Tempting the Tiger: Palm Haven Shifters, #1

By Sennah Tate

Sarah is more than just a curvy, book-obsessed librarian… she’s a lady with secrets. Magical secrets that cannot be revealed, especially to the sexy new Director of her beloved library. She’s got way too much going on in her life to be checking out the boss, much less investigating the strange phone calls he keeps getting that he won't explain…



Sloan has a few furry secrets of his own -- shifting into a tiger, for instance -- but he can’t seem to keep anything from Sarah. The sexy little witch stirs his imagination and fills his dreams. With a lot of flirting and a little time, Sloan’s pretty damn sure he’ll lure Sarah into his bed.



Suddenly Sloan’s loyalties are thrown into question when the interests of the pack involve Sarah’s destruction, and time quickly becomes his enemy. All he wants is to get Sarah to take her hair down, show her how good it can feel to let loose…



Only Sloan might be the one to lose his tightly-held control, and it just might spell disaster for his clan… or his love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sennah Tate
• Release date: Nov 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781536577051

Book preview

Chapter 1

SARAH

The clock on the wall taunted her. Being late for work wasn’t generally a part of Sarah’s routine, but it had become a bad habit lately. More and more she found herself distracted and unable to complete tasks that had once seemed easy for her. Her arms ached from the stack of dusty books she held at her side and she shifted the mass to rest against her hip.

It wasn’t like the library couldn’t run itself without her for a few minutes. She tapped her foot against the tiled floor of the busy coffee shop. Normally, she’d make her own coffee. Normally, her coffee pot at home wasn’t a smoking charred victim of her unruly magic. Normally she could keep her powers under wraps enough to avoid mishaps like that.

Sarah?

But not today. On this day, her magic decided to fry her favorite counter-top appliance, forcing Sarah to stand in this never-ending line for coffee. How long did it take to make a latte anyway? The clock taunted her still with the steady tickticktick she was sure only she could hear over the bustling crowd shuffling mindlessly for their morning caffeine fix.

Sarah? The voice nearly pierced her incessant internal chatter.

Her fingers drummed against the well-worn spines in her grasp. She’d stumbled onto a new piece of information about Silas Kerris, the namesake of the Kerris Memorial Library, and she was itching to get to the library to see if any of her other documents corroborated the story. There had long been rumors about the Kerris and the man that donated the land it sat on.

Sarah didn’t like rumors. She liked facts. Answers. Mysteries and questions were nice, but what Sarah really liked about a good mystery was finding the answers. She’d been looking for answers about Kerris for years — had she finally stumbled on something?

Vanilla latte for Sarah? the bored voice of the barista finally broke through and Sarah realized she’d been off in space while they called her name.

A flush of heat warmed her cheeks as she pushed through the crowd, garnering annoyed huffy glances from the other patrons. Without realizing it, she’d held up the entire procession.

Sorry, sorry, sorry, she muttered to every angry glare as she ducked her way through. No one made any attempt to move out of her way. No one ever did. She was used to it.

What Sarah wasn’t used to was having all eyes on her. She snatched the coffee from the kid behind the counter and sheepishly made her way over to sweeteners, still feeling the burning scowls of morning commuters on her back.

Her hands shook as she dumped a packet of sugar half in her cup and half on the counter. Were they still staring at her? Surely they’d lost interest by now. Back to their devices and self-involved world. So why did she still feel eyes on her? Nerves bubbling up in her chest? She re-arranged the books on her hip and took hold of her latte, poised for escape. She needed to get out of here. Get to work. Forget this whole harried morning.

She turned and walked into a wall, dropping her books and coffee in one fell swoop.

Of course, she muttered, dropping to the ground to clean up her mess.

The wall stooped, too. It wasn’t a wall at all, rather a man —a very broad man. His hand entered her vision, offering a stack of napkins.

Let me help, he offered, his voice rich and smooth.

Sarah realized a moment too late that she’d bumped into him and blushed again.

God, I’m sorry. I’m such a klutz. Did I spill on you? She hardly spared a look for him as she frantically wiped down books already yellowed with age, now stained with coffee. Hopefully nothing was irreparable. Jerry would kill her. The Library Director told her a million times not to take work home with her. Things like this always happened.

Of course, normally it was her magic’s fault.

He chuckled and shook his head, No, I’m fine. Are you?

His words of concern — while everyone else in the shop stared at her like she was an escaped mental patient — made her pause. She finally took a moment to meet his gaze. Impossibly green eyes struck her first. Only two percent of people in the world had green eyes — why was she thinking of trivia at a time like this?

I’m... she sighed, unable to form the lie to tell the stranger she was fine. He was handsome. No. He was hot. She had no business talking to someone this good-looking. All rugged sexiness wrapped in an impeccably tailored suit.

Late, she finally finished, gathering her things before hurrying out, her heart hammering wildly as the bell above the coffee shop door clanged, announcing her exit.

She’d barely stepped foot into the library when Janine, her co-worker, pinned her with a knowing glance. The older woman took one look at Sarah’s coffee-stained blouse, disheveled bun and — undoubtedly — stressed expression, and clucked her tongue in disapproval.

Rough morning, hun?

Sarah dropped the stack of books on the reference desk with a heavy thud and took her seat next to Janine with an exaggerated sigh.

Aren’t they all?

Janine laughed and patted her on the arm, You need to slow down sometimes. You get a lot further walking in one direction than you do running in circles. Jerry brought donuts in.

Sarah’s eyebrows shot up and she looked around for the tell-tale flat box of pastries.

