The Quiet One

18

"You are holding up well, considering everything that has happened in the last two days. I am so proud of you and you spoke with the sheriff too." Regal started the car and drove to the edge of town. Harper smiled at his compliment, he didn't need to know she knew James. In silence, they drove up the mountain to a small two-bedroom log cabin. Outside sat a posh sports car, a jacked up truck, and a jeep that looked like it had just gone mudding. Regal parked his car and said,

"These are my closest friends and I trust them with my life."

"Why are you telling me?" She looked at him, nervous all over again about meeting people so important to him.

"Because they are shifters like me and can intimidate one on one, but when together we make an impressive display of alpha prowess," He explained. She nodded and kissed his cheek.

"If they are your friends, I am sure I'll be my usual shy self," she joked, and he chuckled. It was a deep, rich baritone that made her feel aroused.

"I can smell your arousal, Harper, I don't want them to smell it too," he growled, pulling her over onto his lap. When had he unbuckled her? She giggled and ran her hands through his hair.

"This won't help the smell," she pointed out, a sly smile on her face.

"No, but it will make you smell like me and tell them you are all mine." He captured her mouth in a deep kiss, slipping his tongue past the seam of her lips. She moaned and pressed her chest against his, wanting to get as close to him as possible. She felt his hand dip below the edge of her dress, his fingers running along the edge of her lace panties. She gasped into his mouth and clenched his hair in her fists. She wanted him to dip a finger in, he was tormenting her with the skirting of his fingers over her, through her panties and not touching her skin.

"Regal," she begged against his mouth and he shoved her panties to the side, his finger skimming her clit. She jerked when he touched again, this time harder.

"Please," she moaned, kissing her way down his throat to the top of the buttons of his shirt. She began to unbutton him and nip at the sensitive skin below his chin when a hard rap sounded on the window. She squeaked and jumped, bumping her head on the ceiling of the car.

"How many times today have we been stopped? If this keeps up, I am going to take you here in the woods," Regal growled. He glared at the man laughing on the other side of the door. Harper slid off his lap and hid her flaming cheeks behind her hands.

"We can finish tonight in your bed," Harper promised, giving him a kiss and stepping out of the car.

"That is an understatement," Regal grumbled, getting out of the car and glaring at his friend who was still laughing.

"Shut it Hunter," Regal growled and Harper looked over at the man who he said was his best friend. He was tall like Regal with bright red hair and pale eyes, she wasn't sure of the color because of the darkness surrounding the cabin.

"Hi, I'm Hunter, your mate's best friend since we were three. Who might you be?" Hunter walked over and slung an arm around her shoulders, she froze, not used to being touched so freely.

"Get off." Regal shoved Hunter away with a laugh and tucked Harper's hand in the crook of his elbow.

"Harper, meet Hunter Jensen. He is a tiger shifter and loves to touch. Just shove him off and he'll get the message. Is Anders and Max inside?" he asked Hunter as they walked toward the cabin. Harper gave a faint smile, she hoped she wouldn't embarrass Regal with her shyness.

"Nice to meet you Harper, how did you get stuck with this loaner?" Hunter asked, leaning around Regal to look her in the eye.

"I am redoing her website, and when I caught one whiff of her, I knew she was the one for me," Regal answered before she could even try. She could tell he was trying to help, but was doing the same thing her sisters did. They wouldn't give her a chance to even attempt to answer and would share for her.

"Does she not have a voice?" Hunter asked, looking at her perplexed by her silence. They had walked into the house and she stopped short upon seeing two other men both just as tall as Hunter and Regal, one with dark brown hair and chocolate colored eyes and the other blond with snapping green eyes that brokered no argument. He looked like one who would be hard to crack based on the frown he was giving her.

"Yes I do," she whispered, looking up at Hunter with a smile.

"I am... very shy," Harper explained with a small shrug.

"No worries, we'll help as much as possible. Come sit and tell us why you called us up here in the middle of the night. I had to leave a date for this," announced the dark-haired one.

"That is Max Ivanov, and the blond is Anders Novak. I called you all up here because Harper has had her car destroyed and her home broken into all in the last forty-eight hours. Her car had the words painted in red Go Away Human and after the hearing of George Hartford's will, they  broke into her home and turned it upside down." Regal led her over to a couch and she sat, he went over to the small kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water.

"You are the human in George's will?" Hunter asked, sitting in a large easy chair across from her, she nodded.

"What did he leave you in the will?" Max asked, he had settled in a chair brought over from the kitchen while Anders settled in the other armchair.

Meeting the friends! Don't forget to vote!