Beauty Claimed

by Allyson Lindt

  Pink dotted Tara’s cheeks and she laughed.

  Nathan liked seeing her this way. Happy. Relaxed. “Wow. Smooth.”

  “As fuck.” Nick wore a tiny smirk.

  Envy sparked inside Nathan, that all of Nick’s attention was on Tara. Did it matter? Nick was a great guy regardless, and it wasn’t as though he was sticking around. “If lingerie is the goal, Tara has some stunning teddies.”

  She looked between them, brows raised. “Neither of you has the tits to make my lacy unmentionables look good.”

  “Can’t argue with that.” Nick shrugged.

  Nathan was inspired, and not ready to give up so easily. “If you want to sit around in your underwear, we can just take off our clothes.”

  Tara twisted her mouth. Then she stripped off her top. “All right.”

  So fucking sexy.

  “I’m not pillow fighting.” Nick removed his shirt as well.

  “We can skip that bit, but look at the experience this way. Facing each other in nothing but our underwear makes it a lot harder to hide anything,” Tara said.

  Nathan knew what she was getting at. “In a spill your secrets kind of way.”

  “I’m game if you are.” Nick’s belt made an enticing zip when he tugged it free.

  It didn’t take long for them to strip down to their underwear, and move into the bedroom. They sat in a crooked circle on the bed. Or was it a triangle?

  “Are we doing some sort of soul bearing now?” Nick looked as casual now as he had been fully dressed. He was becoming part of this world.

  Nathan liked that.

  Tara had a hand resting on Nathan’s leg, and angled herself so her knee pressed against Nick’s thigh. “That seemed to be the agreement,” she said.

  A pause lingered in the room. Nathan didn’t expect both of them to hesitate. He wasn’t sure what to ask, but he’d pick something. He looked at Nick. “If you could do anything in the world and money was no object, what would you do?”

  “Is this a job interview?” Teasing mingled with Nick’s curiosity.

  “It’s soul bearing.” Tara chimed in. “There’s no right or wrong answer.”

  Nick shook his head. “There’s always a wrong answer.”

  “Not really.” Nathan didn’t want to consider the statement too deeply. It was an interesting point. Was there a reply that would end this evening? Piss himself or Tara off? “You’re avoiding the question. Because you’re answer isn’t sell CRM’s.”

  “Busted.” Nick tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling for a moment. “I’m not saying I don’t love what I do, but if we’re talking about any job in the entire world, with no barriers? I don’t know.”

  Nathan didn’t understand that approach. “You’ve never thought about it?”

  “I try specifically to avoid thinking about things like that. Whimsy leads to cynicism. Why? What’s your answer?”

  What a sad approach to have to life.

  “We’re already doing it.” Tara’s answer was the same as Nathan’s would have been.

  Nick scrunched his face up and was silent for a few seconds. “Anything in the world... No money worries... I’d help other people sell their dreams.”

  “No.” Tara shook her head. “Nope. I don’t buy it. You need a new answer.”

  Nathan agreed with that, too. There was no way Nick was that perfect.

  Nick shrugged. “Don’t know what to tell you. I’m not an idea guy, but I love selling, and I love seeing what other people create.”

  Figures. He’s got to be attractive, well hung, and altruistic. Nathan wanted to be bitter about that, but he couldn’t. He just liked Nick.

  NICK DIDN’T UNDERSTAND why he was met with twin blank stares. His answer wasn’t that odd. “My turn to ask a probing question.”

  Nathan snorted. He looked so casual sitting there in nothing but boxers. Almost a tempting sight. “You said probing.”

  “He does a decent job of that.” Tara kept most of Nick’s attention, but not all. The contrast of her pale skin against the dark lace of her bra, and that she still held herself with the confidence of knowing she controlled the room.

  “I wouldn’t know.” Nathan’s tone was playful.

  The quirk of Tara’s mouth was enticing, as if she knew what whispered through Nick’s thoughts. “Ask nicely and maybe someday you’ll find out.”

