Adam: The Whitfield Rancher – Erotic Tiger Shapeshifter Romance

by Kathi Barton

  “Well, you could have told me that.” She said that she’d not asked. “Ivy, I swear sometimes that you just like pissing me off.”

  “I do. I’m going to shower. I can meet you after my shower or you can wait on me. I don’t care which.” Meghan huffed at her. “I was thinking that we could eat at the dive we passed out on route seventy. Your choice. But I’m going up.”

  Peeling off her clothing as she went, Ivy turned on the shower. The water pressure wasn’t all that much, but there was plenty of hot water. While she was waiting on it to heat up, she pulled out her cell and looked at the twenty missed calls. And more than likely that many messages as well. Blocking that number, and any others that she could think of coming from the hospital, Ivy looked at the one number that she didn’t recognize. The message said it was from Doctor Whitfield.

  Calling Evan back after deleting the rest of them, she brushed her teeth. Dylan caught her mid-spit.

  “I hope that you’re not sick. I’d surely hate to go and get that cleaned up. Puking or even the sound of it can have me gagging in no time.” She told her that she was brushing her teeth. “Oh, you’re an early riser. Good. I’d like to meet you for a little talk. It can be here at my house or the diner in town. I’m good with either.”

  “Town. My sister feels that I’ve put her out by taking care of things on my own. And since we haven’t eaten, we’ll go there.” Dylan laughed. “I have to take a shower. I run every morning if I get the chance but haven’t lately since being in the operating room.”

  “Fine, I’ll meet you there. Also, later we’re going to meet with my mother-in-law. We usually don’t meet in town, but I guess we’re going Christmas shopping while the stores aren’t busy. I myself order online whenever possible, but she claims it’s much nicer to touch the things that you’re buying first.” Dylan snorted. “I couldn’t care less if it felt as soft as it looked online. And if it didn’t when I got it, I’d just send the shit back. I’ll see you in a few.”

  The change of subject didn’t bother her. Mildred, her scrub nurse, did it all the time. She’d be talking about cake and end up telling her about some shoes that she’d purchased.

  Standing under the water made her moan. What a way to start out the day.

  Ivy hoped that everyone else would be tolerant of her appetite—which was huge—as well as Meghan. Now that she’d put her in a pissy mood, she’d be that way all day. Washing her hair for the second time, Ivy smiled. This might be just what she needed to lighten her own mood.

  As she was getting dressed, Ivy realized in that moment that this was literally the only clothing she had. Sitting down on the bed, Ivy felt sorry for herself for a little while before she got up to finish getting ready.

  The insurance for her home was going to give her a nice settlement, not that she needed it. She hadn’t had time to spend any money for ages, so it just sat in the bank. Ivy decided right then, she wasn’t going to rebuild at all. Even though she had more than enough money to do that if she wanted, Ivy thought about the hassle of trying to find property to do that, filling the house when it was done, then moving in. She supposed that the latter would be easy enough. There wasn’t anything left to be moved.

  Going down the stairs, she saw that Meghan had waited. She, of course, was dressed like she was going to a wedding or something, while Ivy had on jeans and a T-shirt. Ivy’s shoes, always a problem to her sister, were only tennis shoes and not heels. Ivy didn’t know if after all this time she’d even be able to walk on the latter. Her opinion on the subject was that comfy was better than formal any day of the week.

  “You certainly took your time about it. And you’re paying for my breakfast. You should have told me that you had done it and I’d have not have had to stay up all night.” Ivy pointed out that she’d not asked, and it was her home anyway, but Meghan said that it didn’t matter.

  “If it doesn’t matter, then why do I have to pay for your meal?” Meghan huffed again, and Ivy laughed. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, I’m also having breakfast with Dylan.”

