Her Panther for Hire — C.E. Black

When Lainey Nickels hires a shifter mercenary to take on the job of rescuing her abducted brother Shane, she has no idea what she will encounter. It definitely isn't the enigmatic Gideon Hunt. He certainly looks like he could take on a jungle full of kidnappers singlehandedly. But Shane is her brother; her responsibility. Lainey isn't going to leave his fate in just anyone's hands. And she brought her passport to prove it. 

Gideon Hunt would rather work alone and he makes damn sure to remind Lainey of this fact every chance he gets. But his predatory stares and gruff demands don't scare off Lainey. She's annoyingly independent, but her bravery draws him in. She accepts the man behind the brusque exterior and knows exactly who and what he is. To Lainey, he is one of the good guys. But Gideon knows better. 

Stress and a need for comfort bring the two together in an explosion of passion, reawakening desires both had long forgotten. Neither expected their hearts to get involved.

*Previously published as Captive Heat (Ariana Hunter). Revise, rewritten, edited, and republished 2017