Page 6

"Oh…”

Our tiny kitchen was fine when it was just Daria and me.

We were rarely in at the same time anyway, unless it was pre-game drinking before we went out.

Apparently, me and one massive guy was one person too many, because when I stepped back, toting some bowls, it was into Tor’s arms. They closed around me for a second and I got to experience the very unique pleasure of a shifter getting up close and personal.

Was he sniffing me? Was this something shifters do, like when dogs sniff each other’s butts?

I looked up hesitantly to see the brightest smile known to man staring down at me.

Those green eyes sparkled as he took the bowls from me, setting them on the bench before using the serving spoon I’d found in the depths of our kitchen drawer to start dishing up food.

“What’s your pleasure?”

So not only did Tor have pretty kitty cat green eyes, but he could purr like a cat as well, shooting me a sidelong look that made clear he somehow had heard my entire internal monologue.

“Umm… what?” I squeaked out.

“What dishes do you like?” If Tor was all graceful swagger, Kieran was a massive, solid presence. He’d be almost restful to be around if his biceps didn’t pop as he leaned on the other side of the kitchen bench. “Tor likes his vindaloo viciously hot.”

“Yeah, none of that.” I turned around, trying to reach the glasses on the top shelf, only for Kieran to walk around and retrieve them. He set four of them on the counter as I went to the fridge. “I’ve got work tomorrow and running to the loo all day is not on the cards.”

“So what do you do for a quid, Harper?” Kieran asked, yet somehow he wasn’t the only one listening. Mack the Grumpy paused midway through measuring the wall, not bothering to consult with me at all. He might have his back to us, but it was clear he was listening.

“I work at a cafe out in the industrial area,” I replied, not really wanting to go into the details.

“Which industrial area?” Suddenly Mack stopped waving his tape measure around. “Not the one up north?”

“Which one up north?” I countered with a grin.

Thing was, I worked exactly where he feared.

The north of the city had a bit of reputation, sometimes warranted, sometimes not.

The part I worked in definitely could be a worry.

If we didn’t finish our shifts at 3PM every day, I wouldn’t have taken the job.

No lingering around once all the workshops were closed down for the day for me.

“Salisbury,” he said, crossing his arms. The seams of that plaid shirt of his were fighting a losing battle. Those muscles were popping about as hard as his expression.

“Yeah, but?—”

Before I could launch into a spirited defence of my workplace, Daria came back out into the living area, dressed for something other than eating Indian food and checking out the hot tradies standing in our kitchen.

“Daria…” I sidled over with a stiff smile. “Where are you off to?”

“You’ll have to excuse me.” She spoke to the guys, not me, which was my first warning. “Something’s come up at work.”

“At the bar?” I asked between gritted teeth.

“The manager is down a staff member,” she replied smoothly, starting for the door.

“On a Sunday night?” I followed her out onto the landing, staring at her in disbelief. “What gives? This was your mad idea!”

“And my brilliant plan worked perfectly.” She glanced back over her shoulder to where the guys were sitting down at our dining table. “You found not one, but three tradie hotties.”

“And you were supposed to be my wingman.” I crossed my arms, going to stand in her way. “You’re really gonna leave me in the apartment with three guys I don’t even know the last names of?”

“Run into any problems?” She reached over to tweak the shoulder seam of my tank top, but I knocked her hand away. “Ring the police.” Daria made a show of considering the idea. “The RSPCA?”

“Shut up. Just shut the hell up and come inside and have some?—”

“Animal control?” It was apparent she wasn’t going to relent. “Anyway, you’ll work it out. Just keep the crazy monkey… wolf-bear-tiger sex to a dull roar.” She cracked up at her own joke. “I want my bestie to have hot shifter orgies. I just also need my beauty sleep, so?—”

“I want to move out,” I said. “Find a flatmate that doesn’t pimp me out to the first lot of shifters she comes across.”

“One that gets out of your way when you meet the men you’re meant to be with.

” She looked back at the door, suddenly serious, before spearing me with her gaze.

“You’re always complaining how all men are shit.

Well, if those guys are what I think they are, they’re the perfect men, males, animals…

” She shook her head. “Whatever they are, for you. Fated mates.” My jaw locked tight, my feet planted firm.

“They were tripping over their tongues, trying to be the one that offered to ‘put your pictures up’ for you.” Her finger buried itself in my chest. “This could be something real, so get back in there and see if it is.”

Before I could reply, Daria was pushing past me and running down the stairs, leaving me to watch her go, wondering if I could get away with following hot on her heels and jumping in her car.

“Everything OK?”

I turned around to see Kieran standing there in the doorway of my place. Bloody hell, he was big. He filled the whole thing, the light behind him turning him into this shaggy haired silhouette.

“Yeah.” I smiled, shook my head and took a step towards him, because who was better at pretending than me? “Just making sure Daria is alright.”

“Are you alright?” He moved aside, letting me step inside. “If you want to do this another time, that’s cool. A woman alone with three shifter males.” Those honey coloured eyes of his were far too keen. “We don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable in your own home.”

I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the now battered business card.

“No job too big or small?” I glanced up at him, but not for long. That intent gaze, it seemed to see way too much. “I assume you do jobs for women all the time.”

“Not like you.”

He’d said too much, his cheeks flushing, and that had me stepping closer.

“Are you blushing, Bear Boy?” His rueful smile, the way his eyes sparkled, made clear he was. I balled up a fist and punched his arm, regretting my decision instantly. “Ow!” I flicked my fingers. “Are all bears bashful, or is that just you?”

“You’re gonna have to get to know me to find out.”

He ushered me towards the dining room, which was kinda weird, because it was my place.

Tor sat there with a bowl piled high in front of him, my mismatched cutlery set out on the table.

Oh, and Mack had joined us. The curry must’ve been super interesting because the wolf shifter stared at it fixedly.

Tor shoved his chair back, rising to his feet when I walked over, then shot Mack a dark look.

The wolf shifter stood slowly, the moody prick staring me down as I took the empty spot at the head of the table.

“I put some lamb korma and butter chicken in there for you,” Tor said. “That’s so mild even a little kid could eat it.”

“Glass of milk if it’s too hot,” Mack said, nodding to a glass sitting on the tabletop, before sitting down abruptly, his arm going around his food.

“Right, well, thanks for this. You guys didn’t need to do all of this.”

“Yes, we did.”

There was a lot in Kieran’s tone, his steady gaze, but I took a leaf from Mack’s book and sank my spoon into my food.

Did the three of them wait for me to have a taste before continuing with their own meals?

Mack pretended not to, but the others did openly.

Rich, fragrant, and dense with complex spices, I let out an involuntary groan.

“This is amazing.”

Tor grinned.

“Plenty more if you want seconds,” he said.

“Or if there’s anything else you want, just ask,” Kieran added.

Right. They couldn’t know this, but I couldn’t remember the last time a guy said something like that to me and meant it.

Should’ve been a relief to hear, right? So why did my fingers spasm around the spoon, gripping it far too tightly as it felt the three of them stared me down?

Daria was right. I did complain about the douchey guys I went out with, but there was a weird kind of comfort about them.

Behaviour you can predict, there’s a safety to it, because no one could ever catch you off guard.

This? My eyes scanned the table. I was gonna kick Daria’s arse when I saw her next, because for her it was all just a laugh, but I had literally no idea how to deal with this situation she’d dropped me in.

“How about a drink?” I asked. The guys pushed themselves to their feet, but I was marching across the floor before wrenching open the fridge. “A beer?” I glanced back at them, but not for long. “You guys would like a beer, right?”

“A beer would be amazing,” Tor said, settling against the kitchen counter.