The Purrfect Predicament (Australian Shifters) (4 page)

"Yeah, he should, but he's more stubborn than a mule at times."

Andy let out a low growl. Hamish sighed. "Would it be alright if I left him here for the night? I'll come back with a collar and leash tomorrow. And we'll both be out of your hair."

"He'll behave with a collar?"

"Yes, he's trained to obey properly with a collar; I left mine at home, a hundred kilometers in a town up in the mountains."

Andy heard the resignation in her sigh. "Okay, just for tonight."

"Thank you, trust me, you're now the safest person in all of Sydney, with Andy watching over you. I'll leave you two in peace. And see you in the morning. Again, sorry for all the trouble."

"It's okay. I know it's strange, but everyone needs a bit of strange every now and then." He could hear the smile in her voice, even with his eyes closed.

"I'm glad you understand. Oh, what's your name?"

"Uh, Jo Smith."

"A pleasure Jo, I'll see you tomorrow. And you, Andy, behave; the night is a long one."

Andy flicked his tail in response, knowing what his brother meant. Hamish would be sticking around, waiting for Andy to make an appearance once Jo had gone to sleep.

Chapter Three

Juniper closed the door behind Hamish and sank against it, her heart pounding in her chest. It was a wonder she hadn't melted into a puddle of goo on the floor.

"Wow, that is your owner? If I didn't know any better, I'd say he'd stepped right out of the pages of one of my books, or a fashion magazine."

His deep chocolate brown eyes, the way he smiled at her, made her tingly in places she never thought could tingle. Cute dimples and the little cleft in his square chin, oh boy, she bet he had women lined up and down the street.

The Panther lifted his head, and Juniper realized Andy had the exact same color eyes as Hamish. Well, they did say pet owners tended to choose animals with similar characteristics to themselves.

Andy watched her while she walked over to an old battered couch. She'd pulled it from a dumpster when the landlord had agreed to let her stay here. A good scrub and it'd come up okay, everything she had in the little house she'd found abandoned. It was amazing what people threw away.

She smiled down at Andy. "Well, Andy, are you going to let me sit down?" Not expecting him to move, she was surprised when he did, stretching and smoothly stepping off her little couch. Once she was seated on one end of the two seater, Andy got back on and laid his big head in her lap.

"Mr. Brown has to be the most heart stopping, sexiest man I've ever met." She sighed, a heavy veil of sadness falling over her. "He was just being nice. I suppose he thinks I'm just another guy." Her hollow laugh filled the room. "It's the only way I can be, no one understands, Andy, no one can know. I'll never be the woman in my books. Even if my life hadn't been torn apart, and I hadn't ended up hiding out here, acting like a man. I'm just not the sort of woman men like that, well, go for."

Her stomach growled and she felt ill, not quite sure if it was from hunger or the worry eating her from the inside out. She sniffed back the tears forming behind her eyes.

"I won't cry, I promised myself I wouldn't. Never give them the satisfaction of seeing your tears, Andy." She stroked his head, comforted by the soft fur sliding through her fingers. "I'm kind of glad you're here, even if it is just for tonight."

Andy lifted his head and ran his wet, raspy tongue over her cheek, nuzzling against her chest. "And you are affectionate; I suppose I'd better take it while I can. It's been too long since anyone showed me any kind of affection." She put her arms around him, and he purred against her.

He was so warm, and for the first time in a long time, she felt safe. How odd that Andy, the big Black Panther, chased away the cold chill of her life.

"Maybe I am losing my mind, Andy. The constant fear I live with is finally chasing away the last of my sanity, but you'll keep me safe tonight. One night feeling safe, just to know what it is like, will help to ease all those nights I've spent alone and afraid."

Tears pricked the back of her eyes. Secrets she'd kept hidden, buried deep down, welled up. Her chest ached every day and her shoulders felt as if they carried the weight of the world.

