Shifters and Spice: A Shifter Romance Box Set

by Desiree Holt

  Tobias didn’t like the speculative gleam in Clyde’s eye. “I’m just helping out for a few weeks, nothing more. Don’t be getting any wild ideas about matchmaking, old man.” The bear’s thoughts had strayed too often in that direction as it was, he didn’t need any encouragement. This little ranch in the back-end of nowhere wasn’t for him. Even if it did have plenty of private space for him to run free.

  He glanced up at the forested peaks of the mountain ridgeline in the near distance. A forty-minute drive and he could lose himself in the wilderness. With a woman as fine as Harriet Mills at his side and space to roam, a man could make a good home.

  But he wasn’t just a man.

  Forcing the daydreams aside, Tobias bent his head to his work.

  Chapter 6

  Choosing the red dress had been a mistake. She knew it the moment she opened the door and saw the gleam in Shane’s eyes. He’d raised the topic of the harvest dance at every turn until she finally agreed to go with him, more to stop him talking about it than out of any real desire to attend. She’d loved it as a child—twirling around the dancefloor with her daddy, his hand clamped around her waist and her legs dangling two feet from the ground. They’d always gone as a family, and after her mother passed, neither of them had had the heart to go without her. Now her father was gone, there was even less reason to crowd in with everyone in the town meeting hall.

  Things had been quiet around the ranch since the damage to the fence, or she wouldn’t have contemplated leaving, even for a couple of hours. The idea someone would want to sabotage her ranch twisted her gut, but she’d had to face up to the facts when both Tobias and Clyde assured her it could not have been accidental. She’d lodged a report with the local sheriff’s office, and he’d promised to send a few extra patrols out her way. He’d also said he’d try and track down Mitch and Pete, who were the only possible names they’d been able to produce as potential suspects.

  A perfectly serviceable blue-cotton dress hung in her wardrobe, and she could have teamed it with her best boots. It would certainly have been more suited to the kind of two-step scooting the locals favored than the figure-hugging red sheath she’d matched with her only pair of heels. The red dress had been an impulse purchase two years previously, and had been hanging in the back of her closet ever since. Too late to change now though. She tugged her black lace shawl tighter around her shoulders, and stepped away from the guiding hand Shane attempted to place in the small of her back as they headed down the porch steps toward his vehicle.

  “Have you got your phone, my girl?” Clyde’s grizzled call drew her attention to where he leaned against the porch rail of his little bungalow. Her heart skipped a beat at the looming shadow beside him. Six weeks since she’d brought Tobias back to the ranch with her. Six weeks of working side-by-side until they both reeked of sweat and horses. Six weeks of accidental nudges and brushes of hands, and arms, and elbows. Six weeks of dreams that left her mouth dry and her panties wet.

  The red dress was for him. Worn for a thirty-second strut across the yard in the hopes he’d notice her, see her as more than Harriet Mills, horsewoman, ranch owner, boss. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the porch rail and fixed his ice-blue eyes upon her. She adjusted the clutch bag under her arm, letting her shawl slip to her elbows as she did to display the low-cut bodice of her dress. Her hair tumbled across her shoulders in a mass of curls, and she wondered whether he liked it down. He’d only ever seen it tied up in the practical plait she wore to keep it out of the way while she worked. A sharp pinch just above her elbow startled her, and she spun to face Shane, rubbing the sore spot on her arm. “What was that for?”

  “You were miles away. We’re going to be late if you don’t get a move on.” The smile he gave her didn’t quite reach his eyes, and she swallowed a guilty breath. She should be focused on her friend and their evening ahead, not the big man across the yard.

  “I’m sorry.” Those two words seemed to be a permanent fixture on her lips around Shane these days.

  A low sound rumbled, like a dog growling, only deeper than any dog she’d ever heard. She flicked her eyes back toward the porch and saw Tobias had advanced down the first couple of steps toward them. “Do you have your phone?” His words echoed the ones from Clyde a few moments before, only this was more a demand than a question.

