So Many Men...

What woman would complain?

“Hey, Tess, we’re a little short on the pizza. Can you kick in?” Nate set a towering stack of pizza boxes on the coffee table already strewn with beer cans and half-filled bowls of chips. The men tore at the boxes with ravenous delight.

Tess glanced at the young Hispanic delivery guy standing wide-eyed by the door, then back at her own guys as they vied to see who could stuff an entire slice of pizza into his mouth first. Okay, maybe there was some reason for her dissatisfaction.

She turned to the newcomer. “Hold on just a second.”

With a shake of her head she walked to her bedroom, reminding herself of all the good her guys had done for her lately. Just that morning, Ramon had stored a week’s worth of meals in her freezer, Gabe had fixed the broken shelf on the bookcase in her bedroom, and Evan had finished scheduling her staff at the nursery for the upcoming week.

By the time she’d paid for the pizza she’d never eat, her heart swelled with warmth for all of them. Each one of them had been there for her, and if she needed them, they’d be there again. In a heartbeat.

The delivery guy nodded his thanks, then beat a hasty retreat. She stood in the door a moment and breathed in the heavy Miami air. The humidity still curled her hair, even this late in September.

Closing the door, she turned to her entourage. “I’m going out back to get a little air.”

A couple of them bobbed their heads, but between the pizza and the game, they hardly seemed to notice her. She did a quick scan of them, assessing the various emotions each felt. They all seemed content to one degree or another.

All was well. That meant she’d done her job. And though no deep emotion currently ran through the group—other than for how the Dolphins were faring—she felt no concern. This was the way it always was—the lull between lovers.

She headed through the kitchen toward the back door, bent on a few moments of solitude on the shaded deck, even if it meant frizzing her hair in the remaining afternoon heat.

As she swept by the kitchen table, she grabbed the newspaper. Maybe she could see a movie. Of course, it wouldn’t be as much fun by herself. Where was Erin? Her younger sister had made her presence way too scarce since their oldest sister, Nikki, had moved out.

“I don’t need Erin,” Tess assured herself as she settled in the padded lounger one of her guys had given her—she forgot which one—last year for her birthday. She opened the paper. “Now, what’s going on in the world?”

But instead of the headline news, she’d grabbed the community section. She skimmed the list of upcoming events. Maybe she needed a little community involvement—a new charity to distract her. She hadn’t volunteered for anything in quite a while. Maybe that was what was eating at her.

She scanned the options. United Way…Friends of the Elderly…Dade County Women’s Club—a women’s club? What did they do?—Make a Wish Foundation…

She bit her lip. A women’s group? That would mean no men. No testosterone, no dirty socks flying about, no paying for pizza she’d never eat…

Maybe that was what was troubling her—what this…emptiness in her life was. With her mother traveling abroad with her latest lover and her sisters tied up in their respective lives, was Tess merely craving female companionship?

But would she find friends in the Dade County Women’s Club? A feeling of trepidation stole over her. Memories of high school flashed through her mind. She hadn’t intentionally set out to date the head cheerleader’s boyfriend, or the senior class president, or the star quarterback. She hadn’t realized the power of her smile or even of an interested glance.

She hadn’t known then that she had the McClellan gift of sexual healing.

The animosity of every female in school quickly had clued Tess in, though, that she was…different. As much as she’d tried, she couldn’t make up for the continued interest of guys. She’d never had a girlfriend and, after a time, she’d given up. She’d had her sisters, after all, and she’d liked having so many male companions. And as she’d grown up, she’d enjoyed them as lovers.

But now something was wrong. The disquiet she’d experienced lately rippled through her. Did the women’s club hold the answer to what was missing from her life? That group wouldn’t have any men to distract her. Maybe she’d find acceptance among her female peers and she’d be giving to her community, something she’d always found fulfilling in the past.

She read the announcement again. There was a luncheon on Sunday—tomorrow.

Should she go?

“Josh, go long.” A muffled yell filtered through the window, followed by a crash and the tinkling of broken glass.

She folded the paper and tucked it under her arm as she rose to investigate the latest upheaval in her home.

A testosterone-free afternoon.

How could she resist?

“ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT to do this?” Nate peered at her through the open car window, his dark eyes questioning.

She buckled her seat belt, then gripped the wheel, ignoring the tightening in her gut and the alarming urge to invite him along. She’d gotten way too used to having her own little entourage escort her everywhere. “I’m sure. I’ll be fine. It’s just a luncheon. Should be fun. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Okay, Josh and I are going to hit a few balls on the courts.” His shoulders eased in a slight shrug. “If you need anything, just call.”

“I’ll be fine,” she reiterated, a nervous smile tugging at her lips. Was she reassuring him—or herself? “It’s just a meeting of the Dade County Women’s Club. What could happen?”

He stepped away from the car, frowning. “Not sure why you think you need to rub shoulders with those women, but knock ’em dead.”

“Thanks, Nate. I should be back in plenty of time for dinner.”

“We’ll heat up one of Ramon’s specialties.”

The sun glanced off a bumper in front of her a short while later. A panhandler peered at her from a street corner, looking downtrodden and wearing too many layers of clothing in the heat. Her heart gave a little squeeze. She didn’t have time now, but she’d bring him some food on her way back.

Lifting her chin, she gripped the wheel and focused on the road. She could do this. She’d walk into this meeting with her head held high. Without a man in sight she shouldn’t have any problems striking up friendships with the club members.

A short time later, she took a deep breath as she pushed through the doors at the Hennesy Hotel. Soft music filled the lobby. She followed a sign and the murmur of voices to a meeting room. With her stomach flip-flopping and a smile plastered across her face, she strode into the room.

“Good afternoon, may I help you?” A petite woman sitting at a table inside the door greeted her.

“Um, yes, I’m here for a luncheon with the Dade County Women’s Club.”

“Are you a visitor?” A wide smile broke across the woman’s face. “We’re always excited to have new people.”

“I saw your meeting announcement in the community calendar. I thought I’d come see what you were all about.”

“Welcome. This is our monthly member luncheon, where we hold our meeting and enjoy visiting with one another.”

“I think that I might be interested in joining, if that’s okay.” The words surprised Tess, even as they left her own mouth. She’d meant only to check them out.

“Of course it’s okay. We’d love to have you.” The woman extended her hand to Tess. “I’m Cassie Aikens, program chair.”

Smiling, Tess pumped her hand. “Tess McClellan. I’ve never actually done anything like this before.”

“Attended a luncheon?”

“Joined a women’s group.” She’d done it again—committed herself before she’d had a chance to think it through. Yet something about this woman encouraged Tess in a way she’d never hoped to be.

“It’s a lot of fun. I’ll introduce you to Terry Kingsley when she gets here. She’s this year’s membership chair.”

“That would be great.”

Another woman entered the room and greeted Cassie. Her gaze shifted over Tess, who smiled. The newcomer was an attractive woman, with every blond hair in place. Tess, with her tangle of red waves, couldn’t help but feel a little tug of envy.