  “It’s not outside the realm of possibility.” Nick wouldn’t have said that a month ago, but now... It was different with Nathan. Nick still wasn’t certain he was up for anything with another man, but the attraction seemed to run deeper than friendship.

  Tara’s eyes grew wide. “You’re serious.”

  “Yeah.” Nick also noticed they were diverting the conversation. “And I want my question.”

  “All right, but I’m not discarding this other topic,” Nathan said.

  Nick didn’t want him to. “What aren’t you telling me about how the two of you met?” He’d seen the hesitation when Tara and Nathan told the story. There was more there.

  Nathan glanced at Tara, then said. “It’s not my story to tell.”

  “Part of it is.” Her voice grew softer. Her glee didn’t vanish, but it did fade.

  “Are you okay with this?” Nathan sounded concerned.

  Nick didn’t want to cause issues. If they weren’t comfortable—

  “Yeah, I am.” Tara nodded and met Nick’s gaze. “So, my ex-husband, Marco, was the person who introduced me to the idea of polyamory. And since it’s come up before, I’m pretty sure he only did it, so he could fuck as many chicks as possible.”

  Nick winced. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” Tara’s tone lightened. “I don’t like the part her played in my life, but regardless of his reasons, I’m glad he started me down that path. Anyway, he got into politics and decided us having an open marriage didn’t make for a good public image. He asked if we could stop, and I agreed. He also neglected to mention he was fucking around behind my back.”

  Nick tried to process that. “So, sleeping around is okay if you both know about it, but if you don’t... Sorry, that sounded reasonable in my head. I see the duh in it when I say it out loud.”

  “He needed an excuse to leave Tara,” Nathan said. “Something that didn’t reflect poorly on his career. Preferably something church sanctioned. As you know, Tara’s pretty fucking epic, and there is no reasonable excuse for shoving her aside.”

  Tara blushed and ducked her head. So uncharacteristic.

  Nick shrugged. “I can’t argue with the epic part of that.”

  She was also adorable when the pink spread down her neck.

  Nathan leaned in. “Marco hired me—I was a private investigator back then—to find proof of infidelity. I did. I uncovered evidence he was a lying, cheating piece of shit.”

  “So the art class?” Nick was putting the puzzle together and starting to see a whole picture.

  “That was real,” Tara said. “Nathan used it as a way to meet me.”

  Nathan sighed. “And then... A lot of people don’t believe in love at first sight, but there were sparks and angels and harps when I saw her. The next few weeks in her class reinforced my first impression.”

  Nick couldn’t ignore the adoration in Nathan’s voice, or the way Tara watched him lovingly.

  “I couldn’t.” A frown whispered across Tara’s face. “Nothing could happen. When Nathan told me about Marco, it didn’t shock me the way it should have. I think I expected it. It still hurt, though. It didn’t matter that Marco was cheating. I’d promised I wouldn’t see anyone else, and I couldn’t break that. Maybe that was stupid of me.”

  Nick reached across the space between them to rest his hand on her knee. “I understand why you did it—or didn’t in this case—and I don’t think it was stupid.”

  Her smile was tight. “Regardless, I refused to pursue anything with Nathan until Marco and I separated. But Nathan waited. He was there by my side through all of it. My best
friend, and after what felt like an eternity, my lover.”

  “Wow.” If Nick thought they were an incredible team before, he could almost see the bond that connected them now. It didn’t feel exclusionary though. There was a nudge in his mind of then where do you stand? And the answer was same place as before, and that’s okay. “I’ve said it before, but I have to again. The two of you are like this perfect yin and yang.”

  “Nobody’s perfect.” Despite Nathan’s denial, he looked at ease.

  “Perfect in your imperfection.”

  Tara rolled her eyes. The cloud on her mood had lifted. “That’s reaching, but I like the sentiment.”

  Maybe Nick was wrong. That bond might exclude him after all. “I can’t imagine.”

  “Imagine what?” Nathan studied him, brows furrowed.

  “Loving someone so much, but being willing to share them.” The words sounded good, until he said them. Could he really not?

  Tara covered his hand with hers. “Then why are you here?”

