Tiger by the Tail

by Shelley Munro

“Rohan doesn’t intend to force you to marry anyone,” Kiran said, handing her a mug of coffee. His unruffled manner went a long way to restoring her calm.

  “I can’t believe you closed the store,” Rohan muttered. “How are we going to grow our business with you shutting shop at the slightest provocation?”

  “Provocation? You call this provocation?” Ambar snapped, the fragile hold on her temper fraying again. “I supported you and Kiran. I expect you to tell this…this man to leave Middlemarch and never come back. I told him, but I expect he’ll only listen to a male.”

  Rohan pushed back his chair and stood, circling the table to stand at her side. For a moment Ambar wanted to deck him then she saw the concern on his face. All the fight drained out of her. Deep down, she didn’t think he’d arrange a marriage for her. He knew she valued her independence, but he didn’t know of her desire to travel. She hadn’t confided her list of dream destinations to anyone.

  “Finish your coffee and we’ll go back to the store together.”

  “But what if he’s gone?”

  Kiran chuckled. “Isn’t that what you want?”

  “He was actually quite nice,” Ambar said, recalling his tentative manner. “He had an awful scar on his face. I’d hate for him to think I acted like a boor because I couldn’t bear to look at him. I think he was nervous.”

  “Where was he from? Did he say?” Rohan asked.

  “I didn’t give him a chance.” Ambar frowned, trying to recall his face in detail. Apart from the scar, she didn’t remember much. “He wasn’t from India. He sounded English to me.”

  Rohan took a sip of coffee. “I wonder if Dad used a broker over in England as well as the one in India. There’s a large Indian community in Manchester and a smaller one in London. I didn’t find anything in the paperwork in the office. Did he ask to speak with me?”

  “Of course he did. I was consigned to the little woman box straightaway,” Ambar said, her top lip curling in disdain.

  “Why didn’t you just tell him to piss off?” Kiran sipped his coffee, studying her carefully like one of his animal patients. “Why did you flick your tail and run away? You know a male tiger’s typical response is to chase.”

  She winged him a glare. “I did not flick my tail. I’m not interested in another man. You know I’m going out with Jake.”

  Rohan’s brows rose and his lips quivered as if he was trying not to laugh. “But you did run away.”

  All the hot air whooshed out of her at the challenge. Heck, they were right. Why hadn’t she told him to take a hike? She thought back and focused on everything she remembered about the man. His scar. His height—about four inches taller than her—and his English accent. She thought a bit harder and it hit her. His scent. He’d smelled familiar, and when she’d heard the tinkle of the doorbell, she’d thought it was Jake. She’d always liked the way Jake smelled. It was one of the first things that had attracted her to him, and from there things had advanced until they shared a bed on a regular basis.

  Sin.

  A smile curved her lips at the thought of Jake’s muscular and very naked body moving against hers. She did love to sin with Jake, even if her parents were rolling in their graves with horror, shame filling them at the antics of their once virginal daughter.

  Yeah, Hari had smelled much like Jake. Male chocolate, she thought with a satisfied smirk. Weird. She’d never come across anyone whose smell captivated her in the same manner.

  Ambar nodded. “You’re right. I did run away. I panicked when he said he’d come to marry me. I don’t want to get married.”

  “What about Jake?”

  “Jake is happy as he is—single. Besides, he’s too busy with the farm. Sometimes we go for a week without seeing each other.”

  “Fuck buddies,” Kiran said with a grin at Rohan.

  Rohan growled deep in his throat and both Kiran and Ambar laughed. They’d had this discussion before. Rohan said their parents wouldn’t approve, and Ambar always countered that he could talk, living openly with another male.

  “I’ll talk with him,” she said, knowing she owed it to the man. “I’d hate him to think I ran off because I didn’t like the way he looked. I actually shoved him out of the store.”

  Kiran’s lips twitched. “Shoved?”

  “I think I only got away with it because I took him by surprise. He didn’t put up a fight. If he’d wanted to, he could have pushed back.”

  “Which says a lot about him,” Kiran said. “The men I knew wouldn’t have put up with a woman shoving them around.”

