The Turtle and the Hare (Furry United Coalition)

by Amanda Kimberley

  Harriet seemed to care, though. He adored that about her. She treated him as a man, rather than as a conquest.

  Realizing Harriet hadn’t responded to his proclamation of wanting to get to know her, he changed the subject. “What would you like to drink?”

  “Cabernet sounds good.”

  “Then Cabernet it is. Treasure, what would you like?”

  “I’ll have the same, actually.”

  Lear ordered the drinks and then motioned for them to join him at an open booth near the bar. Harriet slid in on one side of the dark vinyl seating, and Lear slid in next to her almost instinctively. He handed Harriet her glass of wine and a menu from the end of the table. At the same time, Lear saw Stan getting into one of the neighboring tables. Lear’s father sat on the side opposite of Stan.

  “Great, looks like we all have babysitters this evening, including you, Harriet,” Treasure said with a sigh. “Got to love royalty and all of their rules. We princes and princesses can’t go out anywhere without some BS around us. Bonafide Security is always up our behinds.”

  “But at least they’re just protecting, right?” Harriet asked.

  Treasure rolled her eyes. “Sure, they want to protect us, but mostly they’re watching to make sure we don’t do something to discredit the crown.”

  “Or to shifter kind,” Lear added. “We get enough scrutiny for being royals, so if one of us slips up and gets caught shifting, it’s more likely to get noticed.”

  Treasure took a swig of her wine. “As if. There are so many royals in the Greek isles, hundreds! No one keeps track of it all. If it weren’t for the bodyguards, we’d just blend into the woodwork. I mean I get humans have the ones in England at Buckingham, but we are a bunch of nobodies that don’t need all of this BS. Who truly cares what we do? I just don’t get it.”

  “Treasure, you know as well as I do that the last thing we need is for someone to see any of us get too tipsy—or worse. We don’t need a scientist after our blood.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I get it. Wouldn’t want to look bad. But what are the real odds of scientists coming after us? I don’t know about either of you, but I plan on having a little fun tonight.” She took another sip of her wine and perused the menu. “So, Harriet, have you ever let down your hare in this place?”

  Harriet choked on the sip of wine she’d just brought to her lips. “Me? No. I’m not like that. I always try to be as conservative as possible. FUC rules for staff, and all that.”

  “You’re not into having fun?”

  “I like to have fun like everyone else. I’m down for dancing or shooting some pool, when I can, and with the right company.”

  “Lear, I like this one a lot. She’s my type of girl,” Treasure said with a wink.

  “Treasure, shush!” He said the words, but he agreed with his cousin. She was his type of girl. Lear turned toward Harriet and locked his gaze on her blue eyes before he said, “Perhaps after we eat, you could join me for a dance.”

  Harriet took a sip of wine and made a small smile without a vocal response.

  “Think about it? I don’t bite. Promise,” he said, holding up two fingers as if to signify Scout’s honor.

  “Yeah, bet you say that to all the female shifters!” Carol’s voice rang through the air as she scooted into the open space on Treasure’s side of the booth and laughed. “Glad to see y’all got here in one piece. What did I miss?”

  “We were just talking about things we like to do for fun, and Harriet was saying she likes to dance,” Treasure said.

  “Harriet? Usually, she’s content with sitting at the bar and sipping on a beer while watching reruns of games that played earlier in the week. If she didn’t make eye contact every now and again when I’m with her, I’d peg her as anti-social.”

  “Carol! Stop it! That’s not true, and you know it! You’ve always heard me say that I like to do more than sit at the bar.”

  “Actually, Harriet, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you socialize with anyone else besides me. You’re always so reserved until I get a couple of beers in you.” Carol chuckled as Harriet’s cheeks flushed.

  “Stop embarrassing me!”

  “What? Are you serious? I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t do that to you every chance I get. It’s quite entertaining to watch you squirm.”

  “Carol, we’re working.” Harriet darted her eyes toward Stan’s table.

