Page 1 of Eye of Her Storm

Prologue

“So…now that your two older sisters are married, it’s your turn, right?”

River Szuzman turned toward the speaker, Tai Cauldwell, wishing she weren’t decked out in aqua taffeta for her sister Moon’s wedding. “Moon and I are twins. She isn’t older than me. And why would it be my turn to marry?”

He grinned at her, his whiskey-brown eyes unabashedly devouring her curves and full of naughty mischief. She fought the urge to bite her lip and squirm as his blatant perusal made her wet. Between him and his partner, Seth Danielson, who stood behind him giving her an equally hot look, she could just about orgasm without even being touched.

Both men were the hottest specimens of manhood she’d ever seen—and living here, she’d seen quite a few. Their bodies were built from long days working their ranch, Tai’s slightly bulkier than Seth’s. Both had brown, sun-streaked hair, and amber-colored eyes. In fact, they shared so many traits that if she hadn’t known better, she would have thought they were brothers.

“You know? Paisley and Moon are both married. You’re next in line,” Seth offered.

A sharp half-laugh burst from her. “Well, you’ve obviously confused Daly with old-time Russia, guys.” She waved a hand to indicate the room. “FYI…this isn’t a scene from Fiddler on the Roof.”

“Snarky as ever,” Tai observed. He stepped closer. “You know that makes us hot, don’t you? Your sharp little tongue. That’s why you do it, right?”

Seth shoulder bumped him. “I have some fantastic ideas for that tongue.”

“Why I do…what?” she asked Tai, ignoring Seth’s suggestive comment.

Seth stepped even nearer, and she felt as if she were drowning beneath the wave of lust evoked by their masculine scents. Dark, woodsy notes of subtle but alluring cologne taunted her, beckoning her to edge just a little closer. She steeled herself against the insidious voice urging her to forget restraint and throw herself into their arms.

Boldly, Tai traced his thumb along her lower lip, pulling at the plump flesh. “For four years, you’ve lashed us with that dangerous little tongue of yours. We can think of something else for it to do.”

River flattened her hands on their starched, white shirts and pushed against their rock-hard chests to set them back a few steps. For good measure, she retreated a couple feet in the other direction. Staring at them, she wrapped her arms around her waist, her fingers curling into fists beneath her elbows. Her insides shuddered with awareness.

What would they look like naked, their work-hardened bodies moving over her? Under her? In tandem?

“Yeah, okay, boys,” she replied, struggling to sound flippant and keep the breathless tone from her voice. “Let’s back it down a few notches. I’m not going home with you tonight—”

“Maybe not tonight,” Seth cut in. “But some night soon.”

“And…” She put extra emphasis on the word. “I’m not interested in joining the Daly Way club. I’m perfectly happy as an unattached, single girl. Maybe, if it were just one of you… Well, maybe, then I’d think about it.”

Lies, all of it. Except for the going home with them part. That was true. She wasn’t going home with them. As soon as she could sneak away, she planned to escape to her apartment and take some massive painkillers for the headache plaguing her. Telling Seth and Tai she wasn’t interested in a ménage situation was the easiest way to get them to back off.

Several of her female cousins, her younger sister and some of their college friends were also here at the wedding. When the visitors had gotten to town and seen how things were with Paisley and a few of the other women in Daly, their eyes had gone wide with shock, wonder and definite interest. Given the chance, one of them might be interested in what Seth and Tai offered.

That thought made River’s chest ache.

Be strong, Riv! You don’t want that.

Sadly, she kind of did. She just knew better than to indulge. It was okay for others. She certainly didn’t judge anyone for choosing a ménage—you go, girlfriend, girl power and all that. It just wasn’t something River wanted—with one man or with more than one man. Once before, she’d gone the relationship route and filed it under “Things I Don’t Want in My Life”. She preferred her solitary, peaceful existence.

Seth and Tai looked at each other, a silent communication passing between them, and she knew she’d screwed up with her declaration. Now, one of them would offer to back down in favor of the other.

“Don’t bother with whatever you’re thinking,” she cut in. “I won’t go through with anything that breaks up the team—and you two are definitely a package deal.”

“You’re just messing with us,” Tai observed.

“You’re smart for a cowboy. So why don’t you understand I want you to back off? Both of you.”

“Because we are smart,” Seth replied, unfazed by her outburst. “A lot smarter than you think. You’ve run us in circles for four years, and we’ve picked up a few things about you. Cues, if you will.”

“Like the way your eyes get dark and you look off into the distance whenever you’re trying to hide how much you want us.”

“And the soft little sighs you don’t realize you make, after you take those deep breaths we also aren’t supposed to notice.”

“And the way you bite your lip as you watch us.”

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