  Meghan stopped so suddenly that Ivy ran into her. Asking her what the hell she thought she was doing, her sister looked down at her outfit then back at her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me earlier, so I could have dressed up?” Ivy said that she didn’t think she looked bad. “Of course, you don’t. You wouldn’t be caught wearing a dress for anything. When I pass away, the only thing that I’d like for you to do is wear a dress. Please?”

  Ivy didn’t even bother answering her. Going into the restaurant in front of her, Ivy realized that she didn’t know any of the people around here at all. But thankfully, Meghan did. Making their way to the oversized table with the beautiful woman, Ivy did sort of feel like she should have taken better care for her appearance. Dylan introduced herself to her and Meghan sat down when Ivy did. Ivy just went with it. It was too late for regrets, as well as there was no other clothing that she owned.

  Ivy ordered the big breakfast and asked for two of them. The woman taking their order didn’t even bat an eye as she wrote it down. Ivy might like this area simply because they didn’t get all twisted up about shit.

  Chapter 2

  Adam was going through seed catalogs when there was a knock at his front door. He put a sticky note to mark his place and made his way to the door just as Nate was coming from the kitchen with two maids he was training. He wasn’t sure that was what they were called nowadays, so he kept his mouth shut and nodded. Adam let Nate open it while he stood behind it a bit.

  “May I help you?” The woman there, what he could see of her between the doorjamb and wall, looked very pissed off. She told Nate she was looking for Adam. “I’m sorry, madam, but Lord Whitfield isn’t at home at the moment. Would you like to leave a message for him?”

  “No, I don’t want to leave a fucking message, I want to find the bastard. He’s going to take responsibility for his kid. I’m done with it.” Adam could see the little boy then. He looked to be about twelve—way too old for him to have fathered him, even if that was possible. “Tell Adam Whitfield to get his ass in gear as well as his checkbook out. I’m suing him for back child support.”

  “And who shall I tell him is claiming to have had his child?” The woman told him she wasn’t claiming anything, that the product was right there. She then told him her name. Adam leaned against the wall, glad now that Nate had opened it instead of him. “Ms. Crock—and the boy is?”

  The name Crock? Adam didn’t know a Crock. Crock of shit, yes, but not anyone else. When he looked through the split in the door and wall again, Adam saw her jerk the little boy’s head up hard enough to make him cry out. Adam moved to stand in front of Nate, who was ready to fight for the boy, and she glared at him.

  “Who the fuck are you? The bodyguard? You tell him that he’s going to need one if he doesn’t pay up.” He told her that they had a video camera pointed right at her. With sound. “So the fuck what? Did you expect me to be afraid of that? I’m not. Now get your lord out here so I can give him his brat.”

  Adam stepped out onto the front porch. He looked up at the camera and then turned so that their entire conversation was recorded. Also, he wanted to see her reaction to what he was about to tell her. The little boy—Nathan, he’d heard—was terrified; he could almost taste it on his flesh. Adam did the only thing he could and moved little guy behind him and confronted his mother.

  “I’m Adam Whitfield. The man who supposedly fathered this little boy.” The woman paled just a little and backed up. “As you didn’t even know who I was when you confronted my staff when you came to talk to me, I wonder how you’re going to make it stick that I’m the father of Nathan. Because of the incapability of me fathering a child with you, I think that you should just go home before the police arrive.”

  “You’re going to pay me.” Adam just crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her. “That kid he’s yours. I know it. You...you got me drunk, and I didn’t remember your face.”

 
“Yes, I can see you getting drunk. You seem the type that would spend a great deal of time on a barstool. But you should know something else—you aren’t taking the boy with you when you get the hell out of here.” Adam glanced at young Nathan and saw something he was surprised to see—the naked look of someone that had a spark of hope. The sirens started to blare as they made their way up his driveway. “Too late for you, I’m afraid. The law is here.”

  By the time Sheriff Dale Winston got out of his cruiser, Ms. Crock had started screaming that Adam had stolen her child. Adam didn’t say anything as she voiced the wrongs that had been done against her but waited to see where things ended up. Through the entire time that he was behind him, Nathan hadn’t let go of the back of his shirt. And the grip was very tight too.

