Teasing The Tiger (Seneca Falls Shifters Book 5) Page 5

  “I’ll bet you did,” Berkley muttered, then rolled her eyes.

  I got the impression there was a history between the two females that I didn’t know anything about, and hoped that whatever it was didn’t escalate past the two of them sneering at each other.

  Shifters had different rules about the way they handled things, and thanks to Reese, Berkley knew how to fight. I had no doubt that even in her human form, she’d have no problem taking care of Avery.

  Avery ignored Berkley’s remark. “I’m sure there’s still one or two more places you haven’t seen yet, so if you change your mind, you know how to reach me.” She sneered and held Hannah’s gaze as she brushed her fingertips along my sleeve.

  I wasn’t sure if Avery was taunting Hannah out of stupidity or spite. Either way, I wasn’t going to let it continue. “As I said before, I appreciate your generosity, but I’m not interested.” I scooted away from her touch, then leaned back in my seat and draped my arm across the booth behind Hannah.

  Avery pursed her lips. If she’d been in her wolf form, I imagined her animal’s fur would be bristling.

  “I don’t mean to be rude, but if you’re done flirting with my brother, would you mind taking our order?” Leah grinned at Hannah, then waved her menu at Avery until she took it.

  It seemed Hannah had gained a friend in my sister.

  Avery glanced at the watch on her wrist. “Oh, darn. It looks like it’s time for my break.” She glanced at the waitress who’d just seated a family of four in the booth to our right. “Madison, can you be a sweetheart and take this table’s order?” Avery’s question sounded more like a threat and had the younger female cringing.

  “Oh, uh, sure,” Madison stammered.

  As soon as Madison reached into her pocket and pulled out an order pad and pen, Avery dismissed us without saying another word.

  Berkley kept her eyes trained on Avery until she disappeared through a set of swinging doors at the back of the diner. “Huh, that’s strange.”

  “What’s strange?” I had a bad feeling I wasn’t going to like the answer, but decided to ask anyway.

  Berkley gave the doors one last glance before reaching for her glass of water. “Avery doesn’t usually give up that easily.”

  ***

  Hannah

  I might not be able to scent well, but I didn’t have any problem recognizing a shifter or determining their animal. And it certainly didn’t take me long to figure out that Avery was a wolf who enjoyed stalking and using males. She was a predator of the worst kind. She liked to lure males into her bed, then toss them away when she was finished with them.

  The diner’s unflattering peach uniform didn’t disguise Avery’s beauty. With her shiny black hair and dark eyes lined with long lashes, it was easy to see why males would be attracted to her.

  I admired Mitch for having enough sense to see past her appearance to the unpleasant side of her personality and avoid going out with her. What I didn’t appreciate was Avery’s persistence.

  When she’d dared to put her fingers on Mitch, my cat had come close to forcing a shift. I wasn’t sure what was going on with my animal. She was acting as if Mitch was her mate, and it had taken every ounce of restraint I’d possessed to keep her from shredding some fur off the mangy wolf’s backside.

  The only thing that seemed to calm her was having Mitch lean a little closer and drape his arm across the booth behind me. I deduced from Berkley’s condescending remark that she knew Avery well and didn’t care for the female either. It didn’t seem to matter that I’d known her and Leah for only a couple of days. They’d given me their support and friendship unconditionally, and for that I was extremely grateful.

  Once Avery disappeared and Madison had taken over as our waitress, the lunch I had with Mitch, Berkley, and Leah had been quite enjoyable. Brother and sister continued their playful banter, with Berkley and me occasionally joining the conversation.

  After Berkley’s comment about Avery not giving up, I’d been mildly concerned that she’d make a reappearance. Madison informing us that Avery had gone home sick should have eased my lingering anxiety, but it didn’t.

  “Are you sure I can’t get you anything else?” Madison asked as she removed the last empty plate from the table.

  “I think we’re good,” Mitch said.