  Carol shrugged. “Say that all you want, but it’s clear as day that there’s more than work between you and Lear. In fact, I think the two of you are going to need some protection that FUC doesn’t offer under the covers tonight.” Carol waggled her eyebrows and then cackled so loud that Stan sneered in the direction of the table.

  “Good God, Carol! Shut your pie hole right now!” Harriet spoke in a low growl through gritted teeth. “Stan’s listening to everything you say.”

  “He can’t hear a thing. The king is chatting his ear off. Luckily, it’s past his bedtime. He’ll be leaving soon, and then you two can get your freak on over on the dance floor. I’ll be happy to see that. Been trying to set you up with someone for the longest time.”

  Amused, Lear found himself quite enjoying the banter between Harriet and her friend. Even more, though, he hoped he would get to dance with Harriet, if not more, later on.

  Gregor rolled his eyes as Stan peered over at the table across from them. “For the love of all that is holy, they are fine together, Stan. You don’t need to keep looking over there, like the parent of a teenaged daughter.”

  “It’s called protection detail.”

  “Yes, and you’re on me, so lay off the kids.” King Gregor motioned with his hand before resting it on his beer mug.

  “But there’s something fishy going on between Harriet and Lear, and I’m not sure if I like it all that much,” Stan said with a low guttural growl.

  “Yes, you’re right, there is something strange going on. It’s called love. They are falling in love. You remember what that was like—don’t you, Stan? I mean I understand it has been a while for us both, but they’re fine! Just let them be.”

  “You can’t be serious, King Gregor. Harriet is just a leveret. She’s not a good match for someone like Prince Lear. I mean this is her first real case, and for good reason. That girl always has her head in the clouds. She may be a great tech, but free her from her desk, and you never know what to expect.”

  “First, call me Gregor while we are out in an informal area. We are friends, after all. Second, if you remember, Stan, Dimitra was also considered someone who had her head in the clouds, as you so eloquently put it, and she became Skyros’s most beloved queen. If I don’t have a problem with Harriet, neither should you.”

  Stan smiled. “I remember introducing you to Dimitra, and in a way, I couldn’t have been more proud of taking her under my wing and training her myself. If she had stayed around, she would have been a great asset in the Furry United Coalition. But I’m glad she was a beloved queen of Skyros.” Stan glanced over at the booth once more. “Are you sure we should let them be?”

  King Gregor rolled his eyes and patted Stan’s forearm before continuing. “There was one thing I promised Dimitra, that our son could choose his own mate, just as I chose her. She never wanted him to marry for the sake of his country. And now that she is gone, that promise means more than anything to me.”

  “I can appreciate that, Your Highness—I mean, Gregor,” Stan said as he raised his glass. “Here’s to true love.”

  King Gregor raised his mug in turn. “To true love and lots of grandbabies—I hope!”

  “So, what are you thinking of ordering?” Lear asked Harriet as his gaze met hers once more. Her eyes carried him back to the open and inviting Aegean Sea, something he never thought he’d experience with a female shifter during his lifetime. Such great pools of light he could lose himself in—a beauty and calmness he needed as his daily fix.

  She’s the one!

  Patience! he tried to remind himself.

&
nbsp; “I was thinking of having the garden salad. It will go great with this wine.”

  “Is that it? You don’t want an entrée?”

  Harriet shrugged her shoulders.

  “I’m a vegan. I don’t eat meat or anything else produced by an animal. My diet is all about fruits, veggies, nuts, and twigs,” she said with a chuckle. “Well, that and Maude’s meatless meatballs served in the FUCN’A cafeteria!”

  “You’d love our cuisine on Skyros. We cook with a lot of vegetables.”

  They put in their order, and Lear sat back to enjoy watching Harriet take another sip of wine. He loved watching her lips press against the glass and wondered what those lips would feel like on him.

  Then, a silence cut through the air. Everyone in the bar stilled. Voices were a mere whisper as a man entered the place.

