Her Tiger To Take by Kat Simons Read Free Book Online

attempts to change his mind.
The woman who’d draped herself naked across his workspace in the
diner was a particularly colorful attempt.
    There was nothing wrong with him physically.
That had been obvious yesterday in his house. So, what was it?
    “Do you not like human women?” she asked
quietly. The room was noisy so she was pretty sure they wouldn’t be
overheard, but she still pitched her voice so only another tiger
would hear her.
    He frowned. “I like human women. I like women
just fine.”
    “Yes, I got that impression.” She set the
menu aside. “So what is it, Nick? Why have you turned into a
monk?”
    “I’m not a monk,” he said. Then shook his
head. “I’m single because I don’t want a relationship. And I don’t
date in Eirene because it’s too small a town for casual
flings.”
    “So. You leave town to get laid, then.”
    His cheeks actually colored and Tiana
grinned. He was charming in his embarrassment. She wanted to push
him a little more but decided she’d better give him a break—first
date and all.
    “What are you going to order?” she asked
instead.
    He rolled his shoulders as if loosening tight
muscles and went happily into a discussion of the food choices.
Listening to him talk about food was another kind of seduction. He
was passionate about flavors and interesting combinations. His
restaurant was mostly straightforward diner food, but he admitted
to occasionally adding something a little more adventurous to his
offerings.
    “I could only convince a few dozen people to
try the black chicken on squid ink pasta,” he said with a little
laugh. “They all loved it, but it wasn’t on the menu for long.”
    She wrinkled her nose. “I’ve never even heard
of black chicken before.”
    “It’s ugly, but it tastes good. Like
chicken.”
    “And I thought I was an adventurous eater.
Well, except for eggs. Anything to do with eggs…” She shivered. Her
tiger actually balked. When it came to food that only ever happened
with eggs.
    “Tell me about your job,” he said as their
first course was served. “I feel like I’ve been doing all the
talking.”
    “I like listening to you discuss food.” She
took a sip of her fennel apple soup and rolled her eyes. “Oh,
that’s good. The hazelnuts are a wonderful addition.”
    He nodded. “My scallop is cooked perfectly,
too.” He looked around. “I can see why this place is so hard to get
into.”
    “How’d you get a reservation last minute,
then?”
    He shrugged. “I know the head chief.” His
smile held a touch of something like pride. “She started out as a
line cook at my diner.”
    Tiana blinked. “The person who made this used
to work for you?”
    “She’s fantastic, isn’t she?”
    “Wow. How’d she learn to cook like this? And
if she can cook like this, why did she work in your diner? No
offense, but her menu is full of…serious cuisine. Like French
culinary school stuff.”
    He laughed. “Believe it or not, she was a
naturally superb home cook who didn’t think she had the chops to
own her own place. She came to work for me after her husband lost
his job, and they were desperate for money. It took exactly one
dinner service for me to recognize what I had in her. And that I
wouldn’t be able to keep her for long.”
    “How’d she get the money for this
restaurant?”
    His cheeks colored again and Tiana found
herself leaning a little closer, her elbows on the table as she
studied him.
    “I gave her a loan to get started. She paid
me back last year.”
    “Why?”
    He frowned. “Why, what?”
    “Why did you give her a loan?”
    “I… She wanted a restaurant and didn’t have
the credit for a bank loan. She was good enough to be really
successful. It was a smart investment.”
    Tiana nodded. “Right. That’s why you did
it.”
    “You changed the subject. We’re supposed to
be talking about your job now.”
    “Fine.” She smiled. “But you can’t hide the
fact that you’re a good guy from me, Nick