“Are we going casual?” he asked as he stepped into the shower to turn the water on.
“Yep. Just some shorts and a shirt will suffice.
He looked at her bright sundress. “Uh-huh.” He headed to his closet and came back out with a pair of khakis and a button up short-sleeve shirt.
She shook her head. “You’re really over doing it.”
“If that’s the case you’d been in shorts and a tank top,” he observed.
Sienna sat on the bed with her laptop while Vaughn showered.
When he was done he headed out in a towel. “What are you working on?”
A glance in his direction made her mouth go dry. His skin glistened with leftover water. She watched in fascination as a line of it traveled down his chest and disappeared beneath his towel. She swallowed hard. He was altogether sexy and her desire was mounting by the minute.
Her hand went to her chest to quell her rapid heartbeat.
“Well?”
She looked baffled. “Hmm?”
Vaughn pointed to the laptop. “I asked what you were working on.”
“Oh,” she cleared her throat. “I’ve got a focus group next week and I’m just going over some details,” she replied trying hard not to stare the towel out of his hands. She figured her drooling would be less obvious if she returned to her work.
“I’ll be in Vegas next weekend. Wanna meet me there?”
“I’d love to, but I can’t. Vivian and I have already planned a girl’s weekend out.”
“So whatever you two are up to couldn’t fit into just an evening out?”
“Something like that.”
“Don’t get into too much trouble,” he teased. “Are you inviting your sister?”
Sienna stopped typing and looked up. Setting her computer aside she pondered his question. “I hadn’t planned on it. Sasha doesn’t breeze into town that often so I didn’t even think to ask her.” Her face wrinkled in contemplation. “Do you think I should?”
“That’s up to you, Doc,” he said, sliding up a pair of boxer briefs. He sat on the edge of the bed to put lotion on. “It would be a nice gesture considering you two are on shaky ground right now. Maybe this would help get you guys back on track.”
Do I even want to get back on track? She asked herself. Her thoughts turned to her parents and the strain she and Sasha were putting them through. “I honestly don’t know. The two of us mix like water and oil, Vaughn. That’s not exactly my idea of a rollicking night out,” she confessed.
Vaughn smiled. “Rollicking?”
“Shut up. Plenty of people use that word.”
“Are they under eighty?”
They both laughed. Without warning, Vaughn gathered Sienna in his arms and leaned back on the bed. He kissed the sensitive area between her neck and collar bone. When his eyes found hers his expression was smug. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you checking me out.”
“What? I…I wasn’t checking you out. I see drop-dead-sexy men all the time,” she said, dismissively.
“Is that so? Sounds like a challenge for me. I may have to step up my game in order to compete with all those men catching your eye, especially when you’re out of town doing focus groups.”
“I have a rule never to involve myself with respondents,” she informed him.
“A rule?”
She nodded.
His hand slid inside her bodice. “I’m curious, Dr. Lambert, what other rules do you have?”
Holding a thought in her head was becoming difficult. Heat suffused her skin flushing it red. The devilish grin he wore made her heart leap in anticipation. “I’d rather show you,” she countered, reciting his words back to him.
An hour later, they were pulling into her parent’s driveway. Vaughn eased out of his convertible and walked around to open Sienna’s door. She reached into the backseat to retrieve the bag she’d brought with them. She entwined her fingers with Vaughn’s and led him toward the front door.
True to form, her father opened it before they reached it.
“Hey, kiddo, Vaughn,” Gordon said, enthusiastically. “Come on in.”
Vaughn shook Gordon’s hand and followed Sienna inside.
“Welcome, Vaughn,” Cassandra appeared out of nowhere. She gave him a big hug and guided him toward the family room.
“Thank you, Cassie,” he replied.
Vaughn looked around as he followed behind her. The large white house with the wraparound porch and bright, open floor plan emitted warmth and well being. He felt the same ease he did at Sienna’s house. Sienna joined him on the couch while her parents went to check on dinner.
“Can we help you with anything?” Sienna called after them.
“No dear we’re fine,” Cassandra replied over her shoulder. “You two just relax.”
Sienna leaned back on the couch. She closed her eyes and sighed.
“What are you doing?” Vaughn inquired.
“Relaxing.”
He leaned closer. “You sure you aren’t remembering our assignation on that big bed of mine earlier?”
Her eyes flew open, but before she could respond Sasha entered.
“Hey.”
Vaughn spoke first. “Hello Sasha.”
“How are you?” Sienna asked sitting up on the couch.
“Great. How about you? You seem…well,” Sasha smiled, knowingly.
Sienna immediately blushed. “I am, thanks for asking.”
Before more could be said, Gordon asked Sienna to come open a bottle of wine.
“Oh, wine. That’s right,” she leaped off the couch and picked up the bag she’d placed on the table. “We brought wine. I’ll be back,” she said, practically running from the room.”
Sasha sat on a nearby chair. She regarded Vaughn with amusement.
He returned her frank stare. “So, do you always take pleasure in ribbing your sister about her boyfriends?”
She shrugged. “Every chance I get, which believe me hasn’t been too often.”