  “I’m...” This is short term. The words stuck in his throat. I’m not in love. Wow. Love. Where did that come from? “I want to get it, and I’m grateful you’ve got the patience for my questions.”

  Tara laughed. “Yup. You’re definitely smooth as fuck.”

  The conversation moved on, but Nick was stuck on that little bit. The portion that dragged up feelings he couldn’t define, around a concept he was starting to get where he never expected to.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  TARA HAD TO GRASP ALL of her focus, to keep her hand from shaking while she finished Mathew’s tattoo. It had been two days since the incident, and this was the first time she’d ventured downstairs to do more than come and go.

  Fortunately this time there were no cameras, and no one knew Mathew, Jeremy, and Ben were here.

  “Ha. I beat you.” Ben’s happy cheer carried in from the other room.

  The loud noise jarred her, and she pulled back from her work.

  “Are you all right?” Mathew didn’t move, but he watched her with concern in his eyes.

  Her heart hammered in her ears. The other day was a stupid rock. Nothing big. No one was hurt. She was overreacting. She pasted on a smile. “Stressed about this afternoon.”

  “I get that.” Mathew chuckled.

  The contestants going to the next round were being announced later today. When Tara was done with the ink, everyone would head upstairs to watch the countdown.

  Tara wasn’t interested in doing a reaction video again. She didn’t know if she could hold it together if she—they—didn’t make it. There had been a fresh swath of hate videos directed at her, for fucking up Jeremy Rocks’ chances, and a couple dozen people saying they were responsible for the vandalism. She had no idea how that news got out, but it wasn’t a complete leak, because no one had the details right.

  Tara finished Mathew’s ink without further incident, washed it off, and took some pictures for both channels to use in videos later.

  “You ready for this?” Mathew asked?

  Tara shook her head. “I’m definitely not. But let’s get it over with.” They headed back into the main room of the shop.

  Ben hopped up from the couch, where he’d been playing a mobile racing game against Nick. She was grateful both he and Nathan were here. It was probably selfish of her, but having both men around helped keep her sane.

  Ben ran across the room to meet Mathew. “I wanna see.”

  Jeremy had been sitting in the reception chair, and sauntered over at a slower pace.

  “See?” Mathew crouched so Ben could get a better view of his arm.

  “Can I touch it?” Ben hovered his hand a few inches away and looked at Tara. He was a cute kid. They were lucky.

  Watching his easy joy helped soothe her. “You can touch the plastic, but be only very lightly.”

  “It’s pretty.” Ben looked like he was gently petting a small animal, barely making contact. He turned to Tara again, eyes wide. “You’re very talented.”

  Was he coached to say that? She didn’t care. It was sweet either way. “Thank you. Do we want to head upstairs? We have cake.” Oh, shit. She wasn’t supposed to just offer that to kids, was she? “If that’s all right.”

  Jeremy settled a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “I think we can manage some cake. It’s a perfect celebration food.”

  And if Tara and Nathan lost, she’d probably eat the rest in mourning. No reason to bring that up before the fact.

  They brought up the announcement on the TV in the living room again. Jeremy and Mathew settled on the couch, with Ben in Jeremy’s lap.

  Ben raised his hand. That was adorable.

  “What’s up, kiddo?” Jeremy asked.

  “I believe there was mention of cake?”

  Precious child. Tara hid her smile, to keep from encouraging the behavior. “It’s up to your dad.”

  Jeremy twisted his face in exaggerated consideration, then sighed heavily. “If it’s celebratory cake, we shouldn’t eat it before there’s something to celebrate.”

  “Okay.” Ben seemed to deflate. “But cake with TV is good.”

  Tara had never really considered kids before, but she could see why Jeremy adored this boy.

  “Just this once,” Jeremy said in surrender.

  Tara and Nathan dished out cake while Nick grabbed water and coffee for everyone.

  It relaxed her further to see him fitting in here. She wasn’t even sure who had suggested he join them today. Maybe it was just a forgone conclusion.

  Back in the living room, with plates handed out, she settled into Nathan’s lap in one chair, and Nick to the other chair across from them. She didn’t like having him so far away.

