Page 14 of Operation Wolf: Hunter
CHAPTER 6
Kia
I LOOKED UP FROMmy issue ofBetter Homes & Gardensas the front door swung open, and Hunter walked in. He had a pack slung over his shoulder, and his arms were full of a huge paper bag from which incredible smells were wafting.
“Wow. Well, something sure smells delicious.” I got up and took the bag from him, so he could shut the door. “What is this?”
“Food. My housekeeper set some aside for me, and figuring you’d be hungry, I brought a little extra.” Hunter eyed the magazine on the couch. “What have you been reading there?Better Homes & Gardens?”
“Oh.” I shrugged self-consciously. “I just thought I’d see if I could pick up some remodeling tips. This house needs a lot of work.”
“Hmm.”
Hunter looked at me thoughtfully, and I was relieved to see there was no trace of his earlier animosity. Maybe the ride back home had done him some good.
“Well, it’s a start.” He took the bag back from me and headed for the dining room table. “Why don’t you get some silverware?”
I fetched some plates and silverware from the kitchen cupboards and came back to find that Hunter had set out plates of country fried steak, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and green beans.
“Holy shit, is it Thanksgiving or something?”
Hunter smiled a little. “No, we just believe in eating three square meals down here in Texas.” He eyed me speculatively as he dished food onto plates for both of us. “I’m guessing it’s not the same in New York?”
I shrugged. “I like to watch my weight.” In truth, I was always on some diet, trying to slim down my curvy body so I could mingle with the body-shaming “it” crowd in the fashion industry. “But I guess if I were working on a ranch all day, I wouldn’t need to watch my weight.”
Hunter handed me a plate. “Don’t see how you need to watch your weight anyhow,” he said, sitting down to his own meal. “You look fine to me. Besides, most Southern men love their women with hips like honey . . . thick and sweet.”
“Why, thank you.” I wasn’t sure what to make of the compliment, so I simply sat down and ate in silence for a while.
“That was delicious,” I said finally, my plate practically licked clean. I didn’t usually finish all my food, but the meal had been so tasty, I couldn’t help myself.
Forget what I said about ranch work. Texas is definitely going to make me put on some pounds.
Hunter nodded, already halfway through seconds. “Leta’s cooking is the best for miles around,” he said. “I’ve missed eating her food.”
I frowned. “I thought you said she was your housekeeper?”
He nodded. “Yes, but there’s only one of her, and I own twenty ranches spread out across Texas. So, I don’t get to eat from her table very often.”
My jaw dropped. “You own twenty ranches?”
Hunter nodded. “My father was an ambitious man,” he said, pushing his now-empty plate back. He met my gaze with a flat stare, telling me there was no pride in the statement, only an admittance of fact. “He started with the ranch up here, where Leta works now, and eventually expanded all across Texas. We’re the largest provider of beef in the Lone Star State.”
“Wow.” I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling like an ass. “I guess that means you know a thing or two about ranching.”
Hunter raised a brow. “A few things.”
I sighed. “Look, I thought about what you’d said while you were gone, and I realize that . . . well . . .”
“Yes?” Hunter prompted, raising an eyebrow.
I scowled, angry with myself for feeling the need to capitulate to him. “You’re right. Maybe I don’t know shit about my great-uncle Daniel. I hardly even knew he existed, but it doesn’t change the fact that he was family. He must have been a good person since it’s clear that you loved him.” I folded my arms and stared out the window, out toward the overgrown pastures faintly visible in the moonlight.Man, there is a lot of work to do. “But I don’t want to be known as the bitch who tore down a good man’s legacy just to make a quick buck.”
Hunter smiled, a genuine expression of warmth softening his features. I caught my breath at the light in his gorgeous green eyes, and for a moment, I wished he was looking at me like that because he genuinely liked me.
Since when have I ever lusted after a man’s approval? Especially a damn cowboy?
Though I was no celebrity, I did work among them, and I was good-looking enough that men usually chased after me with little effort on my part. Even though it had been a while, a quick fling was never far away when I needed one, and as a career-driven woman, I never wanted more than that. Yet, looking at Hunter, who somehow threw off wholesome cowboy and sexy bad boy vibes all at the same time, I suddenly felt the need to impress.
