Reaper (Montana Bounty Hunters Book 1) Read online

“She was going after Reaper and Dag with a bat. What the hell was I supposed to do?”

  He chuckled. “Better work on your delivery. You sound way too defensive.”

  All the lights except the front porch light were out when Reaper arrived home early the next morning. He was hungry and dead tired after hours behind the wheel, listening to Dag’s constant chatter—but first things first. He had a bone to chew with a certain brunette.

  As quietly as he could manage, he entered the bedroom, dropped his jacket and his holster onto the arm chair just inside the door, and then he flicked on the overhead light.

  He blinked as he beheld the sight of Carly, lying nude in the center of his bed, the sheets covering her hips, but her lovely breasts bare. Another hunger rose inside him, pumping blood into his groin. He’d delay the ass-chewing she’d earned until after he’d had himself a piece of her pretty ass.

  He turned off the light, stripped in record time, cloaked his cock, then strode to the bed and slipped in beside her. Moonlight filtered through the blinds, enough to display her creamy skin. She smelled fresh. He ought to shower as well, but he was too angry and horny. The time had come for them to get a few things straight—after he’d had his piece.

  Carly awoke with a gasp when a large, heavy frame settled atop her body, trapping her against the mattress. Her body tensed. “Reaper?”

  “Carly, we’re gonna talk.”

  Immediately, she relaxed. “This how you hold all your conversations?” she asked, smiling in the darkness. She’d figured he could be distracted if she flashed a bit of skin when he first walked into the bedroom. By the size of the erection lying against her closed legs, she’d been right. “This…discussion would work better if you let me move my legs.”

  “This isn’t about you. Not yet. It’s about me. You scared me half to death. I’m angry, hungry, horny as shit, and I’m gonna fuck you—then we’ll talk.”

  Her eyes rounding, she gave him a swift nod. She was okay with the fucking part. Maybe an orgasm would sweeten his mood. She cleared her throat. “Still might be easier if you let me open my legs,” she mumbled.

  He blew out a breath and glared. “Hope you’re already wet.”

  That was all the warning she got.

  He rolled off her, then flipped over her body, and gripped her hips to raise them.

  She scrambled to her knees, but he was inside her before she could raise up on her arms. The quick thrust pushed the air from her lungs. Then she scrunched the sheets in her fists and held on for dear life as he thrust swiftly.

  She was wet. And more liquid engulfed her channel as he hammered. The first internal tremors flickered, and she tightened her muscles, squeezing around his big, thick cock. “Reaper!” she cried out, and let her back sink, needing him deeper, harder.

  His groin and lower belly slammed against her ass. His fingers dug into the sides of her hips, holding her still as he moved faster and faster.

  When he slammed one last time and held still, she groaned. She’d almost joined him. Leaning on one hand, she reached the other between her legs to take care of herself, but he pulled free and flipped her again. This time, when he came down on top of her, trapping her legs, she knew he’d deliberately withheld her pleasure. She pouted her mouth and watched warily as he went to his elbows.

  “What part of ‘sit tight’ didn’t you understand, Carly?” he asked.

  His voice sounded menacing in its softness. She shivered, discovering she liked his change of tone. Hell, gruff, growling, gently menacing—every one of his tones turned her on. That fact wasn’t fair. “I had to see. Besides, I saved you from getting your skull crushed.”

  “I heard the screen door crash. I knew she was coming.” His arms bunched. “I didn’t need your damn help.”

  “Oh.” She released a sigh, which rubbed her nipples against his chest, and once again, she was there, needing what Reaper could give her—if he’d just get over his crankiness. “I’m sorry,” she said, thinking those words ought to do it.

  Slowly, he shook his head. “Sorry doesn’t cut it.” Again, he rolled away, this time to sit on the edge of the bed.

  Was this the part where he cut her loose and told her to find another hunter to annoy? Her stomach knotted because she’d hate that. Swallowing her pride, she pushed up on an elbow and reached to run her fingertips along his side. “What can I do to make this right?” she whispered.

  His head angled toward her. His gaze was hard when it locked with hers. He patted his thigh. Twice.

