Two more customers entered, drawing Nan’s attention. “Let me get your orders before I take theirs. Tamara, I have a new apple spice you’ll like and that goes good with the apple turnovers fresh from the bakery.”
Tamara groaned. “Yes to both, and if I gain weight, I’m not coming back.”
“I said that too, but here I am.” Avery sighed. “It’s a good thing Grayson likes my… curves.” She looked down with a rueful grimace.
Nan smiled. “I can’t believe you’re still blushing and stuttering after being with our sheriff for over two months.”
“Really?” Tamara remembered the good-looking, sexy sheriff coming out to the ranch to offer his personal condolences last year and knew he was well liked and respected in the county. She also knew he was included in the gossip surrounding the Dunbar brothers and a secret club the three had opened over six years ago. Before she had left, Nan revealed she’d just become a member and loved everything about the place.
“Her wheels are turning, girlfriends,” Nan smirked. “Yes, Tamara knows about The Barn and no, she doesn’t swing that way, at least not yet.” With that taunting remark, she pivoted and moved behind the glass-encased counter to brew their tea.
“You should know, Tamara, neither of us have been members long and are both new to the…” Avery waved her hand. “The… stuff that goes on there.”
Sydney rolled her eyes. “New, yes, compared to Nan. But we’re well past the newbie stage, thank goodness. It’s much more fun when the inhibitions are stripped away, provided the right person does the stripping. Nan sa
ys you’ve been living in Boise for a few years but grew up here.”
Tamara wondered if Sydney sensed how uncomfortable talk about the sex club Connor was part owner of made her. It wasn’t the mention of kink that rubbed her the wrong way, but picturing him with a different woman every weekend, indulging in stuff she’d only ever dreamed about since she’d gotten an up-close look at him in action.
“Yes, working as a physical therapist in a rehab, but I missed home,” she admitted as Nan returned with three steaming cups and a plate of turnovers.
“Then you shouldn’t have stayed away so long,” she rebuked her. “I plan on getting you drunk soon so I can pull the real reason you took that job out of you.”
“Ooh, I wanna join you,” Sydney insisted with a wicked grin.
“Me too. I’ve never had such good friends as Nan and Sydney and if you’re included now, Tamara, I say no secrets,” Avery piped in, ending with a decisive head nod.
Tamara had no idea what got into her. Maybe it was because she didn’t doubt Nan would do everything in her willpower to pull the truth from her and might succeed in getting her to spill the beans about her guilt over accepting Jeremy’s proposal when she’d known her feelings didn’t run deep enough to make such a commitment. Or, maybe it was because she couldn’t get Connor out of her mind and the mention of kink brought up the memory of that hot scene that had dampened her pussy more than any act of intercourse she’d indulged in before or after that prompted her to blurt out the truth without thought.
“Connor, that’s who happened.”
“I knew it!” Nan crowed.
Tamara narrowed her eyes as her friend plopped into the empty chair next to her. “You did not.”
She smirked. “Hon, you’ve had the hots for that man since you knew what the hots were. It’s not like you hid it.”
“Oh, God.” Dropping her head into her hands, Tamara groaned. “Was I that obvious?”
Sydney and Avery laughed as Nan quipped, “Afraid so, to everyone but Connor. The man either wore blinders around you or just plain didn’t want to go there. He can be as stubborn as you.”
She looked up and sighed. “That’s the truth.”
“What are you going to do?” Avery asked, sipping her tea.
Taking a big bite of the sweet turnover, she didn’t have to think about her answer as she said, “Nothing. He made it clear when he was tired of my antics when I was twenty-five that I’m nothing but a friend and I doubt that will change. I need to move on, and I need to do it here because here is where I want to be.”
“Near Connor.”
She glanced at Sydney and saw the question in her eyes. “Yes. I know he didn’t mean his hurtful words and he’ll always be my friend. I don’t want to lose that connection again.”
Slapping her hands down on the table, Nan surprised her by suggesting, “Come to the club. Meet some new people. There are several guys you’ll like, and who will be not only good to you but good for you.”
Tamara sputtered on a disbelieving laugh. “How am I supposed to move on at such a place? One, I’m not into kink, and two, he’ll be there.”
“Exactly. Show him you have grown up and can do whatever you want, including indulging in the same kinks as him.”
“Oh, good idea, Nan,” Sydney crooned.