by Becca Van
As soon as he’d walked out the door, another large, good-looking man entered.
“Hello. Welcome to Tami’s Hair Salon. How can I help you?”
“My name’s Jordan Cannon. I’m one of Kenzie’s mates.” He crossed his arms over his massive chest and scowled down at her.
Tami’s initial instinct was to retreat, to run and hide in the break room until the big intimidating man left, but she held her ground. She’d met Kenzie and didn’t think the woman would stick around with this man and her other mates if there was something to be scared of. After inhaling quietly, she released the air from her lungs as she tried to quell her nervous anxiety. Jordan looked so fierce with the scar starting just under his left eye, down his cheek, over his chin, and down his neck, but she relaxed even more when she remembered the other women telling her that all the men living in Ambrose had been soldiers. She wondered why he hadn’t healed since a shifter was supposed to have amazing healing abilities, but she wasn’t about to be rude and ask.
Tami saw his nostrils flare, and the scowl on his face changed to a frown.
“Kenzie told me I had to come and get my hair cut. Do you have the time?”
“I do.” She bit her lip to hold back the smile wanting to form. If Kenzie was ordering this man around, and he was doing as she told him, he couldn’t be all that bad. She rolled her lips when she envisaged the small woman going toe to toe with the huge behemoth as she told him how things were going to be, and she relaxed even more. “Come right this way.” Kenzie swept her hand toward a clean workstation. She’d been going to sweep up the hair from the floor after cutting Broden’s hair, but it could wait until later.
After seeing Jordan seated and draping him with a cape to protect his clothes from hair, she grabbed a clean comb and scissors. “What would you like done today?”
“For you to cut my hair.” He met her gaze in the mirror with a puzzled expression.
Obviously, the man didn’t know how he wanted his hair cut, and after running hair fingers through the strands and seeing how unkempt his locks were, she figured he’d been cutting his own hair with trimmers for years.
“Okay, then.” Tami got to work, snipping and styling until she was satisfied with the cut. The ends of his hair had been split and were long enough to curl under. There had been no layering to make his hair sit nicely, and after she’d run her fingers through it, his hair had stood on end comically. Now he had some volume, and when she combed through it, it sat neatly on the top of his head. After brushing the hair from his face and neck, she grabbed a mirror and held it up behind him so he could see the back. She guessed his grunt was his way of telling her he was pleased with what she’d done. Tami put the mirror aside, unclipped the cape, and carefully removed it. She shook the hair onto the floor before draping it over the back of the chair and followed him to the desk and cash register.
“Are you happy with what I’ve done?” Tami asked before ringing up the sale.
“It’s better than it was, that’s for sure.” Jordan shrugged. “As long as Kenzie’s happy with it, then so am I.”
Tami figured she wasn’t going to get a straight answer from him until Kenzie had seen his hair. With a mental shrug, she rang up the sale and told him the charge. Jordan handed her a fifty-dollar bill and tried to gather his change as quickly as she could. She glanced toward the door when a cool breeze wafted over her face and she blinked with confusion. Jordan was already gone. She wrote down in a note pad what Jordan was owed in change, which she’d either try to give to Kenzie later or subtract from her next visit to the salon.
She’d started doing that yesterday when all the men who’d visited had paid her way too much even after adding tips. Tami was going to have to talk to their women to find out what they wanted her to do.
She looked toward the door when the bell tinkled and smiled as Zayn walked toward her. “Hey, baby, how’s your day been so far?”
Tami stood and moved out from behind the desk. “Why don’t you tell me?” She giggled as she walked into his arms. “You, Jace, and Karter have been taking turns staring in here all morning long.”
“Caught that, did you?” Zayn hugged her tightly against him.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed before loosening her hold and drawing back slightly so she could meet his gaze. “It was a bit hard to miss.”
“You’ll have to be patient with us, baby. We’re newly mated and can’t stand being away from you.”
“I don’t like being away from you all either, but I also love my job and interacting with other people.”
