by Aden Lowe
A Hunted Christmas
A Companion story to Big Game: Hunted Love #1
Aden Lowe
©2015 by Aden Lowe. All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication or series may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Aden Lowe or his legal representative.
Smashwords Edition
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, brands, and incidents are either the product of the authors' imaginations or used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and owners of various products and locations referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication or use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Author's Note: This book contains adult situations and language, and sexual activity. Mature readers only.
Acknowledgements:
This one is for all the readers who asked for more of Kate and Jakob from Big Game. Without your support and encouragement, I might have given up, so this short story is my way of saying Thank You.
Ashley, my Assistant/Co-Author/BabySister/Cover Designer and any of a dozen other titles you wear… thank you.
Elyse, Always.
Cover design by: Ashley Wheels
Kate:
Jakob came in the door on a rush of frigid air, and paused to dust snow off his hat. "It's getting bad out there. I had the boys go ahead and put hay out." He hung his hat and coat by the door and came over to give Kate a kiss.
She turned into his arms and slid her hands up to the back of his neck, glad to have him back in the house. "I guess we'll have to find a way to stay occupied inside."
A low groan rumbled from his throat. "I can think of plenty of things to keep you busy."
She smiled. "Good." One more quick kiss and she turned back to the stove. "Now, get washed up. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."
When he left, she looked out the window over the sink. The wind whipped snow along the ground and the sky looked ready to open up in the third winter storm to hit the valley for the season and it hadn't even really started yet. They'd had a good year and were prepared, but many ranchers in the area were already in trouble. Her heart ached for the animals who would suffer the brunt of their owners' bad luck or laziness. That part of ranch life never changed, though.
The oven timer dinged and Kate put the worry out of mind and turned back to making dinner for her man. Before Jakob, she barely learned to cook at all, but when he came into her life, it suddenly became important to prepare food for him. The almost obsessive need to cook, and do it well, surprised her at first, but she figured maybe it was some instinct or genetic memory. Didn't matter, the result was the same.
Part of her still refused to believe Jakob really wanted her, but those doubts disappeared every night when his touch carried her into orbit. Her life had taken a one-eighty in just a few short months, and if she were strictly honest, she still worried it was all just a dream. Girls like her, broken ones, didn't win men like him. She'd accepted her life, alone, and resigned herself to a future of horses and dogs.
After a couple of weeks of exploring what they might have together, Jakob processed out of the Army when his leave ended, and so far, seemed satisfied with life on the ranch with her. He'd made several trips back to his uncle's farm to settle things up, and moved all the livestock to her ranch. Her hands immediately accepted him, including Ray, the overprotective foreman. Recently, Jakob had even accepted several hunting jobs and seemed to consider taking up his uncle's work.
Despite all that, the lack of permanency concerned her. Early on, he mentioned the future in sort of vague terms, but lately hadn't even hinted at long-term plans. Oh, he was very clearly possessive of her, but she had no way of knowing how long that might last before he packed up his horses and dogs and hit the road. Kate shook her head and refused to worry about it at the moment while she put the finishing touches on the meal.
"What smells so good?" Jakob came back into the kitchen wearing his ratty old sweats and no shirt. He stopped close behind her and put his hands on her hips, drawing her back against him to drop a kiss to the side of her neck.
Kate turned her head for a quick kiss. She'd long since given up trying to get him to replace the sweats and settled for clean. "You'll freeze without a shirt."
His heart-stopping grin pushed her objections away. "You'll keep me warm. I have faith."
A laugh bubbled up. "You're too much sometimes. Sit down and behave." She finished bringing everything to the table and took her seat.
The meal passed like so many others, with talk about the day just behind them, and the one ahead, and plenty of lighthearted teasing. And still nothing about a long-term future. They cleaned up together, as usual. Then Jakob went to make a couple of phone calls while Kate bundled up for her nightly trip to the barn.
It was a little earlier than usual, but not even a blizzard could stop her from tucking the horses in for the night. She couldn't sleep until she assured herself they were all safe and as comfortable as possible. The habit, in part, held over from the days when her father ran the ranch. He took the nightly stable visits as an opportunity to teach her about operating the ranch. Since his death, she felt closer to him on the walk to and from the barn, and as she talked to the horses, she spoke to him, too. It helped the pain a little.
In the big paddock by the barn, Dreamer paced and whistled as she drew near. The storm had yet to grow severe enough to drive him into the shelter of the cozy shed the men installed in there for his comfort. The stallion was still wild as hell, but he improved every day. She and Jakob had spent a week chasing the horse down and catching him after the successful hunt for the mountain lion.
