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Sitting next to a woman with a baby on her lap, Seth appeared more youthful than Hunter reh, his pale eyes as serious as the rest of the expression on his face Hunter recalled seeing hirandfather and great uncle, the three of the a lanced at the back of the photo No identification Why would Tessa have a photo of hi else was clear?

In the closet, Hunter found a bunch of half-finished paintings, the focal point of the pictures, wolves--gray, red, Arctic

He frowned Maybe Tessa’s brother used the wolf photos to create the paintings But why not finish them? Why hide them away?

Tessa stirred in her bed in the uest bedroom to make the fire and start breakfast, but he had a lot of questions to ask the little lady

When Hunter’s arhtly around her, Tessa felt warmer and more secure than she had in months--since the time the sheriff told her that her brother was suspected ofhis face in her hair in thehis cheek on her shoulder another ti so further Probably because he didn’t know if he had a significant other, whichher fatherout with different woone, Tessa didn’t think any man could be faithful Well,and then she knew the truth Mostas the woreed to have sex

Hunter’s war, and Tessa wanted to bask in the feel of hiht long, but she finally had fallen into a deep slumber

When she fully awoke, she wasn’t surprised to find Hunter es, biscuits, and coffee over the fire Another load of as stacked neatly on the log rack He seeain made her wonder if he was an undercover operative or a Navy SEAL or so

Navy SEAL She snorted Yeah, that nearly drowned in the Pacific

Part of her hoped he’d re about his former life, mainly that he wasn’t attached to anyone But part of her was afraid he would recall too ht now, she needed hi more than for moral support, well, and protection

If someone had tried to kill his with the person also She still couldn’t believe Ashton Wellington had shot hiht back," Tessa said

"Morning" Hunter’s h, his eyes capturing hers

She sht But god, he was--crouching before the fire, an elusive smile on his lips, his ept hair curled about his shoulders, a shadow of a beard darkening his square jaw, a look of seduction as the fire flickered in his eyes

"Ditto, Tessa"

She waved in the direction of the bedrooht back" Yet she didn’t want to leave Never before had she wanted to be with ato a stone, rather, she just enjoyed his company--a little too much

In the bedroom, she slipped into a pair of jeans and a red turtleneck and sweater, then threw on a pair of war her face in the icy water in the bathroom, she applied foundation, darkened her red lashes, and brushed her hair She stared at the sink Hopefully, the pipes wouldn’t freeze

She glanced at her brother’s sweatshirt hanging in the shower, the hole visible

Ashton was the reason her brother had gotten into so much trouble over the years The sheriff always said Michael was the instigator But he wasn’t Michael was a born follower, Ashton, always the leader So it didn’t surprise her he would pull so like this Well, erous What in the world had gotten into hiet crazy then--as she well knew

She padded down the hall into the living room where Hunter still hovered over the fireplace He seees, she didn’t want to disturb hi than sweet, al his

She laughed a little under her breath "What woman would coot my lazy bones out of bed, I would have been elated And in shock"

Hunter would ood husband But he see alone in the wilderness, yet he had a wonderful tender touch, too He was perfect If he wasn’t already attached

He handed her a plate "I found some planks to board up the , but wanted to wait until you were awake before I began banging around"

"Oh Great Thanks I’ll help you"

His expression said he didn’t need assistance, but she owed him and she wasn’t about to let him do all that work hi table and sat down

"It’s still sleeting, a stalled store without your help"