Zayn nodded. “As long as you’re happy, that’s all we care about, mate.”
She went up on tiptoes as he bent down. Their lips met and clung with a soft kiss, and then Zayn groaned, lifted her into his arms, and slanted his mouth over hers. It felt as if she’d been scorched by a flash fire. Heat zipped through her veins, through her blood, arousing her rapidly. If she hadn’t been standing near the glass door and window to the shop, she would have released his cock, ripped off her panties, and impaled herself on his hard dick.
Zayn slowed the kiss until he was sipping at her lips and then lifted his head. “Are you ready for lunch, mate?”
Tami nodded. She was starving but not only for food. She was so turned on by Zayn’s kiss she wanted to tell him to hell with lunch, tug him toward the back room, and get naked, but she knew that wouldn’t happen until she’d eaten. Her mates seemed to have an obsession with food. They each ate enough for three people or more in one sitting, and if she didn’t eat enough to satisfy them, they frowned at her, but Tami wasn’t about to stuff herself silly. She was overweight enough as it was, thank you very much, and wasn’t about to get any bigger no matter how much they tried to force food down her throat.
She had a feeling food was going to be a bone of contention between the four of them, but she wasn’t about to let them win. She’d argue until she was blue in the face if she had to.
“Let me check the back to make sure everything’s secure, and then we can go.” Zayn released her from his embrace and rushed toward the back door.
Tami took the opportunity to sweep the cut hair into a pile to be disposed of later. Just as she made sure the till was locked and she had the keys to the front entrance, Zayn reappeared. He clasped her free hand in his and guided her toward the door.
“Give me the keys, baby, and I’ll lock up.”
She handed him the keys. “Are we getting something from the diner and taking it back to your store to eat?”
Zayn locked the door, pocketed her keys, and they walked across the traffic-clear street toward the diner. “If that’s what you want to do, we will, but I thought you might like to eat in.”
“What about Karter and Jace?”
“They’re happy with whatever you want, Tami. We’ll take it in turns to eat with you, so don’t worry about any of us missing out on spending time with you,” Zayn explained.
Tami gnawed on her lip as she tried to decide what to do. She didn’t want her other mates to feel slighted, but it seemed they’d already worked out how to share her without feeling left out. At least she hoped they didn’t feel left out. She felt as if she’d been thrown in the deep end without knowing how to float or make a stroke after being told to sink or swim.
She had strong feelings for her men already, but she was on unfamiliar ground. Tami hoped she didn’t cause a rift or hurt any of her mates by being thoughtless. Maybe it was time to talk to one of the other women to get some advice. She pushed her thoughts aside for the moment as Zayn led her into the diner.
“Tami!”
Tami glanced about until she saw Kenzie sitting in a booth at the far side of the diner surrounded by three big, dark-haired men.
“Come over here.” Kenzie pointed to the empty booth opposite her and her mates.
Tami met Zayn’s eyes. “Can we?”
Zayn palmed her cheek before tracing the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. “You d
on’t need to ask us to do something, baby. If you want to sit near Kenzie, that’s fine with me.”
Tami nodded, turned, and started walking, her hand still clasped in Zayn’s as he followed. She released his hand and sat on the seat opposite Kenzie.
“You did an amazing job with Jordan’s hair. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Tami smiled. She glanced at Zayn, who was sitting across from her and then back to Kenzie. Since she mightn’t get another opportunity she decided to ask why the men wouldn’t stay until she’d given them their change. “Uh, Jordan, can you come back to the salon after lunch? You forgot to get your change.”
“No, I didn’t,” Jordan replied, the expression on his face stoic. “You earned every penny.”
Kenzie giggled and rolled her eyes at the same time. “All our men have decided you aren’t charging enough for the haircuts, and since they’re happy because we, their women, are, they decided you should be rewarded for all your hard work.”
“Oh but—”
She turned her gaze toward Zayn when he covered the hand she had resting on the table with his warm, larger one. “No buts, baby. You deserve every penny you get.”