  Her eyebrows shot up. Did he mean...?

  “Come here, Carly.”

  He was going to spank her! Seriously? Part of her ego bristled that this solution was the one he’d reached. He was going to treat her like a disobedient child. Another part noted that his cock was rising again...

  So, biting her bottom lip, she crawled toward him until she knelt beside him.

  His gaze swung forward. He barely breathed.

  The telltale jerk of his cock lessened her humiliation. Slowly, with her lips pouting and her brows drawn together in the fiercest frown she could manage, she bent and crawled over his lap, lowering to rest her belly on his muscled thighs.

  She felt his hardness against her hip and took heart from the fact this act was turning him on just as much as it was her. Not that she was into punishment. But the thought of what their bodies looked like, right this minute, sent another rush of liquid to drench her sex.

  One hard hand settled at the small of her back and pressed down. The other he laid against her right ass cheek.

  Carly rested on her elbows, just high enough to rub her nipples on the bedding, because she was aroused and growing more so by the second. “So, will you get this over with?” she asked, her voice husky.

  “Don’t think I take any joy...?” he said, his voice sounding like he was strangling.

  “This how you trained Jamie?” she asked, acid in her tone. A hard smack landed, and she gasped.

  “I don’t fuck Jamie. Never did.” He slapped her again. “When bad shit happened, I kept it together, but this...you...” He slapped her again.

  Fiery aches radiated from where he’d hit. “Ouch!” she said, contorting her upper body to give him a good scowl. “Remember, I have to sit on this ass.”

  “Maybe you’ll think twice,” he growled and smacked her again.

  Only this time, his hand landed in the center. A moist slap. His breath hitched.

  Carly held still, squeezing her eyes shut because the heat and pressure from his slap sent a wave of pleasure straight to her core.

  “Dammit.”

  The roughness of his voice had her biting her lower lip. “You can stop,” she said, her voice trembling.

  The hand on her lower back lifted, and she scooted back, pressing her hands on his thighs to raise herself. With her breast pressing against his shoulder, she bent toward him to rest the hot side of her face against his cheek. “Reaper?” she whispered.

  “Dammit.” He gripped her arm and pulled her over him, waiting as she straddled his thighs.

  Without thinking, she acted on instinct and gripped his cock, placed it at her center and sank on it, taking him all the way inside and settling against his heaving chest. When his arms came around her, she hiccupped. Who is this woman? She wasn’t weepy. Wasn’t given to tears, but she was so turned on, so desperate for his hands to caress her tenderly, she quivered against him. Waiting...

  Reaper stroked his hands down her back then cupped her buttocks. “Take what you need, sweetheart,” he whispered.

  What she needed? Confusion swirled inside her. She didn’t need a man. Hadn’t wanted anyone in her life—on a permanent basis, anyway. But being with him was like being in the center of a whirlwind. Her emotions were tugged in every direction.

  She was wildly attracted, and she liked his terse intensity. Loved his sense of humor, when he let her see it. And when he made love to her? Holy shit.

  Through struggling with what was happening ins
ide her, she gripped his shoulders and pushed back, just far enough she could see into his face and lock with his gaze. Then firming her chin, she raised and lowered, aided by his strong hands, taking him in slow inches, until she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t stop shaking. “Reaper?”

  He didn’t answer, just stood with her wrapped around him and moved toward the wall. Then he fucked her against it, grinding deep, shoving her up and down his cock, until they were both sweaty and hot, and her moans filled the room.

  She’d never been loved this way. Full-on. Rough. “Damn, this is good,” she said between clenched teeth, because she was riding toward the peak.

  “Come, baby. Come quick. My legs are starting to shake,” he muttered.

  She laughed and rubbed her breasts against his hairy chest, her legs working up and down against his sides as he burrowed and thrust, until, at last, she screamed.

  Reaper held her while she quieted, her whimpers leaking away on shattered breaths. He’d never seen anything like it—her face red, sweat dotting her forehead. He’d never seen anything quite so beautiful as Carly when she came.

