Hunter's Fortune (River Jewel Resort Series Book 2) (7 page)

“Look
, I know this has been hard on you and your employees, but you should be doing cartwheels and celebrating. You got what you wanted.”

But had she? Hunter certainly didn’t feel any better. In fact, getting the money back didn’t ease any of the pain she was feeling. Christmas had come and gone while her employees and their families were screwed out of their bonuses because she’d been blind to the scam committed by Jason and Giles... It was too late. Sure, she could make sure the families would have a better Christmas next year, but that wouldn’t fix it. Their children went without presents and her drivers hated her. How could Sam expect her to be happy about that? The money had brought nothing but sadness to so many people and she no longer wanted anything to do with any of it.

“Sell it, Sam.”

The thud of a phone being dropped echoed through the speaker. “What? I didn’t hear you.”

“I said, sell it. I don’t want it.”

Hunter might not be able to go back in time, but she was damn sure going to get that money to her employees. She wasn’t going to spend another minute trying to run a business she never wanted.

“You can’t be serious. This is your father’s legacy you’re talking about. You just want to sell it?”

“I know exactly what it is and yes, get rid of it. Call the stockholders and have them buy me out. Include my father’s house as part of the package but leave the cabin out of it. They don’t want me around anyway. Get it done immediately and call me back.”

She hung up the phone and waited impatiently for Sam to call back. Two hours later, it was finished.

“I hope you’re happy, Hunter. You’ve taken a huge loss by selling out this way.”

“I’ll be fine. Thank you, Sam.”

“Whatever, Hunter. I think you’ve had some sort of mental breakdown. Maybe we should check you in somewhere, get you some help.”

“I’m almost exactly where I’m supposed to be, Sam. In fact, I get closer by the minute.”

“Are you coming back?”

“I don’t know. Withdraw all of my money from the bank and write checks for each of the employees. One hundred thousand dollars each.”

“Hunter, that will leave you with virtually nothing.”

“Good. I didn’t earn it, they did.”

“But, Hunter…”

“Do it, Sam. Please, just do it.”

“Alright.”

“Thank you.”

“Sure thing. Talk to you soon.”

“Goodbye, Sam.”

For the first time in years, Hunter felt relief. She spent the rest of the day shopping online and having gifts delivered to her former employees.

“I still wish I could travel back in time and fix everything else. If I could, I’d take back every bad thing I ever said to Javier, Dave, Lee and anyone else I’ve wronged. I’ve been an absolutely horrible excuse for a human being.”

She perused the many Christmas sites, searching for the perfect pre-lit tree. Once it was ordered with instructions for immediate delivery, she headed to her favorite room in the suite.

“A long, hot soak is just what I need.”

Once Hunter was immersed in the satin warmth of the copper tub, she felt the last bits of stress leave her body. People probably thought she’d lost her mind, but she no longer cared. She’d rather be thought of as crazy. It was better than everyone hating her.

“Damn. I forgot a towel for my hair.”

She hopped out of the large basin and in her haste to get back into the warm haven, she lost her footing on the heated floor. Hunter’s attempt to brace her fall was futile and she cursed the slick wooden floor as her forehead connected with the beautiful, copper tub. Her last coherent thought before slipping into the darkness, was one of loneliness.

“There’s no one to help me.”

* * * *

Hunter drifted in a sea of warmth as thick but smooth hands caressed her.

Soft lips kissed her neck and whispered into her ear, “You taste of vanilla and honey.”

Whimpers and moans escaped her as the man’s capable fingers slid in and out of her slick core, playing her like a soft ballad that only the man could hear.

“Do you know how beautiful you are?”

Though Hunter could feel and taste him, she couldn’t see his face. She knew his voice and his familiar touch. He’d visited her dreams before, but never like this. Hunter melted into his touch as his soft strokes carried her over the edge.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled against the rough but comforting whiskers on his jawline.

She trailed kisses down his neck as he pinched her nipples, making them ache with need when he let go of them. The burning sensation lit her from the inside out and she craved more. Placing her palms against his chest, she rolled him over with ease. Straddling him, Hunter flicked her tongue across his chest, kissing licking, teasing. He wrapped his hands in her long, dark locks as she slid down the length of his body.

“How did you find me?” She kissed one muscular thigh and then the other.

“I’ll always find you. You call to me every night.”

“Who are you?” Hunter wrapped her lips around the tip of his hard shaft and suckled.

The man’s breathing became labored, she felt him tense up as she inched closer to the prize. “You know who I am” he whispered. “You wished for me.”

Hunter’s mouth enveloped the man’s cock, her throat relaxing as he slid inside with ease.

“Ohh…”

Hungrily, Hunter sucked and licked him as if she’d been deprived for years. Devouring every inch of him as she felt him grow harder and harder. Cupping his balls, she knew how close he was to the edge and that knowledge sent rivulets of ecstasy through her as wave after wave of her orgasm rocked her body. The man beneath her thrusted and moaned with pleasure. Suddenly he shifted, heaving her up and flipping her onto her back.

“But I…”

The man silenced her with long, passionate kisses as he slid into her, their bodies becoming one. Hunter raked her nails across his broad back and he plunged deeper and deeper inside her, filling her hot, throbbing corewith every inch of his thick shaft
.
His passion was contagious as it rolled over her like a warm ray of light and they regained their rhythm. Their bodies mingled and rolled over and over as they made love for what felt like eternity. Never had any man touched her like he did. No one had ever made her feel as safe as she did in his embrace.

“Oh God!”

His thrusts became rapid and she met his hips with her own.

“Faster, please!”

