Carly Phillips - Hot Stuff

Mara leaned back in her chair and studied Annabelle, a smile creeping onto her face. "Having family around must cramp your style, hmm?"

Startled, Annabelle merely blinked. "I don't know what you mean." Could Mara know about her and

Vaughn? She shook her head. Impossible. After all, they'd only just been together last night and had shown no public displays of affection at all.

"Oh, come on! Indulge me in some girl talk here. I know you have a thing for him. And I can't help but notice he stares at you constantly with those baby blues."

Annabelle was mortified. "I do not! And he does not! Stare or have a thing, I mean."

"And I think the lady protests too much," Mara said laughing. "Joanne at the coffee shop said you were asking lots of questions about Vaughn when you first got to town."

Annabelle cringed. "Would you believe I was gauging the lay of the land in PR terms?"

Mara shook her head, laughing.

"There are no secrets, are there?" Annabelle asked on a sigh, already resigned to divulging her feelings.

"No secrets in this town," Mara agreed. "So can I take that as an admission?"

Annabelle glanced over her shoulder, making certain the office door was closed. "Okay, I admit Vaughn and I are temporarily involved."

Mara nodded slowly. "It's good you aren't expecting anything long-term. The man just doesn't know how to open up. Nick's the same way."

Annabelle decided not to discuss Vaughn's inability to bond emotionally, especially since she felt she'd made progress. She would rather talk about Nick instead. She leaned forward in her seat. "Actually Nick's pretty transparent if you know what to look for."

The other woman's eyes shone bright with anticipation. "Go on."

"Not until I know you're serious about him." Annabelle had come to like Nick and sympathize with his issues. After all, she thought wryly, everyone had insecurities whether they admitted them or not. She ought to know.

Mara grew thoughtful for a moment. "I'm in love with Nick. Head over heels in love with the man and he won't give me the time of day."

Relieved, Annabelle felt more comfortable discussing Nick. "He has his reasons for backing off and they really aren't personal to you. So I suggest you take the initiative. Go all out in your campaign and show him he's worth the risk."

Mara swiveled back and forth in her chair and smiled. "I never would have pegged you as an advocate of women making the first move."

Annabelle thought back to her silk teddy and bold knock on Vaughn's door last night and grinned. "You'd be surprised," she murmured.

"Now you've got me confused." Mara crinkled her nose in thought. "Don't most men want to be the aggressor?"

Annabelle had no desire to give away Nick's secrets and merely said, "Let's just say that in this case, Nick would appreciate knowing you want only him."

Mara narrowed her gaze and groaned. "This is about Vaughn, isn't it?"

"What makes you say that?"

"In this town, all paths lead back to Brandon Vaughn. Besides Nick's made comments that lead me to believe he thinks I'm still interested in Brandon. Of all the stupid things. I dumped him and trust me, I have no regrets."

"Why?" Annabelle asked, not just interested but curious why any woman would give Brandon Vaughn the boot.

She shrugged. "No chemistry. Now Nick-" She swiped her hand over her brow in an exaggerated gesture. "He really does it for me."

Annabelle laughed. "Then make sure he knows that."

Anticipation sparkled in Mara's gaze. "I will."

"Now can we get back to business?" Annabelle asked.

Mara swiveled around in her seat so she was facing her computer screen and keyboard. "What do you need? Because anyone who gives me the advice you just did deserves my help."

"Not to mention your boss is paying us to work?" Annabelle asked wryly.

Mara chuckled. "That, too."

"Okay, here's the thing. I was thinking that we need to use Brandon Vaughn's generosity to counter the bad publicity caused by the sabotage."

"How?"

"By sending letters to all registered guests informing them that in exchange for not canceling their reservations during this time, they are receiving one free night's stay as thanks."

Mara nodded and began typing. "On letterhead, right?"

"Yes. And maybe we can include a brochure with a reminder that it's never too soon to book spring break?"

Mara jotted a note on a pad next to her mouse. "Got it."

"Okay then." Annabelle gathered her papers and stuffed them back into her briefcase, then swung her purse over her shoulder. "I have family back at Vaughn's that I have to deal with."

"I'll handle this and, sometime today, I'll deal with Nick."

Annabelle rolled her eyes and headed for the door, her thoughts on her obstinate uncle. "At this point, I'm not sure whose job I envy more right now."

ANNABELLE JUGGLED her cell phone against her ear as she searched for money to pay the taxi she'd taken to Vaughn's house. She slipped the bills to the driver and headed up the front walk.

"So I was thinking that if I tell Uncle Yank that Lola's coming on to Spence Atkins, he'll hightail it back to the city," Annabelle said to Sophie, explaining the plan she'd concocted to send her uncle home where he belonged. As much as she loved him, she had a limited time with Vaughn and she didn't want to lose any of it.

"I'm sorry but I don't see that happening, Annie. You see-"

"Hang on," Annabelle interrupted her sister and dug for Vaughn's spare house key she'd dropped into her too-big bag. Key found, she let herself inside.

"Don't be so analytical," she told Sophie. "It doesn't have to be true. I just need a gut reaction from Uncle Yank when it comes to-Lola!" Annabelle stopped short upon seeing the other woman standing in Vaughn's front hall,

"Not analytical, just factual." Sophie's voice carried through the phone line. "I assume you just ran into Lola? I would have warned you if you weren't always in such a rush." Sophie sounded truly amused.

"You'll pay," Annabelle promised her.

"I already am. I'm working with Randy, the jerk," her sister reminded her. "Say hello to Uncle Yank and Lola for me." And with a sudden click, Sophie was gone.

Leaving Annabelle alone to deal with her uncle. And Lola. Who looked beautiful, ten years younger and like a handful of woman for her uncle to handle.

"So you're both here," Annabelle said into the silence.

"You're uncle needs me," Lola explained. "And I missed you." She gave Annabelle a big hug.

Annabelle hugged her back. As she inhaled, she took in an old, familiar scent. "Love's Baby Soft?" she asked, quietly.

Lola smiled. "I want him to remember the old days."

Annabelle's mouth opened wide at Lola's admission. So she was trying to seduce her uncle. But couldn't she do it in the city so Annabelle could get back to seducing Vaughn?

"Did you come to take Uncle Yank home?" she asked hopefully.

"I can hear you," Uncle Yank called out from his seat on the couch where Boris lay on his lap and Spike curled on the sofa cushion near his head. "So don't be talking about me like I'm not in the room."

Lola shook her head. "Then stop acting like you're deaf, dumb and-"

"Don't say it" he growled. "And I thought I left you home to handle things for me." He glanced at Annabelle, a smug look on his face as he said, "She always does what I ask."

"Maybe she used to but that was the old Lola," the woman who'd raised Annabelle said. "This is the new and improved version."

The other woman was right. Annabelle didn't recognize her. Her usual long black skirt had been replaced by an above-the-knee number, her sensible flats were now stilettos that Annabelle would be proud to own, in red no less. And her prim, buttoned-to-the-collar blouse was now a form-fitting, boat-necked sleeveless black shirt. With stainless-steel studs along the neckline.