Andy's purr continued and she smiled. "My real name is Juniper." Her mocking filled the air for a moment. "Odd to say it after so long, Juniper, apparently my mother ate a lot of Juniper berries when she was pregnant with me. I used to love my name." She sighed heavily, enjoying cuddling the big cat. They sat there for a while in silence as she listened to his purr, struggling to bring her emotions under control.

Her stomach rumbled. She was feeling light headed from lack of food. She'd shopped so she had enough for a few days. But she had to make it last the whole week. Since the big black cat had eaten hers.

"Maybe I should have taken Mr. Brown up on his offer of dinner, but I like this, being here with my new friend."

Andy licked her cheek, but pulled back and got off the sofa. He walked into her little kitchen.

"You hungry again?" She forced herself to her feet. Wincing at some of the new blisters from the day's activities, she followed him into the kitchen. "Well I did buy bread and canned spaghetti. Unless you want to eat the cat food I got for the strays?"

Andy growled, giving her a dry look.

"I guess not."

She jumped, startled as another knock sounded at the door.

"Uh, Mr. Smith?"

Hamish Brown was back. Unconsciously, she tried to smooth down her dyed black hair as she hobbled to the door. Andy shot past her and sat at the door, his tail swishing.

Juniper's heart sank; maybe he really did want to leave now. With trembling fingers, she unhooked the three chain locks and pulled open the door.

Hamish stood there with a box. "I uh, got you and Andy dinner, since you wouldn't come out with me; I thought I'd bring it to you." With another pulse-racing grin, he pushed the box at her. She had no choice but to accept it or let it fall.

Wafting smells of roast chicken hit her, making her stomach growl embarrassingly loud. She felt heat flood her cheeks.

"I, uh, thank you, Mr. Brown."
Yeah, you're just great with the conversation there, Juniper.

"Oh call me Hamish. I know I'm a twin, but I've been told I'm far better looking than my brother." He winked, and she couldn't help the burst of giggles.

Damn this man is making me act like a stupid teenage girl.
It was dangerous. She sobered and straightened. Andy growled low, his tail flicking back and forth. She knew an angry cat when she saw one.

Hang on, back up a step. Is he flirting with me?
Oh hell, he thought she was a guy. Which meant… Her heart sank, he had to be gay.

"You'd better feed him, he gets down right grumpy without food, and since he ate yours there should be enough here, for you both."

"Enough? You bought a whole chicken factory?" she blurted out.

Hamish's laugh was as rich as the melted chocolate of his eyes. The heat of pure lust raced through her veins. Her body heated like a moth getting too close to the flames.

God she wished she was his type of uh, guy. The strangled grip on her heart cooled her desire.

Get a grip woman. Even if he wasn't gay, he's not your type.

Type? What was her type? Easily intimidated wimps who jumped when her…
No, don't think about that.

Hamish winked, gay or not, it still melted her insides. "Well, I'll leave you to it." She stared dreamily after him, as he turned and strode down the steps.

Andy butted the door closed with his head, and she glanced sharply down at the big Panther. "You really eat this much?"

She set the box down on her table and went back to re-latch the door. Andy already shoved his head in the box. "I guess you do. Hey, wait, let me open it for you." To her utter amazement, Andy gingerly pulled one roast chicken out with his teeth gripping the foil paper it was wrapped in and walked over to her.

"Why thank you." She took the chicken. "You are a most surprising creature, rude yet a gentleman." She sat down as Andy went back into the box, this time not so gingerly gripped a chicken, set it down on the floor and tore through the wrapping.

She unwrapped her chicken, staring at it. "I suppose it was too good to be true. My life is so messed up. He flirted with me, did you see that? It kind of makes me wish I really was a guy and gay. Then I'd have a chance with Hamish. Naah, who am I trying to fool? Ugly girls make ugly guys too."

The cat suddenly started coughing. "Hey, easy big boy, don't scoff that." The cat gave her a dry stare. She swore Andy understood every word she said.

