Maverick / The Playboy's Passionate Pursuit: Maverick / The Playboy's Passionate Pursuit. Emilie Rose

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СКАЧАТЬ began clearing the table.

      “You don’t have to help,” Hawk said.

      “I know. But I want to do it.” She shooed him away with a hand. “You two go relax or something.”

      “You win. I don’t often get out of kitchen duty.” Hawk led the way outside to let Tanner choose the horses for the hunt.

      At the door, Tanner paused to tell Bri how to find the room where he had stashed her gear. No sooner had he shut the door behind him when Hawk lit into him.

      “Are you out of your mind?” he demanded, striding for the stables.

      Tanner sighed. “Don’t start, McKenna. I had my fill arguing with Brianna back in Durango. I’m not in the mood to argue with you.”

      Hawk snorted. “In the mood or not, you’re getting an argument. Dammit, Wolfe—”

      That’s as far as he got before Tanner cut him off. “Yeah, dammit. Hell, double dammit. What else was I supposed to do?”

      Reaching the stable, Hawk yanked the door open and flicked on the lights to illuminate the dim interior. “How about making it clear you wouldn’t bring her. End of argument. Period.”

      “I tried that.” Tanner gave his best friend a fierce scowl. “Didn’t work. She told me if I refused, I should forget it, she’d find herself another hunter.” He exhaled in a bid to ease the tension riding him.

      “And you didn’t want to give up a big payoff?”

      “Are you nuts?” Now Tanner was getting angry. “Hawk, you know me better than that. And you know as well as I do there are bounty hunters out there that will agree to any conditions, even to allowing a woman to hunt with them, if the price is right.”

      Now Hawk sighed. “I know. But I don’t like this at all. Brianna is a beautiful woman. A nice woman.” He strode inside. “I’d hate like hell to see her hurt.”

      “Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger. I feel the same way.” His mouth curved into a wry smile. “That’s why I’m not taking her along.”

      Hawk narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Aah, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

      “You got it, ole buddy.” He grinned. “I’m leaving her here, in your capable hands.”

      “But what the hell’s the difference if you leave her in Durango or here with me?”

      “Hawk, you’re not thinking,” Tanner chided him. “If I’d have left her in Durango, she’d have either contacted another hunter or set out on her own.” He shuddered. “I don’t even want to think about that. Out here, with you, she’s stuck. All she can do is ask you to drive her back to Durango.”

      “Where she will promptly look up and hire another hunter,” Hawk pointed out.

      “I know, but by then I’ll be way ahead of the pack, so to speak.”

      Hawk shook his head as if in frustration. “And when you bring him in and hand him over to the law, you know damn well she will likely hand you a check for the original ten grand posted.”

      “I know.” Tanner nodded. “And I don’t care. Hawk, it’s no longer the money. It’s Brianna and her safety.” He paused before continuing. “I’m attracted to her. Very attracted. It was there from the minute I opened my door and saw her standing there.”

      A small smile tugged at Hawk’s lips. “That’s understandable. Brianna’s gorgeous and sexy as hell.”

      “Tell me about it.” Tanner shook his head. “She had no sooner walked into my place and I wanted to swing her up into my arms and…well, never mind. I’m sure you can figure it out for yourself.”

      “Sure.” Hawk nodded. “I’ve been there.”

      “I have, too, but not like this,” Tanner admitted. “This is stronger than—” He broke off. “The point is, I couldn’t leave her in Durango and I can’t take her with me. This Minnich creep is a killer. He’s killed at least one woman, and the law suspects there’s more. If anything happened to her, if he got a chance to harm her in any way, I swear I’d go berserk.” He shuddered at the very idea of Brianna injured. “Hawk, I can’t take her with me. I can’t take that chance.”

      Hawk nodded. “There’s the hunter I know and love like a brother. You had me a tad worried that you had slipped a cog.”

      Tanner laughed. “Not to worry. Now let’s look at horses.”

      Hawk paused at the second stall inside the stable. “We’re going to have to play it cool, you know?”

      “Yeah.” Tanner nodded. “We can’t take a chance of her getting suspicious. Leave the lights on in here when we leave. I’ll bring her out to show her the horses we’ve chosen.”

      “Show her the mare.” Hawk indicated the chocolate-brown horse in the third stall. “She would be the logical choice for a woman.”

      In no time, Brianna had the kitchen spotless and went in search of her room, musing on the idea that Boyo obviously liked her, for he padded after her.

      Finding the room easily, Bri stepped inside, and immediately wondered if Hawk had frequent visits from lady friends. The bedroom had definite feminine touches, including a vanity table and bench, the surface littered with an array of skin-care products, makeup and a silver-backed comb-and-brush set.

      Along the back wall was a queen-size bed, set between two windows through which the last rays of sunlight shone. Crossing the room, Bri drew back a sheer curtain panel to stare out at the vista. A huge meadow spread out from the side of the house and along the foothills of the mountain. She was puzzled for a moment by a large, flat, whitish circle on the ground a good distance from the house.

      Then realization dawned. The white circle was a helicopter pad, right there on the edge of the meadow.

      How convenient, she thought, smiling as she turned away from the window. A chopper would come in very handy when snow blocked the roadways in the dead of winter.

      She had to smile. Boyo had made himself comfortable and lay stretched out on the foot of the bed as if it were his right to do so. Deciding it probably was, she walked back across the room, sitting down at the vanity to gaze into the mirror. Her hair, drying now, twirled into its natural waves. Her face appeared pale and dull. Bri was considering whether to retrieve her makeup case when she heard the front door open, close again and Tanner call to her.

      “Brianna, Hawk’s making a fresh pot of coffee. Do you want some?”

      Sliding off the bench, she went to the door and called back, “Yes, I’ll be right there.” Glancing at the dog, she said, “You coming?” Boyo lifted his large head to give her a soulful look, then his head plopped back onto the mattress.

      Guess not. A soft smile on her lips, she glanced again in the mirror, shrugged and left the room, thinking the hell with the hair and makeup. If Tanner and Hawk didn’t like her bare face and unruly waves, they could just get over it.

      “I like your hair down like that,” СКАЧАТЬ