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Although a hint of pleading was evident in his tone of voice, his words were still more of a command

She knew this was a very bad idea But she always seeood out of the experience, even if it didn’t last? He was the kind of guy that wouldn’t stay in a long-term relationship, she would bet One one Especially once he learned who he was and where he belonged Probably had a good paying job, certainly a faet stuck on the guy, what did it ?

As macho as he was, she expected hi to hed and moved close to his where her pajamas had drawn up, and she swore under her breath "Daet warm"

He chuckled low and pulled her into his heated embrace And she did warm up, way too much, but he seemed honor-bound Maybe because he was concerned he still had a wife or fiancée or special wouy like this Once she’d returned hos had been slim Rourke, the reporter, wanted to renew old acquaintances, but he was the last one she’d want to be stuck with on a desert island The sheriff’s son, one of Michael’s best friends, was another, but those were the only two single h school ere close to her age Everyone was eons older, younger, or e, seemed perfect

His warm breath teased the back of her head and his ar ehed Too bad he didn’t knoho he was If he wasn’t hooked up with anyone, they could have had a nice fling--not that she was into that sort of thing, but with someone as hot as him--why not? It was about ti for herself for a change

Hunter kept Tessa still He had never knooman who tossed and turned so much in bed At least, he didn’t re with? After she had beat on hi to bed with her was to hold her tight, give her solace, and keep her fro hi any more for a while Not until he purchased a new rifle and found another location to hunt in If Hunter hadn’t needed to re, he would have turned the bastard in for attempted murder He hoped Tessa wouldn’t see the hole in her ski cap and question him about it

Hoould he explain how he could run faster than a nor? He was just fortunate the second bullet had only grazed his upper arotten about it when he pulled the sweatshirt off, but thankfully, she didn’t see the wound the way he was turned slightly away from her toward the dark With any luck, she wouldn’t see the bloody ht Hunter was a black bear attacking hi like a bear At least, the ood, even if it survived striking the rocks below and landing in the ocean The only thing Hunter regretted was the fact he had littered

He took a deep breath of Tessa’s scent, knowing he shouldn’t When he shared one-night stands with lonely human females, that he recalled, he kept it strictly business, pleasuring theht him But he never atte of the relationships, like two clouds passing each other in the night, barely touching, and then disappearing

He was already too wrapped up in worrying about Tessa, her brother, and the gray lupus garou who had set his sights on her

He brushed one of Tessa’s curls tickling his cheek away and grunted when the bullet wound sent a shard of pain through his ar a lot?" She reached over and touched his arod, Hunter What…" She stared at the blood tingeing her fingertips in the lantern’s soft glow fro," he said, frowning Leave it to a hu

"You’re bleeding" Her face contorted orry She pulled out of his grasp, cli and shutting several drawers, she returned with gauze and tape "Is the bullet embedded?"

Ah hell, he hadn’t wanted her to see the evidence, or worry her "Just grazed the skin, really, Tessa No big deal"

"You need to charge hiet aith this Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt? No, I’ll tell you You’re too rin Her alpha posturing triggered his priain

She wiped away the blood, but it pooled up auze on it and the frown returned to her brow "Hold this while I cut the tape So what happened exactly?"

"I was gathering firewood I guess he thought I was a new species of ga in the auze to the wound "Are you really all right? Have you had a recent tetanus shot?"

"Yes, to both"

She stared at hiain, and touched his ar his blood "I can’t afford to lose you before you help me find Bethany’s killer"

He raised a brow "And here I thought you had a hankering for me"

"Humpf" She jerked Michael’s sweatshirt off the floor and waved it at Hunter, her face stern, but he could see she was half-teasing "You’re only borrowing ive them back in the same shape you received them"

"I’ll try to run faster next ti froht

She returned to the bathroom and rinsed the blood out in the sink, and then the shower curtain rings slid across the rod A dripping sound in the bathtub followed that

When she climbed back into bed, Hunter leaned down, kissed the top of her head, breathed in her heady sweet scent, and pulled her into his arms And wished he could have her, that she was one of his kind, and she’d want his shot up And when I’m able, I’ll buy him replacements Sleep, Tessa Or we’ll have to take a nap in the ht"

"You have to report this to the sheriff’s office"

"The shooter said he would"