Hot Stuff

by Carly Phillips

"I said move forward." She emphasized her point with a shake of her head that had her ponytail falling over the shoulder of yet another of those jerseys she favored.

  He stabbed his steak and let the fork remain. It was one thing to acknowledge the attraction, another to contemplate doing anything more about it. Moving on seemed smartest. Safest. He wasn't sure what she meant with her semantics, but she was directing the conversation and he decided to see where she was headed.

  "So while we're eating, I thought we could deal with my first point and talk business."

  She'd obviously decided to drop the more heated subject and he exhaled a hard sigh of relief. The knot in his stomach eased, as did the tension lodged inside him.

  He cut into the steak and began eating. "Delicious," he said, between bites.

  "I'll let the cook know." She spoke with laughter in her voice but he couldn't mistake the glow of pleasure in her cheeks or the warmth in her eyes at his compliment.

  Just watching her, his skin flushed hot with wanting.

  "Tell me about your reasons for building this lodge. I'm sure it has something to do with the kids you want to bring in for the summer. And I already know you volunteer at, the high school. So, what gives?" she prodded and not too subtly, either.

  Her pointed questions froze everything that had been thawing inside him. He was drawn to her yes, but he didn't trust her. Not enough to divulge his deepest secret and thus expose his biggest fear-that no woman would ever love the real Brandon Vaughn. The man beneath the trophies, money and rings.

  "I thought we were going to talk business." He cleared his throat before continuing. "My reasons for the lodge are personal."

  "So you say." Leaning back in her seat, she drained the last of her drink. "But I answered your question and you said you'd answer mine," she reminded him.

  Her eyes had glazed with the effect of the wine. Her deep vee-neck plunged a bit too low, revealing soft white skin and plump cleavage he'd give anything to taste. Her allure had never been more potent.

  Too bad he was about to douse the flame. "As I recall, I said you could ask. I never agreed to answer."

  Dismay flickered in her eyes but she covered it with a casual wave of her hand. "You disappoint me, Vaughn."

  "I’ll have to live with that." But he suspected it wouldn't be as easy as he claimed. He didn't like coming up short with her and he wasn't sure why.

  "Just don't underestimate my determination," she warned him. "In the meantime, tell me more about this house."

  At least that answer he could give her.

  She rose and began collecting dirty plates.

  "Leave them. The cleaning lady comes in the morning." He stopped her, catching her wrist in his hand. The petite feel took him off guard. For a woman so sure of herself, she seemed fragile in his grasp.

  He wondered if he'd have to be gentle with her when they made love, then discounted the notion. She was stronger than she looked and tough as nails. And he was an idiot even thinking about having sex with this woman.

  He quickly released her. "I bought this place because it fit my needs," he said, answering her question.

  She lowered herself back into her seat. "So you said. But it's a contradiction. You say you need space and you buy a huge house, yet you only open and live in a fraction of it."

  "So? It's far enough from the residential sections of town to give me the privacy I want."

  "Mmm. I guess that makes sense."

  He narrowed his gaze. "You don't sound convinced."

  She pursed her lips in thought. "Well when your mother was here earlier, I picked up on some of what you two were saying. And the dynamics were pretty obvious."

  He clenched his jaw tight, hating any conversation that involved his mother or father. He'd long since come to terms with the man he'd become or so he thought until thoughts of how his parents viewed him resurfaced.

  "What does that have to do with anything?" he asked Annabelle.

  "I think you came home to show your parents how good you've done in your life."

  "When did you become a psychiatrist?"

  She shrugged. "A publicist has to be good at reading people and dissecting situations. And right now I sense I'm making you uncomfortable."

  "You're just pushing too much. As you've seen for yourself, my parents don't think I've accomplished a damn thing with my life, so hell yes, 1 wanted to show them a thing or two."

  "And buying this monstrosity accomplished that?"

  "No," he admitted. "It just brought me back to all the crap I left behind." He'd intended to give her a short, one-sentence explanation so she'd back off. Instead he'd given her more insight into himself than he allowed most people.

