"You need to let me do my job."
He smirked. "And you, my dear, need to allow me to do mine." He pushed through the door and led her out into the cool night air. "Besides, it is our job to leave them a little trail of bread crumbs." His eyes gazed at her face and then lower. "Very attractive little crumbs."
"Bread crumbs?" Gwen repeated, ignoring the shiver his look gave her. He was her partner. Perhaps if she kept chanting that over and over again, she would forget his kiss. And the way his golden eyes caressed her skin.
"Why, yes." Hunter released her arm and pulled out a cheroot. "Give a squirrel a basket full of nuts and it will gorge itself or worse yet, covet the nuts and no longer search for more."
"Nuts? Now you're comparing men to nuts?"
Hunter scoffed as he took a long draw of the cheroot. "Absolutely not. I'm comparing men to squirrels."
"Oh."
"You, my dear, are the nut."
"Oh?" Gwen had to clench her hands behind her back to keep from lunging after the man.
"Why, yes." Hunter blew out another puff of smoke and grinned. Blast, how she hated that grin. She looked away as he continued to speak, his chest puffed out much like a peacock when mating. "When men or animals, for that matter, are in pursuit, they are easily bored and distracted. We need to make this game a challenge."
"So now I'm part of a game." Gwen looked up at Hunter just as he threw down his cheroot and turned his full male arrogance upon her. Shocking that God didn't feel the need to strike the man down for his petulance.
"All women are. I'm just making it more interesting for the male sex, and easier on you."
Gwen pasted a sweet smile on her face and walked toward Hunter, stopping when she was inches away from his devilishly handsome lips. "So, is it my sex that causes you to offer this extra help? Or your kind heart?"
"Your sex." He nodded.
"Because you have no heart," she concluded.
"There's that." He leaned in and sniffed her hair. Why the devil was he sniffing her? "But there is also the distinct truth about women that men find impossible to resist."
"And what's that?" Gwen breathed in the scent of his breath, a mixture of port and smoke, so alluring she almost closed her eyes.
"The chase, my dear. All men, all animals, all hunters need the chase. And sweetheart, we are in the hunt of our lives."
"And you?" she challenged, placing a hand on his firm shoulder. "Your very name assumes the title hunter."
He swallowed and took a step back as her arm fell to her side. "Never mistake me for the hunter, when I very well could be the wolf." He nodded and offered his arm. "That is the first rule of spying, Gwen. We are all wolves in sheep's clothing. Every last one of us could be guilty of treason. It is our job to find the wolves without killing the sheep."
His eyes pierced hers, looking directly through her almost as if he suspected her of being a wolf. Which was utterly ridiculous.
The gravity of the situation rested quite heavily on her shoulders as she whispered, "And what if we kill some sheep in the process?"
"If you're as good as you say you are, Red, that won't happen."
Chapter Six
Red—
How is it that you are familiar with… how did you word it? Oh yes, my favorite anatomical part. Pray tell, are we discussing my hands?
—Wolf
Gwen studied Hunter's face. A heaviness seemed to descend upon him. "Have you lost many sheep?"
Hunter swallowed and looked down. "Some."
"I'm sorry." Gwen reached out to touch his arm, but he jerked away and laughed.
"Don't be. It is all part of the work we do. Besides, sheep are stupid. They are among God's silliest creatures." Hunter gave her a silly grin and shrugged. "Perhaps it is why we are compared to them in the Bible. All sheep go astray."
Gwen opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a male voice.
"I was wondering when you would make your sorry presence known."
Hunter rolled his eyes and turned to the man. "Lord Eastbrook, how lovely to see you after all these years."
"Nine." The man pointed at Hunter. "Nine blasted years, friend."
"Do not call me friend," Hunter snapped.
Eastbrook shook his head. "What has happened to you? Do you not realize you have a responsibility to this family?"
Hunter rolled his eyes. "Spare me the lecture, cousin. It's my business and mine alone why I've returned."
"He wants to see you. He has something for you."
Hunter cursed fluently and leaned over the balcony. Gwen wasn't sure if she should leave or stand there like a fool.
"Eastbrook." The man stepped out of the shadows and held out his hand to her. "I know it isn't at all proper to introduce myself without proper introductions being made. I know your brother-in-law quite well."
"And that makes you harmless?" Gwen lifted an eyebrow in question.
Eastbrook smirked. "Absolutely not. Forgive the intrusion." His golden hair shimmered in the moonlight. He truly was quite handsome, but looked nothing like Hunter. "Tomorrow, cousin. He would like to see you tomorrow."
With one final glance at Gwen, Eastbrook gave a quick bow, meeting her gaze for a brief second and then he turned on his heel and left.
"Well, it's been an eventful evening. I do hope I'm not ruined for standing out on the balcony with two devilishly handsome men," Gwen lamented, trying to pull Hunter from his paralyzed state as his body seemed to be frozen in one spot.
"He is not handsome."
Gwen laughed. "After all that was said, you choose that particular sentiment to respond to? I didn't know you had a cousin."
"I don't."
"But…"
"I'm no longer recognized by that side of the family."
"But surely there is a mistake! They are your family, blood related and—"
Hunter shook his head. "Not blood related. My family line was snuffed out the minute my father and brother died. Eastbrook is my cousin by marriage."
Gwen felt her stomach drop to her slippers. "You rogue! You're married!"
Hunter chose that moment to turn around and glare. "Not that it's any of your business, but no I'm no longer married."
"So you are divorced."
Hunter cursed. "This conversation is finished." Cursing, he pulled her flush against his body and kissed her lips. The kiss was forceful and aggressive, then he pulled a tendril of hair from her coiffure allowing it to fall to her shoulders. "There. Now return to the ball."