  Not that he was ready to express those sentiments. Instead, he held her, braced against the wall until she rolled her head toward his and kissed his cheek then his jaw.

  His mouth quirked upward on one side as he mused he was lucky she was peppering him with kisses rather than punches for what he’d done. Something told him Carly wasn’t into spankings and bondage, that she’d been as shocked as he was when he’d discovered her becoming aroused by his hand heating her bottom.

  “Gonna move,” he said brusquely. “Hold on.” Then he walked, stiffening his legs against the weakness in his knees. When he reached the bed, he crawled up on one hand and both knees, his other hand cupping her ass to keep her body close. He wasn’t pulling out any time soon. At the center of the bed, he rolled to his back and urged her with his hands to rest atop his body.

  She yawned and moved her legs alongside his.

  He slid a hand along her thigh and pushed them together, to trap his cock inside her heat. “Stay like that.”

  She nuzzled his chest and sighed. “I was afraid you’d send me packing.”

  “I considered it,” he said truthfully. For about five seconds, until Dag laughed himself silly after he’d stated his intentions. Didn’t take that jackass pointing out the fact he was only mad because she’d scared him.

  “Can I still ride with you?”

  “You already are,” he quipped, a smile tugging at his mouth.

  She pinched his side. “You know what I mean.”

  He let out a deep breath. “Yeah.” He rubbed her ass, earning a very satisfying hiss. Her skin was hot. She wouldn’t soon forget the lesson.

  “I’ve never been treated like that,” she whispered. “Not sure I liked it.”

  “You liked it, all right, but I get what you’re saying. Spanking’s not my thing either, baby.”

  Carly raised her head. “I like it when you call me that.”

  Telling her not to read too much into the endearment was on the tip of his tongue—as was his habit with previous girlfriends. But he kept silent. Carly wasn’t one of his easy lays. Hell, nothing was easy about the woman, other than the sleepy, sexy look she wore right now. “You get charges?” he asked.

  A shake of her head was followed by a rueful smile. “The deputy gave me a tongue-lashing about letting the professionals do their jobs.”

  He grunted, happy he wasn’t the only one telling her she had no place in that takedown. “My work can be dangerous. Cummings could just have easily gone for his weapon. Or Amanda could have decided that a revolver would work better than a bat.”

  “I know.” She wrinkled her nose. “But I couldn’t let her hurt you. Or Dag.”

  “If you’d been in the car...”

  “Yeah, yeah. I never would have been tempted to save you.” She frowned. “You do remember I’m an ex-MP. I’ve had defensive training.”

  He stroked her back. “Have you ever had to use it?”

  Her lips firmed. “No. I was strictly a jailer who watched prisoners. I never left the Green Zone.”

  “My partner, Jamie, saw real action. She can handle herself. Took me a while to trust her. With you...” He shook his head. “You will drive me to a heart attack.”

  She leaned to the side and rubbed a finger over one of his nipples. “Only thing I want to drive is you...crazy, that is.”

  This time, he yawned. He caught the finger playing on his chest. “Maybe when I wake up?”

  “I’ll be here.” She gave a little wiggle of her hips, which tugged on his cock. “Doesn’t look like I’m going anywhere...”

  Chapter 6

  They rose in the early afternoon and quickly showered, doing their best not to touch, because they were starving. But the no touching thing proved impossible, leading to plenty of splashing. After they dried the floor outside the shower stall, they dressed and headed into Bear Lodge.

  Although her backside stung, Carly didn’t dare grimace as she shifted on her chair. No way would she give him the satisfaction of knowing she felt a single ache. Today, she wasn’t showing him any vulnerabilities, because she was worried she’d come off as a little too “needy” the night before. She didn’t figure Reaper was in to clingy women, so she’d play it cool. Friendly, but not too familiar. No using excuses to cuddle against his side while he drove. She’d dish sarcasm when he gave it. Today, she’d be a buddy—one he’d hopefully want to fuck again when they returned to his cabin.

  Because being in his bed wasn’t something she’d ever get enough of. Delicious aches, not on her ass, reminded her just how thoroughly and deliciously his big body and hard hands could pleasure her.

