Bonds of Trust by Lynda Aicher Page B

Mr. Montgomery over there.” Allie tilted her head and stared at the man in discussion.
    Cali laughed and followed her friend’s gaze. Yes, Carter Montgomery was a handsome man. Tall, dark and sexy pretty much summed him up. His midnight hair and contrasting crystal blue eyes, paired with a body toned and hardened by diligent gym time, made him a prime piece of eye candy at the pool.
    He definitely came across as a man who knew his way around a bedroom. But then, looks didn’t guarantee performance. And a guaranteed performance was what Cali had sought and obtained. She felt her cheeks heat at just the thought of her night at The Den. With Jake.
    She glanced at Allie to see if she’d noticed the blush, but the woman appeared to be lost in her own musings. A glaze of pure lust had fallen over the sharp angles of Allie’s features and Cali wondered if she’d looked at Jake like that. Until two nights ago, she’d buried lust beneath responsibility, motherhood, expectations and denial.
    “Good luck,” Cali said with a chuckle as Allie got up and made her way over to her target. Cali glided between the tables with her pile of trash, keeping her smile in place. She dropped her items into the garbage then went over to the buffet table to start on the cleanup there.
    “Cali, darling,” Evan called as he sashayed over to her side and slid an arm around her shoulders. “Stop your puttering and enjoy yourself for once. Mingle, laugh, have fun with the rest of us.” He tugged her away from the table. Short of digging in her heels and causing a scene, Cali was forced to go with him.
    “I’m fine,” she insisted, but gave in and looped an arm around his trim waist. “I was just taking care of some of the mess.”
    “And the mess will still be there when the party’s over.”
    “True, but there would be less of it if you let me do some cleanup now.”
    “No can do, sugar,” Evan emphasized with a back and forth swing of his finger. “Little Miss Details is having fun today instead of hiding away behind the guise of cleaning up or organizing or whatever other detail you always find to stay busy.”
    “I do not.”
    He halted and shot her a look of sarcastic disbelief. “Darling, I dare you to sit down for one hour and simply enjoy yourself.”
    Cali resisted the urge to rub her hand over her stomach as it cramped up once again. She smiled tightly. “I do enjoy myself. I just believe in maintaining the mess instead of compiling the work at the end. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
    “Down, girl,” Evan said, pulling her into a gentle hug. “That was not a criticism.” He leaned back and gave her a tender look. “I just want you to stop playing mom and start being the attractive, single lady that you are.”
    Cali found herself blinking back tears. Evan, in his gentle but direct way, had summed up her life in a nutshell. But he didn’t need to know just how close he was to nailing the truth or how lost she was in figuring out how to do as he suggested.
    “I think Richard’s searching for you,” she evaded and pointed to Evan’s partner, who was gesturing for Evan to join him. Evan and Richard lived in the corner unit adjacent to hers and had instantly welcomed her when she’d moved in last spring. Both men were in their late thirties, openly gay and completely committed to each other.
    Which made them safe and easy for her to befriend.
    Evan tossed his head in an unsuccessful attempt to move his blond bangs out of his eyes. The overlong hair always managed to lop back over his brow and dust enticingly across his dark, girl-envy lashes. His blue eyes sparked when he watched Richard and his lips softened into a gentle smile reserved for that someone special. He sent his lover a quick wink then turned his attention back to Cali. “He’ll be fine,” he said. “The question is, will you?”
    She wrinkled her brow and scoffed. “Of course I will.” She would be. She was always fine. The real question