  Ambar stuck out her chest. “I’m not an ordinary woman.” The tilt of her chin dared them to say otherwise.

  “I’ll come with you for moral support,” Rohan said. “Besides, if he’s from the old school he’ll insist on discussing the matter with me. Are you done with your coffee?”

  “I’d better go,” Kiran said. “Gavin and I are doing rounds this morning.”

  “Anything interesting?” Ambar asked. Kiran worked with Gavin Finlay, the local vet and feline doctor.

  “Time will tell.” Kiran stood to stack his dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

  “Okay, let’s get this done,” Ambar said, impatient now to get her life back on an even keel.

  “You might have scared him off,” Rohan said as they left their house to walk to the store.

  “You didn’t see the expression on his face.” Now that Ambar had realized she’d catalogued his scent, she wanted to see him again. It was purely scientific interest of course. “Did you want me to do the orders this morning?”

  “If you want.” Rohan pulled the keys to the rear door from his pocket and unlocked it, standing aside to let Ambar enter.

  The phone rang as they stepped inside and someone thumped on the front door.

  “I’ll get the phone,” Ambar said. If that was Hari pounding on the door, she’d let Rohan deal with him first. Suddenly, she felt unsure of herself. She hated the idea of marriage and commitment to a mate. Instead, she wanted to experience life and enjoy some of the normal things other girls her age took for granted, things she’d missed while living with her ultra-strict parents.

  Their antiquated desires for an arranged marriage shouldn’t stir uncertainties in her the way they did. While she’d loved them, respected them, it didn’t mean their way was the right way.

  Ambar grabbed the phone just as the faint tinkle of the front door indicated Rohan had opened for business. “Patel Store,” she said. “Yes, we can have your order ready for you. Two o’clock. Sure. Let me grab a pen and paper. Okay, I’m ready.” Ambar took the order, suggesting a couple of specials to the customer. She checked through the stock orders and faxed them to the warehouse before she left the office. Taking a deep breath, she rounded the corner to find Rohan serving a customer.

  Hari Daya wasn’t waiting for her, and to her annoyance, she experienced a blip of disappointment, although she couldn’t for the life of her understand why.

  The morning passed with a steady stream of customers. Hari still didn’t come. Chagrin replaced her trepidation. Wasn’t she good enough to fight for? Why was he giving up so easily? Awareness of the contradictory nature of her thoughts brought irritation. The man couldn’t be bothered to face her again before he left. Too bad. What did she care when marriage was the last thing on her mind?

  She had the gorgeous Jake to fill all her sexual needs, plenty of friends and a good relationship with Rohan and Kiran.

  Okay. Hari wasn’t coming to visit again. She was over it.

  The clock on the wall above the counter clicked over to midday. “I might make a sandwich and a cup of tea before I enter the invoices into the computer,” she said. “Do you want one?”

  “Please.”

  Humming under her breath, Ambar headed for the tiny kitchen area and made sandwiches and a pot of tea. During the six months since their arrival in Middlemarch they’d fallen into a routine that worked for both of them. When Rohan had first mentioned the idea of re
locating to the country, she’d balked. He’d talked her around, pointing out the advantages of other felines and open spaces, and the big one—their own business with their names above the door instead of their parents’. She was glad she’d agreed to the move.

  “Rohan, lunch is ready. I’m heading to the office.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ambar switched the radio on low, humming along and occasionally bursting into song. According to Kiran, her singing voice sounded like a frog on a bad day, but that didn’t stop her enjoyment as she ate her sandwich and started work.

  The tinkle of the doorbell continued throughout the afternoon. A lot of tourists popped in to grab drinks and small items to tuck into their backpacks before they tackled the Otago Rail Trail, and now that the locals realized their prices were reasonable, they had a steadily increasing trade. During the first few weeks of opening, a large number of single males had dropped in for their groceries. That continued despite the fact she and Jake were together, albeit in a casual manner.

  Thoughts of Jake led her to thoughts of sex, and excitement tugged at her. They had a date tonight. Maybe she’d suggest they stay in and watch a movie, get busy on the couch. A smile curled across her lips. She did love to get busy with Jake.

