Protecting His Beautiful Lover (Southern Soldiers of Fortune 3)

“With this part anyway.” Lenny grinned. “Glad it worked out for you.”

“Me too.” She wandered back into her office and sank down in her chair again, still trying to wrap her head around it. She’d been working on promoting the climate change bill for months. It had been such a big part of her life that now she wasn’t sure exactly what to do with herself. Whatever it was, she’d be okay, though. She really felt that now.

She pulled out her phone and started to dial Clint’s number, then caught herself. Her first instinct had been to call him and share her happy news, but that wasn’t really appropriate now, was it? They weren’t enemies, but they weren’t friends either. Things were way more complicated than that.

Her chest pinched and she rubbed the spot over her heart absently.

If she was honest with herself, she missed him. Missed his smile and his smart responses. Missed just having him around. She took a deep breath and set her phone on the desk. She was lonely, that was all. Being with Clint had shown her that she did want a relationship someday. And yeah. She’d loved him, despite not knowing him that long. She could admit that freely now.

Funny, but she’d always expected love to be a distraction, a thing that took her focus away from what was important, but the opposite had been true. Love had shown her what her true priorities should be, shown her true joy and brought her true creativity to the forefront. She scrolled through the posts she’d done with Ashley again, the rainbow-bright colors shining off her laptop screen.

Images of the little girl’s face the day they’d moved out rushed back to Tara’s mind, making her heart ache even more. The tears. The hugs. The promises that they’d stay in touch even if she and Clint weren’t involved anymore.

Tears stung Tara’s eyes and she reached for the phone again without thinking. Dammit. Just because she and Clint weren’t involved anymore didn’t mean she and Ashley couldn’t still do things together. If anything, Ashley needed a kickass female role model in her life more than ever now, right?

Besides, Tara had some new ideas about social media campaigns she’d need the little girl’s help with. She sent off a quick text to Clint’s phone inviting Ashley to come over to her house to help plant a new butterfly garden she’d planned before this whole mess started. It would be good for the earth and good for her too. Fresh air and a fresh start to her friendship with Ashley. After she hit send, Tara stood and smoothed a hand down the front of her paisley print dress. Time to accept that new job. Mr. Harrison was in the office today, wanting to be on hand in case the press reached out for a comment about the

legislation, so she would be able to give him her decision in person. She headed for the door, feeling surer of herself than she had in months. She gave Judy a nod as she passed her desk, not exactly a bestie, but they understood each other now. Maybe.

Judy could keep fighting for that E.D. job. Tara knew where she belonged now and felt comfortable in her own skin at last.

Things were good and about to get even better.

New job, new outlook, new future.

20

Clint sat at his desk in the SSoF offices staring at his phone screen for a long time. The text invitation from Tara was a surprise and for a second he thought he might have conjured it from his own imagination—a manifestation of how hard it was for him to forget about her.

Dammit.

He sighed and sat forward, trying to look busy so the guys wouldn’t start asking him questions. The last thing he wanted to do was let them know he was still hung up on a woman he never should have fallen for to begin with.

After shuffling around some papers for a few minutes, he took another peek at the phone and yep. Text still there. God. What the hell was he supposed to do with that? When he and Ashley had packed up and moved back home a few weeks back, it had hurt like hell, but he’d figured that was the end of it. There was no reason for Tara to contact him again. She would move on with her life and he’d move on with his. End of story.

Yet here she was, asking to set up a time for his daughter to come over and hang out at her place. Not him, mind you. Nope. Tara apparently wanted nothing to do with him. But Ashley? Bring it on.

He should be happy, he supposed. He knew that Ashley missed Tara. But still. Why would Tara want to do that? Sure, she’d been nice to the kid when they were staying there, but it wasn’t like Ashley was hers or anything.

Not that being a biological parent made some unbreakable bond with someone. Hell, Ashley’s own mother had proved that point.

“Dude, I’m running out to take care of a couple errands,” Levon called from the door. “Need anything?”

“Nope. I’m good, thanks,” Clint called back, putting the phone down again and glancing around the office. “Where’s Noah?”

“He left a while ago to run back to his place,” Levon said, sending him a funny look. “You didn’t notice?”

“Obviously not.” Clint scrubbed a hand over his face, doing his best to cover his gaffe. “Been trying to get through these financial reports. Guess I got distracted.”

“Uh huh.” Levon narrowed his gaze on him, his tone sounding thoroughly unconvinced. “You okay, buddy?”

“Of course.” He sat forward and clicked on one of the multiple tabs open in the accounting software on his computer. “I’m fine. Why?”

“No reason.” Levon hesitated a second, then shook his head and pushed out the door. “Don’t work too hard while I’m gone.”

“I won’t.” Clint waited until the bells jangled, signifying the door was closed, before he looked up from his monitor again. For a couple of ex-SEALs, Levon and Noah were far too concerned with his love life for their own good. Clint liked to keep his private stuff private, but his friends had done nothing but hound him about Tara following his return to the office. He didn’t want to talk about it because he felt there was nothing to talk about. He’d done his job. They’d had a fling. It was over.

Except every time he remembered those few weeks they’d spent together at her place, his chest constricted a little, his heart aching against his wishes. Man, he was an idiot. He’d known going into all of this that sleeping with her would be a mistake. Usually, he did well keeping his emotions out of sex, but Tara had been different. From the start, she’d touched something inside him, made him feel things he’d denied for too long, had him imagining what it would be like to be a real family with her, not just a temporary one.