragged his finger through her soaked inner walls and plunged in again.

"Hold on to me."

She barely registered what he was asking, but her body knew. She looped her arms around his neck and let him support her as he made her limbs go slack with pleasure.

Settling his thumb over her clit, he pressed down lightly on it while finger-fucking her with the other. He added a second finger. Then a third.

Shudders of ecstasy rolled through her, and her mind drifted on sensation. Her eyes squeezed shut for heart-throbbing seconds. When she opened them, she found Hunter's steady gaze on her.

His jaw was clenched into a hard line as if battling back his own needs. The expression in his eyes…

It stole her breath.

Having a man one hundred percent focused on her was shocking. Addictive.

Passion kindled to a wild inferno.

"Hunter, I'm…close!"

"I feel you clenching around me. Your clit's so fucking hard." His jaw flexed hard. "Come on my fingers!"

She cried out at his words. A thrill tore her in two. The strong pulse of her release hit with a strength that stole a wail from her lips.

"Hunter!" His name came out on a hitching breath as waves pounded her.

Boneless, her arms slipped off his shoulders. Using his muscled thigh, he anchored her to the cupboard. The passion blazing in her mind left a scorch mark on her heart.

A brand of his name.

After what felt like ages, he drew his fingers out of her panties and arranged her skirt around her thighs. He dropped a small kiss to her lips. "This is exactly how you should look every day—glowing and dazed."

Hiding her face against his chest, she shook her head in shock. How could he affect her this way?

"We'd better get the grill heated."

"But you just had wings!"

"That was a snack." He gave her a crooked grin that left her aching all over again.

He gave her a small pat on the backside and then walked out of the kitchen. She heard the bathroom door close. She braced her palms on the counter to support herself through the aftershocks of that release.

A minute later, Hunter reappeared. He took one look at her face and a cocky grin spread over his.

"You look satisfied."

"You look very satisfied with yourself." Her sassy remark didn't have as much impact when her voice sounded like she'd just screamed his name loud enough for everyone down at Badlands to hear.

He walked over to the French doors opening onto a patio where the grill was located. Through the glass, she studied him.

So manly. Considerate and helpful. Not at all like the jerk she thought he was at first.

She was so distracted that she didn't notice that Meadow entered the kitchen until she tapped her on the shoulder and made her jump.

Meadow followed the direction of her gaze, and a knowing smile spread on her face. "I've never seen you like this with any guy, Ivy."

Because she'd never felt this way about one.

Flustered, she hurried between the pantry and the fridge, pulling out items to make a pasta salad.

"Ooh, you're making Mom's favorite salad." Meadow got out a cutting board for the vegetables they'd add to the summertime salad.

Ivy only nodded, her mind far away from the kitchen. Hell, the planet.

They stood, chopping in silence.

After a time, Ivy looked up at her sister. "What do you think of Hunter?"

Meadow looked toward the patio. Hunter was standing at the grill, talking to Colton, who'd joined him outside.

"I think he can't keep his eyes off you."

Ivy swung her head to look at her sister. "Really?"

"I know you've noticed."

Biting her lip, she wandered to the stove and set a big pot of water to boil on the range. Suddenly, she blurted, "Do you think Forest sent him to me?"

Meadow gasped. "What makes you say that?"

"I just wondered." She returned to the counter next to Meadow and started chopping onion.

"It's possible Forest sent Hunter to you. I think he sent Colton to me…"

Ivy turned to her, tears burning in her eyes. Their gazes met in a look of understanding.

Only a moment passed, but the shared moment eased her soul.

Meadow leaned in and gave Ivy a sisterly squeeze. "Why don't you keep chopping, and I'll call the hospital and check on Daddy?"

Ivy nodded. While Meadow placed the call, she kept half an ear on what she was saying while prepping the salad ingredients. She still felt scattered from what she and Hunter had done right here in the kitchen only minutes before.

"That's great news!"

Ivy looked at Meadow, trying to pick up the one-sided conversation. But she didn't have to try for long because Meadow ended the call and spun to her, grinning.