“So, from that none-too-subtle comment earlier I gather you had a hand in Friday’s little red dress?”
“Maybe.”
Vaughn couldn’t contain the grin at the recollection. “Well if you did my undying thanks.”
Sasha smiled as well. “So tell me, how did you and Sienna meet?”
“A client outing. We were playing baseball.”
Sasha looked shocked. “Sienna? Playing baseball? That doesn’t sound like my sister.”
“She did quite well considering it was her first time,” he said, proudly. “Unfortunately, she was in front of the base when I was trying to slide in.”
“An obstruction,” Sasha retorted.
Surprised registered on his face.
“Now that does sound like Sienna. So you swept her off her feet?”
“Literally,” Vaughn chuckled at the memory.
“It sounds like everything worked out in the end, though.”
“We’ve had our ups and downs.”
“From the looks of things, you two are back on track. I’m glad for her.”
“Are you?”
“Of course. Contrary to popular belief, I want my sister to be happy, Mr. Deveraux.”
“Sasha, I think you can call me Vaughn now, don’t you?”
She studied him. “If you say so.”
“So, what do you do in London?”
“I’m a flight attendant for British Airways.”
“That must be interesting. I take it you’ve traveled a lot?”
“I’ve been all over the world. My boyfriend’s job is very demanding and takes him to many countries. I go with him when I can.”
“Really? What’s he do?”
“He owns a soccer team.”
“Which one?”
“The Meteros.”
Vaughn sat forward. “Milo Georgopoulos is your boyfriend?”
Sasha paled. “You know him? How?”
“My company did an ad campaign to promote his team
.”
“Small world,” she noted shifting in her chair.
Just then, Sienna entered holding a tray with three wineglasses and a plate of assorted snacks. She handed them both a glass before taking hers. She sat down next to Vaughn. “Mom’s elated we’re all here. You’d think it was Christmas,” Sienna remarked.
He placed a hand on her leg. “For your parents maybe it is. Getting the two of you together often must be just short of a miracle.”
“So what were you two chatting about when I came in?”
“Just work stuff,” Sasha answered, quickly.
Vaughn’s eyebrow rose, but he remained silent.
“Chow time,” her father’s voice boomed from down the hall.
Dinner was a lighthearted affair. Everyone chatted amicably while Gordon recounted stories about his two girls’ antics growing up. When it was over, Sasha and Sienna handled the dishes while Gordon, Cassandra and Vaughn went into the family room to chat.
“Do you have any other family in the area, Vaughn?”
“No sir, my father’s family is on the West Coast. My parents live in Michigan near my mother’s family.”
“And what are your intentions toward my daughter?” Gordon asked cutting to the chase.
“Colonel Lambert,” Vaughn began.
Gordon shot him a stern glance.
“Sorry, Gordon,” he corrected.
The older man nodded his approval.
“I care about your daughter very much, sir.”
“I can see that. Tell me, have you ever been married?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Any children?”
“None.”
“That you’re aware of, or not at all?”
Vaughn didn’t take offense. “Not at all, sir.”
When her husband showed no signs of letting up on the interrogation Cassandra excused herself and went into the kitchen.
“Hey Mom, what’s dad up to?” Sienna inquired.
“Nothing much, just interrogating your boyfriend.”
“What? Mom,” Sienna dropped the dish towel she was using. Rule number twenty-one: Never let your parent’s one-on-one time with your boyfriend exceed ten minutes. “Why didn’t you warn me?” she accused, dashing out of the room.
“I just did,” Cassandra called after her.
By the time Sienna made it to the family room they were gone. She ran downstairs, but they weren’t in the basement either. She checked the garage, and then the office.
Poking her head in, Sienna was about to leave when the telephone rang. “I’ll get it,” she called out. Walking quickly to the desk, Sienna picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Have they pulled out the baby pictures, yet?”
Sienna plopped down into the chair. “Please don’t give them any ideas. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to hear from you, but how did you find me?”
“Sienna, it wasn’t that hard. The places you like to frequent can still be counted on one hand,” Vivian informed her.
“Dad’s somewhere around the house grilling Vaughn, I can feel it. I’m trying to find them to run interference.”
“Don’t go getting all nervous,” her friend soothed. “I’m sure it isn’t as bad as you’re thinking.”
“I don’t know. My imagination is pretty extensive.”
A loud ding sounded from the laptop on the desk in front of Sienna. She immediately moved the mouse. The dark screen disappeared allowing Sienna to see what was on the screen. As her eyes scanned across the page her expression turned from curiosity to shock and then anger. “That little bitch,” she said, venomously.
“What? Who?”
“My poor excuse for a sister. I knew it,” she said, in a raised voice. “Viv, I’ve got to go,” she informed her before disconnecting the line. She unplugged the laptop from the wall outlet. Picking it up, she stormed from the room.
Chapter Twenty-five
Hidden Agenda
Going into the kitchen, Sienna spotted her sister. “This whole thing was a ruse, wasn’t it?” she accused.
Sasha turned around to face her sister. When she saw her laptop being waved through the air her expression darkened. “Why do you have my laptop?”
“You didn’t answer my question. Suppose you tell us what’s really going on?”