He obeyed her wishes and sent them both over the edge of ecstasy. They held each other until the last bit of their climax was over. Depleted, the man eased himself out of her before moving to lie beside her on the bed.

“I wish it had been you. All of those years I wasted, I wish I had spent them with you instead. If only I’d met you years ago. Please stay with me. Don’t leave me again.”

Tears slid down her cheeks and he pulled her closer to him until she rested in the crook of his arm. The man stroked her hair, soothing her. “Ssh. Sleep now.”

Content and safely wrapped in the arms of the faceless man, for the first time in a very long time, she truly slept.

Chapter Six

“Good morning, gorgeous. Merry Christmas.”

Hunter opened her eyes in disbelief. “What!”

“Do you plan on sleeping the entire morning away? She’ll be up soon. We need to be ready.”

“What are you talking about? Who? Why are you here? What’s going on?”

“Okay, that’s the last time I let you drink that much eggnog. Are you still a bit loopy? You were the life of the party last night, my darling wife, at least until you whacked your head on the kitchen cupboard door. You’ve been passed out ever since. But now...”

The man proceeded to kiss her neck and the roughness of his beard was a shocking, but welcome, feeling.

“Wife?”

“Are you still upset about my family showing up? I thought we were past that?”

“Family? What are you talking about? I don’t know who you are, but you need to get off of me right now, mister!”

Hunter rolled over to face the man behind the voice and to her surprise, Lee stared back at her. “Lee?”

“Hunter.” He smiled and leaned in to cover her mouth with the most incredible kiss she’d ever had. It all came flooding back to her.

It was Christmas morning and she had a ton of things to do! There were presents that still needed wrapping and she had to hide the cookies that Santa was supposed to have eaten.

“The reindeer food! Oh my gosh! Move! We need to get everything ready.”

“Hunter.”

“Come on, Lee. Get moving! I can’t believe I almost messed up Christmas! Let’s go!”

“But, Hunter,”

She’d already thrown on her robe and raced down the stairs ready to get everything done.

“But, how?” The scene that awaited her was breathtaking. Everything was perfect! Lights were strung wall-to-wall, wrapped presents adorned every surface, Christmas music played softly in the background and through the window, and she could see a light covering of snow on the ground.

“I tricked you. But it was for my benefit. I wanted a bit of alone time with you before we came down to begin the festivities.”

“How did you get all of this done?”

“My mom helped and we stayed up to get it just the way you described.”

Hunter found herself overwhelmed with emotion as she gazed around the small cabin. It was just as she’d pictured it! Ornaments and pine branches hung from each rafter and beam, glitter was sprinkled around the floor to prove Santa had indeed been there. His cookies were half-eaten and the mug of milk was empty. Amazingly, there was even a letter from the entire Claus crew.

She buried her face in her hands and wept.

“Babe, are you okay? Did we mess something up? I’ll fix it, just tell me what to do.”

How had she gotten so lucky? This man was everything she’d ever wanted. Lee had made her every wish come true and she couldn’t stop crying.

“Sweetheart?”

Hunter collected herself and threw her arms around her husband. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”

“Well, sure. So, it’s okay?”

“It’s more than okay. It’s absolutely fantastic. I’ll call your mom later and tell her how much I appreciate her helping you. I love you, Lee. I hope you know that.”

“Well, I did marry you, so I think it was sort of implied.”

“Mewwy Cwistmas!” The tiny voice rang out from the stairs, cutting their kiss short.

“Merry Christmas, Morgan. Looks like you had a visitor last night.”

Morgan? Her daughter Morgan? Hunter’s mind was reeling. Could it be true?

The angelic girl hopped down the stairs and ran right into her mother’s arms. “Mownin’ momma! Mewwy Cwistmas!”

Hunter pressed the tiny girl tightly to her body, inhaling the beautiful scent of innocence and love. She ran her hand through her daughter’s dark curls and found herself crying again. Hunter could never have imagined her life would be so perfect. If she’d taken over her father’s company, she would’ve missed out on so much. Too much.

“What’s wong, Momma?”

“Nothing’s wrong, sweetie. I’m just really, really happy.”

“Okay. Can we open pwesents now?”

“You bet. Go on into the living room and I’ll grab our cocoa.”

“Don’t forget the mashmallows!” the cherub yelled as she toddled away.

“I won’t.”

As Hunter turned to the kitchen, a shadow outside the window caught her eye. “What the...”

She flew to the door and flung it open as a man, in what appeared to be a valet’s outfit, sprinted across the road and disappeared.

“Lee!”

A silver package lay on the front step and she bent to pick it up.

“What’s that?”

“I don’t know. Some man just left it and ran off into the woods.”

“Wow. You really did hit your head, didn’t you? I don’t even see any tracks in the snow. Are you playing a trick on me? Did you get me a surprise?”

“No. And it’s addressed to me. Look.”

She held the package out to him and her name was neatly scrawled across the silver box. Once inside, Hunter tore it open to find a letter and a box wrapped in pink paper.

“Well, open it. See who it’s from.”

Dear Hunter,

Sometimes one small thing can change it all for the better. Money may not be able to buy answers for prayers, but magic is all around us. For those who are fortunate enough to have a pure heart, wishes do come true.

Merry Christmas,

Scarlet

“Who’s Scarlet and why is she talking about money? Did she send us some?”

“I don’t know and don’t be silly. We have everything we’ll ever need.” She swatted at him with the envelope and giggled.

“That’s really weird. I’m not sure I like strangers sending presents to my wife. But, you are hot and it is Christmas, so I guess I’ll let it slide this one time.”