  "Then why stay?" she asked, still prodding for answers.

  "Because this town is my home," he bit out.

  She ran her tongue over her lower lip. "Now that I can understand." She hesitated, then drew a long, deep breath, causing her chest to rise and fall.

  Though he watched and his body responded, he held his own, wanting her to explain. That sexual tension she'd stopped discussing remained alive and smoldering just below the surface. "How so?"

  "You and Uncle Yank are close, or at least you once were. So you must know he took us in when my parents died." Quivering emotion laced her voice.

  Vaughn reacted without thinking. One minute they were adversaries, the next he reached across the table and grasped her hand in his. "I'm sorry about your folks."

  She nodded in gratitude. "Thanks."

  "You were lucky to have Yank."

  "Yeah we were." She spoke softly. "But for a while I wasn't even sure he'd take us in. I was so afraid the three of us would be separated and-" She paused and hiccuped, an obvious attempt to swallow her emotions. "Anyway, my point is, I can relate to the need for that feeling of home. But home isn't the same as family, you know?"

  A low growl rumbled deep in his throat. "Not everyone can have Ozzie and Harriet parents."

  "And I just told you I didn't have any parents. I'm just saying that for whatever reason, you and your folks don't connect. But you feel that connection to this town anyway. So much so that the lodge is the home this house will never be."

  She understood him and that scared him even more than the sizzling kiss. "Your point?" he said too gruffly.

  "I'd like you to let me use that emotional connection to this town in order to reach out to the people, and not just those around here. People in Greenlawn already love Brandon Vaughn. But I'd like to reach your extended public. The people you want to come and vacation at your lodge." She leaned closer. "Let them see the man inside the athlete and want to help you as much as you want to help the kids."

  She squeezed his hand tight and he glanced down. He'd almost forgotten they sat hand in hand, making a personal connection.

  There was now a subtle understanding between them. He drew a deep breath. "I'll think about it." He told himself he was responding to her business sense.

  Still he hated the idea of exposing something he did from the heart and using it as a media ploy. Then again, he wasn't stupid. If he wanted the summer camp to become a reality, he needed the funding the winter lodge guests would provide. That was, after all, the reason he'd hired Annabelle in the first place.

  Their hands remained intertwined. Her gaze met his, soft and understanding. Nothing businesslike in her expression or in the depths of those blue eyes now. This time if he acted on impulse and kissed her again, more than just sexual desire would be at work. At the moment he didn't care.

  A loud knock sounded at the back door of the kitchen. Vaughn turned and glanced over. A familiar figure stood outside, one of his workmen who often came by uninvited. "I wonder what he wants."

  "Who?"

  He jerked a head toward the back entrance. "Roy Murray. My electrical foreman."

  "Why doesn't he use the front door?"

  He rolled his eyes. "He decided back doors are reserved for friends, and according to him, that's what we a
re. But he really does mean well." Vaughn rose and opened the door.

  His foreman stood there in his jeans and white work shirt, tool belt on and a grin on his face. Vaughn caught sight of his son behind him.

  "Hey, Roy, Todd. To what do I owe this visit?"

  Roy stepped inside and Todd followed.

  "We don't mean to interrupt, Coach. But Dad and I were out for a walk and he wanted to stop by."

  "Not a problem, Todd." Vaughn held out his hand and exchanged a handshake with the kid. They'd developed the gesture as a means of bonding during practices.

  Roy looked on. "Hope it's all right we've come by. I was told your back lights need fixing and I thought I'd help you out."

  The guy was the ultimate do-gooder but a complete pain in the ass sometimes. Still, he was an ace electrician and Vaughn saw shades of his old self in Todd, who also struggled in school.

  "Who could've possibly told you my lights were out?" Vaughn asked.

  "One of your neighbors."

  Vaughn wasn't buying. "I don't have any neighbors. It's one of the reasons I bought this place."

  "Oh jeez. Come on, Dad. Let's leave Vaughn alone."

