The Wolf's Pursuit (20 page)

Hunter took a seat. "An hour ago, I was not
at your residence, but speaking with my grandfather. He has been
helping me with a current assignment. As I said, I am not truly
retired, at least not yet." Hunter sighed. "I went directly from
our meeting to the park to save Gwen. I had reason to believe she
was in danger. It seems Redding may have gotten himself into a bit
of trouble, and she was to be with him on her walk. The minute I
arrived, I tried to locate him, but was too late. For the minute
his carriage began to drive away, it exploded."

Gwen gasped. "Is he alright?"

Hunter shook his head slowly from left to
right. "I highly doubt there are any survivors. There was debris
everywhere. Whoever placed the explosives did a deuced good job. I
admit to being so…" his voice cracked, "upset, that I came here
straightaway to deliver the news."

"Then explain the so-called twin who was here
earlier. By the saints, he even acted exactly like you!" Montmouth
shook his head in confusion and cursed again.

Gwen smiled to herself and whispered, "He did
not smell the same."

"What was that?" Montmouth asked.

"Nothing." She looked to Hunter, and his eyes
brightened. She wanted to touch him, to feel his lips on hers
again. Was that why he'd kissed her? He'd thought she was some sort
of ghost? Or were his true feelings finally showing through, since
he'd thought he had lost her?

"I have a twin." Hunter cleared his throat
and folded his arms across his chest. "But up until a few minutes
ago, I thought him dead. I don't suppose he left a way to contact
him?" Mask slipping, Hunter appeared eager to see his brother. It
pained her heart to be of no help.

Gwen shook her head. "I am sorry, Hunter. I
truly thought it was you. I did not think to ask, and I believe if
I would have, he would have merely given me your information."

"Right." Hunter cursed. "Why would he appear
here? Now? What did he say to you?"

Gwen felt herself turn red with both
embarrassment and anger. "He accused me of trying to seduce
him."

Hunter laughed.

Of course he laughed. The cad. "Apologies,
Gwen. It is just that, well, you would not know how to seduce a man
if he begged you."

"Care to give it a try?" she countered,
stepping toward him, ready to rip his tight jacket straight from
his body to prove a point. And to feel his lips on hers again, but
first she would strangle him, of course.

"Easy." Montmouth placed a hand on her
shoulder. "If you do not care to witness his death, you will cease
from taking another step."

She took another step.

Hunter grinned wolfishly then beckoned her
with his finger.

Montmouth turned his head just in time to see
Hunter make the gesture and cursed. "It is like herding children!
Must I separate you two?"

"If you must." Hunter relaxed into the chair.
"But know that it only makes finding her that much more…
rewarding."

Gwen scowled and began searching for a
weapon. If she could not prove her point, she would simply force
him to admit she was just as skilled as he. Besides, she knew how
attached he was to that handsome face of his. All she needed was a
knife, a dagger, a rusty nail…

"Am I to understand that my dead brother
resurrected himself, somehow read the code that was safely in my
grandfather's possession, pretended to be me, and then accused our
dear innocent Gwen of taking advantage?"

"Yes, that sounds right," Gwen said through
clenched teeth. "Though it pains me to admit there are two of you
in this world."

"Clearly our masculinity offends you."

"Your entire being offends me, Wolf."

"Have a care what you say… Red."

"Pet names?" Montmouth sputtered. "You have
pet names for one another?"

Hunter shrugged.

Gwen refused to take her eyes away from his.
If he was going to be difficult, then she was going to be the thorn
in his side. He winked and licked his lips as if he were staring at
a tasty morsel.

"…After all, it pains me to admit there is
just nothing more that can be done," Montmouth said. Had he been
talking? Blast. Why did Hunter have to have such plump lips? And
beautiful eyes, truly beautiful. Not the type that looked feminine
in any way, but dangerous — mystical even. His grin set his eyes
off, adding a spark of mischief and wickedness.

"…I believe the end of the week will suffice.
Do you agree, Gwen?"

What was Montmouth asking?

