“It pays to be careful. One of my friends… Never mind. Can I get you another beer?”
“You’re right to be careful, but this is one pub, one town where you never have to worry. I’ll get your drink. Which wine are you drinking?”
“I’ll get it,” she said, staring at him.
Fuck. She thought he might stick something in her drink. His feline’s growl rumbled through his mind, incensed at the lack of trust. He forced back his protest and nodded. “Will you get me a lager?” He pulled out his wallet and handed her a twenty-dollar note.
Henry and Jenny returned while London was getting drinks. Henry’s arm remained around Jenny’s waist, and his friend looked mighty cozy. Pleased with himself. “Jenny and I are going for a walk, then we’re going to our place.”
Gerard’s brows rose. Quick work, even for Henry.
“London has gone for drinks.”
“Can you tell her we’re going?” Jenny asked.
“I’d prefer it if you’d wait until she brings the drinks, so you can tell her yourself. I don’t want her to think Henry kidnapped you.”
“Pooh,” Jenny said and wrinkled her nose.
Pooh? Gerard’s brows rose again, this time his attention on Henry. His friend gave him a lazy grin. Hell, both of them reeked of desire. No matter what London said to her sister, this vehicle was already in gear. There was no way these two wouldn’t end up fucking each other silly tonight.
“Ah, London.” Jenny beamed at her sister, her blue eyes shining with excitement, her breathing faster than normal.
Gerard angled his body away a fraction, so his feline didn’t receive as much of the lusty fallout between his werewolf buddy and his new lady.
“Henry and I are leaving.”
“But we’ve just got another drink,” London protested.
Jenny laughed, a blush creeping into her cheeks. She was attractive with her light brown hair and trim figure, but she bore a look of fragility her sister didn’t possess. She leaned toward London and whispered in her ear. Gerard hid his amusement as London’s mouth rounded, and she glanced at Henry. Color bloomed in her cheeks as she stepped away from her sister.
“Okay.” London’s voice shook a fraction. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Gerard could tell she wanted to say more but his presence, Henry’s presence, stilled her tongue.
Henry and Jenny left with Geoffrey trotting behind the couple. An uncomfortable silence remained in their wake.
“Are you going to Australia again when you leave New Zealand?”
“Our flight goes via Sydney, and we’re stopping off for a few days. Jenny wants to see a show at the Sydney Opera House and to do the bridge climb.”
“How are you with heights?”
London smiled, and her pretty eyes lit from within, as if she were laughing at herself. “I close my eyes and pretend I’m on the ground. Jenny assures me the bridge climb is safe, but my knees will knock like castanets the entire time. I’ll try to get out of it, but Jenny is the bossy older sister. Somehow, she always gets her way.”
“You’re not as intrepid as your sister.”
“That’s not a bad thing.”
“I didn’t say that.” Gerard reached for her hand on instinct, and when their fingers twined, it felt right. He liked this woman. A lot. “I get the impression your sister is impulsive.”
London sighed hard, drawing his attention to her breasts. More than a handful there. He’d felt her softness as they danced, enjoyed their bodies moving together, and he knew that would translate well once he talked her into bed.
“Yes, she leaps before looking. She’s lucky though because most things turn out for her. She doesn’t make many missteps.”
“Her marriage?”
“The worst mistake she’s ever made. At least she’s wised up and kicked her husband’s arse out the door.”
“Henry won’t hurt her. He’s a good man. You don’t have to worry. He comes across as gruff, but he’s a softy. You saw Geoffrey?”
She nodded, and Gerard decided Henry wouldn’t mind him telling London the story if it reassured her about her sister’s safety.