  She held up her purse. “Yes. Don’t worry, we won’t be late.” He nodded once and spun on his heel toward the bunkhouse.

  Shane helped her into the car, a fierce scowl on his face. He slammed it with more force than necessary, and she flinched back at the loud noise. He marched around the hood and stood next to his closed door. She could see his hips and lower torso through the side window, but he made no move to get in. What’s he doing?

  Harriet leaned across and tapped on the glass, trying to peer up through the window to see his face. The door opened and she settled back into her seat again. Shane slid into the driver’s seat and gave her a bright smile. “All set?” There was no sign of the angry glower he’d given her just moments before.

  “Umm, yes. I guess so.” Her stomach filled with butterflies, and she pressed a hand to it to calm the nervous fluttering. Nervous, was the right word for it, rather than excited.

  “We’re going to have a great time tonight, Harry. Just you wait and see.” He gave her another beaming smile, then started the engine and headed for the single-track lane connecting her ranch to the main highway.

  She kept her face turned toward her window, watching the miles of fencing zip past in the fading evening light. The ranch lay about fifteen miles outside of town, and they passed little traffic until they turned onto Main Street. Cars and trucks lined both sides of the usually quiet street. Couples and groups strolled along the sidewalks toward the brightly-lit hall dominating the top end of the square.

  Shane found a space and eased his car nose-first toward the curb. The late-model sedan wasn’t really practical for the country roads, but he had a truck he used for work purposes. Harriet had never seen the point in the flashy, black car, but Shane liked to have the best of everything. He always seemed to have the latest gadget or phone. She thought about the old Nokia brick in her purse—it took calls and she could send a text on it, which was all she needed most of the time.

  He turned off the engine, then hurried around to her side of the car to hold the door as she climbed out. The space between her door and the vehicle next to them was a little tight, and she found herself trapped between him and the side of the car. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her shoulder, his touch lingering a little longer than necessary on the bare skin of her collarbone. “I can’t think of a better event for our first date than the harvest dance.”

  “Date?” The butterflies ratcheted up until it felt like a pack of mice were clog-dancing in her belly. “Two old friends going to a local dance isn’t exactly a date, Shane.” She tried a laugh, but it clogged somewhere in her throat.

  He stood close enough she could feel the heat of his breath against her cheek, and she tried not to shudder. “You certainly look like you’re on a date, Harry. You can’t wear a sexy dress and expect a man not to notice.” He leaned forward and brushed his lips against her cheek. “You don’t wear perfume, unless you’re on a date.”

  “Shane—”

  He stepped away abruptly, moving to the sidewalk to stand under one of the old-fashioned street lamps. The sweet, open smile on his face was that of her oldest friend, not the intense stranger of moments before. He waggled his fingers at her. “Come on, Harry. We’re going to miss all the fun.”

  He turned the big smile toward an approaching couple swinging an excited little girl between them. “Oh, hey there Mister and Missus Schroeder. Why, Miss Lily, don’t you look a picture tonight? You’ll save a space on your dance card for me, won’t you?” Lily Schroeder giggled and blushed while her parents smiled indulgently at Shane. The tension in Harriet’s shoulders eased. This was her Shane. The laughing, teasing, towheaded boy
she’d grown up with. Always quick to put others at ease.

  Fixing a smile on her face, she joined the group on the sidewalk, and they made their way toward the squat redbrick building. Built for function more than show, the hall reflected the people of Fairlane—sturdy, practical, enduring. Shane offered his arm as they began to ascend the steps, and she took it gratefully. Her sandals were already beginning to pinch her toes, and she regretted again her choice of outfit. Worries about her sore feet faded as they were swept up into a gaggle of familiar faces, and she found herself separated from Shane by a round of hugs and kisses from their friends and neighbors.

  “You look beautiful, Harriet. Your daddy would be so proud to see his girl all dressed up.” Harriet smiled and leaned forward to accept the proffered kiss from Carl Lennox, the owner of the local feed and tack store. The older man took her hand and squeezed it between both of his. “He’d be even more proud to see you making a go of the Happy T. There were a few who thought you’d sell up and move on after he passed, but I never doubted you for one second, my dear.”

