Hot Stuff

by Carly Phillips

"What was that for?" he asked. He ran his tongue over his damp lips, tasting her.

  "I'm not interested in Vaughn."

  He raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to respond.

  "So you can stop acting like an idiot-or should I say a typical man-and take me to Annabelle's party or you can forget this ever happened and find yourself another woman to scowl at every day." She exhaled hard. "Whew. So what have you got to say for yourself?" she asked.

  He grinned. "You've got yourself a date."

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  WORKING IN PR, Annabelle was used to creative ideas that had to be implemented at the last minute. Inviting Vaughn's top employees to The Hot Zone's party wasn't a daunting feat and she was nearly finished handing out the invitations she'd created and printed that morning.

  As she extended the last invitation, she looked up into a familiar face. "How are you, Roy?" she asked, politely taking a step back.

  Something about the other man disturbed her, though she couldn't say what since the few times she'd seen him around the site, he'd been nothing but polite, perhaps even a bit distant.

  "I'm good. Busier with the break-in and all," he said.

  Annabelle nodded in understanding. "Well if you and your wife are interested in taking a night off, The Hot Zone always throws a good party." She passed him the final envelope.

  He grasped the paper, taking the opportunity to brush her hand with his and hold on a few seconds too long. As she tried to shake free, she smelled Vaughn's unmistakable musky scent and felt his overpowering heat. Boy was she happy to see him and for once sexual attraction wasn't the reason.

  "Vaughn!" She whirled away from Roy and toward her savior, gratitude and relief washing over her.

  "What's going on here?" Vaughn's gaze darted to his foreman.

  "Miss Jordan was just inviting me to her shindig in New York." Roy grinned showing too many teeth.

  "Actually I called a meeting and invited all of the people important to this project." She wanted him to understand the facts, not Roy's distorted perspective. "I even invited their wives," she added.

  An unexpected smile crossed Vaughn's face. "You're just full of surprises," he said and obviously catching on to Roy, he wrapped a casual arm around Annabelle's shoulder as if staking his claim.

  Roy stood up straighter. "And you know what, boss? I know my wife'll want to go. She's always up for a party."

  "Yeah, to keep an eye on you," Annabelle said under her breath.

  Vaughn inclined his head toward the lodge. "Don't you have work to do?"

  Roy nodded. "That I do." With a wave, he slunk back toward the main building and the work that needed repair.

  A big shot when one on one with Annabelle, he shrunk when faced with the great Brandon Vaughn, she thought, not surprised.

  "Thanks for saving me," she said.

  "Something tells me you wouldn't take any crap from Roy." Vaughn had watched this strong, capable woman hold her own with the foreman.

  "Probably not but it sure is nice to watch Roy be intimidated." Annabelle's eyes glittered beneath the midday sun as she amused herself at Roy's expense.

  Vaughn laughed. "I hear you, but I can't fire a man for wanting to cheat on his wife."

  "I understand." She placed a warm, soothing hand on his arm. The electrical jolt was instantaneous.

  Unexpectedly he covered her hand with his, surprising even himself. "Besides Roy's got a wife and kid and I don't want to be responsible for laying him off."

  "You're a nice man." She smiled, turning everything inside him to instant, unmanly mush. "If you did fire him, he probably wouldn't get another job," Annabelle said.

  "Exactly." Once again he was struck not just by her beauty or incredible body, but by her intelligence and insight.

  "The invites," he said, getting to the reason he'd sought her out.

  "Walk with me," she said, starting toward a line of trees in the distance.

  He sensed she'd talk eventually and decided to humor her. They strode across the lush green grass. The blue sky overhead held a few bright, fluffy clouds. He glanced over. A warm breeze blew her hair around her cheeks. Not a man to stop and smell the proverbial roses, he still marveled at the precious simplicity of the moment.

  "I had a reason for inviting everyone, you know."

  "I'm sure you did just as I'm sure it's brilliant."

  She paused and tipped her head to one side. "Was that a compliment I just heard?" she asked, her tone teasing.