  Another customer arrived. Cocking her head to listen, she heard the rumble of masculine voices. Foreboding cinched her stomach tight.

  Rohan stuck his head around the corner. “Got a minute?”

  “Sure.” A tremor went through her hand and she clenched her fingers to a fist as she pushed up from her seat and went to join Rohan. She smelled him seconds before she saw him. Hari Daya. Her steps slowed while she catalogued his appearance. He had short black hair with a slight wave to it and skin a fraction darker than hers. She and Rohan had inherited fair skins that told of English ancestors and she guessed Hari’s family tree held similar blood. Tall and fit in appearance, he looked good. True, the scar on his face wasn’t pretty, but he had nice eyes—brown with light golden flecks. For the right woman, he’d make a good husband.

  “I’m sorry I was so rude earlier,” she said, extending her hand in greeting. Unbidden, an astonishing thought popped into her head. What would he look like naked?

  Hari took her hand, and she had to fight not to jerk from his grasp. A series of tingles swept up her arm, reinforced by the naked image in her mind that refused to budge. Immediately, her nipples tightened, pulling to hard peaks and brushing against the cups of her silky bra with each of her startled breaths. She knew without a downward glance her nipples broadcasted her unexpected arousal loud and clear. With a gasp, she yanked her hand free, aware of the heat collecting in her face.

  “It’s all right,” Hari said, his English accent curiously seductive to her ear. “Rohan told me he’d canceled the contract with the marriage bureau.”

  Realizing she was still staring, Ambar moved away to stand by Rohan. She caught the touch of amusement in his eyes and glared at him.

  “It was our parents’ idea,” Ambar blurted, wishing he didn’t smell so good…like…like catnip.

  Hari inclined his head. “Parents often think they know what’s best for us. At least it gave us a chance to meet.” He smiled, and Ambar found herself staring again. A smile transformed his face, making her forget the scar. “Thanks for talking with me.” He glanced at Rohan. “Great to meet you.” With another nod, he left the store.

  “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.” Rohan’s smirk announced brotherly teasing ahead.

  “Yeah, I’ll go and finish entering the statements.” Ambar left without giving Rohan a chance to tease her. What the hell had happened in there? If she’d met him in a bar or at a party, she would have shown her interest without a qualm. The moment she’d touched him again she wanted to get to know him better, wanted to touch more than his hand. It had been his scent at first then he’d smiled. Groaning softly, Ambar dropped onto a chair. She closed her eyes and her parents’ faces popped to mind. They bore approval and were nodding with encouragement. They would have supported a match with Hari. She knew it without a doubt.

  Guilt assailed her, bringing another groan. She was doing the right thing, sending him away. If she’d agreed to go ahead with an arranged marriage her life wouldn’t be her own. She’d have to move wherever her husband wanted, away from Rohan and Kiran and her friends. After following orders for the majority of her life, she balked at giving that much power to a man. Besides, once she’d saved enough money, she intended to travel, start ticking places and experiences off her list. While that might mean she’d leave her family and friends one day, at least she’d do it on her terms.

  No, this was better. Despite the glimmer of attraction toward him, she intended to live the life she and Rohan had always wanted with freedom. Her own choices. No arranged marriage for her.

  The rest of the afternoon passed in a daze, her concentration shot. Her mind kept returning to Hari, which was plain wrong since she was with Jake. She really liked Jake. They had fun together. A smile curled across her lips. Jake was hot and the sex between them incredible. Each time with Jake, she thought the pleasure couldn’t improve, yet it did.

  The store closed and both she and Rohan left for home. The phone rang not long after they stepped indoors.

  “It’s for you, Ambar,” Rohan shouted from the kitchen. “Jake.”

  She picked up the extension, a grin on her face. “Hi.” She couldn’t wait to see him.

  “I’m running late. I had problems with a couple of ewes and had to call the vet,” Jake said the moment she answered the phone. He sounded exhausted.

  “We don’t need to go out tonight. Why don’t I come to your place? I’ll bring a casserole for dinner and we can watch a movie or something.”