  Unexpected tears burned behind her eyes, and Harriet coughed to loosen the knot in her throat before she could speak. “Thank you, Mister Lennox. It means the world to hear you say so.”

  “It’s been a lot of hard work though, hasn’t it, Harry?” Shane appeared at her side, offering his hand to Carl. “She’s such a trooper, but I worry about the strain of it. Clyde doesn’t seem to be able to control the hands like he used to, and now they’re down to a skeleton staff. Loyal to a fault, that’s our Harry.”

  “We had a couple of hiccups, but things have settled down now that we have Tobias helping out.” Harriet frowned at Shane, she really didn’t appreciate him tattling her business around town. How many other people has he told about my problems?

  “My cousin’s boy is looking for work. He’s a good kid, helped me out in the store for a few summers. If you’re short-handed, that is?” Carl offered.

  “Thank you. Ask him to give Clyde a call and he can arrange an interview.” The smile she gave Carl softened the grimace tugging the corners of her mouth. The local pastor and his wife joined their group and after a quick exchange of pleasantries, Harriet moved away.

  She headed to the well-stocked temporary bar and gratefully accepted a glass of wine from one of the volunteer servers. Shane appeared at her side again, plonked his empty glass upon the table and grabbed another. She frowned at the amber liquid, “Is that whisky?” The road back to Happy T might be fairly straight, but there was no way she would be getting in a car with a drunk-driver at the wheel.

  “Lighten up, Harry. We’re here to have a good time, remember. It’s only a few blocks walk back to my place, you can stay over and I’ll drop you home in the morning.”

  A ripple of unease walked cold fingers up her spine. “That’s not what we agreed, Shane. I’ve got an early start tomorrow.” Like every morning. She didn’t care if mucking out the barn began a bit later than normal. She did care about being manipulated though.

  The band struck up, interrupting their conversation and Shane put their drinks on the table. “Come on, Harry. Let’s dance.” He tugged her across the room without waiting for a response, whirling her into the eager couples hitting the floor. He swung her out and back, tugging her closer until she stumbled on her heels into his chest. “You never used to mind sharing a bed with me,” he whispered into her ear.

  Harriet shoved him away, but he just gave her an “aw, shucks” grin and snatched her hand. “I’m just kidding around. Man, you are too easy to tease these days. I bet you still hog the covers like you did when we had sleepovers.”

  “There’s a hell of a lot of difference between sharing a bed at eight and at twenty-eight, Shane,” she snapped. The dancers around them started to take note, making her uncomfortable. She hated being the center of attention. Keeping a firm distance between them, she began to sway to the music again. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed her bag still perched on the edge of the drinks table. Regardless of Shane’s protestations, she didn’t think he was joking around. First chance she got, she would call Clyde and ask him to give her a ride home.

  Chapter 7

  Tobias drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and stared at the brightly-lit building. He might feel like two-parts stalker with a dash of creep thrown in for good measure, but his bear had been going crazy from the moment they watched the black car disappear into the night. He felt marginally better when Clyde had handed over his phone and the keys to the truck without so much as a raised eyebrow. Seemed like it wasn’t only the bear who had misgivings about the smarmy little veterinarian.

  And then there had been Harriet. With her mass of blonde curls spilling down her back and a red dress clinging to the curves of her ass like an eager lover’s hands. A rumble built in his chest. His attempts at ignoring the sparking attraction between them crumbled to dust, as he watched the black silk of her shawl slide down the smooth skin of her arms.

  He’d held the bear in check for an hour, staring at some mindless sitcom while the animal paced and snarled in his head. The synergistic relationship between the two halves of his soul would be impossible to explain to a non-shifter. He was the bear, and yet not. The animalistic urges drove him, but didn’t rule him. He hadn’t come as close to losing control of his beast since he’d hit thirty and been deemed by his elders to have achieved full maturity.

