She was dressed and headed down the hall to the kitchen when it hit her.
Bacon?
She sniffed the air, shocked that she did indeed smell bacon. She hurried down the hall, and around the corner, coming face to face with Dylan and Jacob.
“I hope you don’t mind that we let you sleep in and went through your kitchen for breakfast?” A slight dimple let her know it was Jacob talking to her, standing in the kitchen shirtless, barefoot and wearing her pink, frilly apron much better than she ever had.
“Nice apron,” she said wryly, trying not to laugh.
“Hey, better a pink apron than burned by splatter,” he said, winking at her.
Dylan was banging around in the drawers beneath the counter, pulling out pots and pans until he found the ones he wanted to use.
“Have you ever actually cooked on these?” he asked, admiring her expensive cookware before he cracked an egg on the edge of the pan in one hand.
“No, I’m not really much of a cook,” she said, feeling more than a little embarrassed.
“Then what do you eat?” Dylan asked, a little incredulous.
“Sandwiches, salads, soups? I forage a lot, too. As long as I’m snacking on fruits and veggies, I never really cared about it.”
“So you never sit down and just have a meal?” Jacob asked.
“If I go into town I do, but that’s not something I do often. What’s the point? It’s just me up here.”
She shuddered when an image of Grant at Byron’s Deli flickered across her memory, but she quashed it instantly, focusing on the two gorgeous men in her kitchen.
“I guess it’s hard to understand when you’re a twin, but I actually kind of like being alone. I enjoy my own company, and when I feel lonely, I go down the street to Mabel’s house or I go into town.”
“So, what do you do for fun the rest of the time?” Jacob asked.
He slid the bacon onto a plate and set it down on the table alongside a small stack of pancakes and some biscuits. Dylan emptied the fluffy scrambled eggs into a large serving bowl Samantha didn’t even remember buying, and placed it on the table before he went to work setting the table with her untouched dinnerware.
“I hike in the woods, read books and write.”
Dylan pulled back a chair as she spoke and Samantha took a seat, smiling warmly. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek before taking the seat beside her at the round table. Jacob joined them, sitting on her other side and passing her a serving dish.
“Hiking in the woods sounds like fun,” Dylan began. “Is it secluded?”
“Only people who have property here can access this area. I have a few neighbors, but no one really goes into the woods much. It’s weird. I don’t understand why they want to live here if they don’t want to feel the earth beneath their feet and spend some time where the only sounds around them are nature.”
“What about your friend, Mabel, is it?” Jacob asked.
“She hasn’t ever explored the trails with me, but I have a feeling she hikes at night when she’s alone.”
“That sounds dangerous, aren’t there bears in these mountains?” Jacob asked.
“And lions. I’m sure Mabel is fine.”
“Mountain lions?” Jacob asked, drawing his brow in confusion.
“Nope. Just lions. Well, a lion. I don’t think Mabel’s brother goes into the woods with her.”
Jacob stared at her for a beat before it finally sunk in.
“Mabel is a werelion?”
“Yep.”
“Well, isn’t that something.”
“Do you know her?” Samantha asked.
Dylan laughed.
“You wouldn’t believe how often we get asked that,” Jacob said. “There are a lot more shifters living quietly among humans than you’d imagine.”
“Oh. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”
“It’s alright,” Dylan offered, giving her hand a squeeze under the table. “It’s funny that people think we’re all connected. The only thing we have in common with other shifters is being a shifter. We don’t even really hang out with our own kind.”
“I’m sorry. I feel silly and I must sound so ignorant. I’ve always found shifters so attractive, but I guess I never really thought beyond that.”
Jacob smiled.
“So you only thought of us as eye candy and potential sex partners?” he asked.
“Pretty much. Until I saw your ad, I never even really considered that my fantasy could find me in bed with two shifters. That was a pleasant surprise.”
“Glad we could be of service,” Dylan said, taking Samantha’s empty plate and clearing the table.
Samantha watched him walk away, admiring the way his jeans clung to his hips and the way he exuded confidence with each movement.
“Like what you see?” Jacob said behind her in a teasing tone.
“So much,” she said. She turned and smiled at him wickedly. “Don’t worry, I’ve enjoyed the sight of you walking away just as much.”
“Good to know,” he said with a wink and a crooked smile that brought out his dimple and made Samantha’s heart skip a beat.
“So, how about that hike?” Dylan asked. “I believe I promised you a ride on a tiger.”
“Now?” she asked.
“Why not now?” he challenged her. “You said yourself that the woods were pretty much deserted all the time. It’s not like being a shifter is a crime.”
“Wow,” she could feel her heart quickening and she was surprised when she opened her mouth and said, “Yes. Let’s do it.”
“I like your spirit,” Dylan said, picking her up from the chair and swinging her in a circle before kissing her soundly. “We have to get our things out of the car and then we can go.”
Her feet touched the floor for an instant before she was scooped up by Jacob and treated to another passionate kiss. Samantha was lightheaded when her feet hit the floor to stay.