  No sooner had Madison walked away from the table than a muted melody came from the purse sitting on the seat between Leah and Berkley. Leah slipped her hand inside, pulled out her cell phone, and scowled at the screen. “I’m surprised he didn’t call sooner.”

  Berkley leaned closer to get a glimpse of the phone, then silently mouthed Bryson’s name.

  “Hey, honey, how’s your day going?” Leah’s voice oozed all kinds of sweetness when she answered the call. She listened for a few seconds, then said, “You know these hormones make me forgetful. I was sure I told you I was going shopping with Berkley.”

  “Uh-huh.” Leah rolled her eyes, so I could only imagine what her mate was saying. “We decided to have lunch with Mitch. You do know if anything happens to me that my brother… Yes, I know he’s a vet, but…” Leah pressed her lips together.

  On the drive into Ashbury, Berkley had mentioned that Leah’s mate was extremely overprotective and lived up to his reputation of being a grumpy bear. She’d told me the male hadn’t been much of a conversationalist before he’d met Mitch’s sister, but based on what I could hear of the conversation he was having with Leah, it appeared he had plenty to say to her now.

  “Fine, we’re leaving.” Leah tossed the phone into her purse. “Apparently, according to my mate”—Leah made quotes with her fingers—“if I don’t get my backside home immediately, he’s going to scour the town until he finds me.”

  Berkley giggled. “You know he’s going to be worse after the baby comes, don’t you?”

  Leah smirked. “Not if he ever wants to have sex again.”

  “Geez, Leah, we’re eating.” Mitch groaned as he glanced at the surrounding booths, no doubt checking to see how many people had overheard his sister.

  “Technically, were finished.” I smiled at Leah.

  “Don’t encourage her.” He grinned as he scolded me, then snatched the check for our meals out of Berkley’s hand and scooted out of the booth.

  “Hey,” she snarled. “We invited you to lunch, remember?”

  “You can pay next time.” He motioned for her to get out of the booth, then held out his hand to help Leah to her feet. “Come on, let’s get you on your way before Bryson decides to come looking for you.”

  He waited for Berkley and Leah to go ahead of us, then walked beside me with his hand placed on the small of my back. His gentle touch made my cat purr. She wanted to rub all over him, and I was tempted to let her. Compromising, I leaned a little closer, my shoulder brushing his. “Thank you for lunch.”

  “Thank you for asking.” We’d reached the cashier, so Mitch pulled his wallet out of his pocket.

  Madison had done a great job, and I wanted to personally give her a tip. I waited for her to finish taking another order. “Give me a second, I’ll be right back,” I said to Mitch, then hurried to catch her before she reached the food counter.

  “This is for you.” I placed a twenty-dollar bill in her hand.

  Madison stared at the money, then back at me, her cheeks flushing red. “This is way too much.”

  I curled my hand over hers when she tried to give it back. “Consider it hazard pay for having to work with Avery.”

  “Thanks.” She grinned and quickly tucked the money into the pocket of her apron.

  The group had been waiting for me outside, so as soon as I joined them, we headed back to Mitch’s clinic.

  We were halfway there when Berkley stopped and glanced behind us. “Is it my imagination, or are we being followed?”

  It was a good thing Berkley’s wolf had been paying attention, because my cat had been too busy focusing on Mitch to notice any possible danger.

&nbs
p; On the drive into town, Berkley had shared some stories about the summers she’d stayed with her grandfather. She’d spent a lot of time hanging out with Mandy and getting to know a few of the locals.

  We’d been moving at a slower pace so Leah wouldn’t have to rush. We slowed even further so we could see who Berkley was talking about. I wasn’t sure if Mitch stepping in front of me to block my view had been an accident or if he was intentionally trying to protect me.

  “You mean the person with the newspaper, the one who just walked into that light pole?” Leah asked.

  By the time I peeked around Mitch, all I caught was a glimpse of the person’s navy-blue hooded jacket before they ducked inside the ice-cream shop.

  “Is it anyone you know?” Mitch asked me, his voice laced with concern.