  This was more than just his bear responding to some kind of mating call. Fear laced the animal’s urgings for Tobias to do something. The bear retained full awareness when they were in their human form, and it was clear his instinctive nature had picked up on something Tobias had missed. As soon as he reminded himself he was more than just a man, he’d been out the door and sprinting for the truck without a second’s hesitation.

  And now he lurked in the dark, eyes fixed on the town hall, not sure whether he wanted Harriet to need his help or not. Regardless of his opinion, or Clyde’s for that matter, her friendship with Shane obviously meant a great deal to her. If that little shit lets her down…. What a cluster fuck. If he upset her, then Tobias could ride to the rescue, but at what cost to her? He might be a relative newcomer to the world of Harriet Mills, but her circle of support looked frighteningly small.

  The phone on the seat beside him buzzed, and it was at his ear before he was conscious of moving. “Hello?”

  “Tobias?” The bear’s gnawing anxiety calmed at the sound of her voice, then ramped again as her voice rose. “Where’s Clyde? What’s wrong with him?” Shit! He should have considered how much it would worry her when he answered the call rather than her foreman.

  “He’s fine. Everything’s fine, sweetheart.” The endearment slipped out as naturally as the breath leaving his lungs, and he couldn’t make himself regret it. “Clyde just looked a little tired, so I took his phone and left him tucked in bed watching an old John Wayne movie.”

  “Oh. Oh, okay.” She huffed a little nervous laugh and then went very quiet.

  “What about you, is everything all right?” He schooled his voice to remain soft. She wouldn’t be calling if it was, but he didn’t want the bear’s urge to growl to frighten her.

  “Not really.” She sounded sad and small, and he wanted to beat on something until his knuckles ran red.

  “I’m right outside, sweetheart. Just walk out the door and cross the street to me, and I’ll take you home.”

  The phone went quiet, apart from the faint echo of her heels walking on some kind of tiled floor. The cadence of her footsteps changed, and he saw the front door of the hall swing open. He slid out of the truck and leaned against it as she stared across the street at him. “You’re really here.”

  “There wasn’t anything on the television, so I thought I’d take a drive around.” His enhanced eyesight caught a tiny flash of white teeth when his blatant lie made her grin. Her smile disappeared as another voice came to him through the phone, and Harriet swung around to glance over her shoulder.<
br />
  “Whatcha doin’?”

  The slurred question had Tobias in motion, his strong legs eating up the distance between himself and the couple on the steps. “Harriet?” He spoke into the phone, but was already close enough to speak to her directly.

  “I’m going home, Shane. I already told you.” A tell-tale tremor laced through her words.

  Tobias cleared the small flight of steps in a single leap and inserted himself between the pair, knocking Shane’s outstretched hand aside before it could close on Harriet’s arm. “Go on to the truck, sweetheart. I’ll be right there.” He kept his eyes fixed on Shane, tracking the click-clack of her heeled sandals as she did as instructed.

  “What the hell, man?” Shane tried to shove him out of the way and almost lost his balance as his booze-weakened legs came up against the immovable force of Tobias’ rage. “Harry! Hey, Harry, get back here!”

  Uncaring now, Tobias let the bear rise within him. His jaw ached and the tips of his fingers itched with the need to shift into sharp teeth and claws to tear into the fool before him. “Look at me, Shane.” The bear deepened his natural bass tone to a fierce growl, and the drunken man froze as his basest instincts registered the terrible threat he was facing. A faint noise rose in Shane’s throat; a whimpering squeak Tobias had never heard before. Disgust curled his lip as he glared down. “Don’t look at her, don’t talk to her, don’t even think about her until your sorry ass has sobered up.”

  Shane’s head jerked up and down, like a marionette operated by an inexperienced puppeteer. “O…okay.”

  The bear surged inside Tobias, frustrated their prey was going to escape without a mark. A snarl ripped from his throat, and he forced his hands into fists to hide the razor-sharp claws splitting through. Shane whimpered again, and an acrid tang filled the air. Tobias stepped back to avoid the splash of warm urine.