My Feline Protector (Middlemarch Shifters Book 6) Read online

  MY FELINE PROTECTOR

  Shelley Munro

  Middlemarch Shifters, book 6

  Table of Contents

  Blurb

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Bonus Chapter

  Excerpt – My Determined Suitor

  About Shelley

  Other Works by Shelley

  Copyright Page

  Blurb

  A glimpse across a crowded room…

  Feline shapeshifter Gerard Drummond catches sight of a human woman with innocent eyes and lush curves and he’s toast. He desperately wants to meet her, and with his best friend Henry as his wingman, he’s soon chatting with the gorgeous London Allbright and her sister Jenny.

  Despite swearing off men, the sexy Middlemarch local charms London, and she agrees to take part in a zombie run, even though she isn’t athletic in the least. The longer she spends with Gerard, the more she’s tempted, but no…she’s heading back to England and has no time for romance.

  The obstacles aren’t only on the zombie run course. Gerard can’t let London leave, and now it seems Henry is hitting it off with London’s sister. There must be a way…

  A shocking murder changes everything and throws their lives into turmoil. Gerard and London, Henry and Jenny. Nothing will ever be the same as danger stalks London, and Gerard struggles to keep his English beauty safe.

  Warning: Contains a sexy feline male who knows exactly who he wants and isn’t afraid to chase her, to woo her, to protect and love her until she decides to stop running.

  Chapter One

  Local pub, Middlemarch

  “Those two guys are staring at us.” Jenny Weaver giggled, a faint blush creeping into her lightly tanned cheeks. “They’re cute. Have you noticed the guys around here are big and e-excellent eye candy?” She hiccupped, after too many glasses of wine to celebrate their successful four-day journey along the rail trail.

  London Allbright hid her grin behind a glass of wine, but didn’t turn her head to search out the men in the low lighting of the country pub. It was good to see her older sister happy again, and she was glad she’d succumbed to Jenny’s pleas to holiday in New Zealand and Australia.

  They’d both needed the break from the harsh English winter, Jenny most of all. The shenanigans of Jenny’s husband, soon to be ex, had battered her sister, left her a shadow of her normal confident self. It was pleasing to see her return.

  “Hello, ladies. Would you take pity on us and share your table? It’s busy in here tonight.”

  London forgot herself and gaped at the two men. The one who spoke was tall with black hair and green eyes that sparkled with fun. His wicked grin held more sex appeal than was good for a man and took him to drool-worthy. With his broad chest and runner’s build, he grabbed attention, despite his casual shirt and faded blue jeans.

  “Of course you can,” Jenny said before London could reply.

  “I’m Gerard Drummond.” He gestured at the other man. “My friend Henry Anderson.”

  The two men pulled out chairs and sat with their drinks. Gerard’s friend was big and solid, much beefier and his dark blond hair was longer. London glanced at her sister and forced herself not to grin. Jenny couldn’t take her eyes off Henry. Ogling was the word.

  “I’m Jenny Weaver and my sister London Allbright,” Jenny said.

  Jenny’s perky attitude thrilled her, even if she did worry about Jenny going too far. Prude. At least that was what Jenny had called her when she’d expressed her concerns and suggested moving slower with the men they’d met during their holiday. Seize the day or night as the case may be, according to Jenny.

  Royce had—no, she wouldn’t waste a thought on her brother-in-law. The man was a bully and not worth the effort. Jenny intended to set divorce proceedings in motion and was considering moving to Bath after living in West London for many years.

  “Ah, a sexy accent.” Gerard patted his chest near his heart.

  Jenny smiled. “I live in West London and my sister is from Bath.”

  “It’s busy in here tonight,” London said, eyeing the number of customers waiting for service at the bar. The dining area was also doing a roaring trade, and the scent of blue cod and chips had her stomach rumbling. “Is there something on?”

  “It’s the zombie run tomorrow and the craft market,” Gerard said. “Haven’t you seen the posters around the town?”

  “Ah, I saw the posters,” London said.

  A bark interrupted, and she stared around in surprise.

  “Oh, what a cute little dog,” Jenny said.

  “Geoffrey,” Henry said in a gruff voice and clicked his fingers. The small terrier trotted to Henry and sat beside him. “He’s not meant to be in here.”

  “They won’t notice with this crowd,” Gerard said. “Now that he knows where you are, he’ll sit under the table.”

  Henry nodded and crouched to speak to his dog. To London’s amazement, the white-and-black dog went under the table and sprawled out to wait.

  “How long are you staying?” Gerard asked.

  London smiled. “We’ve booked for two nights. Neither of us are cyclists and we weren’t sure how sore we’d feel once we finished cycling the rail trail.”

  “Do you have sore muscles?” Henry asked, his gaze darting to Jenny.

  “Not as bad as we thought,” Jenny said.

  The two men exchanged a quick glance. “We’re looking for two women to join our team in the zombie run. I don’t suppose we could persuade you to help us out?”

  London opened her mouth to say, hell no. She wasn’t a runner.

  Jenny spoke first. “We’d love to. I’ve always wanted to enter a zombie run. Something different and fun.”