  Dale shook his hand and told him that he was glad to see him. “Thank you, sir. How is your wife liking the area? I heard from my mom that she’s already joined a few of the circles that she’s in.”

  Dale laughed. “She sure has taken a liking to your parents. Why, your mom is about the sweetest person I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. And that dad and grandpa of yours? Well, they’re just nice as punch on a summer day to us. I tell you, Adam, they’re—”

  “Are you fucking serious right now? Does this strike you as a social setting? In case you don’t know, I’ll tell you. No, it’s fucking not.” Dale stared at the woman with a cocked brow. Adam was sure that she wasn’t giving up on this thing about him being the father of her child. “I want you to arrest him. For being a deadbeat dad. He’s the father to my kid, and he either takes him, or pays—”

  “I’ll take him.” That seemed to have knocked the wind out of her sails, and she could only stare at him. “If that is my choice, then I’ll gladly take him from you. Nathan, I want you to go into the house and find Mr. Turtle. Tell him that you’ll need a room set up for yourself.”

  “Now you’re going to kidnap my kid too? I would have thought that an upstanding man such as yourself would have just paid me off. And don’t think I didn’t notice that you took my kid. What the fuck sort of person are you? You can’t have him.” He pointed out that she’d given him to him as an ultimatum. Ms. Crock looked at the sheriff, and even he could see that she wasn’t going to get any help from him. “I demand that you bring him into jail. I won’t have him kidnapping my son, as well as being so far behind in child support that I have had to resort to other means of making money.”

  “And what sort of other means is that?” She stared at him when asked. “And where is Nathan when you’re doing this other means thing? Surely, you’re not taking him with you. I mean, such an upstanding person as you’ve shown us you are.”

  She was in over her head. Looking at Adam, then at Dale several times, she seemed confused, but no less pissed off. And when she opened her mouth, to no doubt blast him with more lies, he spoke before she could.

  “I don’t know what your game is here. I’m assuming you thought to make yourself a few extra bucks while you do whatever it is you’ve done before. But I don’t think you want to fuck with me, Ms. Crock.” She asked him why not, and even Dale laughed then. “Because I will most assuredly give in to my beast, which would like nothing better than to rip your fucking heart out and then tear you apart so that not even your own mother, should you have one, would be able to tell anyone what or who you were. Not even with dental records. Do I make myself perfectly clear? I hope so, for your own sake, Shelby Crock, because I won’t repeat myself. Now, be a good human and get the hell off my porch and out of my life, or so help me, you’ll be dead before the sheriff here is able to put the cuffs on you.”

  She seemed to be waffling as to either what he was saying or whether she wanted to tangle with him. He, in a way, hoped that she would want to try her shit on him. Adam was as pissed off as he’d ever been before. Stretching his neck, he let a little of his cat run over him and she took a few steps back, right to the edge of the decking.

  Adam was tempted to scare her so that she’d fall on her ass. But he only stood there, taking his own advice to remember that he was indeed being recorded. Laughing to himself, he moved back when Dale stepped in front of him. Apparently, he had no such illusions as to what the woman had been doing to him. Putting one hand on his gun and the other getting his cuffs out, the big man laughed.

  “Now, I have it on good authority, Ms. Crock, that you’ve been trying this scam on several people of late. The rich and poor single men. The reason I know this is because I’ve had someone looking into this scam you have going.” She opened her mouth and Dale simply put up his hand. “Don’t say a word, not unless you want to spend a great many years in jail for kidnapping. That little guy in there? Well, he’s been missing from his real family for a while now, hasn’t he?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She looked around frantically now, her face tight with worry. Her hands were clasped in front of her, showing the whiteness of her knuckles as she stood there. Adam would not mess with Dale either.

