Animal Instincts by Desiree Holt Read Free Book Online

together, they kept running until they reached the ranch house. The kitchen was still dark, but Regan had apparently been watching because she opened the back door at once.
    “Come in.” She motioned with her hand. “You two are the last ones back. I didn’t want to turn on the light before.”
    Drew butted her with his head to thank her, then padded down the hallway with Ann Marie at his heels.
    ANIMAL INSTINCTS
    Desiree Holt
    35

Chapter Four
    When they had shifted in Drew’s bedroom and were naked, facing each other, Ann Marie saw Drew curl his hands into fists as his hot gaze raked over her.
    “There’s nothing I’d rather do right now,” he told her, “then drop you to the floor, press you up against the wall or carry you to that bed and fuck you senseless.” His mouth twisted in a rueful grin. “Too bad we have important business to take care of.”
    She dropped her gaze to his very obvious erection, swollen and thick, then looked back up at him. “We’ll have time…afterwards. Right?”
    Hiss hand cupped her cheek. “You’d better believe it.” He pressed a quick, hard kiss on her mouth. “Meanwhile, we’d better get dressed and get back to the others. We need to trace the ownership of that piece of land we found.”
    Everyone was seated around the table again, and to Ann Marie it seemed as if they were all talking at once. Except for Regan who had obviously just brewed a fresh pot of coffee. Drew put two fingers to his lips and let out an ear-splitting whistle. Conversation stopped as if someone had pressed a mute button, and all heads turned towards Drew.
    “That’s better.” He looked at Regan. “How about two mugs of that coffee?” Then he led Ann Marie to the two chairs still vacant.
    “We nearly got caught,” Cale told him. “Mounted horsemen were pounding through the forested areas, and they weren’t being any too quiet about it.”
    “Do you think it was your friends?” Sierra wanted to know.
    Drew swallowed some coffee. “First of all, they aren’t my friends. Far from it. However, I’d hate to think people I’ve known for so long, even casually, would do something this vicious.”
    “They were definitely hunting,” Cale said. “What’s wild around here besides coyotes and deer?”
    “Not much. And deer season is tightly regulated. Are you sure they were on the hunt?”
    Cale nodded. “You could smell it on them.”
    ANIMAL INSTINCTS
    Desiree Holt
    36
     
    “If it is the men who were here earlier,” Brian broke in, “it’s a damn good thing you didn’t go with them. You might not be coming back.”
    “I agree,” his brother Luke added. “I wonder how much that visit and the phone call were nothing more than a ploy to throw you off the track.”
    “Of what?” Drew raised an eyebrow. “They have no idea I’m out looking for that preserve. If they took me seriously, they’d believe I wanted nothing to do with it.”
    “And maybe that was the purpose,” Regan put in. “To sound you out so they knew they’d have free rein.”
    Drew spread his hands. “You’re talking about some pretty powerful men. Three ranchers, the county commission chairman and the bank president. They’re a tight little group and very power-hungry, but I can’t see them doing something that illegal.”
    “Come on, Drew,” Regan said. “Those are usually the first people to get their fingers dirty. Want me to cite a few of my cases for you?”
    Ann Marie couldn’t sit quietly any more. She set her mug down on the table with more than a little force. “Excuse me. It seems to me we’re wasting a lot of time here with maybes.
    Drew and I found something tonight, and we need more information about it.”
    Again conversation stopped.
    Brian looked at Drew. “Well? Spit it out, then.”
    Drew told them about the piece of property with the strange No Trespassing signs and fences both electrified and topped with razor wire.
    “And we heard animals screaming,” Ann Marie