Hunter raised his eyebrow, no doubt waiting
for her to ask her brother-in-law to repeat his statement. Not
wanting to look stupid, she merely nodded. "I could not agree
more."

"Really?" Montmouth and Rosalind said in
unison.

She looked to Hunter for help. But it was as
if he had suddenly discovered he had hands, for all the intensity
with which he was staring at them.

"Yes," she answered.

Montmouth was silent for a while and then
scratched his head. "Well, in that case, I should see to making the
proper arrangements. Come along, Rosalind. They should probably
have a moment alone to speak. Though I will place your maid at the
door. You have at least earned a few minutes for being so amiable
after everything, my dear."

He walked over and kissed her forehead before
leading Rosalind out of the room and closing the door behind
him.

Hunter burst out laughing. "Tell me, Red, do
you have any idea what you've just agreed to?"

"Of course."

"Truly?" His voice was suddenly in her ear.
She quickly turned around and glared.

"Yes!"

"So stubborn." His eyes raked her from head
to toe. "I like that in my… women."

"Women." Gwen snorted. "Typical. You would
pluralize that statement. We all know your interest lies with
several, not just one."

"Oh, I don't know about that." His smile
disappeared as his golden eyes flickered to her lips. "I imagine
there is one specific woman I very much desire to taste again." His
hand cupped her face as his thumb rubbed her lower lip and then his
mouth was on hers.

Previous irritation with the man faded as his
lips worked against hers. His hands caressed her neck and moved
further down. She trembled against his touch as the warmth of his
tongue singed her.

Too soon, Hunter pulled back. "What shall we
tell Wilkins?"

"About Redding?" she whispered hoarsely,
leaning shamelessly closer to him, craving the touch of his lips
more than her next breath.

He kissed her softly, this time trailing his
tongue along her lower lip before coaxing her head against his and
wrapping his arms around her.

She moaned into his mouth.

He retreated and chuckled softly. "No, Red.
About our marriage."

Red—

So I irritate you? Is that it? At least I
invoke some sort of strong emotion within you. Though I swear to
you, by the end of the Season you will be begging for my kiss,
longing for my touch, and if you are lucky, I may just give you
exactly what your body burns for. And more. Now, you may shoot this
letter out of anger; you may burn it out of pride. But tell me,
what will you dream of when you close your eyes? That's what I
thought. Sweet dreams, Little Red…

—
Wolf

Her kiss ignited something long dead within
him. It had always been that way with Gwen, absolutely explosive.
As if they could not have a normal conversation without pulling out
some sort of weapons, and when they were not fighting, they were
flirting. Whether it be with their words or their actions. It was
impossible to quit the woman.

Now he wasn't so sure he wanted to.

But marriage? It would be a cold day in
Hades.

He'd tried that once. And failed miserably.
Though he hadn't the heart to embarrass her in front of her family.
He would simply allow her to cry off. No doubt she would have a fit
when she heard the news, but her lips were so blasted tempting, and
he had thought her dead.

So he'd kissed her.

And now, the look on her face, one of pure
horror and not elation, made his decision all the more simple.
After all, marriage was impossible for a man who'd lost the other
half of his soul long ago.

"Marriage?" she repeated, taking a step
back.

"But of course!" He laughed. "You agreed to
it. I was here. I would know. By the by, you were also present.
Wonder what you found so blasted distracting?" He brought his hand
to her face and then trailed it down her neck, stopping just above
her breasts.

She slapped it away. "I must think, and I
cannot do that when you are…"

"Seducing you? Kissing you? Touching,
begging, biting, tasting…"

"Breathing!" she yelled and pushed against
him, but he held her firmly in his embrace.

"Never worry, my dear, all you need to do is
cry off. It will not be so hard. Standing up to that giant of a
duke will be good for you. Yes?"

"But…" Gwen chewed her lower lip. Blast, how
he hated it when she did that. It made him want to kiss her more,
and if he kissed her more he might just change his mind about
marriage.