  The man was the biggest of the biggest bears. He had lived a hard life, having had his own sloth, a group of fellow shifters amounting to about four hundred, for more years than Adam had been alive. His dad could and would tell you tales about the man dating back for forty or fifty years.

  Shelby was cuffed, and the boy was taken to the hospital. Nate traveled there with him in the cruiser, as they’d made fast and tight friends in the little time that they’d been together. Adam was glad that the boy was going to be returned to his real parents, but he couldn’t help but wonder how that would fare for him. He’d been with that woman for a long time, and that could mess with the best of people. Even his parents might not see the same little boy they’d had when he was only a few months old.

  Adam finished up the paperwork that he’d been working on, having fun with the batch of different seed companies that he’d gotten in the last few days. His mind drifted off and on to the child and the woman. Adam wondered how many others she’d pulled into her trap that made her think it was going to work on him. And how many other little kids had she taken to make it happen. He froze when Dylan touched his mind.

  I was just talking to Dale. A great man, I think. Anyway, he said that he’s made an arrest at your home. Are you all right? Should I be calling in favors? Or do I get to kick some ass for you? Either sounds like fun to me. He laughed with her, just as Nate put a plate of greens in front of him. The sun was setting earlier now, and he, like all shifters, needed more vitamins than he was eating this time of year. By the way, have you heard the new doc is in town? Evan can’t say anything but good news about her. I’ve met her as well as her sister. Believe it or not, Adam, they actually get along well.

  Are you giving me your itinerary for a reason? Because for the life of me, I have no idea why you’d care what I thought of your day. She laughed, and Adam found himself pushing the plate away and closing up his catalogs. He loved his sister-in-law more than he could explain. Okay. Let’s start over. You tell me what you want, and that will give me a chance to tell you no, I’m too busy. Then you’ll disregard what I have to say about this by ordering me to do what you want.

  Okay, we’re being blunt. I like that much better anyway. Since I’ve told you that there is a new doc, have you thought about her maybe being your mate? His stomach tensed up and he had to breathe in and out in order to think beyond what she’d just said to him. By your silence, I’m guessing that you’ve not. There are two of them in town—sisters, as I’ve said. One is a surgeon. I’ve not told Evan just how good she is, but she’s fucking damn good. Heart surgeon, with a great many praises in her portfolio. Right now, she has a license to practice here, but— Adam, I can’t hear you breathing. You have to take in air or I’m going to have to come over there and make you breathe. Draw some air in then let it out. You can do it.

  Why would you say something like that? I mean, for all you know, she could be either Adrian or Blake’s. She told him that they were next on her list t
o annoy about this. You’re enjoying this a little too much, if you ask me.

  I didn’t, but if you want to know, it is sort of fun for me. Anyway, I had breakfast with her and her sister. She is human—nothing else that I’ve heard right now. Nice as fuck, and smart too if her colleagues aren’t lying. Not as smart as I am, as you know, but right up there. He asked her again what this had to do with him, and he was reasonably sure that he knew the answer. I want you to find her and end the suspense of this thing. Evan and I have a bet going on. He thinks that you’re going to be an upstanding cat and go to her. I think, right now, that you’re planning a fast getaway and you’ll never return.

  While I still don’t know why you’re taunting me with this, I can tell you right off that I’m not the type that runs away. She said there was a first time for everything. Certainly. But what kind of trouble do you think I’d be in if any of my other family found out what I was doing?

  They’d hunt you down and have more fun than I’d be able to do to you. He said that she was correct. All right. Come into town and sit in with me on a lunch meeting to make her stick around. According to Evan, she’s run into some trouble. From what I’ve been able to gather, a guy from where she lived burned her house down because of something that went wrong in surgery with his son. Apparently, and I don’t have all the details yet, there had been some kind of accident, and Ivy was in ER helping out when she declared his wife and daughters dead. The son—nineteen, by the way—had been driving, and was responsible for the accident. That’s about all I know, other than that he died in surgery. Ivy was operating at the time. But I’ll get more, you can count on that.