just didn’t like that hint of fear in her voice. It made him want to pull her against him and tell her he’d take care of it for her.
“Is there a problem?” Tanner asked although he was already shoving off the bed and reaching for his clothes. “Is there something we can do to help?”
Jensen shook his head as Tanner, once again, knew exactly what to say to put a smile on a woman’s face. Nica flashed Tanner that smile as she slid out of bed, still not making any move to cover her beautiful body.
“No, it’s nothing earth-shattering. Just…something Tira and I need to handle. I’m sorry to make you—”
“No sorry needed,” Tanner cut in. “Just let me get dressed and I’ll give you a ride home.”
As Nica came around the side of the bed, Jensen stepped in front of her. “There’s a bathroom there,” he pointed to the door along the wall. “I’ll get your clothes for you.”
Her smiled dimmed just the slightest bit but she nodded as she said thanks and headed for the bathroom.
Shaking his head over his uncharacteristic caveman impression, Jensen went back to the living room to gather their clothes. When he returned, she stepped from the bathroom.
Tanner was nowhere to be seen.
“I didn’t mean to pry.” He handed over her clothes. “You just seemed…worried.”
Nodding, she took her clothes and started to shimmy into them. And Jensen had to turn away and slip back into his pants before she noticed his erection.
“I’m sure it’s nothing. Just Tira being careful. But we’ve had some, uh, disturbing phone calls lately and she doesn’t like staying alone.”
She was lying. Jensen was a pretty good judge of people and she was lying about something.
Again, none of his business.
And no, he still didn’t like the fact that she didn’t want to tell him.
Damn, he was an idiot.
More so, because he was going to ride along with her and Tanner. Just to make sure she didn’t need their help.
* * * * *
Tanner ran upstairs to get a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt and came back to find Jensen and Nica dressed and standing by the front door, waiting for him.
They stood silently, Nica fiddling with something in her purse while Jensen stared at her.
Jensen was worried and Tanner couldn’t say he blamed him.
Tanner had picked up on the undertone of Jensen and Nica’s conversation at the bar. She’d been looking for an escape tonight. That’s why she’d been there.
Whether she’d been searching for sexual oblivion or not, she’d certainly been looking for something to take her mind off her troubles. And now it seemed trouble had found her.
Or was she having that post-sex stress some women had after going to bed with two brothers. Some were okay in the moment but once their brain started to kick in after an orgasm, guilt jumped in with both feet.
He really hoped Nica didn’t feel guilty. Tanner didn’t do guilt. Pleasure was good for the soul. Didn’t matter where you got it as long as you didn’t hurt anyone.
Nica hadn’t shown any signs of guilt but now, with her head bent over her purse, he had to wonder.
Then again, maybe he was reading too much into the situation.
Tanner looked at Jensen again and caught his brother’s eye. Jensen nodded. He wanted Tanner to find out what was going on because Tanner was good at getting women to talk. Jensen typically let Tanner do most of the talking because Jensen believed he sucked at it. Which Tanner always thought was a cop-out.
Still, Nica looked seriously worried, though she tried to hide it behind a smile when she looked up at him.
“You know, you don’t have to run me home. I can call for a taxi.”
Jensen was right. She was scared.
Tanner gave her his brightest smile. “No problem, sweetheart. We’ll get going right now. You live in the city, right? Have you had much trouble there?”
She shook her head. “No, no trouble. Our neighborhood is pretty quiet most of the time.”
Tanner opened the door and waved her