  I shook my head. “I’m afraid I didn’t get much of a look.”

  “Maybe we should go check it out.” Leah made it only a few steps before Mitch placed a hand on his sister’s elbow. “The clinic’s this way.” He aimed her in the direction we were originally headed.

  “Do you think one of your fans found out you were here?” Berkley asked as she moved to walk on Leah’s other side.

  “I didn’t even share my travel plans with my parents, so I don’t think anyone knows where I am. Except, of course, for you guys.” I hadn’t been stalked in a long time and had taken a few precautions to make sure I wasn’t followed.

  My best friend, Sydney, was the only one who knew where I’d gone. I didn’t mention that she was a tour guide, was currently working on a job with bad cell reception, and wouldn’t get the message I’d left her until she returned home at the end of the week.

  It was too bad Sydney hadn’t been available to travel with me. She would have loved staying in the cabin at the resort and checking out the area. Once I was finished with my book, I might take a real vacation and bring her back here with me. But seeing Mitch again and knowing we could never have a real relationship, not because he was human, but because I still held out hope that I would eventually find my mate, immediately put an end to the idea.

  “Why not?” Leah asked. “Won’t they be worried about you?”

  I didn’t want to explain the dynamics of my family, but I didn’t want my new friends to be concerned either. “My father, possibly, but my mother would have turned it into a vacation with a daily itinerary planning out every minute of my day.” I sighed. “I never would have gotten any writing done if she’d come with me.”

  I glanced over my shoulder one last time before we crossed the street to reach the clinic and didn’t see anyone who looked as if they might be following us. I hoped I’d been correct in my assumption that the person Berkley had seen wasn’t an overzealous fan or a possible stalker. I certainly didn’t want them following my friends home or finding out where Mitch lived.

  “You know, Hannah, I only have one appointment scheduled for this afternoon,” Mitch said. “I’m sure I can get my assistant to cover for me. If you don’t mind waiting a few minutes, I’d be happy to give you a ride back to my place.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice so no one other than Berkley and Leah could hear him. “Maybe we’d even have time to take your cat for a run. That is if you’re up for it.”

  “I’d love to…” I blurted a little too eagerly. With my cat’s unusual behavior and the feelings I was developing for Mitch, I should have said no and ridden back with Berkley and Leah. I also should have refused their invitation to take a trip into town. It was hard to tell Berkley no when she’d insisted, then taunted me with inviting Mitch to lunch.

  My cat, the unruly animal, perked at the idea of spending more time alone with Mitch. I had to swallow to keep her approving growl from slipping into my voice. “I mean, are you sure you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all.” He grinned, then moved out of reach before adding, “I’ll even leave my dart gun at home.”

  Chapter Five

  Hannah

  It was nearing four in the afternoon by the time Mitch and I arrived at his home. His appointment had taken a little longer than he’d expected, which turned out to be a good thing as far as catching up on my writing. Since I never went anywhere without my portable tablet, I spent the additional time sitting in his office and working on my manuscript. It seems my run-in with Avery had an inspiring effect that enabled me to draft an entire scene in no time.

  Mitch unlocked the door leading into his home clinic, then held it open for me to enter. “We should have a couple more hours of sunlight, if you’re interested in going for a short run?”

  I understood his concern. I could see in the dark, so walking through the forest at night wouldn’t present the same problem for me as it did for him. “My cat and I are definitely interested.” I received an approving chuff from my animal as I followed him down the hall. She’d been cooped up since our misadventure had gotten us into trouble and badly needed to get out.

  I desperately wanted to burn off the anxiety I’d been experiencing since the unpleasant encounter with Avery. It was a good thing the female wasn’t around, because restraining my cat would be impossible. I also hoped that getting some fresh air might help me sort out the issue of my animal’s fixation with Mitch. Something that wasn’t going to end well for either of us.

  “Great, then I’ll go change and meet you out back.”