"The doctors say they'll release Daddy later this week!"

"That is great news." Her smile spread in genuine happiness…but inside her stomach dropped.

That only left a short time for her to find what she'd been searching their father's office for.

She was going to do a big sweep of the office. Tonight was the night.

* * * * *

After his first night on watch, Hunter realized that sitting on the hard ground wasn't only uncomfortable but unnecessary. So on day two, he set up a folding lawn chair.

He sank into the seat and settled the rifle Colton provided to him across his knees. It wasn't his preferred weapon, but he was a good enough shot that it didn't matter what weapon he used.

The cool night air filled his nostrils and gave him a clear head for his task. From his position, he had a view of most of the perimeter. The fence ran for acres and acres in the distance. When he raised his binoculars, he was able to see everything crystal clear.

As he scanned the fence line for breaks or a trespasser, he took in the night sounds.

Crickets chirped. Occasionally, a cow in the nearby pasture let out a low moo. Nothing else but silence rang in his ears.

When he lowered the binoculars, he turned his attention briefly to the deep midnight blue sky stretching overhead, spangled with glittering stars. The moon was glowing bigger. Soon it would illuminate the land and make it more difficult for anyone to step foot on the ranch without him or the cameras picking up their presence.

Under the night sounds, he caught a different one.

He slowly stood, rifle in hand, and swung toward the noise coming from behind him.

"Flash."

Hunter's shoulders relaxed. "Thunder."

The countersign from D-Day during World War II was something that was used to identify someone who was not a threat, and Forest had used it because he enjoyed old war movies. He started using the alert in the early days after their squadron formed, and it stuck.

Colton emerged from the shadows and slung a lawn chair in a bag off his shoulder.

Hunter eyed him. "Are you here to join me or relieve me?"

"Join you, bro. How's it lookin' from here?"

"Nothing to report." He picked up the binoculars and sank to his seat.

Colton did the same.

"I assume you have something to share with me that you couldn't say around the ladies."

He nodded. "I spoke with the police today about the video footage. They looked into the guy and came back with some information. They've got an ID on the guy."

Hunter fixed his gaze on him. "And?"

"He's wanted in a couple states for shady dealings. Apparently he does offer loans, but you can only reach him on the dark web or if you know someone."

Hunter's neck prickled. "You think Mr. Gracey did something to get himself deep with this guy?"

Colton gave a stiff nod. "It's likely. Forest had an inkling too."

He gave him a sharp look. "Did he tell you that?"

"In his final letter to his father, he mentioned his old man running the ranch and the family's good name into the ground. It all adds up. And now the loan shark has been identified on one of our security cams. What else could it be?"

"Damn." He scrubbed a finger between his puckered brows. "What will become of the ranch if he loses it? What will become of Ivy and Meadow?"

"I'll take care of Meadow." He gave Hunter a direct look, one that typically came from the top rank down. "Will you take care of Ivy?"

He didn't even hesitate in his response—he spoke from the gut. From his soul.

"Fuck yes."

He and Ivy hadn't spent very much time with each other, but since their first meeting, he'd learned what a lovely, caring and special woman she was. Each time they were together added another notch scored into his soul. Spending today with her, just running errands—and giving her a blazing orgasm in the kitchen—had seared her into his psyche.

Ivy was his person. The one he'd turn to at his high points and low.

The scent of her lingered in the back of his mind, a sweet, intoxicating and womanly scent that disrupted his every thought and dream.

He wanted her. Now.

He looked at Colton. "Will you take over watch for me?"

Colton chuckled. "How did I know you were gonna ask? Sure, man. Go to her. But don't expect this every night. I don't like being away from my woman either."

"Thanks, brother." He stood and passed the rifle to Colton. With his long legs eating up the distance between the knoll and the main house, it didn't take long to reach the front porch.

He let his epiphany roll over him—no, steamroll over him.

He was going to break into her bedroom window if need be just to tell her that she was his—in all ways.

She belonged with him.

Tohim.