As she suspected, he proved to be a son of Chaser, one of the horses killed by the mountain lion. Chasing The Dream, or Dreamer, had been worth every minute. He might never be the star in the arena his sire had been, but his sons and daughters would be. Dreamer formed a link to the past she thought she'd lost. Besides being the foundation of a very successful breeding program, Chaser had the only surviving foal of her mother's favorite mare. Kate needed that anchor to her heritage, and Dreamer gave it back to her.
She stopped by the fence and offered the treat. "I've got big plans for you, bubba. You're the start of a new era for Holt Cutting Horses." As wild and powerful as Dreamer was, she took her life in her hands every time she came within reach of his teeth. He could easily grab her by the arm and jerk her into the pen. A wild stallion was like a rattlesnake ready to strike, and far deadlier. The future rested on his rock hard hooves, though, so she took the risk. She hoped Jakob would be there to share that future with her.
Dreamer tossed his head and snorted, but stretched his neck out and took the apple slice, still staying as far away as possible. As soon as the weather broke, she would get serious about working with him. They needed him manageable, not the man-killing rogue his father turned into. She continued to talk to him for a moment, using her voice to hold his attention and calm him. Finally, the cold drove her to tell him goodnight and move on to the next horses waiting to be tucked in for the night.
The horses inside the barn
munched their hay quietly until they heard Kate speak. One by one, heads popped over stall doors and eager whickers begged for treats. Smiling, she spent a moment with each horse, talking to them, patting necks and scratching ears.
In the last stall, Jakob's horse, Ajax, waited, dark and silent. The big Tennessee Walker intimidated her, but so far he'd been nothing but gentle with her. He accepted the apple as his due and allowed her to stroke the regal crest of his neck. Since he helped her safe Jakob's life when her neighbor tried to have him killed, she owed him a truck-load of apples.
Satisfied that all the horses were safe and well, she turned the lights off and slid the door closed. The icy wind hit her like a wall and drove the snow in a thick veil that turned the familiar landscape into a foreign planet. Only the barely visible glow of the lights gave away the house's location.
Kate pushed her way to the fence that ran alongside the lane and used it to keep her bearings while the wind and snow howled around her. She had no desire to test the storm's fury by trying to navigate without an aid. Too many people had died of exposure in similar circumstances for her to attempt it.
After what seemed like an endless marathon, she reached the back porch, frozen to the core. And very aware of the need to get out of her snow-crusted clothing before it melted through and soaked her in ice water. The momma dog shoved her warm muzzle into her hand as soon as she managed to get the door open.
The wind resisted her efforts to get the door closed, but she finally managed it. The temperature difference inside the screened in porch comforted her. At least the wind didn't reach there. She paused long enough to pet the dog and make sure the old girl had plenty of straw inside her box to keep warm. Sheltered from the wind and snow, with her box against the house to absorb heat, the dog would be comfortable. A thorough wagging later, momma dog crawled back into her bed and Kate went inside.
Jakob waited to help her out of her layers. "It's getting worse out, isn't it? I was getting ready to come looking for you." The wet jeans stuck to her skin and sent a chill right to the bone, so she gladly let them join the rest her stuff in coming off. Soon she stood there in just her oversized sweater and panties. Jakob scooped her into his arms and carried her through to the living room.
Kate laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I was beginning to wonder myself. I had to use the fence to find my way back."
He sat in the big recliner with her on his lap and pulled the afghan around them. "Well, I'm glad I didn't have to go looking for you." He tugged her hand down between them. "I don't think I'd have survived the cold." His erection arched into her hand.
She caught her breath a little and slipped her hand into the waistband of his sweats to slide her hand down his shaft. "Hmm, I think you'd have melted the snow."
Jakob sucked in a deep breath when her cold fingers found his hard-on. "Easy now, I want inside you before I lose it." He buried his face in the curve of her neck, breathing her in deeply. "Fuck, Kate, I love you."
A breathy little moan slipped from her as she turned to straddle his hips. "I love you, Jakob." She could spend the rest of her life trying, but she could never repay her good fortune in finding him.
No hesitation. Jakob pulled her panties to the side and pushed into her with a groan. She leaned back and pulled her sweater off, granting him access to her breasts. Nothing else in the world mattered. The storm raging outside faded from her mind. She stared as she rode him, lost in loving him.
Her inner muscles clamped down and rippled over him as she came, and he buried himself deep for his own orgasm. Triumph surged through her as he groaned. She treasured the ability to make him lose himself in her.
She collapsed onto his chest, breathing hard and smiling. "If it means sex like that, I'll go wander around in the blizzard again."
"Oh, no you don't." He sounded panicky. "You're staying right here with me, so I can enjoy that delicious body again." Gathering her, he stood, keeping her pressed close.
She wrapped her legs around his hips and squealed. "What are you doing?"
"Taking my woman to bed where I can fuck her properly." He nuzzled at her neck again. "Any objections?"
"Oh, no, none at all. Other than wishing you'd hurry the hell up."
