Tabitha Conall

The second book in my White Fir Bend Cult series, Shifting Ground, will be out next week. Check out the awesome cover art and get a sneak peek at the book below!

Army Ranger and bear shifter Tiger Kane got kicked out of the cult he grew up in when he was fifteen. Now he’s back to rescue his estranged mom from the clutches of the cult leader.

Thrown together, Kane and Piper work to help two women escape the cult. But other forces are at work, and Kane and Piper don’t know who they can trust. They’re not even sure they can trust each other.

Excerpt from Shifting Ground

Once they’d reached the street, Piper heaved a big breath and put her hand on her chest. “Thank goodness we got out of there okay. And thank you for your help.”

Something tugged in Kane. That sounded like a goodbye, but he wasn’t ready to let her go. “I’ll walk you home.”

“If you do that, my keepers will see you.”

“Nah. I’ll take you to the same window you came out of and give you a boost to get back inside again.”

“I’m not as weak as I look.”

“I never said you looked weak.” She wasn’t ripped like he was, but she wasn’t frail either.

“Just because I’m overweight doesn’t mean I don’t workout.”

“I never said it did.” Ah—he’d forgotten women could be sensitive about their weight. It was a non-issue for him; he liked women of all sizes. But he’d have to remember not to open his mouth and say something that would hurt her feelings.

Or he would, if he ever saw her again.

His bear didn’t like the thought of not seeing her again and neither did he. He didn’t think there was any way around it, though.

He was only in Crazy Town to get his mother; he couldn’t stick around and woo Piper. He and his friends needed to get out of town sooner rather than later.

This might be the last time he saw her.

He swallowed his bear’s growl and shoved his thoughts deep. Sliding his hand around her hip, he tugged her off the road. “Let’s take the back way. Less chance of being seen.” When they reached the shadows of the trees, he added, “And if you think for a second I have even the slightest problem with your weight, just remember that kiss.” He squeezed her hip.

She ducked her head and moved in front of him where he couldn’t see her face. How was he supposed to read that? Maybe that was the point—she didn’t want him to see her reaction. If he knew her better he’d at least have some clue. He wished he knew her better.

Pushing the thought out of his mind, he followed her through the woods skirting the backyards of several homes. They didn’t speak.

When she stopped abruptly, he stepped close behind her so they could whisper but she merely nodded toward the house in front of them. Must be hers. He followed as she picked her way through the backyard to one of the windows.

Panic gripped him as he realized this was it. She was going through that window and he might never see her again.

Instead of giving her a boost, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She struggled against him for a couple of seconds and then melted, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him back with passion.

This time when his hands drifted to her backside, she didn’t stop him. He gripped her butt and pulled her hard against him, his cock nestled against her soft belly.

Piper groaned and he suddenly realized the danger they were in. If either of them made too much noise, her minders would hear and come to investigate. And if they found Piper and Kane—two people who shouldn’t even know each other—making out in her backyard, there’d be all sorts of questions and then they’d both be kicked out of town. Unmarried folks weren’t supposed to hold hands, much less kiss.

He dragged his mouth away, breathing heavily. He couldn’t think of a thing to say so he didn’t speak, instead gazing into her eyes.

She licked her lips. “Give me a boost?”

“Yeah.” He released her, turned her around and gripped her around the waist. Then he lifted her with ease, holding her until he felt her move through the window.

She twisted around and stuck her head through the opening. “Thank you.”

Maybe this wasn’t goodbye. Maybe he’d see her around town. “My pleasure.”

He watched until she closed the window and disappeared inside then shook himself. He needed to get his head on straight. He’d never been one to let a pretty woman distract him and he couldn’t let Piper Holmes distract him now.

But as he walked away, he couldn’t help but feel like he’d left a part of himself behind.

I have a new story coming out next week!  The short story, A Minor Shift, will launch my new series, the White Fir Bend Cult series.  Check out the cover and excerpt below, and stay tuned for the release next week!

EXCERPT

Eva crossed a street and strode down the final block of her walk. Her building sat at the end, three stories of red brick. As she neared it, she saw two men standing at the foot of the steps. Two big, well-muscled, lethal-looking men.

Bowie and Kane.

Shit. What part of ‘she had a date’ did Bowie not get? He couldn’t possibly know she’d lied about it.

Eva slowed, wondering if she should turn around. She could go around the block and use the building’s back door instead.

Before she’d made up her mind, Bowie spotted her. He stalked toward her and she couldn’t stop the thrill that raced through her body at the sight. He looked like a predator going after his prey. And damn him, but he looked even better than she remembered, his strawberry blond crew cut just long enough so that his hair had started to curl, his skin tan, his body hard.

“Eva.”

And there was that voice, that warm, rumbly voice that touched her in ways it really shouldn’t. She’d forgotten how easily he could warm her up inside with just a word.

“Where’s your date?” His gaze intense, his words had slipped from rumbly to gravel. His lion was perilously close to the surface.

She didn’t want to lie to him again. “What are you doing here?”

He gripped her upper arm. Not too tight, just firmly enough that she’d have to struggle to get away. “Where is he?” His eyes turned from blue to a burnished gold.

This wasn’t like him. He was always so laid back. “Bowie? What’s wrong?”

He leaned his face closer to hers. From anyone else, it would have been an intimidating move but with him, it was intimate. “It makes me crazy to think about you with someone else.”

‘Crazy’ was the right word for it. She’d never seen that look in his eyes before. Should she tell him the truth?

“Where is he?” His hand tightened on her upper arm. “I’m going to fight him, show you that I’m the one you should be with.”