  He had on a dark button-down shirt with black jeans and combat boots. At the bar, he knocked his knuckles to get the attention of the bartender and grunted something Lear couldn’t make out. The big bearded man behind the bar poured him a shot of whiskey while keeping a wary eye on him.

  “Is that who I think it is?” Harriet quietly asked Carol.

  “It sure looks like him.”

  Lear lowered his head so his lips were out of the mysterious man’s sight when he whispered, “Who is that?”

  “His name’s Zagan. FUC’s been watching him. He’s rumored to work for a group connected to one of the recent illegal experiment labs we busted up,” Carol said in a hushed tone.

  Harriet added, “He’s been a project himself. He’s now a hybrid bull shifter with griffin wings.”

  “Whoa,” Treasure breathed, taking another look at the man.

  “Sounds like one mean dude. Remind me not to make him see red,” Lear said.

  Stan came over to the table. “We don’t like this situation.”

  “Why? What’s wrong?” Lear asked.

  “His type doesn’t mingle in public like this. They stay far away from anywhere FUC might be. For him to come out like this, something is up,” Harriet explained.

  Stan nodded. “I’m going to get King Gregor out of here. Harriet, I want you to take Lear and Treasure to your condo and wait for further instructions.”

  “My place? Not the academy or a safe house?” Harriet asked.

  “No, it will be safer this way. Less conspicuous. Give me a head start of a few minutes so we don’t draw attention. And it goes without saying, make sure you aren’t followed.”

  “Of course,” Harriet answered.

  Stan paid his check first and headed out with the king. Lear motioned for the waitress to come over to their table, and he paid the tab. They managed to leave without interference from Zagan, with Carol going to her car and the three others meeting back up with Treasure’s driver.

  Harriet’s nerves were running high. A wild Zagan sighting was not a good thing, and if anything went wrong, it would be her fault. She’d been the one to recommend The Hub. Why didn’t I insist on going to the cafeteria instead?

  “So the guy is no good? What’s the fuss?” Treasure asked, once they’d piled into the car and she’d informed her driver about the Zagan situation.

  Harriet gave the driver her address before turning back to Treasure and Lear. “It’s all about looking at risks. Unusual attracts unusual, so to speak. So, it’s unusual for Zagan to come out in public. What unusual thing might have drawn him?”

  “Royals,” Lear answered. “And what might someone involved in shifter experimentation want with royals?”

  “Our blood…” Treasure mumbled. “Was it really too much to ask for one night where we could just have fun and forget about stuff like that?”

  “I’m sorry, Treasure,” Harriet said, sympathy showing in her eyes. It was strange. Usually people didn’t empathize with the royals. Lear found it endearing that Harriet would show such kindness.

  “So, now what? Stan said we have to go to your place?”

  “Yes, normally we’d go to the safe house, but it must be compromised or something for Stan to think it’s safer at my place. I’m sure he’s setting up teams to watch the perimeter. Everything will be okay.” Harriet wondered if it sounded like she was trying to convince them, or herself.

  “It seems awfully coincidental that Zagan made an appearance there tonight. Does that mean there’s a leak somewhere on campus?”

  Harriet had no answer.

  Harriet was glad that she’d been tasked with both Lear and Treasure, because, deep down, she didn’t know if she could trust herself being alone with Lear. He was saying all the right things at dinner, making her libido do aerial cartwheels. Her body sung with each word he formed on those luscious lips, especially when he said he’d like to take her to Skyros.

  Harriet went into the linen closet and grabbed some fresh sheets after she opened the door to her condo. She loved the quaint atmosphere of her place. The quirky mismatched furniture made her an eclectic, but now the word seemed awkward, a fancy way of describing decor that was far from upscale and completely unsuitable for hosting royalty. It wasn’t every day that a prince walked into her condo, or into her life for that matter. And now that he was there, in her reality, making her see her ordinary life differently, a pang of embarrassment hit her for ever thinking that word eclectic made her sound sophisticated.