Dreamily she gazed at Andy. "I don't suppose you're really a prince in disguise. What I wouldn't give for someone to fight my dragons and whisk me away from the prison of my tower. I wonder what it is like to be ravished, like the stories in these books?"

Andy paused in his eating to stare at her again.

She laughed at herself. "Yeah, I've been reading way too many stupid romance novels. They are quite addictive you know, fantasy beats the reality of my world any day. But, still you're the best thing I could have, even if it is for tonight."

Yup, this was turning out to be the strangest evening of her life.

~ * ~

He was going to knock Andy into next week. Hamish paced up and down the narrow alleyway next to Jo's dwelling and checked his watch for the umpteenth time.
One a.m.
, he growled.

No, he was going to knock Andy into the next century. The sneaky bastard had pushed his way into their mate's home and left him out in the cold. Not that cold, shifters ran naturally warm and Australian March nights were only just starting to cool.

But Hamish had talked and flirted with him. In no way had it felt awkward, but a natural desire to want to be with Jo made Hamish comfortable. He was pretty for a boy, no, not just pretty, beautiful. Guessing the lad was in his early twenties, he had big, wide, pale green eyes and full lips. Hell yes, he wanted to kiss them, nibble on them, and hear him gasp when he…

The rattle of a fence made him glance up as Andy landed easily on his paws.

"Took you long enough." Hamish let the frustration flow into his tone.

A moment later, a naked Andy replaced the Brownish Black Panther. Hamish tossed his jacket and pants at him.

"I had to make sure she was sleeping soundly before creeping out."

Hamish blinked. "She? What the hell are you talking about?"

Andy slapped him on the back, a wide mischievous grin on his face. "Considering I owe you for going in without informing you of my brilliant plan, I'll put you out of your misery. Jo Smith happens to be Juniper, and very, very female. I saw her breasts, Brother, they are very, deliciously real."

Confusion rolled through his brain, "But why would, he, uh she…"

"Dress and act like a man? Now that is the question. Something is very wrong with our girl. There is a gunshot wound very near her heart. I'd lay good money she is hiding from whoever did that to her." Andy's face turned down into an angry glare. "It's clear she was forced to change her appearance and identity. Living in this squalor and working and living off the grid. It's fucking breaking my heart to see the sadness and fear in her eyes. She's lonely and the way she talks about herself. Fuck, talk about low self-esteem. She called herself ugly, Bro. We have to fix that. She's the most beautiful woman walking the earth."

Hamish pictured her face, and it suddenly made sense when he'd seen uh, her, loose shirt earlier. He hadn't missed that her chest seemed fuller, as she clutched the knife. Damn straight she was beautiful.

Hamish's jaw tightened. "She's been abused, mentally and physically. You know we're going to kill whoever did this to her." He drew in a deep breath to let his tightening muscles relax, as the anger swirled deep into his gut.

"Hell yes, she's ours to protect now. No one's going to harm her again."

They were on the same page.

Andy buttoned his jeans. "She uses bandages to flatten her breasts to make her appear more male, oh and Bro—you're gonna love this." Andy's chuckle was downright evil. "Ain't life ironic, because you flirted with Jo, she thinks you're gay."

Hamish groaned; a wonderful predicament they'd gotten themselves into. "Well it's clear she needs us, but how do we do this, if it's as bad as you say?"

Andy's grin widened, his brown eyes sparkled with trouble. It was never a good sign. "Oh, I've been thinking carefully about this. She confessed to a cat, Andy, that she thinks you're sexy. No doubt the attraction between us is strong. After all, the pull of true mates is very strong for us, but she's feeling it as well. I say we kidnap her."

Hamish scowled at his younger brother. "Are you out of your freaking mind?!"

Andy ran his hand through his ruffled brown hair. "No, hear me out. She talked to my cat; I know a few things about our little princess, some of her darker desires. You didn't happen to notice the stack of books in the living room?"