Butterflies crashed around in her stomach and her heart must have skipped several beats. She felt like a teenager, crushing on the handsome twins the way she was. She was going to be sad when they finally left and she had to find her way back to reality.
She was headed for the front door when Jacob caught her hand.
“We parked around back.”
“You did?”
“We didn’t know if your neighbors were the nosy sort and we didn’t want to cause you any problems.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you.”
She followed Jacob out the back door. A large back pack sailed through the air and into Jacob’s large hands. He took the shirt that Dylan tossed him and pulled it on over his head. Dylan was still shirtless, heading into the woods without looking back to see if they were following him. Jacob tugged on Samantha’s hand and she followed, glad that the day was slightly overcast and not too hot.
The woods were dark when they made their way to the east entrance, the forest dense enough so that it looked more like twilight than mid-morning. Dylan was standing off the beaten path, smiling at Samantha as he stripped naked and folded his clothes into the back pack that Jacob carried. Samantha gulped visibly, taking in the chiseled muscles, slim waist and massive arms.
“Are you ready?” he asked her, and her mouth went dry.
She was ready alright, but not for what he was thinking.
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak when he was standing there, just a few feet from her boldly and unapologetically naked.
Dylan’s expression turned serious, his brow furrowed slightly. Samantha watched him, not noticing the change at first, the metamorphosis was so smooth. When he curled his hands an instant before they became massive paws, Samantha gasped.
“Are you alright?” Jacob asked behind her, his hand going to her waist and pulling her close against him.
She leaned into him, eyes locked on Dylan.
“This is awesome,” she said in a dramatic whisper that pulled a laugh out of both men.
&nbs
p; Dylan was on all fours now, transformation nearly complete. He shook his head and the last of his human visage faded away. It wasn’t until Jacob wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer that she realized she was trembling with excitement and just a touch of fear.
She pulled away, taking a step forward with her hand outstretched. He was larger than a regular tiger, his coat an even brighter shade of orange than any tiger she’d ever seen at the zoo. He was purring loudly, the sound of it vibrating through her hand as she touched his face. He closed his eyes, eyes that were the exact shade of hazel his human form had. It was the only feature he retained as a tiger.
She cupped his tiger cheeks in both hands and rested her forehead on his. The power that rippled just below the surface was palpable, the energy flowing out of him and into her. Standing so close, with his hot breath hitting her, she felt so powerful, as if she were the animal and not the man turned tiger standing before her.
She stepped back, looking around him for anything to help her get onto his back. Dylan saw her searching gaze and lowered himself to the ground, waiting patiently while she climbed on and settled between his shoulders.
“Grab his scruff and hold on tight,” Jacob said.
“Why-” she said and Dylan took off, jumping into a run from where he’d been lying.
Samantha grabbed a handful of scruff and held on for dear life, ducking low until she found her center of gravity and stability. Dylan bounded playfully from rock to trail and through the low vegetation, already well off the path and into the deeper woods.
She could hear Jacob running behind them. She turned, shocked to see that he was much closer to them than she would have managed on two legs. She’d never considered that shifters were lighter and faster on their feet, even in human form, but it made sense.
The forest passed by in a blur of rich greens and occasional pops of color. Samantha had found her rhythm, allowing her body to move with Dylan’s so that she sat atop him with ease. His muscles surged beneath her and once again she felt his power as if it was an integral part of her being. She felt invincible, ready to conquer the world and all that stood in her way. She was shocked by this very visceral response, but delighted in the pure, unfettered power that she felt.
Dylan slowed somewhat, and Samantha took in the scene around her. He’d taken them to a high meadow, deep in the forest, just below the mountain's high, snow-covered peak that loomed in the distance.
The trees were sparse here, the elevation giving way to a change in landscape. A narrow stream ran through the center of the meadow, bubbling merrily as it tripped over the stones scattered within it.
Dylan stopped, laying down in the damp grass and letting Samantha slide off his back. She could hear Jacob coming up behind them, looking surprisingly fresh for someone who had just sprinted several miles up a steep mountain trail.
Samantha threw her arms around Dylan’s furry neck and gave him a tight squeeze.
“That was spectacular,” she exclaimed, feeling giddy.
Dylan ducked his head into her shoulder affectionately in response as Jacob closed the final few yards between them.
“How did that feel?” Jacob asked.
“Powerful,” she said. “It was the greatest feeling.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
He pulled clothes out of the back pack and tossed them past Samantha. She turned, shocked to see that Dylan was already in human form, catching the garments and pulling the clean shirt over his head.
“That was quick,” she said. “Why was it so much quicker to go back to human?”
“It’s easier for the cells to hold,” Dylan explained. “We’re born in human form and it’s the most natural state of being for our bodies. We probably evolved that way as a defense mechanism, but even when we die while in tiger form, our bodies turn back to human.”
“That’s fascinating. So you could be born to a human mother and she wouldn’t even know?”
“Many a woman has born a shifter child without knowing,” Jacob said melodramatically before a smile cracked his serious expression. “But really, if a male shifter doesn’t tell his mate what he is, it’s very possible for her to carry and give birth to a shifter child without knowing.”
