Jaguar Pride

  Melissa glanced over her shoulder at Oliver. He still stood there, arms folded across his chest now, his expression concerned. Did he think to protect her from Huntley?

  She didn’t need any protection from him. He was perfectly suited to her.

  Huntley wrapped his arm around her shoulders as if he was afraid she might just stop and talk further with Oliver, and he wanted to ensure she didn’t. She snuggled against him, loving the way he was ferocious, charming, sexy, and protective.

  She wasn’t going to buy into Oliver’s words. Yet, was there more to Genista’s moving out suddenly without doing it face to face with Huntley? Not that it would have anything to do with Melissa’s relationship with Huntley, but she was curious.

  She shook her head at Oliver and walked with Huntley to his car.

  “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Huntley said as they climbed into his vehicle.

  “Are you sure there’s not something more to her leaving? Something she wouldn’t discuss with you? You said yourself she didn’t like to talk about anything important.”

  “Well, hell, maybe. Then again, why would Oliver know about it when I wouldn’t?”

  “Maybe he told her he was worried about me, and she felt sorry for me and told him the truth of why she left.”

  Huntley grunted. Then he glanced at her. “You’re not really going back to him, are you?”

  “Are you kidding? When I can’t get enough of you?”

  Huntley smiled a little.

  “He’s never called me precious or alluring. And as far as I know, he’s still seeing Chad. So no.”

  “Why don’t you call Genista? Maybe she’ll open up to you when she wouldn’t with me.”

  “I really don’t need to.”

  “I’d like to know what it was all about if there’s something more to it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “All right, but only because you want to know what’s up with her.” Melissa didn’t want him to think she believed that anything that was an issue for Genista would be one for her. They were just too different from one another, and from the sound of it, Genista hadn’t shared the heat with Huntley that Melissa felt for him. The whole way back on the plane, they’d cuddled and were close, and she loved it—realizing she truly did love him.

  ***

  “Better watch out. His dad has a lot of influence over the JAG,” Genista warned Melissa over the phone as Huntley drove Melissa to his place.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Everett and Huntley served exclusively as a team on missions for a few years because Martin knew they were good at it. Never got injured. Always got their man…or woman. They were totally in sync with one another. Good at their job. Why break up a great agent team?”

  Melissa had an idea but didn’t think it was true, so she ventured, “The brothers weren’t getting along? They asked for others on assignment?”

  She glanced at Huntley. He was frowning at her.

  “No. They were perfectly happy to work together. All of a sudden they were split up, and I was given the mission to work with Huntley. I almost felt bad for him. He was happy to work with me, and we hit it off great. But at first, I could tell he was having a difficult time getting used to me and the way I work. That soon changed, and well, you know where that led.”

  “You were dating him and moved in with him. I thought you were getting married.” Melissa didn’t want to hear anything bad about Huntley from the ex-girlfriend, because from the sound of it, she and Huntley just weren’t that compatible.

  “It has nothing to do with Huntley, truly. He’s a likable guy. Well, a real sweetheart. Busy, dedicated to the job, focused on mission—which I loved about him. It also drove me crazy. When I’d come home from a mission, I’d want to forget all about it. He’d want to talk about it. Help me work through mine. I couldn’t.

  “He said he always did that with his brother. I didn’t want to. Maybe some part of me resented that he wanted to treat me like I was his brother.” Then Genista laughed. “Not in any way other than the need to discuss missions. Anyway, then he’d want to talk about his job. I didn’t want to hear about it. Maybe that’s why he and his brother were so good on their assignments. They worked through things and were ready for the next mission. I don’t know. It just isn’t the way I like to handle it.”

  Melissa could see Genista’s point if she wasn’t geared the same way as Huntley. “He really wants the best for you, you know.” She wanted Genista to know that he hadn’t said anything bad about her. She knew Huntley had to have been upset by the way Genista left him without telling him she was moving out. But even so, he hadn’t said anything about how he’d felt to Melissa.

  He glanced over at her as he parked in his parking slot.

  “Yeah, I know. I told you, he’s a sweetheart. That’s why I moved out like I did. I was afraid he’d get all woeful looking, and I wouldn’t be able to leave because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.”

  Melissa could envision him like that. He was a nice guy. More than nice. She leaned over the console and kissed his cheek. He gave her a hug back. He was just perfect for her on and off a mission.

  “I was being a total coward, I know. But if I hadn’t moved out, the next time he asked about my last mission and he wanted to talk about his, I knew we’d been in the same boat all over again. It was for the best that I cleared out, and well, then there you were,” Genista said.

  “I got an ultimatum from my ex-boyfriend—leave my job and work at his, or move out. But then I learned he was seeing someone else.” She didn’t want Genista to think she’d been making the moves on Huntley while on assignment when both he and she were seeing someone else.

