Hunt Me (Love Thieves #3) by Heather Long Read Free Book Online Page A

up with his free hand and held it out to her. She accepted it, never looking away from his gaze. Her body shimmered with a fresh wave of need, desire shredding her reservations like confetti. “Yes, Captain?”
    “We’ll be landing in ten minutes, Lady Hardwicke.”
    “Thank you, Captain.” She handed the phone back. He hung it up without a word. “You said last night my father didn’t send you. Truth?”
    “Yes.” He nodded, no prevarication, no ducking the question, no excuses. He added another kiss to her palm, and, as distractions went, it worked beautifully to scramble her thoughts.
    The sensation of a controlled fall swept through her—the plane’s descent. Or at least it better be. “Then, why are you on my plane, Jarod?”
    His expression relaxed when she said his name, and her heart squeezed. She liked his smile.
    Too much.
    “I have business in Los Angeles. Important business.”
    “So I’m simply a means to an end?” Disappointment curdled her enjoyment.
    “Yes and no.”
    “Wow.” She blinked. “At least you’re honest.”
    “No, not really.” He rubbed her hand against his cheek. The stubble rasped her skin, but the sensation wasn’t unpleasant. She should probably take issue with his casual possession, but each minute she spent with him left her curious to see where the next would take them.
    She could ask him what he wasn’t being honest about, but she found she would rather not know. At least not yet. “What business?”
    “Arrogant French bastard.” The unfiltered reply surprised her.
    “I’m sorry?”
    “I need to see a man about a horse. Well, in this case, a project, but he’s in Los Angeles. So it’s where I’m going.”
    “Aboard my plane.”
    “Yeah.” He squeezed her hand as the wheels bumped against the tarmac. “Joining you was the best part. It gave me an excuse to spend more time with you.”
    “Uh-huh.” She nibbled her lower lip. “And who is this arrogant French bastard I have to thank for your company?”
    Regret seemed to shine in his eyes. So brief she might have imagined it. “Louis duMonde.”
    The pilot applied the brakes and the plane slowed, but her stomach continued to plummet.
    Louis is in Los Angeles…. No. No. No.
    She tried to control her physical reaction, but he couldn’t have missed her jerk at the name or the fact she closed her eyes.
    Dammit…he knows. Louis knows I have the Buddha.
    “Kit Kat?” Worry coated Jarod’s voice.
    “Tired.” She dismissed the concern before he could voice it and withdrew her hand. She missed his touch almost immediately but packed it away to be examined later. Picking up the phone, she rang the captain. “Captain, change of plans. Please have my car brought to the hanger immediately, and let’s skip going to the gate.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    If Louis was in Los Angeles, she needed to move and move quickly. She glanced at Jarod with real regret. Cutting him off would hurt, but it would hurt a hell of a lot less than having him suffer the fate of collateral damage.
     
    Thirty minutes later, she walked out of the airplane to find Jarod standing at the bottom of the steps, waiting for her. He gave her another one of those disarming smiles, and she shook her head. Don’t force me to be cruel.
    Headlights cut through the darkness, and she paused, one hand on the railing, to watch the vehicle pull into the hanger and park next to her car. Her heart sank.
    Louis duMonde stepped out of the back of the car. In addition to Louis were his driver and a third man who remained in shadow on the passenger side of the car.
    “ Bonjour, ma petite .” Louis spread his arms wide as he strolled over to the steps.
    Jarod shifted and effectively blocked Louis’ access.
    “Viscount. What an unexpected….” She would not say pleasure, definitely never a pleasure to see him. “Surprise.”
    “But shouldn’t a surprise be unexpected?” Louis’ gentility didn’t quite touch his eyes, and the pleasant expression