  "I always enjoy your company, you know that."

  Vaughn slapped Todd on the back, meanwhile Roy laughed. "Okay, okay, I confess. I was out taking a walk last night and I noticed it myself. You're so busy with the lodge and hopefully thinking about coaching at State, you don't need home improvement things to worry about. So here we are." He grinned at Vaughn.

  "That's awfully nice of you to try and help me out, but I have a handyman coming by later in the week to handle things."

  "I also wanted to thank you. Todd told me you ran plays with him the other day. He's grateful and so am I. I told you he's got a good heart," he said, speaking to Annabelle behind him.

  "You two know each other?" Vaughn asked, surprised.

  Roy stepped forward, his shoulders squared. "We met at Cozy Cups this morning. She was talking to Joanne, and mano to mano," he said to Vaughn, lowering his voice, "I think the women were exchanging bedroom secrets about you. One ex-lover and another present one. Dangerous info there, if you know what I mean." He winked at Vaughn and darted another glance at Annabelle.

  Beside him, Todd shuffled his feet, uncomfortable with his father's frank talk.

  "How are you, Roy?" Annabelle asked, ignoring his indiscreet words.

  "Just fine. This is my boy, Todd."

  Annabelle remained seated but waved to both visitors. "Nice to meet you. Your father and Vaughn have said great things about you."

  The teen actually blushed. Vaughn understood. Annabelle had that effect on people.

  "Uh, Dad, I think Mom will be wondering what's taking so long if we don't get going," Todd said.

  The foreman nodded. "Yep. Women like to keep us men on a short leash."

  Personally Vaughn thought Roy needed an even shorter one. "Well thanks again for your offer and Todd, I'll see you soon. We're ready for the electrical inspection?" Vaughn asked as he opened the door for Roy to leave.

  "Ready, boss. And keep in mind, the college boys need you if any of them are going to go pro."

  "That's why I'm helping them now, Roy." Vaughn slammed the door closed behind the other man, then turned to Annabelle. "The man's a piece of work."

  "He sure is."

  "But Todd seems nice."

  Vaughn grinned. "The kid has so much potential it scares me sometimes. He's got raw talent."

  "And you're so sweet to coach him."

  He shrugged. "Kids like him need the extra attention, if not on the field, then off it."

  "Which brings me back to what we were discussing earlier," she said, pointedly.

  He laughed and let it go. "I'm going to turn in for the night. If you want to go to the lodge with me in the morning, I suggest you do the same."

  "And I'll take that to mean any serious discussion we were having is over."

  He grinned. "You're perceptive."

  "And smart and determined. We covered a lot of things we may need to revisit again."

  "We'll see."

  She crooked her finger and as if he were connected by a string, he drew inexorably closer until her lips were inches from his. In that moment, he wanted her with a ferocity that rocked his world. Wanted her more than any other woman at any other time in his life.

  "No, you’ll see. Because the answers I'm looking for could very well determine the success or failure of your beloved lodge."

  He glanced at her glossy lips and full pout. Through sheer willpower, he didn't allow his gaze to drop lower, to the enticing vee of her top and the fleshy mounds beneath, but his fingers twitched anyway.

  Suddenly she straightened and with a sassy flip of her hair and a smile of female satisfaction on her lips, she reached for the leash she'd left on the counter. "And now I think I'll go take my dog for a walk."

  Before he could think, let alone answer, she whirled away, out of reach, leaving nothing but her fragrant scent and the promise of a restless night's sleep in her wake.

  LOLA PICKED UP the telephone, then placed it down again. She'd promised Yank she'd keep his secret, but for how long? How could she not tell the girls about the diagnosis on his eyes?

  The ophthalmologist's words came back to her with clarity. Macular degeneration could progress slowly or quickly depending on the person. And there were new treatments that could slow or halt its progression, the success rate also depending on each particular case. She and Yank had the written information, but he was refusing to read about it, at least right now. The doctor said denial was normal at first and as soon as he adjusted to his situation, he'd come around. Lola hoped so. By the time he did, she intended to be fully versed on all of his options.