  "Am I that hard on you?" he asked.

  "Only when you're trying to be." She slid her hands into the back pockets of her skirt, which had the effect of thrusting her breasts tight against her lacy T.

  He swallowed hard.

  "So don't you want to know the methods behind my madness?"

  "Goodwill toward the employees?"

  She frowned. "Don't tell me Mara gave me away."

  He laughed. "Not exactly. I figure you're hoping that if the person who's behind the tampering works for me, we'll see it in their attitude outside of work." Vaughn voiced the notion he'd been thinking about since he'd heard about Annabelle's invitations.

  "Not bad," she said, obviously impressed.

  "You sound surprised. You didn't think I could figure you out?"

  She flashed him a flirtatious smile. "I'd like to see you try."

  And man would he like to.

  Without warning, she took off at a sprint, giggling as she went, and he followed, chasing her through the trees. He could catch her easily but what fun would that be?

  He let her dodge around one tall tree and another. Only when she was winded, did he do an end run, ducking around the opposite way and meeting her head on, then tackling her to the ground.

  Her cheeks were flushed pink and her smile wide and carefree. For a brief time she wasn't running from her demons and for now he was content to leave his behind as well.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. A bird chirped in the distance as his lips came down hard on hers. He kissed her hungrily, his lips devouring her mouth like he couldn't get enough. Which he couldn't and feared he never would.

  She teased him back, running her tongue over the seam of his lips and daring him to part them and slip inside. How could he not when she ignited a flaming desire this overpowering? He thrust his tongue into her mouth in an imitation of the most intimate act itself and Annabelle moaned from deep in her chest. Vaughn shook in reaction to the erotic sexy sound.

  As she slid her hands into his back jeans pockets and pulled his hips close, she arched her back and thrust upward at the same time. The teasing contact of body parts, made frustrating by the barrier of clothes, drove him insane. He twisted his lower body, grinding his hard erection into the vee of her legs and she bucked beneath him, seeking closer, impossible contact.

  A sudden sound ripped through the silence around them and Mara's static-ridden voice carried through the walkie-talkie clasped on his right hip. The intrusion couldn't have been more unwelcome.

  "Hey boss?" Mara called a second time.

  Vaughn groaned and touched his forehead to Annabelle's, their breathing coming in rapid gulps. "I am not answering," he muttered.

  Annabelle laughed. "I second that."

  "Vaughn, the police are here to see you," Mara said this time, her tone more urgent. "Are you there?"

  "You are definitely getting it," Annabelle said, changing her mind and reaching for the gadget on his belt.

  "Yeah I guess I am." With more regret than he'd believed possible, he rolled off her, unhooked the walkie-talkie and pressed the talk button. I’m here," he said to Mara. "Tell them I'll be there in five."

  "Will do, boss."

  "Well that was fun," Annabelle said with a grin.

  He shot her an apologetic glance.

  "Hey, it's no big deal."

  He stood and held a hand out for her to grab and then helped her to her feet. She brushed herself off and he did the same, the remnants of dirt and
grass covering them no matter how hard they tried to clean up.

  He picked a stray leaf from her hair and a twig from the back of her shirt and she merely chuckled. "You surprise me again," he said.

  "Why's that?" she asked as she straightened her clothing.

  His gaze roamed appreciatively over her. "I'd never have pegged you as an outdoor girl."

  She shrugged. "What can I say? I adapt to any surroundings."

  "Another thing to admire," he said out loud before he could stop himself.

  She reached out and brushed his rear end with the palm of her hand. Once, twice, then she lingered, her fingertips squeezing his buttocks.

  His groin hardened all over again, forcing him to grab her wrist. "If you don't stop now I'll never get back to the office."

  She grinned. "Then it's a good thing you know where to find me tonight, isn't it?" she said in a sultry voice.

  He swallowed hard. "I'm heading back to the lodge. Why don't you just take my car home? I'll get a ride"

  "You sure?"

  In reply, he reached into his pocket and handed her his keys.