  Genista didn’t say anything for a moment. “Oliver told me he was concerned that you’d hooked up with Huntley after I left him and Oliver left you. He wanted to know the real reason I left Huntley. Oliver was worried you’d get hurt since he felt he’d already hurt you. I always knew the guy wasn’t meant for you, but he still seems protective of you. I’ve never seen a wallflower like him at the Christmas party. Not everyone is a wild cat or works for the JAG, and yet there he was, holding up a corner of the wall.”

  Melissa smiled. She’d tried so hard to introduce him to everyone, but had finally given up to enjoy herself a bit. “Okay, so you alluded to a reason that Huntley and Everett began to go on missions with other agents. And that was?”

  “Huntley wasn’t paired with anyone else but me. Did you know his dad has a lot of influence with the JAG branch?”

  “Wait, you’re saying his dad had something to do with it? Like he wanted the two of you paired on an assignment in a matchmaking attempt?”

  “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying. After two missions, I made the mistake of moving in with Huntley. My grandmother had died, and well, it just seemed to be the solution for me at the time. He’s a great guy, really. Don’t get me wrong. Only he’s looking to settle down. I’m not. Especially if his dad is pulling the strings. Huntley just wants more than I’m willing to give right now. Oh, and by the way, if you’re being paired with him on missions, it probably isn’t Martin’s idea either.”

  “Why would that happen when you were dating Huntley? I’ve been on three missions with him already.” Melissa really didn’t believe this, though she knew Roy Anderson was involved heavily in the politics of the organization, and he certainly had the money to invest in projects that the JAG wanted to support. Like funding more rangers for the Corcovado National Park.

  “His father probably got word somehow that Huntley and I weren’t going to last. Betcha anything that if you and Huntley look like you’re not getting along, he’ll suddenly be paired up with another female agent for the next assignment.”

  “Do you have any proof?”

  “You know Roy investigated
the Patterson brothers, ensuring they were acceptable to him for Maya and his daughter, Tammy, right?”

  “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he’s getting into the matchmaking business with field agents.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if he hadn’t already checked into your background before you were assigned to work with Huntley. You know Roy was at the Christmas party and watching his sons and his daughter, Tammy, right? Did you speak to Huntley at all at the party?”

  “Yeah, I did. Someone bumped into me when I was getting some eggnog, and I spilled it on Huntley’s shoes.” Melissa smiled a little at the memory and realized that was the first time she had really interacted with him.

  Genista laughed. “He doesn’t care for the stuff, and I wondered why he smelled of it when we went home that night.”

  “We got to laughing, and I was helping him mop up his shoes, and I don’t know, maybe his father saw us talking and laughing and thought there was more to it.”

  “We’d had a bit of a row, so we weren’t exactly speaking to one another. Then there you were, being nice to Roy’s son, and well, I bet you were paired with him on a mission not long after that.”

  “Yeah. The next week, actually. Thanks, Genista.” Melissa didn’t know what to think, but she didn’t like being manipulated. She’d believed that Genista was way off base on this, but the more she thought about the way Roy was, the more she wondered if there was some truth to it. Not that it changed her mind about how she felt concerning Huntley.

  “Huntley’s a great guy. But I didn’t want his father getting into our business, and the other issues were just unresolvable as far as I was concerned.”

  “Did you ask Huntley about it?”

  “No.”

  “The boss?”

  “Nope.”

  “Why not?”

  “I figured it didn’t really matter. I wasn’t ready to settle down with him or anyone else. I hope it works out for the two of you. I just thought you should know. Talk later.”

  “Yeah, thanks.” Melissa ended the call and realized Huntley had already parked the car at his complex. She climbed out of the car, shocked about this whole situation. If it was true, did Huntley know anything about it? She suspected he didn’t.

  Huntley watched her, curious and a little worried looking as he grabbed their bags and hauled them to his front door.

  She called her boss while Huntley unlocked the door. “Martin, I’ve got something to ask you.” She looped her finger around one of Huntley’s belt loops as he carried the bags inside and shut the door.

  Then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek, waiting to hear what was up. She ran her fingers down his buttons, ready to start unfastening them as soon as she had both hands free. This was how she wanted to unwind from missions from now on—in this hot, wild jaguar’s loving embrace. No more tame cats for her.

  “Did Roy Anderson have anything to do with my working with Huntley on a mission?” she asked her boss.

  Huntley immediately stiffened.

  Silence. She smiled up at Huntley, letting him know she wasn’t upset if it was true.

  “Martin? Did he?” she prompted when there was too long of a delay, and she knew then Huntley’s dad had been involved.

  “He might have said he thought you’d make a good team,” Martin said carefully. “He doesn’t decide who goes with whom on assignment. That’s my call.”

  “So he suggested we’d work well together.”

  “You do, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, we do. But I want to know the truth.”

  “I wouldn’t have paired the two of you if I hadn’t thought you could be good as a team.”

  “All right. As of now, Huntley and I are on vacation. Take us off the work roster, if you will.”

  “Will do. Glad you’re back. I’ll be in touch in a week.”

  Melissa took hold of Huntley’s arm, led him to the couch, and began yanking couch cushions off. “Make it two. We need a really long vacation.” Starting…now.