  As the thoughts ran through her head, she darted around the room, trying to clean up and put things into place. She’d rather die a thousand deaths than for Lear to see one of her bras strewn over the couch.

  Is this why everyone perceives me as a perpetual child?

  “You have a lovely home, Harriet,” Lear told her, catching her arm to make her still.

  Harriet lowered her head. “Honestly, it isn’t much.”

  He came closer to her and raised her chin with his index finger so she met his gaze. “I mean it, Harriet. You have a beautiful home.”

  “I’m sure you’re used to more extravagant surroundings. Like ones that aren’t using bed sheets as wall art.”

  “I’ve done lots of military training in surroundings a lot more sparse than this,” he said with a chuckle and tucked some loose chestnut strands of Harriet’s hair behind her ear. He then cupped her face. “You are so beautiful, Harriet, and it took every ounce of my energy not to kiss you in front of your boss. But he’s not here right now, and Treasure is in the kitchen.”

  He pulled her close. His lips were a breath from hers as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. He drew her lips to his. The kiss seared her as if he were claiming her as his own, and it sent waves of pleasure to places Harriet hadn’t seen awakened in years. She let out a soft moan.

  “I’ve had a need to do that since I first saw you,” he whispered over her lips. “I want you, Harriet.”

  His lips crashed onto hers once more, and his arms pulled her close to his waist. She felt his erection thicken against her inner thigh, and she became powerless in controlling her hands as they betrayed her sensible side and skimmed south to cup his gloriously tight backside. She gave the plump posterior a squeeze before pulling him closer to her waist.

  Her panties, now completely soaked, gave pause to her notion of recovering what little shred of dignity she had left. Should she move away from him? Yes, he was her client, her job, regardless of how hot and bothered he made her. She needed to remain focused so she could keep him safe from Zagan and those scientist goons.

  A clearing of the throat echoed in the room as Harriet gasped from Lear’s full-on hardness pressed into her inner thigh. “Sorry, guys, I just wanted to find out where I’m crashing.”

  Harriet managed to tear herself out of Lear’s arms, though her body screamed with an ache she’d never experienced before. “My guest room. Down the hall, second door on the left. There are fresh towels in the lower cabinet in the bathroom.” Harriet gave Treasure a friendly smile, hoping the redness in her cheeks wasn’t too obvious.

  Treasure smirked. “The only guestroom? I’m pretty sure I can guess where
you will sleep tonight, cousin.”

  “Treasure! I’m a gentleman!”

  Treasure laughed and practically skipped as she headed for the guestroom.

  “I can sleep on the couch,” Harriet offered. “I probably should anyway since it’s easier to listen for intruders. Why don’t you take my bed so you can get some rest?”

  Lear shook his head. He knew Harriet was trying to be polite, but he wasn’t raised that way. Royalty or not, Lear took care of people. “No, this is your house. You should sleep in your own bed. Besides, I meant what I said—I’m a gentleman, and I can’t have a lady sleeping on a couch while I am comfortable in a bed. Plus, even though I’m not with the FUC, I have this innate need to want to protect you from this Zagan guy.”

  Harriet let out a sigh. “Not you too.”

  His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

  “Everyone sees me as this fragile thing, but I’m not. I really am capable of protecting clients from danger. I know my life is meant for better things than just being behind a desk.”

  He stroked her hair again before resting his palms on her cheeks. “I’m not saying that you aren’t capable of protecting me. What I’m saying is that I care about you so much that I want to do everything in my power to keep you safe. I like you, Harriet, a lot. And it would hurt me greatly if anything happened to you. That’s all that I meant.”

  That was just the beginning of how he felt about her, but he couldn’t say more. He wanted her. He was sure that his travels to FUCN’A had been for a reason and that he’d met up with her so soon because fate had brought them together.

  She was his true mate, and that desire coursed through every fiber of his being. There was no mistaking what was happening. He was falling for her. He wanted to shout that from the rooftops and tell the world that she was his.