***
Kate roused up, needing the bathroom and slipped out of the bed, careful not to wake Jakob. The frigid air drove her back under the covers in reflex. The power must have gone out sometime in the night, so she had a limited amount of time to get up and get the woodstove going before the water pipes froze.
The room was still dim, as if it were very early morning, but she felt like she'd slept a full night and then some. Looking out the window without uncovering took some serious neck-craning, but she managed a decent glimpse. The snow still fell hard, restricting her vision to just a few feet beyond the window. The filtered light in her room made it seem earlier than it was, then.
She lay back and pressed close to Jakob, storing up body heat for the ordeal to come. When the demands of her bladder refused to be ignored any longer, she steeled herself and slipped from the bed again. Her bathrobe hung on the door and she grabbed it as she ran past.
If anything, the bathroom was even colder than the bedroom. She hurried up, then headed downstairs. Thankfully, she'd expected the power to go out, and laid the fire the afternoon before. All she had to do was strike a match and wait for the flames to take hold. As soon as it did, she adjusted the draught and closed the stove.
The fire caught quickly and the big cast iron stove heated up and began to radiate warmth. Kate stood next to it, absorbing the heat, grateful she'd kept that connection to the past when she updated the house. The contractor had strongly urged her to have the antique stove taken out, calling it a fire and health hazard. Instead, she'd had the chimney and flue updated, and kept the heirloom functional.
The room started heating up nicely, so she headed for the kitchen and coffee. By the time she felt almost human with the caffeine infusion, the homemade cinnamon rolls she'd made the day before were warmed and ready. She left the door to the gas oven partially open to cool and help warm the kitchen. Time to wake Jakob.
Their tiny Christmas tree caught her eye as she started up the stairs and panic tried to start in her belly. It was Christmas Eve, and she still hadn't figured out what to give Jakob. The rest of her shopping had been easy and she finished it weeks ago. But what the hell could she get for the man she wanted to give the world? And now with the storm, further shopping was out of the question anyway. She consoled herself with the knowledge that he hadn't been able to shop either.
The upstairs still made her teeth chatter, but the heat from below had started to rise and, combined with the warmth spreading outward from the chimney, began to take the chill away a little. She paused in the door, captivated by the sight of Jakob in her bed. For so many years, she thought no one would ever share that bed with her. Having him there filled a giant empty spot in her life and her heart.
With a soft smile, she dropped the robe on the foot of the bed and slipped back between the covers and snugged up to his back, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Good morning, sleepyhead." She scattered small kisses across his shoulders and paused to nibble at the nape of his neck.
"Mmm. What did I do to deserve this kind of wake-up call?" He turned onto his back and slipped his arm around her to pillow her head on his shoulder.
"Oh, you let me get up first and start the fire and make your breakfast." She traced lazy patterns on his chest, reveling in being able to do so. Never, in a million years, had she thought to have a man like him in her bed, one that set her blood boiling with just a touch. Hell, any man, for that matter.
He raised his head to look around a little. "Power went out, huh?"
"Yeah. Good thing I kept the stove and all the coal oil lamps when I remodeled. We might need them." Visions of a Christmas from her childhood came to mind. The power had gone out that year, too, and she'd been all excited at the prospect of a real old-fas
hioned Christmas. Maybe they would have something like that.
"It is a good thing, but I'd rather think about another good thing at the moment." He turned a little and, with his free hand, slipped his hard-on between her legs.
"Oh really? What would that be?" She caught her breath as he moved. The friction he created against her outer folds sent heat coursing through her.
He thrust, probing, seeking, and her fluids coated him, easing his way. "Fucking my beautiful woman." With a quick move, he rolled her to her back and separated her thighs with his knees. "Which I'm about to do right now." He pressed at her entrance for a second then eased inside, just the head, teasing.
She gasped and arched, trying to take him deeper, but he persisted. Her muscles quivered, pulling him. She could never get enough of him filling her, completing her. The part of her that insisted on realism always reminded her each time could be the last. As always, she fought to silence that Kate and focus on being there with Jakob completely. She couldn't bear to lose a single second of their precious time together, no matter how long it might last.
He gave a little more with a hiss. "So fucking tight, Kate." And he drew back, leaving her needing him deep.
She wrapped her legs around his hips, her heels just below his ass. "Jakob, please. I need you."
"Aw, fuck, Kate." He groaned and buried himself. "I can't resist when you say please like that." He moved in her, hitting all the right spots.
Kate moaned, her body arching to meet him as he quickened the pace, pushing them both toward the finish. The storm of her orgasm raged through her body, leaving her trembling and breathing hard as he collapsed half atop her. God, how she loved this man!
When he caught his breath, Jakob rolled to the side. "How is it I have planned out a nice long morning making love to you, and you say please, and I'm lost?"