“Henry and I were staying with our other friend Sam and his wife Lisa, although she wasn’t his wife at that stage. Someone was stalking Lisa. Sam has a farm near Christchurch, and when he couldn’t be around, Henry and I stayed with Lisa and watched out for her. Geoffrey belonged to the elderly lady who lived next door to Lisa. The lady was the nosy type, and she was always at Lisa’s house to borrow cups of sugar. Geoffrey used to come with her. He took an instant liking to Henry, although he growled at me, Lisa and Sam. The stalker escalated and killed Geoffrey’s owner. The cops caught him the next day, in Lisa’s house. After his owner’s murder Geoffrey attached himself to Henry, and he’s been with us ever since. Geoffrey’s owner flirted with Henry too. Henry is kind to animals and old ladies. Your sister will be safe.”
She smiled but her trepidation didn’t lessen. His feline sensed her anxiety, and he glimpsed it in her blue eyes. He glanced at his watch.
“Storm in a Teacup is staying open late with so many people in town. Would you like to walk there for a late dessert and coffee? My friend’s cousin owns the place…well, his wife. Lots of my friends will be there. I can introduce you to some of the people you’ll be racing against tomorrow.”
Her tense shoulders relaxed at his words.
“Emily makes a delicious chocolate brownie.”
“I bake a good brownie.”
“Ah,” he said. “You have to come with me now so you can make a comparison.”
“You had me at chocolate.”
A laugh burst from him along with relief. London Allbright attracted him like no other woman, but she was timid. Or cautious. It made him wonder if it had been her and not her friend who had run into trouble with her drink in a pub.
“You’ll like my friends. Most of them are married. If Saber and Leo are there, we’ll quiz them about the course for the zombie run. I know there are obstacles—”
“Obstacles?” she blurted. “You never mentioned obstacles.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No. Yes.”
His brows rose, and he picked up his glass to drink the last of his beer.
“I’m not the most coordinated person when it comes to sports.” She met his gaze and held it.
“Dancing is a sport.” Yep, there was that zing again. Gerard wondered if he could persuade London to stay in Middlemarch.
She snorted. “Most people would dispute that statement.”
“Not me.” He reached for her hand, half expecting her to jerk from his touch. She surprised him, curling her fingers around his. This time he was ready for the zing, the satisfied purr of his feline. “Don’t panic about the race or the obstacles. Henry and I entered for fun. The funds raised go to a good cause, and I will be with you every step of the way.”
London finished her wine and stood, separating their hands. “Lead me to the chocolate. We didn’t eat much dinner. I’m starving.”
Gerard backed up to allow a newly arrived couple access to their table. “Let’s go. I’ll give you a tour of the town on the way to the café.”
Outside, when he reached for her hand again, London let him weave their fingers together in a solid grip. Darkness had fallen, and a chill lingered in the air.
“Is your business in the town?”
“No, we purchased a lot on the outskirts of the town. We’re building an office and storage facility, but at present we’re operating out of a garage.”
“You sleep in a garage?”
“No, the house is completed, but we’re still working on the business setup.”
London cast a sideways glance at him and he caught her, flashing her a charming smile. His signature smile, she was learning. A panty-wetting grin for sure. She’d bet women chased this man. His friend too, although Gerard hadn’t paid attention to anyone except her while they’d been in the pub.
London pictured the town with these events in full swing. It was quiet now, the streets devoid of traffic.
“Here’s the café.” He led her past several parked cars, through a gate and up three steps to an old-fashioned veranda. A pot of roses in full bloom perfumed the air. Gerard opened the door and gestured her inside.
Warmth and the scent of coffee welcomed her. A man gave a shout, and Gerard grinned, guiding her in the direction of a couple around Gerard’s age.
“I thought we’d find you here,” Gerard said and did a man-hug with the handsome dark-haired man.
“Beautiful Lisa,” Gerard said, kissing the woman on the cheek.
“Behave. You know you’ll make Sam crabby if you keep up that behavior,” the woman said, after rolling her blue eyes skyward.
Gerard wrapped his arm around London’s waist. “This is London Allbright. She and her sister are running with me and Henry tomorrow. London, this is my friend Sam and his wife Lisa. Sam, Henry and I were in the army together.”
“Join us,” Lisa said with a warm smile.