Sharing her bed every night was a temptation
of gigantic proportions, and he was still a man. A broken one, at
that.

"No." Gwen shook her head. "I cannot do
it."

"My thoughts precisely. We cannot marry."
Hunter should feel glad that she agreed with him, but instead felt
nothing but emptiness. It was as if she had died all over
again.

He released her and stumbled back, fighting
with every ounce of strength he had left to look happy when inside
he was slowly crumbling into dust.

He tried to smile again, but he felt it did
not reach his eyes. He laughed mockingly at himself, cursed, and
turned around. Where the devil was his mask when he needed it
most?

"You misunderstand me, Hunter." Gwen took a
step toward him and lightly touched his arm. "We must marry."

He looked down at her delicate fingers as if
they burned a hole of desire straight through his jacket. "We
cannot."

"It is the right thing to do. Be reasonable!
You have kissed me quite soundly in front of our entire staff. Not
to mention my sister and brother."

"A secret." His voice shook. "We could keep
it a secret. Pay off the staff…"

"And lose your honor in the process?" Gwen
tilted her head. "Besides, weren't you the one who said we had
crossed so many lines already?" The minx brought her hand up to her
dress and pulled the sleeve down.

What the devil was she doing?

She smirked. "We are attracted to one
another, that much is true."

His eyes never left the exposed skin of her
shoulder as it radiated promises of velvet smoothness and
desire.

"And…" She reached to her other sleeve and
tugged it down. "It will allow us to work more closely together.
After all, your brother has risen from the dead, yet is still
missing. You are being shot at, and for all we know, Redding is
dead as well."

The woman had a point. Besides, if he married
her, she would be under his watch, which also meant she would be
under his care. She would want things. Things like children, and a
happy home — his soul.

Yet he had nothing to offer her but his
protection.

Perhaps that would be enough. It would have
to be.

Gwen reached for him and placed her hands on
his chest. "It is a brilliant idea."

He closed his eyes and moaned. "It is an
attraction. Are you willing to base a marriage on that alone?" Even
as he said it, he knew it was much more, but he wasn't willing to
speak it aloud, lest his worst fears became realized. That he had
fallen again, and this time, there was nothing to catch him but the
cold, hard ground. Because in the end, he would not be enough. He
would fail, and he hated to think of what would happen when he
did.

"Yes," she answered, boldly kissing him
across the mouth. "I am." Her tongue, all velvet sweetness, plunged
into his mouth and tangled with his.

If he hadn't been convinced earlier, he was
now. For his hands had a mind of their own as they tugged harder on
her sleeves. Why wasn't she naked already? Why hadn't they sealed
their agreement, and where had she learned to…

"Oh, my—" Her legs wrapped around his body as
he lifted her against him and deepened the kiss.

"Gwen, I—"

The door flew open.

Montmouth yelled something, most likely a
curse or a threat, but Hunter was too focused on Gwen's mouth.

"Release her or I will shoot you before your
wedding day. I believe I have been gracious enough, giving you five
minutes."

Hunter set Gwen down and grinned. "Told you
it only took five."

Montmouth sputtered. "You seduced her,
then?"

"No." Hunter took a step back, needing the
distance air would give him. "She seduced me."

Gwen grinned proudly. "It took me two."

"Two?" Montmouth repeated. "Two what?"

"Minutes." Hunter walked by him. "I will see
you tomorrow. We have arrangements to make for our… wedding."

Wolf—

Let us be honest with one another for once,
shall we? I do not dream. If I allowed myself to dream, I fear I
would not think on happy things but on war, blood, killing, and
sacrifice. If you desire for me to be honest with you, then you
must be ready to hear my confession. If you ever see me dreaming,
please, have a care and wake me, for nightmares plague me in my
sleep, and it seems the only thing able to scare them away is a
living nightmare, in the shape of a wolf.

—
Red

Gwen had taken complete leave of her senses!
What the devil had she been thinking? She hadn't. Not one logical
thought had crossed her brain while she was in Hunter's arms.