  Gerard sipped his beer, his gaze on London. “You’d be helping us out of a jam. We’d lined up two women to join our team, but one is sick and the other stayed in Wellington.”

  “I’m not much of a runner,” London said, but she weakened under her sister’s pleading stare. Before this holiday she hadn’t known she could bungee jump or cycle for days either.

  Gerard placed his hand on her arm, the heat sending an unexpected frisson skipping across her skin. “Please consider it.”

  Her sister was chatting with Henry, obviously considering their plans for tomorrow fixed. Although she was pleased to see the return of her bubbly sister, she hadn’t missed her managing side. Big sister bossy syndrome. She sighed. “My sister talked me into a bungee jump. I thought I might wet myself,” she confessed. “I can’t believe a zombie run is any worse. Okay. I’m in, and I’ll do my best, but I’ve never been big on exercise.” She gestured at her curves and wrinkled her nose. “I’m more at home in an office, and my hobby is cooking. On my most exciting days, I visit historical properties, so I’m not promising great things.”

  The rumble of Gerard’s laugh tugged at her, and her gaze flew to his. Something in this man called to her, heck, enticed her to reckless behavior. She sipped her wine and forced her gaze off his smiley face, concentrating instead on the skinny, stooped man collecting empty glasses from a nearby table.

  “This race is about fun and participation. We’re raising funds for the community. The craft market is also this weekend. They’re holding the race in the morning and opening the mark
et in the afternoon.”

  “That’s more my speed,” London said, her focus right back on the hunk.

  “I’ll escort you around the market. I know the best vendors. The ladies head for the clothing stall run by Isabella Mitchell. You might need protection. They had a violent squabble over a dress last month.”

  London stared, unsure if he was telling the truth. “Are you telling fibs?”

  He angled his body toward hers, fans of tiny crinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes. “Honest. I had to help Leo Mitchell break up the fight. How long are you spending in New Zealand?”

  “We’re catching the train to Dunedin the day after tomorrow and picking up a hire car to drive along the coast to Christchurch. Jenny wants to swim with dolphins and I want to go whale watching. We’re making our way to Picton, catching the ferry over to Wellington, then flying home.”

  A phone chimed behind her, and one of the three guys at the nearest table slammed the flat of his palm onto the polished wood to emphasize his point, snaring her attention for a second.

  “Sounds good. Have you visited Auckland?”

  “We spent a few days in Auckland at the start of our holiday, visited Rotorua and Taupo. You live in a beautiful country.”

  “We do,” Gerard said.

  “Do you live in Middlemarch?” She wrinkled her nose as a group of newcomers wound through the tables by them and started to breathe through her mouth to combat the stench of body odor. Someone needed to bathe.

  “Yes, but Henry and I are newcomers. We’ve purchased a property and are starting a security business. Originally, we wanted to base ourselves in Christchurch to be near our friend, but property is in short supply after the earthquake. Sam, our friend, suggested Middlemarch since he and his wife grew up here.”

  Music started and the crowd in the bustling pub cheered.

  “They have a band for tonight and tomorrow,” Gerard explained. “Gives me an excuse to ask you to dance, see how we’ll fit.”

  Henry rose and held out his hand to Jenny. Her sister curled her fingers around Henry’s and let him lead her to the dancefloor with not a word spoken. The non-verbal cues, however, made London blush and want to fan her face. She turned back to Gerard with no idea of what to say, given that he’d witnessed the crackle of sensual electricity between the pair. London never jumped into bed with a man so fast, preferring to get to know them first, but he might have received a different impression after seeing Jenny with his friend.

  Gerard winked at London Allbright, the blush that crawled over her creamy skin charming him. Instead of dancing straightaway, he was content to chat and get to know her better. God, she was sexy, enticing, and his feline agreed because he hadn’t ceased his inner purring since they’d joined the women. He’d seen them across the crowded pub and without a word to Henry, he’d started over to their table. He’d heard Henry’s soft curse, his grumble, but his best friend didn’t seem so put out now. Easy to see Henry liked Jenny, London’s sister, which worked well for both of them.

  He caught London’s glance at Jenny and Henry, the curve of her plump pink lips and the sparkle of her blue eyes. She’d pulled her glossy brown hair into one of those high ponytails that whacked a man in the face if he wasn’t alert. He itched to tug off the purple thing holding it tight and run his fingers through the perfumed strands.

  “So, how was the bike ride? Henry and I were discussing cycling part of the path once we have free time.”

  “The first day—I thought I might croak,” she said in a dry voice. “A hot bath and a few drinks helped me feel better. The second day, I walked like a duck. Another hot bath, liniment and dinner and drinks at a historical pub helped ease the pain. I didn’t want to cycle on the third day but Jenny dragged me out, and it wasn’t too bad. The scenery is gorgeous, the weather was kind. The fourth day, I enjoyed but was glad to finish.”

  Her self-deprecating humor made his lips curve and her crisp English accent put the seal on his initial attraction.

  “After the race and our market visit, I promise to ply you with drinks.”

  “There won’t be a hot bath. The bed-and-breakfast only has a shower.”