Tami lowered her head as heat suffused her cheeks. She might have dark brown hair and brown eyes, but her skin was pale and the bane of her existence. When she blushed, her face went bright red. She wasn’t used to such compliments and wasn’t sure how to respond. Being a hairdresser and esthetician, it was expected her work was good, and rightly so since customers expected to get what they paid for. Finally, she managed to respond. “Thank you.”
Jordan just shrugged his shoulders. Kenzie winked at her. “You’re welcome, Tami.”
Tami gazed about and quickly lowered her eyes to the table when she noticed she was the center of attention. There were a lot of men sitting in groups as they ate and chatted, and they seemed to be watching her and Kenzie as if they were anomalies. She guessed they were since she hadn’t seen many women here. In fact, she’d only seen Emmy, Pixie, Dusty, and Kenzie, and with her, that made five. She couldn’t remember if her guys had told her why there was way more men than women in Ambrose, but she would have to wait to ask because she didn’t want to upset anyone with her ignorance.
“What would you like to order?”
Tami smiled up at the huge russet-haired man. She’d cut his hair yesterday, and if she remembered correctly, she’d also trimmed his brother’s hair. He was handsome, but she wasn’t attracted to him in the least. There was such a serious air of authority about him she was intimated, although she tried not to show it and smiled. “I’d like the chicken and salad wrap please.”
“Zayn?” he asked.
“You’d better give me three servings of the daily special, three burgers with fries and slaw on the side, and four coffees.”
Tami’s eyes widened at the huge food order but once more lowered her gaze, trying to hide the smile on her face. Her mates and the men in this town were shifters, and since they had enhanced everything, she guessed they had fast metabolisms and huge appetites to match their large physiques.
“Are Karter and Jace coming to eat here, or do you want me to box their orders up?”
“Box it, please,” Zayn replied.
The man nodded and hurried away. Zayn drew her attention when he slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand before reaching over and lacing their fingers together. “I’m sorry, baby, I was really rude. I should have introduced you. I’ll bet he didn’t introduce himself when he got his haircut, did he?”
“No.”
“That’s Tatum. He and his brothers, Rex and Shaffer King, are Pixie’s mates. Tatum is also the unofficial leader of Ambrose.”
“Is that because he’s surname is King?” Tami asked.
Kenzie’s giggle drew her gaze. “You’d think so, wouldn’t you, but Tatum and his brothers are just a little more domineering than the rest of the shifters. Not that my mates and the other men aren’t authoritative, but Tatum is just…bossier.”
“Okay.” Tami nodded, even though she wasn’t sure she quite understood how one of the men could be bossier than the others. From what she’d seen so far, they were all very alpha men and liked to give orders. They also seemed to expect their directives to be carried out immediately. And while that annoyed her sometimes, especially when her mates tried telling her what to do, she knew it was because they cared for her. How much they cared was yet to be determined, but she hoped they felt for her as strongly as she was beginning to feel for them. Tami had a nervous feeling that she was already in love with them, but she wasn’t about to tell them that. It was too fast and too soon to be declaring such things. She was being cautious because she didn’t want to get her heart broken.
The food arrived moments later, and after Zayn introduced her to Tatum, they started eating. She looked toward the door when it burst open and gasped when her heart flipped over before beating fast and hard inside her chest. Karter and Jace strode purposely toward them, and Tami shivered as her blood heated. Her nipples hardened at the same time her breasts grew heavy and swollen and her clit started to throb. The internal walls of her pussy clenched, and cream coated her folds. She didn’t even realize that she’d stopped chewing until Karter waved his hand at her, urging her to scoot across the seat to give him room to sit. Jace sat next to Zayn, and while both the men met her gaze, neither of them said a word.
Tami frowned and tensed as she wondered if something was wrong, but before she could ask, Tatum returned with a tray laden with food, and he set it out in front of Jace and Karter. “I knew you two wouldn’t be able to stay away from your mate.” Tatum winked at her. “Enjoy your lunch.”
“Who’s minding the store?” Tami asked.