  But the girls, they needed to know. She'd just have to give Yank a deadline by which he either told them or she'd do it herself.

  As for Yank, while sitting in the doctor's office, she'd glanced at his profile and accepted that he was the man she loved. If he needed a reason to push forward and help himself, she'd just have to give him one.

  She glanced at the various shopping bags spread over her room, which contained her new wardrobe. The wardrobe that would hopefully catch the attention of any man, even one with blurry vision and a thick skull.

  Now all she needed was the nerve to wear the clothing. But Lola was certain she'd find the courage. Because her future was at stake.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  VAUGHN FELT SOMETHING warm and soft lying beside him. Slow, even breathing comforted him. He rolled over, opened his eyes, saw green eyes peering at him and yelled at the top of his lungs. "Annabelle, get the hell in here!"

  His loud voice scared what he thought was a cat, causing the animal to dive onto the floor and probably crawl beneath the bed.

  Annabelle barged into the room. "What's wrong?" she asked, coming to a skidding halt.

  "I woke up with a cat staring me in the face." Vaughn pushed himself back against the pillows and folded his arms across his chest.

  "You did, huh?" She lowered her gaze and her stare landed on his chest. "Uh, Vaughn? Are you naked beneath that sheet?" As if picking up where they'd left off last night, a slow, deliberate, sexy smile tilted her lips.

  "Don't change the subject." If she didn't notice his body's reaction to her, he wasn't about to point it out.

  "Then answer the question," she said, licking her lips, slowly, a woman with an obvious agenda. "What are you wearing beneath that sheet?"

  He let out a groan. Why did it seem she was always in charge? And why did he enjoy it so damn much? "Same thing I always wear to bed. Nothing," he replied.

  She blinked and her stare lingered on his bare chest. "So you're talking to me now and you're naked?"

  "The cat?" he reminded her through gritted teeth. "I woke up with a strange cat in my bed."

  "Better than a strange woman, I suppose."

  He rolled his eyes. "Look, you came here with a dog and a rabbit and now
we've added a cat. How, when and for God's sake, why?"

  No way would he continue to discuss his state of undress. He already had a morning hard-on and that only grew when he looked at his houseguest. Her hair was disheveled from sleep and her face lacked any makeup or artifice. On her luscious body, she wore a short sleeve T-shirt and matching Jockey shorts. She had more coverage than a bikini would provide and yet the morning-after look was so much more provocative. Sexier in a subtle, leave-it-to-your-imagination kind of way.

  Without another word, she crossed the room and sat on the end of the bed with a huff, not at all uncomfortable being closer to him, confirming his hunch of an agenda that had nothing to do with sex. The talk of him being naked was a deliberate distraction. His being buck beneath the sheets wasn't an issue for her. His catching her with another animal in his house was.

  "Well?" he asked, striving for focus when all he wanted to do was give in to the intense urge to tangle naked between the sheets with her.

  She sighed. "I found the cat while walking Boris last night. She didn't have a collar, was purring and obviously hungry so I brought her back here, gave her some tuna and put her in my room. Obviously I forgot to shut the door tight after I walked them this morning so she joined you."

  "Well, she can't stay."

  She folded her arms across her chest. "Until I find her owners, yes she can."

  Her determined tone brooked no room for argument. Yet once again, instead of inciting his anger, she made him laugh. "Anyone ever tell you that you're a stubborn little thing?"

  "Not in those words, no. But Uncle Yank always said that as the oldest, I like to assert my control." A soft smile surfaced on her face.

  Vaughn stared at her intently. "I think it's more than that." And he intended to analyze her the same way she'd scrutinized him last night. At least then he'd know they were back on even footing.

  "What do you mean?" she asked, eyebrows raised, her curiosity evident.

  "I think your control issues are a reaction that goes way back to your childhood. You said yourself you were afraid you and your sisters would be separated. You were determined to never let that happen. To do that, you needed to be in control at all times."