  Martin chuckled. Huntley grinned at her, pulled away, and began to make up the sofa bed for them.

  She ended the call with Martin and said to Huntley, “What’s your dad’s number?”

  Huntley joined her again and took the phone from her. “I’ll take care of this one.”

  She folded her arms and watched him as he called his father. Huntley’s gaze was on her, already darkened, already interested. She loved him for it. So different from the way she’d been treated when she returned home to Oliver. Nothing would change the way she felt about him, about this, about them.

  “Dad, it’s me. Did you have anything to do with me teaming up with Melissa on an assignment? You did. How’s it going for me?” He grinned. “She’s just perfect for me in every way that counts. Thanks, Dad. Love you. Talk to you later.”

  He ended the call right before Melissa swung one of the couch cushions at him.

  “I love you, Melissa,” Huntley said just as he tackled her and pinned her to the sofa bed. And she realized how much she loved how he did that to her. But then again, next time, she was tackling him first.

  She looked into his heated gaze, felt his hard body that was getting even harder by the moment as he rubbed up against her, and knew beyond a doubt that after all they’d been through, he really was the one for her.

  “I love you, you big, ol’ sexy cat.” And she meant it—glad that Genista hadn’t been the one for him and that she and Oliver could remain friends but that they’d gone their separate ways in the romance department.

  “We make a great team, don’t we?” Huntley asked, kissing her cheek.

  “Yeah, we sure do. On and off missions.”

  Thinking about the time she’d spilled eggnog on Huntley’s shoes at the Christmas party, and how she’d admired him on assignments for the way he handled missions and worked with her as a team, and how she’d wished she was with someone like him after hours, she realized this was really meant to be. The fun, the loving, and the serious side of the business.

  The next thing she knew, they were kissing and his hands slid up her top and cupped her breasts, his body nestled between her legs, his cock fully aroused, and she was ready for everything—maybe even a couple of cubs—later.

  Tomorrow, they would look for their dream house, and she was moving in for good. No other she-cat would ever have the opportunity. She couldn’t help but be tickled by the way Huntley had handled his dad. But she agreed that she was glad it had all worked out that way.

  Huntley loved Melissa. He knew as soon as he called his dad about the arrangement he must have had with Martin that he could humor her into submission if she was bothered about it. He loved that about her—how she could melt at his touches and how she did the same with him. How they could go on a mission and come down off it like this.

  And then over dinner, they could discuss that same mission or the next assignment they had coming up or…do more of this.

  The home on the lake, setting the marriage date—that was all in the works, starting tomorrow, but for now he wanted to show Melissa just how right they were for each other. What two wild cats in love truly meant. Never again would she come home to a cold relationship. And neither would he.

  “About cubs…” she murmured against his mouth.

  He grinned against her lips. “We’re getting married.”

  She smiled up at him and said, “That was my line.”

  “I love it when we think the same thoughts.”

  “When we have cubs, we’re leaving them home during missions.”

  He smiled at her. “But we’ll have to take them on trips to the jungle—to teach them to be wild like us.”

  “Hmm.” She began to kiss him all over again.

  “I love you, you know,” he said, then kissed her mouth.

  She sucked on his
tongue and looked up into his eyes with longing and need. “I love you, Huntley Anderson, and I’m ready for whatever tomorrow brings.”

  And then the time for discussion was over. Melissa had taken hold of his heart. He still remembered that first time he’d really met her—at the Christmas party—her all dressed in a sparkly red dress crouching to wipe up the eggnog spilled on his black dress shoes, and him crouching down to join her. Her cheeks had flushed beautifully as he’d laughed about the mess, and she’d laughed and said she was making it worse. And then he’d been delighted to work with her on missions, as dedicated to solving them as she always was. He couldn’t have been happier.

  Melissa loved Huntley like this, loving her or running through the jungle as cats or humans. Sleeping in a hot tent and making it hotter, or in an air-conditioned cabana. She wasn’t sure if watching movies or dinners out were exactly for them, but they could give them a try. But this—

  Yeah, they couldn’t be more perfect for each other like this, on dangerous missions, or just on vacations in the wild.

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  Sourcebooks Casablanca

  “Damn it, Paul. You couldn’t help what happened,” Allan Rappaport said as they unloaded their bags from the SUV. The two men had taken a red-eye and arrived at Allan’s family’s mountain cabin in Northern Montana in the predawn darkness.

  Paul Cunningham and Allan, his U.S. Navy SEAL buddy, had just returned from one hell of a mission in the Ecuadorian Amazon, tracking down four college students on a field trip who had been taken hostage for ransom. Paul and Allan had managed to rescue the three young men. But not the woman.

  Paul couldn’t quit envisioning the woman pleading with him to hold on to her as she dangled off the cliff the rest of them had just climbed—the humidity and stress made her hand sweaty, but he wouldn’t let go of her for anything. Then the gunfire had erupted. Paul knew before it happened that he was going to lose her.