  “We have one big enough for two.” Gerard’s feline let out an extra loud purr as he imagined sharing the bath with this beauty. “You can use it and I’ll throw in a massage. What do you say?”

  “A massage? Are you any good?”

  Gerard flexed his fingers. “I am a master.” Not a lie. He’d gone out with a physical therapist a few years ago, and she’d taught him a thing or two. A man could never have too many skills.

  Her smile lit her face, and Gerard was toast. He’d laughed at Sam Mitchell when he said he knew Lisa was his mate from a young age. Gerard hadn’t believed a word of Sam’s certainty. One look and a few minutes with London Allbright had changed his tune. He and his feline were in complete agreement. Now all he had to do was work with the time he had and convince London to his way of thinking.

  Difficult but not impossible.

  “Tell me about this security business. I wouldn’t have thought there’d be much business in the country.”

  “We’re not far from Queenstown and Wanaka. Lots of people have luxury homes and holiday getaways. Property is in hot demand since the Lord of the Rings movies. We’re close to Dunedin, so we have a large pool of leads for our business.”

  “Why security?”

  “Henry and I were both in the army. We wanted to use the skills we learned there.”

  “What services will you be offering?” She sounded interested, something Gerard found unusual in the women he met in pubs and other pick-up spots. It made him like her even more.

  “We intend to offer full-site security. Security for buildings and properties. Security for people and computers. Data protection is big business these days. That’s Henry’s specialty.”

  “That’s a lot for two men to cover.”

  Astute lady. “Yes. We intend to start small, and we have army friends we can recruit when we get busier.” He sipped his beer, the condensation of the glass wet against his palm. “You work in an office?”

  “Yes, secretary and personal assistant. It’s easy to get a job in this field if you’re a good worker. It’s why I didn’t hesitate too long when it came to taking time off my current job to come with Jenny when she said she needed a change of scenery.”

  “She’s been sick?”

  “No.” London hesitated, deliberating on what to tell him. “Problems with her marriage,” she said finally. “She made the separation legal and intends to start divorce proceedings on our return.”

  “No chance of a reconciliation?”

  She shook her head, and Gerard changed the subject. “Want to dance?”

  Her face brightened, and she grinned, making him realize she had two cute dimples. “I am an excellent dancer.”

  Gerard stood, scooting his chair over the wooden floor. “Is that so? I’m not bad myself.” He reached for her hand, and she didn’t hesitate to slip her fingers into his. The physical contact had his breath catching. His nostrils flared as he tugged her closer and inhaled her scent—something floral with a hint of spiciness that a man might wear. Yet another contradiction. He had paid little attention to her clothing, but he saw she was wearing a dress with a full skirt that hit her above the knee. It was pretty and feminine and made the most of her sexy curves. Perfect for dancing.

  He swung her into his arms and started a foxtrot to test her abilities. She fell into step without faltering, following his lead.

  “This is a treat.”

  Her eyes sparkled. “It is. Where did you learn to dance?”

  “My parents were in to ballroom dancing, and they dragged me and my younger sister along to lessons. I fought learning until I realized it was great for meeting girls. You?”

  “I learned for a friend’s wedding and found I enjoyed dancing. I kept up the lessons.” She glanced past his right shoulder, her friendly countenance freezing for a b
rief second. Gerard caught her as she misstepped, saw the flash of fear, the uncertainty, followed by a release of the tension in her shoulders.

  “You all right?”

  “What?” She shook her head, almost as if she were shaking off a problem. Then, she focused on him. “Sorry. I thought I saw someone I knew.”

  “Did you?”

  “Pardon?”

  “Did you see someone you know? We can say hello.”

  “No. It wasn’t…I mean, there was a resemblance.” She gave a light laugh, but didn’t quite pull it off. “They say everyone has a doppelgänger, don’t they? For a moment this man looked like someone at home. But it wasn’t him. Just a passing resemblance.”

  The man had frightened her. The tone of her voice—expressionless yet precise—indicated something lurking beneath the surface, something hidden and painful. Gerard scanned the crowd, his feline on the defensive. He didn’t intercept a gaze out of place, apart from two of his feline acquaintances eyeing up London. He barred his teeth at them, narrowed his eyes, relaxing only when they laughingly gave way to his visual commands.

  The music changed to something faster, more modern.

  “Let’s see if you know this one.” Gerard moved into jive steps, and to his delight, she followed again without hesitation, even the tricky, showier moves. He spun and twirled her, dipped and then tossed her between his legs. The surrounding crowd withdrew to watch and oohed and aahed, then clapped with a thunderous applause at the song’s close.

  “No more,” London said. “If you want to drag me past zombies tomorrow, you will have to let me rest.”

  “That was fun.” His heart still beat fast, and he was eager to learn more. Asking about her journey and the things the girls had seen sounded a safe bet to start.

  Their table was empty when he led her back, and he glanced around to see Henry still on the dance floor with Jenny.

  He handed her the remains of her wine, and she frowned at it.

  “I’ll buy a new glass,” she said.

  Gerard with his mind on his next move was slower to understand. He sniffed his beer before his mind caught up. “You’re worried someone might have put something in your drink.”