  She smiled. "Thanks."

  He nodded. At least he'd have the walk back to the building to get his body back under control. Nothing else that Annabelle was doing to him would be that easily managed until she was gone from his house and his life. Of that, Vaughn was now certain.

  ANXIOUS TO HEAR what the police had to say, Vaughn strode into the lodge office. The detective in charge of the investigation waited for him, drinking coffee courtesy of Mara and obviously flirting with her, though by her stiff posture and dismissive expression, she was definitely putting out signals that said don't mess with me. It looked like her interest in Nick was the real thing, Vaughn thought.

  He walked up to the detective and extended his hand. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting," Vaughn said.

  Detective Ross rose from his seat and grasped Vaughn's hand for a quick shake. "Not a problem. Your lovely assistant was keeping me company."

  From behind his back, Mara rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue.

  Vaughn bit back a laugh. "Mara, why don't you take a break?" he suggested.

  She shot him a grateful glance. "See you later." Ignoring the detective, she swung her purse over her shoulder and strode out of the room.

  Once they were alone, Vaughn turned to the officer. He stood scanning the pictures on the wall, which included some old newspaper clippings of Vaughn's playing days and photographs of him receiving various trophies.

  "So what did you find out?" Vaughn asked, not in the mood for idle chitchat.

  "We discovered that your parents don't approve of your successful career," Ross said, scratching his head.

  Vaughn swallowed hard. "Tell me something I don't know."

  "They're not too thrilled with this place, either." He gestured around the lodge office.

  "And?" Vaughn asked, annoyance percolating in his veins. Was this cop going to spend all day listing his family problems?

  "And we've ruled them out as suspects anyway because there's no motive. They want respectability and clean hands too badly to do anything stupid around here."

  Vaughn inclined his head. "Again, tell me something I don't know."

  "Your old restaurants are in the red," Ross said. "Did you know about that?"

  Vaughn jerked his head up at the suggestion. "You're kidding. Laura would have had to bend over backward to screw those up."

  "Well, she managed. Your ex owes most of her landlords, all of her vendors and then some."

  Vaughn was amazed.

  "Are you in contact with her?" the detective asked.

  "I haven't been. But she called me recently out of the blue." Coincidence? he wondered.

  "What'd she want?"

  "Money. She said she had some huge credit card bills."

  Ross pulled out his pad and jotted down notes. "And you believed her?"

  "I had no reason not to. I asked about the restaurants and she never mentioned business trouble." Vaughn looked out the window and tried to think, but when it came to Laura he was blank.

  "Well, we're looking for motive and I can't imagine her wanting your star to rise again while hers is falling," the detective said.

  "Laura's vain but she isn't destructive. Besides if she's behind the vandalism then why would she call me now and put herself back on my radar to begin with?" Vaughn asked.

  "Do you play chess?"

  Vaughn shook his head.

  "It's called a Forked Attack. She calls you saying I want money but behind your back she's sabotaging you so the lodge won't have any success." Ross met his gaze. "In a sense she'd be coming at you from two fronts."

  Vaughn shoved his hands into his back pockets and paced the floor. "I won't deny anything's possible but this doesn't feel right in here." He jammed his fist over his chest. "Do you know what I mean?"

  The other man took a few steps toward the door. "We'll take those feelings under advisement but we have to follow up on all possibilities, no matter how remote. And this doesn't feel all that remote to me."

  "Well, I appreciate you keeping me updated," Vaughn said, walking the detective to the exit.

  With Ross gone, Vaughn thought back on their conversation. Laura behind the problems here? He snorted. Not likely. Which brought him back to square one. He headed home, hoping Annabelle would have greater insight than the detective in charge of the case.

  UPON RETURNING to Vaughn's, Annabelle walked in on a loud discussion and realized immediately she'd intruded on a private talk between Lola and Uncle Yank. Her uncle sat in the large living room area on the couch while Lola, dressed in her new high heels, flowing skirt and low-cut, sleeveless peasant blouse, paced across the hardwood floor and back again.

