“I was coming over to see if you were ready to move on to a nail gun and some real work,” he said quietly.
Tamara felt herself smile at the way Jordan had lowered his voice and seemed to be giving his brothers furtive glances as he said that. As if he didn’t want them to overhear.
“I’ve never actually used a nail gun,” she confided. “I’ve used a hammer often enough, though.”
“Well, maybe there’re some other jobs we can give you, then, when you’ve finished with your current assignment.” He looked up at the sound of a car approaching. When the vehicle pulled into the parking area behind one of the hangars, Jordan mumbled something and moved off toward it.
The man who got out of the aging Ford was handsome in a Rodrigo Santoro kind of way. Dark and dangerous, smooth and slick. She tilted her head to one side as she watched him shift, accept Jordan’s handshake, while seeming to be taking in his surroundings. She had the impression the man was on alert, as if he expected an attack at any moment.
Tamara sensed she was no longer alone.
“Who’s the beefcake?” she asked as Morgan and Henry moved to stand close beside her.
“What, you think he’s good looking?” Henry stood on her left, moving closer to her even before he’d finished speaking.
“Well, I’m not blind, and he sure is pretty.”
“Wasn’t there some kind of old saying about pretty is as pretty does?” Morgan, on her right, shifted a bit closer, too.
Tamara thought it kind of cute the way Morgan and Henry got all protective of her because another, unknown male showed up.
She couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she looked from one to the other of the flyboys.
“Are you two jealous?”
She turned her attention back to watching Jordan with the new arrival. As the two men spoke, they moved to the back of the Crown Vic. The driver opened the trunk and reached inside.
Moments later he pulled out a tool belt and began to put it on.
“Jealous? No, I wouldn’t say we’re jealous. Exactly.” Morgan’s voice came out kind of quiet. Tamara felt his eyes on her.
“No, not exactly,” Henry agreed. “I’d say, ‘cautious’ is more in line with what we are.”
“Yes,” Morgan said. “Cautious.”
Tamara giggled. Then she laid a hand on each man’s back. “If I was any kind of a self-respecting female engaged in the male-slash-female tango, I’d let this go on and on. But, sadly, I never did care for playing games. So please allow me to put you out of your ‘caution.’”
“You like us better,” Henry said, and it sounded endearingly hopeful.
“Well, of course I do, but that wasn’t what I was about to say. I was going to say that if anyone should be jealous, or cautious, it would be me. But whoever that man is, he hasn’t noticed the two of you. He’s got the hots for your brother.”
She didn’t know what kind of a reaction she’d expected, but the sighs of relief surprised her.
“That’s probably what Adam was sensing,” Henry said to Morgan.
“More than likely. I guess we should go over and introduce ourselves. Since we are Jordan’s elder brothers, and all.”
“Huh. I thought for certain you’d tell me I was imagining things,” Tamara said.
“No, of course not,” Henry said.
Morgan looked down at her. “We’re just playing hell with all your preconceived notions about men, aren’t we, Red?”
“Not so much preconceived as learned notions,” Tamara said. “Experience is one hell of a great teacher.”
“Clearly, you’ve encountered all the wrong kind of men in your life to date,” Morgan said.
“There haven’t been all that many men, flyboy, but I’m a fast learner.”
“This gives me hope.” Morgan bent down and gave her a kiss that was way too short.
“And you’re really all right with Jordan being gay?”
“Remind us to share some of our family history with you sometime.” Henry bent down and kissed her, too. “But in the meantime, and in the interest of accuracy, you should know that Jordan isn’t gay. He’s bisexual.”
Before Tamara could comment on that, Morgan and Henry stepped away from her and headed toward their younger brother and the man who clearly had all of that man’s attention.
Chapter 8
Henry left the airfield early, in order to have everything ready at the house for Tamara.
He stood back now as he took stock of all his preparations. He’d put fresh sheets on the bed and placed scented candles throughout the bedroom. Fresh water churned and heated in the Jacuzzi, and more candles gave that room a definite air of seduction. Supplies lined the shelf above the tub, and damned if he wasn’t getting hard just thinking about using them on their woman.
An ice bucket with a bottle of champagne waited within easy reach of the spa, and another bottle chilled in the mini fridge in the bedroom.
Were they rushing her? Probably. Henry knew with absolute certainty that Tamara Jones was the woman he and Morgan had hoped to one day find, the woman destined to be theirs.
They’d found her—or she’d found them, earlier than they’d expected. Why should they wait?
Downstairs, Henry checked the slow cooker. He’d cheated there, having begged his mother’s wonderful beef with mushrooms and wine. It would stay warm and ready for them until they were ready for it.
Both he and his brother knew how to cook and could prepare more than the standard man fare of outdoor grill or stir-fry. They’d lived on their own, on base and off, for a lot of years. Eating in restaurants got old very fast.
They would impress Tamara with their culinary expertise some other time. Tonight, they wanted all their efforts focused on impressing their woman in other, far more personal ways.
Henry checked his watch. He had another ten minutes until Morgan and Tamara came home from the construction site.
He set the dining room table and then made his way to the sound system.
