Page 15 of Claimed by Her Polar Bears

Her smooth countenance told him nothing, but finally a little grin quirked one side of her mouth and her cheeks flushed. “Kiss him again?”

He let out his breath in a whoosh, bubbles of joy spinning through his veins. So relieved, he didn’t move, but Clark reached across their mate and cupped the back of his head in his big palm. “Partner, the lady made a request.”

This kiss was nothing short or fast, and by the time they drew apart and glanced down, Jenni’s eyes sparkled with crystal tears. “That was so beautiful. I could tell you were super close, last night and, let’s face it, comfortable naked together, but since you didn’t umm interact with each other, I didn’t know if you were just good friends in the habit of sharing women or…” She swallowed hard and the tears spilled over, pouring down her cheeks. “Why do you even need me? I-I…you love each other so much. I’m just in the way.”

They both stared then Clark as usual voiced what they both thought. “Jenni, of course we love each other. We’ve been bonded since we were kids and lovers since we grew up, but there’s always been a spot waiting for someone else.” He paused, searching her face, then gave Ty a nod.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Jenni.” Ty smoothed her hair back from her face, loving the silky strands under his palm. “I can’t explain it, and you might not feel the same, but we hope, once you get to know us, you will.”

She rolled over, pressing her face into the pillow, and her shoulders shook.

Ty and Clark hovered over her. She cried as if her heart would break. What had they done to cause that?

“Jenni.” At a loss, he bundled her into his arms and sat against the headboard, cuddling her to him while she wept. “Jenni, beautiful girl, what did we do?”

Clark, who always knew the right thing to say, put his arms around them both and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. But he didn’t speak. The big guy had a heart as huge as all of outdoors, but sadness undid him. Especially if he didn’t know how to fix it.

For once, Ty had to take charge of the situation. He only hoped he didn’t do or say something to send her away instead of toward them. Who had broken her so deep inside? “Tell me, beautiful girl, what hurts?” Rocking back and forth, the three of them wrapped together, he tried to soothe her, but he knew in his heart he had to wait it out. Her sobs came from her very soul. Her tears soaked his chest. Her ragged breaths tore him to pieces.

She didn’t answer, nor did he expect her to. He wasn’t sure she was even aware they were there or where she’d gone, somewhere deep inside, but until she returned, all they could do was hold her. He’d do it forever, gladly, if it could help heal her.

Time passed while the sun broke through the clouds outside the cabin window again and sent weak shafts of light across the wooden floorboards and finally over the trio in their tight embrace. Then, when he’d begun to worry she’d be dehydrated from all the tears, she sniffled and drew a deep, shuddering breath. “You must think I’m crazy. I show up here, for a date with two strangers, hop into bed with you as if I do that sort of thing all the time then soak your sheets with my tears.

“I should probably get out of here before I make any more of an ass out of myself.” She moved to sit up but they tightened their grip.

“We don’t care about the sheets,” he told her. “But we do care about you. Can you share with us what made you so sad?” A horrible thought occurred. “Was it us? We’d never do anything you don’t want. But you seemed so happy last night.”

Clark’s face reflected Ty’s horror. “Did we hurt you in some way?”

Humans were fragile creatures, after all.

But she shook her head and sniffled. “No, it’s not you at all. Well…it is. But not in a bad way.” She gave them a watery smile. “Everything I’m getting from you, the kindness, the warmth, the attention to my desires, is everything I told myself I’d never have.

“It’s the reason I was ready to marry Harold. As my friend Matilda says, he’s convenient, and he’s probably not a serial killer.”

“Serial killer?” Clark asked, brows drawing down. “He’s a danger to you, then.”

“No!” she protested, patting his chest. “It was a joke. Harold is far too occupied with his business to kill a whole bunch of people.”

“So how does he make time to spend with you?” Ty cleared his throat. “I assume if he wants to marry you, he goes to great lengths to show you his admiration and respect.” He would not say the L word.

“Well, he’s right in my building, so… He comes over, and I make him dinner, and we watch movies and…and do stuff.”

Ty hated hearing about the man who had had his hands on their female, but she was with them now, not this Harold character who seemed to think he had some kind of claim on their mate. Yet, the insult at the way he treated her rankled.

“What do you mean you were going to marry him?” Clark’s voice was low and even, as always, but anyone who knew him would recognize the underlying tension.

“Just that. He-he proposed,” she managed.

“And what did you say? Where do things lie?” Tie asked, already planning the man’s death. Two polar bears could leave nothing recognizable if they chose. Not that they’d ever done that, but they’d never had a good reason before.

“I am thinking about it.”

“Am? As in present tense?” They’d rip the interloper’s head off and play basketball with it.

She rubbed at her eyes. “Well, I had planned to agree, but now I don’t know.”

“Has something happened to change your decision?” They’d toss the remains in some trees for the vultures to enjoy if even they wanted such rancid meat.

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