Page 27 of Tara's Warriors

“They’re not gay.” Tara snorted, then giggled. “I canpromiseyou that much.”

“Really?” Melinda snickered. “It sounds like you’re really sure about that.”

A little tingle of warmth spread through her entire body, like she’d just submerged herself in a hot, decadent bath. “Oh, I am. Let’s just say I have firsthand evidence that they like women. A lot.”

“Ohhhhh, I want all the juicy details!” The sounds of kids yelling in the background, followed by a door slamming had Melinda sighing. “Okay, gotta go. You take care of yourself and don’t worry about Jillian. They’ve been going strong for six hours now, swimming and eating. They’ll pass out cold tonight. I’ll have her call you when we get back.”

After saying goodbye to her cousin, Tara unwrapped the towel from her still damp hair, setting it on the black marble topped coffee table in her living room.

She’d been camped out there most of the afternoon, dozing on and off in between occasional rounds of nausea and a headache that just wouldn’t quit. Thankfully, she was starting to feel better, but she didn’t want to take the chance of having a downturn with Jillian home. A five-year-old was a handful most of the time, but when Tara got sick, Jillian tended to get super clingy.

In an effort to not feel like roadkill, she’d taken a shower and lotioned up afterwards then put on her favorite purple silk pajamas and fuzzy pink socks. She kept her house chilly, a refuge against the brutal heat of a southern summer. The shower had reinvigorated her, and she’d managed to eat a bowl of soup that further soothed her stomach. Feeling better, she curled up on her couch with her favorite gray chenille blanket on her lap. Now that she could think about something other than feeling like death warmed over, her mind went immediately to the previous night.

She still couldn’t believe any of it happened toher. By no means was she a prude, but even though she’d fantasized about it, she’d never been with two men at once. Sure, she’d dated more than one guy at a time, but those were casual dates. As soon as she was in a relationship, she became totally monogamous.

Flexing her toes as she stretched out, she couldn’t help but smile. People said that, after the Event, non-traditional relationships were becoming more common. She guessed the Event was kind of like a big dose of reality to everyone on what was and wasn’t a big deal. Back when she was a teenager, the idea of being in a ‘thrupple,’ as the kids like to call it nowadays, would have been completely shocking. At present, she could think of a handful of people she knew living that lifestyle. True, they were her friends who left town and moved to big cities, but it was no longer as scandalous to most folks. People seemed to agree that life was too short not to live it honestly with those you love. She wondered how her little town would react if one day she sent out wedding invitations to her joint nuptials.

Though she might be getting a little ahead of herself imagining their wedding.

After all, the men hadn’t left their phone number, or asked for hers.All they’d said was they would be back today. Yes, they knew she had the day off work, since they’d talked about it last night, but they hadn’t made any actual plans with her. Maybe they were just looking for a one-night stand? Then again, could it be called a one-night stand if the men hadn’t cum? God, maybe they thought she was a selfish lover for not returning the favor. Then again, shehadoffered and would have been more than willing, but they turned her down.

Grabbing the remote from the black marble end table next to the red and gray couch, she began to search the million plus channels for something decent to watch in an effort to keep from driving herself crazy.

She hadn’t gotten far when the doorbell rang. Butterflies exploded in her belly.

All day long, she’d waited for that doorbell—waited to see if Phin and Karwin would come back like they said they would. Sure, she could try to pretend to be all ‘I am woman hear me roar’ and tell herself she didn’t need a man to make her happy, but the truth was she missed them. Even if it made her feel like a silly teenager with a massive crush, she found herself thinking about them constantly over the course of the day. Reminiscing about not just the way they made her feel physically good, but also emotionally. They paid attention to her like she was important, and for the first time in a long, long time, she felt like she clicked with someone.

When she’d met Nathan during her freshman year of high school, she’d felt a similar click, but different. Theirs was the instant attraction of puppy love. What she felt for Phin and Karwin was different. More mature, maybe? She wasn’t a silly fifteen-year-old girl with a crush on a football player anymore. At forty-four, she’d been around the relationship block more than once, and had developed a keener sense of herself and her feelings.

The doorbell rang again, and she quickly tried to make herself presentable as her heart practically beat out of her chest.

Crossing the path from the living room to the thick oak door, she took a deep breath, certain that this time it wasn’t a delivery guy waiting on her porch.

She could practically feel them on the other side.

Opening the door, she smiled so wide her cheeks hurt at the sight of Karwin and Phin. Both men stared down at her with intense, unreadable expressions on their handsome faces.

They wore t-shirts in dark colors again—black for Karwin, blue for Phin—and cargo shorts that exposed their heavily muscled calves. She’d never really paid attention to men’s legs before, but Good Lord Almighty, those two could probably squat a truck. Phin’s legs had dusting of dark hair, and she had the sudden urge to rub her bare leg against his to see what it would feel like to be tickled by his hair.

Karwin’s legs were equally cut but less furry, and she couldn’t help but notice how big his feet were compared to hers. Her bare toes, with red painted toenails, looked positively dainty next to them. Heck, in her bare feet she only came up to Karwin’s chest and Phin’s shoulders. The breeze shifted, bringing the combined scent of their cologne to her, and she went practically weak with desire. They smelled sooooo good, and she found herself moving toward them as if in a trance.

Placing a hand on each of their chests, she licked her lower lip as she gazed up at them. “Hi.”

The men each held their hand over hers on their chests. A wonderful sensation of joy danced through her, almost as if she could feel their emotions, and they were blissfully happy to see her.

“Greetings,” Phin said with his delicious, slow smile. “May we come in?”

“Of course.”

She led them into her living room, then she gestured to the large gray couch. “Have a seat? Can I get you anything?”

“How are you feeling?” Phin asked as he stood next to her, cupping her cheek with his hand.

“Better,” she whispered. Warm, addictive happiness washed away all her cares.

A new sense of joy and a bit of tension came from behind her as Karwin sat on the couch, then held out his hand. “Please, sit with us.”

With Phin seated next to him, their large bodies took up most of the space. “I don’t think I can fit on there with you two behemoths.”

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