London liked her right away. “Jenny and Henry headed off for a walk, but Gerard lured me here with the promise of chocolate brownies.”
“Smooth-talker,” Lisa teased.
“I wanted to spend more time with London,” Gerard confessed. “Brownies seemed a good bribe.”
“It worked,” London said.
He’d made her comfortable by bringing her here and introducing her to his friends. Royce had made her wary of men, hurt her with the way he’d made her small, then intensified her betrayal by taking off with Jenny. Because of Royce, their sisterly bond had frayed. Jenny’s lack of belief in her when she’d tried to warn her had snapped the familial ties, and they’d only recently attempted to mend the broken trust. Jenny’s accusations of jealousy still hurt, and anger at Royce for portraying her in this light and getting between her and her sister…
“Hey.” Gerard leaned closer, and she breathed in his spicy scent. Wow, almost better than chocolate. “Where did you go?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to zone out.”
“I’ll order,” Gerard said. “What sort of coffee would you like?”
“A hot chocolate? I’ll never sleep if I drink coffee now.”
“Can’t have that. I need you fighting fit for tomorrow.”
“No point,” Sam said with a wink at his wife. “Lisa and I have two fit teammates. We’ll beat everyone.”
London laughed along with Lisa at Gerard’s derisive snort.
“Let’s have a wager,” Gerard said. “The slowest times out of our two teams buys the others lunch after the race.”
“Done,” Sam said and the two men shook hands to formalize the bet.
Good grief. London stared at Gerard. She’d thought he’d said this race was for fun and her lack of athleticism didn’t matter. No pressure or anything.
Chapter Two
Middlemarch bed-and-breakfast
Despite her late night, London woke at seven. She stared around the unfamiliar room, her gaze alighting on the empty bed, twin to hers. Jenny truly hadn’t come home last night, and London wasn’t sure what to think. Henry seemed a decent man, but she’d thought Jenny might be wary and wouldn’t jump into bed with any man who attracted her attention. Henry was not the first this trip and—no!
London stood. Who was she to judge her sister? She hadn’t married Royce, hadn’t gone through the agony of a disastrous relationship.
She flung off her T-shirt and sauntered to the en suite to flip on the shower. Luxury after staying in hostels. Jenny had wanted to stay in flash hotels but London refused to let her sister pay her entire way. Presenting London with the air tickets had been extravagant enough.
In the breakfast room, she ate a bowl of cereal and made herself a bacon sandwich, deciding she’d need the energy. She was drinking a second cup of coffee when Jenny rushed into the room from the entrance hall.
“Sorry I’m so late. I meant to be here in time for breakfast but one thing led to another and…” She threw up her hands with a laugh, her cheeks pink and her eyes sparkling with pure happiness. “I’ve showered, but I need to change into gear for the race. What are you wearing? What you have on now? I thought I’d wear shorts rather than leggings.” She disappeared toward their room, only to bound back into the breakfast room. “I forgot to mention. Henry and Gerard are picking us up in half an hour. We have to enter and pay our fees then attend the official pre-talk where they go over the rules yada, yada.” She vanished again, leaving London grinning.
This was the Jenny of old, so she’d stuff her judgey self away. If anyone deserved happiness, it was Jenny.
London drank the last of her coffee and stood. No shorts for her. She’d already donned leggings, a T-shirt and her sports shoes. Although she had no idea what she’d let herself in for, she was as ready as she could be.
Jenny rushed into the room, her hair dragged into a stubby ponytail and that happy smile intact. “Henry texted me. They’re on their way.”
“You like him, huh?”
“Yes. A lot. I was thinking I might extend my stay here.”
“Oh, but I have to get back home or—”
“I know, sweetie. I know they said they’d keep a job for you, but is that job of yours worth it? There’s no reason you can’t get another. Competent secretaries and office assistants are in demand everywhere.” Her smile widened as if she’d received a brain wave. “I mean, you like it here in New Zealand, and you enjoyed it in Melbourne during our stopover. What’s stopping you from staying here and getting a job?”