  They ate in the cafe on Main Street, seated opposite each other in a red vinyl booth. She knew the looks they got. The women gave him sly, sideways glances before their glances flicked over her. Then they sniffed. She wasn’t anywhere in his league, but she did get some curious and appreciative glances from the men, which went a long way toward mollifying her pride. A few frowned at the matching, fading bruises on their cheeks.

  After they finished their breakfast and exited the cafe, he reached for her hand.

  She was so surprised by the gesture she nearly jerked away. She’d never figured him for a hand-holding kind of guy. Turning her head, she hid a pleased blush. Lord, now I feel like a teenager on my first date.

  “If you don’t mind, I need to make a stop before we head back,” he said, without looking her way.

  “That’s fine. I don’t mind the walk.” Anything to prolong the pleasant sensations radiating up her arm to her chest.

  They walked two blocks to a corner garage. A row of Harley Davidson motorcycles formed a line at the side of the building in the employee parking area. Her curiosity piqued, she barely noticed when he let go of her hand and pushed through the shop door. He nodded to the man standing behind the counter—a rough-looking, rather skinny dude with his hair caught up in a rubber band. Tattoos ran across the tops of his fingers and up his arms.

  They passed through the storefront and into the garage area. Reaper’s head turned side to side, until he locked on one man bent over the open hood of an old Buick. “Sammy,” he called out.

  Sammy’s head turned his way, and Carly’s feet slowed. Sammy had to be related to Reaper. Same blonde hair, only darker and dirtier looking. Scruff on his cheeks and chin obscured what she knew had to be an equally strong jaw. The blue eyes, however, were the biggest giveaway. They were the same intense, arctic blue.

  Sammy’s brows lowered. “Hey, bro, what are you doing here?” His gaze darted around the garage.

  Brother. Carly followed his nervous glance and noted the other mechanics working in pits or leaning over lifted vehicle hoods watched the byplay between the brothers. What was going on here?

  “Just checking in,” Reaper said, his mouth turning downward at the corners.” You didn’t answer any of my calls. Your phone bro
ke?”

  “Nah.” Sammy turned away to flip a wrench around a nut on the car battery.

  Carly was surprised by his disrespect. More surprised when Reaper simply sighed rather than reaching out to pull him around.

  “Look,” Reaper said, lowering his voice. “Call now and then. And if you need anything, you know I’m right here.”

  Sammy glanced over his shoulder and gave a casual nod. “Sure.” Then he turned back to the battery, but his hands didn’t move.

  Reaper dragged a hand through his hair. “See ya, Sammy.”

  Sammy didn’t respond.

  Carly followed on Reaper’s heels as he turned and walked out of the open bay, his stride stretching too long for her to keep up, so she didn’t try. She glanced back and spotted Sammy watching his brother stomp away, a look in his eyes she couldn’t quite name.

  Farther down the way they’d come, Reaper halted and turned, his troubled gaze following her process. “Sorry I didn’t introduce you,” he said in a surly tone.

  “I sensed you two aren’t on the best of terms,” she replied, careful to keep her tone neutral and her expression impassive.

  “Don’t want to talk about it,” he bit out. Then his mouth twisted. “Look, you want to stop by the office? See what’s up?” His head jerked to the right. “Or would you like to take a drive into the mountains?”

  Liking the idea of more time alone with the big guy, she said, “I don’t think Brian’s expecting us. You were out pretty late.”

  He flashed a grin. “Can you walk in those boots?”

  After stopping for supplies, they drove to Lone Pine State Park and hiked trails all afternoon with stunning views of Flathead Lake, the Jewel Basin, and Big Mountain. Late afternoon, they stopped at a park bench and ate their early dinner, not talking much.

  Holding up an apple, she said, “You surprise me.”

  His head angled her way. His eyes narrowed and a small smile curved his mouth. “How so? Didn’t think I could walk?”

  She chuckled. “No, but I didn’t think you’d like...this.” She waved the apple toward their amazing view. “I figured you’d be more at home on dirt bike runs or maybe hunting along some log trail.”