  He hesitated, and Ambar could almost see the frown on his forehead. “Are you sure? We can still go out.”

  “I’m positive.” Some quality time with Jake would push Hari right out of her head and reinforce exactly what she wanted—freedom to make her own decisions.

  * * * * *

  An unfamiliar car sat outside Jake’s house when she pulled up. Surely Jake didn’t have visitors now when he was so tired?

  She grabbed the casserole dish from the passenger seat, and after a brief knock, she opened the front door and entered the house. The scent of food drifted to her. Exotic spices. A curry of some sort. Ambar burst into the kitchen. “Jake, I thought I was making—” She came to an abrupt halt and blinked, trying to clear the naked image that sprang to mind the second she saw him. “You! What are you doing here?”

  “I live here,” Hari said.

  “But you…you…said you were leaving.” Good grief. She was stuttering. Ambar swallowed. “You said you were leaving Middlemarch.” Fate was definitely laughing her ass off right now.

  “I never said that.” Hari turned away to stir something in a pot. “Jake said you were coming around. He’s in the shower. Do you want a drink? There’s a bottle of white wine in the fridge.”

  “Wine? Ah sure. Okay. I’ll get it.” Ambar set the casserole on the counter and grabbed a wineglass from the cupboard. “Do you want one?”

  “I’ll take a beer, thanks.”

  Hari didn’t seem surprised to see her. Did he realize she and Jake were together? Lovers? He didn’t seem uncomfortable with the fact. It made her feel better about sending him away despite the dash of pique sprinkling her relief. Even now her skin tingled at his close proximity and she didn’t like it one bit. Pressing her lips together, she handed him a can of beer. “I’ll go and see how long Jake will be.”

  Ambar hurried down the passage to the bathroom, trying to tell herself she wasn’t fleeing again. She knocked on the door and stuck her head into the bathroom. “Jake?”

  “Hey!” He grinned at her and wrapped a towel around his waist.

  Her gaze ran across his chest and the faint trail of hair that ran beneath the towel. Her agitation faded, replaced by frank appreciation. “Don’t dress on my ac
count.”

  “I wouldn’t want to scare my new roomie.”

  “Hari is staying?” Ambar had no idea what was going on here. Confusion. Yep, her new middle name. “Here?”

  “Hari wanted to stay in Middlemarch. He said he knew some people here and intended to stay longer. I can use the company and the money, so it works out for both of us.”

  Ambar nodded, but all she could think was that Jake didn’t know the truth. He didn’t know Hari had traveled from the other end of the world to marry her. Anger started to flare inside her. If Hari wanted to play games, let him. She didn’t intend to change her mind about marrying him. She ignored the frisson of excitement she’d felt the second time they met, the way she couldn’t push either him or his enticing scent from her mind. None of that mattered. Her life would progress without an arranged marriage, without Hari Daya. Oh yeah. Let the games begin.

  Chapter Two

  “I’ll let you get dressed,” Ambar said.

  “You don’t have to leave.” The glow in Jake’s blue eyes gave her a fair idea of what he had in mind.

  “Later.” To take the sting off her abruptness, she moved closer, curling her fingers into his biceps and kissed him. A hum of pleasure hit her when their lips touched, followed by a dose of his addictive scent—the one she found so pleasing yet so difficult to describe. It contained a hint of soap, the muskiness of man and an indefinable something she could never express in words. Hari’s scent held the same unknown quantity. It pleased her feline so much she had the urge to shift to tiger and wallow in the deliciousness of it. Now wouldn’t that scare the crap out of Jake? She snorted inwardly, feeling snippy because inappropriate thoughts of Hari were spoiling this intimate moment with her hottie.

  When she pulled back, he grinned at her. “Are you sure we can’t head straight to the bedroom?”

  “I’m starving,” Ambar protested. “You’ll have to feed me first.” Her stomach rumbled to back up her words.

  “You’re always hungry. You should have an ass the size of a bus.”

  There was a moment of startled silence where Ambar fought to keep her twitching lips still. She would not laugh. She would not.