What’s the occasion?

Janine shrugged, Not sure there is one. I’ve got my eye on that Boston Cream, though. I’m saving it for my ten o’clock coffee. Hands off, she teased.

Sarah offered her a lopsided grin as she picked out a vanilla creme-filled with sprinkles. Her favorite. It wasn’t like Jerry to bring something in. Maybe he had a feeling that she’d need the comfort eating today. Her suspicions would have to wait until her stomach was appeased.

She took half the donut in one bite before looking around again, her mouth still coated with sticky sweetness as she tried to force out, You said there’s coffee?

Bless Janine’s heart. She was already pouring a mug for Sarah. She sipped her coffee, inhaled the other half of the donut and sighed. She had the best co-workers in the world.

Chapter 2

SLOAN

He watched her leave the coffee shop with a mixture of amusement and disappointment. A slight smiled still curved his lips as she darted out like she had someone hot on her heels.

Any other day, she might. Any other day, Sloan would listen to the insistent roar of his tiger that told him to chase her. Claim her. Make her scream his name until she was hoarse and incoherent.

But today wasn’t any other day. The beast inside of him chuffed in annoyance but Sloan pushed it aside. Not today, buddy, sorry. The Elder, the leader of the Tigris clan to which all tiger shifters in Palm Haven and the surrounding area belonged, wanted a word with him.

A word. The thought alone made Sloan uneasy. Not an easy feat — he prided himself on being unflappable in most situations, but when the Elder tiger called you in for a word... all pretenses dropped and you became that sniveling third grader called into the Principal’s office for tugging on Mary-Ellen Cross’s pigtails.

He couldn’t help but watch the bleary-eyed humans, mulling around waiting for their orders, with envy. They had no idea what was coming. The destructive force that would tear apart their pretty little lives. They knew nothing of shifters, the territorial disputes between them, or the Cold War amongst the three clans that was dangerously close to boiling over.

Is that what the Elder wanted to talk about? Clarence Cunningham wasn’t the type of man to mince words. He’d lived through both World Wars and — if rumors were true — the Industrial Revolution. Shifters were a long-lived bunch in general, but even Sloan couldn’t comprehend the tenacity it must have taken for the man to stay in hiding since before the advent of electricity.

Quad shot for... Sexy? the pimple-faced barista rolled his eyes and called across the room, clearly looking for a patron of the feminine persuasion. He was about to be sorely disappointed.

Sloan’s earlier flirtation with the register girl seemed distant and foolish now. When she’d asked for a name for the order he’d simply said ‘Call me whatever you’re going to scream out later’.

His tiger delighted in the flush of warmth that colored the 20-something’s cheeks, but now... He pictured the other woman. He’d probably never see her again — hell, depending on how his meeting with the Elder went, he might not see anyone ever again. He couldn’t get too worked up over a missed opportunity with the tardy bibliophile in the tight pencil skirt.

Sloan snatched the cup from the crestfallen teenager and tried to steel himself for the coming day. He wasn’t sure he’d ordered enough espresso for this meeting, but there was no turning back now.

Chapter 3

SARAH

"Hello, yes. My name is Sarah, I’m with the Kerris Memorial Library..."

Yes, sir, we appreciate your generous donation, what I’m actually calling about today is a community even—

Sarah dropped the receiver and her forehead hit the desk.

Another hang-up? Janine asked, concern written all over her kind features.

Sarah sighed and nodded.

Why is it so hard to get people interested in literacy?

Janine shrugged and poured them each another — Sarah’s third and her fourth — cup of coffee.

Hard to say. Maybe they’re just jerks.

Sarah had to smile at that, No, I don’t think so. I mean, I guess I should be grateful that they’re on the donor list at all... I suppose they think they’ve done their part already.

Janine rolled her eyes, By donating... she glanced at the list in front of Sarah, fifty dollars a year? Big whoop.

It’s better than nothing, Sarah said, forcing a hint of optimism that she didn’t feel into her voice. She’d been at this for months. Trying to find sponsors for the Annual Community Literacy Event, calling, being hung up on, cursed out, called greedy — one of the nicer names she’d been called, actually — and generally dismissed.

Every year it was the same song and dance. Every year it became harder and harder to get people involved and excited about reading. Without events like this to bring in donations, the Kerris wouldn’t survive for long. Already, they were the only library left in Palm Haven. Sarah couldn’t bear the thought of living somewhere that didn’t have a library. She shuddered and found the next number on the list.

The phone rang twice before the line went dead. Sarah whirled around in her chair, preparing to affix Janine with a stern look, but found Jerry with his chubby finger on the hook, an apologetic frown etched into his ancient face.

What’s up, Jer? she asked, trying to hide her annoyance. For all intents and purposes, Jerry was her boss — the library’s director. Nevermind that she did at least eighty-percent of his duties for him. She couldn’t — and wouldn’t — give him attitude about cutting her call short.

He sighed.

Oh no. That sigh was never a good thing. Jerry was like their kindly old uncle. Always with hard candies of indeterminate age in his pockets, always a friendly word on his way into the office for an afternoon nap — or as he liked to call them ‘meditative hours’. For Jerry to look so concerned, so guilty...

Sarah’s stomach dropped. What was it this time? More lay-offs? She and Janine were the only employees left. Was the Kerris closing all-together?

That thought alone was enough to make Sarah nearly cry. Kerris had been her home away from home since she was a little girl. If she were really honest with herself, Kerris was more of a home than home had ever been. Fantastical stories of magical places and people helped her cope with the uncertainty of her