“I don’t have a work visa for a start,” London said, reaching for practicalities. Jenny was the ideas person and didn’t always face realities.
“Pooh! A minor thing. Think about it, London. Please? I want to stay. I like it over here, and it’s not as if England has a hold on us now that Mummy and Daddy aren’t alive. Promise me, you’ll consider staying?”
Gerard appeared in the doorway. “Great. You’re ready to go. Did you sleep well?”
London nodded. “I’ll grab my purse. Won’t be long.”
“We’ll meet you outside.”
Jenny was waiting for her at the doorway, and they walked out together. “You’ll consider staying longer?”
London shot a glance at her sister. Her jaw stuck out a fraction, as it did when she’d set her mind on achieving a goal. “Sure. I’ll do that for you. Are you nervous? I am. What if I mess up the race? I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“You’ll be fine.” She fluttered her eyelashes. “Henry is very strong. He’ll help us over the obstacles.”
Well. At least she’d got Jenny’s mind off staying in New Zealand—for the moment. She refused to change her entire life to suit her sister’s romantic leanings. Jenny had known Henry for one night, and London wasn’t about to trust infatuation and lust over smart decisions.
London slid into the rear seat of the SUV with Gerard.
“You feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?”
“If you mean fit and rested and ready to face zombies, I’ll need another cup of coffee. I only had time for two.”
Gerard laughed. “You need stronger stuff to deal with zombies. We should have hip flasks.”
London grinned in return, her smile slipping a fraction when he reached for her hand. He squeezed her fingers. “Don’t stress. Henry and I will help you as much as we can. We’d like to beat our friends, but it’s not a big deal if we don’t. I wanted to make sure you knew you should enjoy yourself. Did you bring your camera? We can leave our belongings in the vehicle during the race.”
She lifted her gaze from their joined hands to his face. “Will I have time to tak
e photos?”
“We’ll make time before the race. Besides, Henry said he wanted to send some to his stepfather. He reckons he’ll never believe we have a zombie invasion without proof.”
“Stepfather?”
“Yeah, he’s living in Perth, Australia, but Henry keeps asking him to come to Middlemarch and join us in the security business. Henry’s mother remarried when he was five. His mother died when Henry was twelve and his stepfather brought him up. He’s cool. We both want him to shift to Middlemarch and work with us.”
London relaxed as Gerard chatted and held her hand. She liked him, his charm and easy-going nature. Sugar, she liked him enough that she was sitting quietly and not removing her hand from his grasp. The thought propelled her into motion and she pulled away from the physical contact.
“You keep touching me,” she blurted.
His brows rose and his sensual lips quirked.
She mentally prodded herself and wrenched her gaze from his mouth. What the devil was wrong with her? She was thinking about kissing him, undressing him in her mind.
“I like you,” he said, echoing her thoughts.
Damn man was a mind reader. She glanced out the window and recoiled when a zombie lurched toward their vehicle.
“Realistic, aren’t they?” Gerard’s voice sounded right next to her ear and his palm cupped her shoulder.
The man was touching her again. The contact slowed her speeding pulse, so she ignored him to gape at the group of sniggering zombies who’d witnessed her horrified start. They resembled the ones she’d seen on television. Pale faces with flesh hanging off…decomposing. Their hair hung in limp, greasy hanks and black and brown stains colored their mouths. Then, there was the blood.
London shuddered. “Now there’s a good incentive to run fast.”
Henry and Jenny stood beside Gerard, their bodies close and tucked into each other. His friend was a goner and Gerard couldn’t blame him. Jenny was beautiful and bubbly and perfect for his more taciturn friend. Her sister, London, behaved with more caution. Sometimes, when he looked at her, he caught a faint wounded expression as if she harbored bad memories and they kept blindsiding her. She hovered around her sister in a protective mode, even though she was the younger one.
My Feline Protector (Middlemarch Shifters Book 6) Page 2