Cassandra looked from one sister to the other. “What’s this about?”
“She’s been lying to us this whole time,” she told their mother. She reeled around again. “You weren’t here to relax and commune with your family. That was just how you got your sorry foot in the door. What you were really doing was spying on me for some book you’re writing about twins and how we don’t get along. Admit it.”
Cassandra placed a hand over her mouth. “Sasha, is this true?”
Sasha looked at her sister, her expression venomous. “Not exactly, mom.”
“Don’t you dare try to spin this around. I saw it myself,” Sienna told her family.
Sasha glared at her sister. “You had no right snooping on my computer and reading mail that wasn’t addressed to you.”
“And you had no right being here under false pretenses,” Sienna’s voice shook with indignation.
“I’m not here to gather information on you for my book. I merely wanted to visit. No more, no less.”
“I don’t believe you,” Sienna shoved the laptop at her. “Besides, it’s not the first time you’ve done something under false pretenses.”
Sasha sat the computer on the kitchen table and regarded Sienna with annoyance. “Oh for once would you stop acting like a victim? If you would’ve just asked me I would’ve told you, but no. That’s not how Miss Holier-Than-Thou operates. You have to lecture people to death until you get your way.”
“All right stop it—both of you,” Cassandra’s voice carried over their bickering. “I will not tolerate you two going twenty rounds in my kitchen. Let’s all sit down and discuss this rationally.”
“You do know you’re talking about Sienna, don’t you Mom?” Sasha said, dryly. “I don’t think rational is in her psychic bag of tricks.”
“Really? Well it’s pretty obvious family loyalty isn’t in yours,” Sienna shot back. “I’m leaving. Mom, I’m sorry but I have to go.”
“Neither of you is going anywhere until I know what’s going on,” Gordon’s authoritative voice sounded from the door.
The three women turned to see Gordon and Vaughn standing just inside the entryway. Vaughn walked over and stood protectively beside Sienna.
Eventually everyone moved into the family room. Sienna and Vaughn shared a couch while Sasha, Gordon and Cassandra seated themselves in nearby chairs. Sienna relayed the details to her father and Vaughn.
“Her agent, Jewel Lieberman sent her an e-mail asking if she’d gotten more examples of our dysfunctional relationship for the book.”
Gordon shook his head in disbelief. “Sasha…is this…tell me it’s not true.”
“Daddy I swear I didn’t come here to spy on my family.”
“The hell you didn’t,” Sienna raged.
Sasha sighed. “I am writing a book, it’s true,” she looked toward her sister, “but I wouldn’t put anything damaging in it about any of you.”
“Really? Sienna said, skeptically. “Then I suggest you clue what’s-her-name in because that’s what she thinks you’re here to do.”
Silence descended on the large room. Finally Cassandra spoke up. “With all the commotion I never got to ask about the book you’re writing.”
“It’s a work of fiction—more or less.”
“You must be thrilled to be writing a book,” her mother exclaimed.
“I am, mom. I’ve just started. I’m still working on the research and character development.”
“Sasha, may I speak with you in private?” Sienna asked.
“Sure,” she said, reluctantly.
The sisters went to the office. Sasha closed the door. “What do you want, Sienna?”
“You may have our parents fooled, but I’m not so gullible.”
“I don’t know what you mean. As usual, you’re jumping to conclusions.”
“Don’t even think about trying to turn this around on me. I’m not jumping to anything. It was all there in black and white, Sasha. Or are you now going to call your agent a liar, too?”
“You had no right to invade my privacy.”
“And you have no right to be here under false pretenses.”
“I’m not.” Sasha threw her hands up. “This is ridiculous! Why do we rub each other the wrong way all the time? Don’t you get tired of us bickering? Can’t you for once be happy for me? I’m writing a book that will be a best seller. I will be recognized for what I say. People come to you every day for your advice, now I’ll have people wanting to know what I think.”
“Just remember, your actions have consequences. Sometimes people get hurt because of them.”
“This isn’t one of those times.”
Sienna eyed her sister with contempt. “We’ll see. I’m sure if given enough opportunities you’ll reveal yourself. For your sake you’d better not be here with a hidden agenda. Whatever book you’re writing better not have me in it or I promise you’ll regret it.”
Sasha arched an eyebrow. “Is that a threat?”
“You better believe it.”
They regarded each other a few seconds longer before Sienna turned around and left the room slamming the door behind her.
“You know, Dr. Lambert, I think this little run-in would make a great scene for my book.” Sasha retrieved her cell phone from her jean pocket, dialed a number and waited. “Hey, it’s me. Yes, I got your e-mail. My sister stumbled across your message. Don’t worry about it; it’s not your fault. Just to be safe though, call my cell phone if you need to reach me. No, I’ll send you the outline as soon as I’ve finished up. It will definitely be worth the wait.”
While driving back to Vaughn’s house they discussed the happenings of the night.
“Well that went well,” Sienna sighed heavily. “I’m sorry about that. I’m sure you got more than you bargained for with my family; my father’s interrogation, and my sister with her sordid book on our tumultuous relationship.”
Interview with Love Page 19