“Wouldn’t that baby shift at some point though? They probably don’t have much control over it.”
“Shifting takes practice,” Dylan explained. “And an untrained weretiger that has no one to teach him to shift won’t spontaneously shift until adolescence.”
“Then it just happens without their control?”
“Sometimes. It’s usually on a small scale, so the child notices it and in a panic, they reverse the process,” Jacob continued. “After that first panicked response, they learn that they are able to control it and many work on it in secret until they have complete control.”
Samantha was in awe, trying to let all the information sink in before she spoke again.
“I feel like I’m asking so many questions, but I’ve never heard any of this before.”
“It isn’t like they teach shifter physiology in school.” Jacob laughed.
“Most people pretend we don’t exist until they need us, then they want to know where all the shifters are,” Dylan said, grinning. “It’s funny how so many would balk at us in our fancy business suits if they knew what we were, yet they’re ready to be saved if I show up in military gear, guns a blazing.”
“People are such hypocrites,” Samantha muttered.
“It’s human nature; fear what you don’t understand until it serves a purpose,” Jacob said, kneeling down before her. “I wouldn’t call you a hypocrite, but when the dating scene lacked any kind of excitement for you, you turned to shifters to fulfill your no-strings fantasies. Is it really any different?”
Yes, she thought miserably, because I want more.
Where had that come from? She shook her head, trying to chase away that nagging voice. It was just the afterglow from their skillful lovemaking and nothing more. Once they were gone, the need to have them beyond her bedroom would fade. She was sure about it.
Lust was a hell of a thing.
“I guess not,” she admitted.
Jacob cupped her cheek, leaning in and brushing his lips against hers before kissing her deeply. He pulled away, smoothing back her hair and cupping her face in his hands then kissing her tenderly on the forehead.
“Don’t worry, we enjoyed you as much as you enjoyed us.”
“Probably more,” Dylan chimed in.
He came to sit beside his brother, kneeling in the thick, damp grass in front of her and smiling softly.
“He didn’t mean to sound like you’re one of them. We don’t know you well, but I feel confident that you are nothing like some of those people we described. You’re special, Samantha. It doesn’t take paranormal powers to see that.”
“Good to know,” she said, trying to shake the funk she was in.
She thought about her next question for a moment, but decided to ask, regardless of how silly it sounded.
“Are you guys psychic?”
“Psychic?” Dylan asked.
“You know, can you read minds?”
“Not really, but I think I know what you’re asking,” Dylan said. “Do you mean can we read each other’s minds?”
“Yes. You both seem to know what the other is thinking, and I was wondering if that was a twin thing, or if it had to do with being weretigers.”
“It’s a little of both. When one of us is a tiger, we can sense each other’s thoughts and we can communicate to an extent.”
“And when you’re both in tiger form?”
“Then it’s like we’re having a conversation just like this, only we’re the only ones that can hear it.”
“That’s what I thought, but I always wondered if it was actually true.”
“Glad I could clear that up,” Dylan said, smiling at her.
The conversation lulled again and Samantha ducked her head shyly. W
hy was she so worried about what was going to happen when they left and asking questions about things that didn’t really matter?
It was a beautiful day and she was in a secluded meadow with two gorgeous men. Before she knew it, they would be gone; back to their own lives and out of hers. There was no time for worrying about hypocrisies and double-standards. This time was fleeting, and she was going to make the most of it.
CHAPTER SIX
Mabel woke up early the next morning, still feeling cautiously optimistic about Grant’s news. Her brother had found “the one” before, only to find out later that the girl couldn’t handle commitment and had run off, never to be heard from again. Mabel didn’t believe for a second that Samantha could be like that, but humans were so hard to read.
Grant wore his heart on his sleeve, and that could be overwhelming to some humans. He often came off as overbearing or he fell in love too hard and too quick. But Mabel was confident that the right woman would find that quality endearing rather than off-putting. Grant was a good man, with a solid business sense, and an excellent provider. Any woman would be lucky to have him.
She hoped that lucky woman ended up being her best friend, Samantha.
Feeling impatient, Mabel ate a quick breakfast and piled a bunch of vegetables from her garden into a large basket. If Samantha wasn’t awake or wasn’t home at the moment, she would leave the basket on the kitchen table like she always did and Samantha would know to seek her out when she got home.
Mabel had left a basket for her more than once when Samantha was trapped in a story, unable or unwilling to leave her house for days at a time. Mabel worried about Samantha having enough food to eat and always made sure that her friend had plenty of fresh produce to graze on.
At first, it had felt a little weird to walk into her friend’s house uninvited, but Samantha assured her that an open door meant that she was welcome. Not in so many words, but her meaning was clear to Mabel. She loved the relationship they had, and how easily they’d slipped into such familiar roles.
Mabel decided to walk, looking forward to spending some time in the crisp, cool air that nicely complemented the unseasonably warm sun. Her shoes crunched on the gravel path that led around the entire neighborhood as she walked. The steady rhythm of her footfalls, and ever-present sounds of nature calmed her soul like nothing ever did.
Her Tiger Twins Page 5