  Mitch had seen me in my animal form, but this was going to be the first time I shifted while we were both awake. I stood in the middle of my bedroom, taking longer than necessary to contemplate the best way to handle transitioning from a naked human into my cat in front of him. Embarrassment was not the problem. I’d shifted plenty of times around other males who were friends or members of my family.

  Mitch was human, raised in a different world, and I wasn’t sure if walking around his house naked was an acceptable thing to do. After coming up with what I hoped would be a suitable compromise, I stripped, then grabbed the blanket draped along the foot of the bed, and secured it around my chest.

  When I stepped out onto the deck, Mitch was leaning against the railing, staring at the surrounding forest. He’d changed into an old pair of worn jeans, a T-shirt, and hiking boots. The outfit suited him, giving him a rugged look and making him even more appealing.

  He smiled, his gaze slowly roaming over me as if he was hoping I’d lose my grip on the blanket. “Is your tiger shy?” he teased as he reached for the backpack sitting near his feet before tugging the strap over one shoulder.

  “No, and neither am I.” I ignored the heat rising on my cheeks that seemed to say otherwise. “Would you mind putting these in your bag?” I handed Mitch the pair of sweats, shirt, and walking shoes I’d grabbed before leaving my room.

  “Not at all, but do you really need them?” he asked.

  “One-sided conversations are a little boring, so I thought I’d shift and visit with you on the way back.”

  “I like that plan.” He stepped off the deck, giving me plenty of room to maneuver.

  I sensed his nervousness and could tell he was a little worried about how my cat was going to respond to him. I wanted to reassure him that she didn’t hold a grudge over the shooting incident, but figured it would be easier to show him.

  I dropped the towel, catching an admiring gaze from Mitch before letting my animal take over.

  I jumped from the deck, my paws touching the ground a few feet away from him. My cat was larger than a regular tiger, and I had to give him credit for not backing away.

  “Uh, Hannah,” Mitch said when my cat started purring, then rubbed the side of her body along his legs as if she wanted to mark him from top to bottom. “I’d expected some sniffing, maybe a little growling…”

  Being attracted to a male was a normal byproduct of being part human. It was completely different from recognizing the male I was meant to bond with, and I was confused even more by my cat’s current behavior. On the few occasions I’d gone on a run with a male I’d been interested in, my cat usually acted indifferent
, sometimes even bored. She’d never responded this possessively toward any of them.

  I wasn’t a complete novice when it came to relationships. I’d had a few, but I’d never let any of them get serious, because, like most shifters, I wanted to find my true mate. I’d also accepted the fact that having bad allergies, coupled with the problems it caused my cat when it came to scenting things, pretty much ensured finding the male was never going to happen, not unless he happened to find me first.

  “Does this mean I’m forgiven for shooting her?” He chuckled, bracing his legs to keep from being knocked to the ground.

  I placed my head under his hand to show him there were no hard feelings, then encouraged him to run his hand through my fur. He took his time smoothing his hand along my thick coat, stopping occasionally to knead my back.

  My cat purred even louder and would have gladly rolled on her back and let him run his hand along her stomach. Once my cat was satisfied that Mitch was covered with her scent, that no other female would dare mess with him, I took the lead and headed into the forest.

  I burst into a run, letting the freedom temper the tension rippling through my body. After a few minutes, I stopped and waited for Mitch to catch up, then matched my pace to his.

  I stopped to smell an occasional patch of wildflowers. My allergies had kicked in the minute I’d stepped into the forest so no matter how much I sniffed I couldn’t get a whiff of their floral fragrance.

  Every now and then, I caught sight of a butterfly, but before I could chase after it, Mitch tugged on the end of my tail to keep me on track.

  The third time he grabbed my tail for no reason, I head-butted his leg. “Hey,” he groaned. “I’m supposed to be keeping you out of trouble, remember?”

  I responded with a chuff and nudged his leg, then quickly jumped out of his way when he reached for my tail again.

  Before long, we’d reached a stream, and I couldn’t resist romping and splashing through the water. I also couldn’t resist shaking off the excess moisture and catching him with the spray when I was done.