  Though Annabelle gave a wave to them both and went toward her room, she paused in the hallway now and couldn't help but overhear their conversation. In all honesty she was too riveted to step inside, close the door and shut their voices out.

  "We had something once," Lola was saying. "And even if it didn't continue in the same way once the girls arrived, it continued. We continued. For years."

  Annabelle inched closer to the wall and leaned against the cool Sheetrock. Lola and Uncle Yank? Well she supposed it made sense even if she hadn't known or wanted to think about it before. It'd be like her as a kid thinking about her parents having sex.

  "I told you then and I'm telling you now, you deserve better than me," her uncle said, raising his voice.

  "Same story, different reasons. Back then you really were afraid of commitment but now you're just afraid of yourself," Lola said, pushing him.

  Annabelle couldn't decipher what Lola meant but she assumed it had something to do with the reasons her uncle had come for this visit now. He was running scared, but of what she couldn't imagine.

  "I'm not afraid of a damn thing," Yank yelled back, but Annabelle thought the slight quiver in his voice told a different story.

  "Neither am I" Lola informed him. "And I'll prove it. Come with me to the company party," she said in a complete subject change, shocking Annabelle.

  She couldn't imagine her uncle's expression right now and she actually found herself holding her breath for Yank's answer.

  "I'm always at the company parties," he said.

  Typical male. Annabelle grinned. Bless Uncle Yank and his stubborn streak.

  "Come with me as my date." This from Lola.

  A very silent pause ensued before Lola continued. "If you don't at least give us an honest try, I'm gone, Yank. Gone from The Hot Zone and gone from your life."

  Unbelievably Annabelle's eyes filled with tears and her heart, already beating fast, squeezed tight in her chest. Though she was an adult, and though she knew she'd always have Lola in her life, standing here in the hallway now, she felt small and insignificant. The same way she'd felt as a child, as she'd listened to Uncle Yank, a virtual stranger, and the social worker deciding her and her sisters' fate.

&n
bsp; Powerless and out of control, Annabelle thought and began to tremble. Without realizing when, she sank to the floor and stared at the wall barely registering anything else. By the time she pulled herself together, silence reigned in the living room and she realized she hadn't even heard her uncle's reply.

  VAUGHN ARRIVED HOME later than planned because Roy cornered him with football questions so he could help Todd on his day off. The other man seemed more desperate than usual to be a part of his son's life and Vaughn felt for him. After all, he'd have given anything to have a parent interested in his life. But after a while, Vaughn had pleaded a combination of exhaustion and a headache in order to escape.

  He walked into a too quiet house. He didn't see Lola or Yank and assumed they were in their respective rooms. How long they were staying was anybody's guess.

  He rounded the corner to the hall and shut himself in his room. Boris attacked first, hopping up and down on his hind legs like a pogo stick, never quite reaching above Vaughn's bad knee.

  "Down," Vaughn muttered.

  Boris sat.

  "Wrong action, Q-Tip."

  He wagged his tail with way too much enthusiasm and his tongue hung out as he panted.

  "Don't you realize I'm the wrong sex for you to get excited over?" he asked the dog.

  Yet he found himself leaning over and picking him up, holding him against his chest, as he'd seen Annabelle do, and petting his fluffy fur. Hair. What-; ever it was the dog had covering his body.

  Speaking of animals, Vaughn hadn't seen the rabbit since Annabelle had arrived and as for the cat… He glanced over at his bed and saw the expected: the animal curled up in his favorite place on Vaughn's pillow.

  Right above Annabelle's head.

  That surprised him. He'd thought she was in her room. And seeing as how it was dinner and not bedtime, her presence in his room took him off guard.

  He walked over quietly and lowered himself beside her, but the bend and shift of the mattress caused her to stir. She stretched her arms high above her head, pulling her T-shirt up high and exposing her flat, smooth stomach and her unusual outtie belly button.

  He stared. He grinned. And his mouth watered at the sight, not to mention his lower body's reaction. He swallowed hard.