  If this didn’t go well, she wanted to commiserate with both of them. It would be nice if she wasn’t so convinced of a bad outcome, but this was the time to be realistic.

  The announcements started, and her chest tightened. She forced herself to breathe as the introductions rolled on screen. The tension in the room amplified until it was as heavy as the icing on the cake that no one was touching except Ben.

  Jeremy and Mathew had been competition favorites from the start. They’d shared the top spots with Ms. Passion before she was kicked out. and they slid into number one. They got to keep their spot again this month.

  A round of cheer rippled around the room when their channel name was announced, and Tara smothered her mounting disappointment under a sincere Congratulations.

  As the list continued, Tara tried to keep her cheer going, grinning through each announcement that wasn’t hers and Nathan’s.

  “You don’t have to paste on a fake smile for our benefit,” Mathew said.

  Nathan chuckled. “We’re happy for everyone.”

  “Fuck that,” Jeremy chimed in. “You’re still allowed to be upset each time your name isn’t called.

  Tara didn’t need his permission, but she liked the confirmation.

  When Bella’s Magic Needle was called, in the last spot, she swore her heart stopped for a minute. “Was that us? Did they just call our name?”

  Nathan’s Whoop, in her ear confirmed they’d just barely beaten out Julie and Dante’s cooking show.

  Tara let out a nervous laugh. Dante had been a TV star. As in, an actual network TV. While she hated to see anyone go, there was a trickle of smugness that she and Nathan had beaten someone with such a huge existing fanbase.

  “Can I have more cake?” Ben’s question cut through the room, and Tara felt the rest of her tension break away and shatter in lovely pieces around her. Cake sounded perfect.

  She looked at Jeremy in question, and he shrugged. “We are celebrating.”

  The conversation was buoyed as everyone slid into sugar and victory highs.

  “Can we come back tomorrow for my tattoo?” Ben asked.

  Everyone laughed except Jeremy. “We’ll come back in ten years for your tattoo.”

  Ben pouted. “Okay, but this place had better still be he
re.”

  “We’re not going anywhere.” Nathan’s assurance rang with confidence.

  Tara liked the sound of that. They’d be here for a long time. A decade. More. Because despite the haters, they’d built this, and they deserved good things to come from it.

  With the announcements over, things wound down quickly. Jeremy, Mathew said their goodbyes. Tara wouldn’t mind facing off against them in the final round.

  Nick helped them clean up. The hum of excitement still muted conversation. When they were done, he stood near the edge of the room, shifting from one foot to the other.

  Tara wasn’t used to seeing him uncertain. “You all right?”

  “Yeah.” Nick’s smile was wide. “I’m super excited for both of you. And I’m also hesitating to say good night, because I’m having a great time.”

  Oh. Tara didn’t want him to go either.

  “But...?” Nathan asked.

  Nick jammed his hands in his pockets. “I have to prep for a meeting in the morning. And as tempting as it is to ask you to put in another good word for me, I figure I’d better earn this one.”

  “Antonio likes what you’re doing. You’ll be fine.” As Tara assured him, a new thought sank in. Too many more meetings, and Nick would be done here. He’d head back home.

  Probably in the next couple of weeks. She didn’t expect he wanted to stay here over Christmas. Thanksgiving seemed hard enough for him. She crossed the room and kissed him on the cheek. It felt odd but natural at the same time. “Go work. Drop by tomorrow when you’re done with the meeting.”

  “I will.” He brushed his lips over hers. A moment later, he was gone.

  “Is that how it is now?” Nathan’s soft question startled her.

  She turned to see him standing in the entrance to the kitchen, with an unreadable expression on his face.

  Please don’t let the jealousy or uncertainty or whatever it was be back. “I’m not sure which that you’re talking about, but I’m going to say yes. Are you okay with that?”

  “With an undefined exchange of goodbye kisses?” Nathan held out a hand to her. “I am. I wasn’t sure if I would be, but yes.”

  She crossed the room to grasp his fingers. The day had left her drained, and the ebbing adrenaline rested in her stomach, making her feel a little nauseated, but this was all right. She was good with life in its current state. “Thank you.”