“No one,” Karter replied without care. “We closed up to spend time with you.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Tami said.
“We didn’t, but we wanted to, darlin’,” Jace responded.
“We like spending time with you, mate,” Karter stated emphatically.
When tears stung the back of her eyes, she lowered her gaze to her plate and tried to control her emotions. When she was sure she could look at them again without tearing up, she lifted her gaze. “I like spending time with you, too.”
All three of her men smiled at her.
Tami ate her lunch and listened to them discuss their business, but she ended up tuning them out. There was something wrong with her, and she was starting to panic. The blood coursing through her veins got hotter and hotter, and her pussy was so wet her panties were soaked. She’d put on a pair of black slacks and a white blouse this morning, but right now, she wished she’d worn her jeans. She was worried that the dampness between her thighs was going to be visible once she stood up. She tried to regulate her breathing, but she ended up panting faster and shallower instead. Her skin felt way too hot, and it was starting to feel uncomfortable. Her labia were swollen, and her clit was so engorged it was almost painful, and when she squeezed her legs together trying to relieve the ache, she nearly cried out at the pleasure-pain sensation.
She glanced furtively toward Karter and saw him staring at her like he was the big bad wolf and she was Little Red Riding Hood. There was so much hunger in his gaze she had to look away. When she gazed over at Jace and Zayn, they were both staring at her as if they were starving and she was the only thing on the menu.
What the fuck is going on? A shudder ripped up her spine, and goose bumps raced over her flesh.
Tami was so lost in the reaction of her own body and trying to figure out what was happening she didn’t notice that the chatter had stopped. It was only when someone stopped at her side, casting her in shadow, that she realized it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
She glanced up and tried not to shrink back when she saw the retired FBI agent, Preston Louis, glaring at her.
Is that lust or anger in his eyes? Why is he looking at me that way?
“Get her the fuck out of here. Now!”
Preston ordered, his nostrils flaring as he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he took a step back, spun on his heels, and raced toward the door.
Tami opened her mouth to ask her mates what his problem was, but she didn’t get the chance. Karter grasped her arms and hauled her closer to him and up against his chest. He stood, slung her over his shoulder, and rushed toward the exit. She didn’t need to look to see if Zayn and Jace were following because she could hear their footsteps.
“Hey, what are you doing? Put me the fuck down!”
Smack.
“Stop yelling,” Zayn demanded.
“You have no right.” Tami shrieked with anger, kicking her legs wildly and slamming her fists against Karter’s back. He seemed to be totally unaffected by her struggles. She was so incensed she was shaking with rage. She struggled harder and screamed when Karter’s hold over her thighs loosened and she dropped lower down his back. He tightened his hold around her knees, and she clutched at his belt. This time she held still, worried he’d drop her on her head, but that didn’t mean she was giving up. No one treated her like she was a sack of spuds, not even her mates.
After using her free hand to get the hair out of her eyes, she stared at his muscular jean-covered ass, and without thinking about the consequences, she struck, sinking her teeth in his butt cheek as hard as she could.
She yelped when she was flipped up from his shoulder and she flew through the air. Her breath exploded from her lungs when he caught her against his chest, and before she could yell at him for treating her that way, he was in the back seat of the truck with her straddling his lap.
He palmed her cheeks in his hands and slammed his mouth over hers.
Chapter Thirteen
Karter had no idea when Tami had gone into heat but suspected it had been sometime this morning while she’d been cutting hair. It was a wonder one of the other shifters hadn’t told them, but maybe her heat had started not long after she’d entered the diner. When he caught scent of her musky chocolatey-vanilla perfume, he’d been so turned on he couldn’t speak or act. It was as if one minute Tami hadn’t been ovulating, and the next she was in the most ripe period of her cycle. His cock had gone from semi-hard to full attention in less than a second and he’d been dizzy as he tried to regain his equilibrium. If Preston hadn’t ordered him and his brothers to get their mate out of the diner, they might still be sitting there, but he was glad they weren’t.