Carly Phillips - Hot Stuff

"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.

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.

Annabelle opened her big blue eyes. "Hi there."

He smiled. "Hi yourself."

"I see you've got yourself some company." She reached out and scratched Q-Tip under his chin.

He laughed. "He seems to like me. Go figure."

She eased herself to a sitting position. "Yeah go figure," she said, her solemn gaze meeting his.

"What's with the afternoon nap?"

She shook her head. "It just seemed the lesser of two evils." Her gaze darted toward the far wall, away from his.

"The other one being?"

"Thinking," she said simply.

He sensed it was anything but simple. He'd coined home expecting to share the police theory about his ex-wife with Annabelle, but instead he realized she had something deeper on her mind. "Thinking about! What?" he asked, digging for answers.

When she remained silent, he tried another tact. "Why'd you come in here to rest?

The dog wriggled out of his arms, jumped to the mattress and snuggled in beside Annabelle.

She absently stroked his head as she said, "I feel better in here."

"Because you don't feel alone." He understood that in here she sensed his presence and it gave her comfort.

"That's part of it," she admitted.

The irony here was great. "You're a successful businesswoman, someone your family turns to when they're in need, yet you feel isolated." He reached out and stroked her cheek.

She nodded, tears welling in her eyes. She wiped her damp eyes with the back of her hands.

"Here use this." He handed her the corner of his comforter to use and she dabbed at the moisture.

"Thanks," she said, chuckling. "I just wish the simplest things wouldn't evoke deja vu."

"What happened?" he asked, his concern for he all encompassing. More important than figuring out if Laura could really be responsible for the problems around the lodge.

Vaughn wasn't used to caring so deeply for another person, especially a person he had to let go. And still he couldn't turn Annabelle away. He listened as she detailed a conversation she'd overhead between Lola and her uncle, one that had left her sobbing like a child and retreating to bed for comfort. To his bed.

In response, he gave her the one thing she needed more than mere words. He lay down beside her and held her in his arms, until her breathing became deep and even and she'd fallen back to sleep, knocked out from emotional overload.

Vaughn let out a long sigh. It was a good thing she hadn't been looking for any words of wisdom. He'd have had none to give. While he wished he could tell her that the unconditional love she sought existed on some level, he couldn't. Nobody could give her that kind of security or guarantee. Hell, he hadn't found it in his life, either, so who was he to give advice?

But he understood now that the animals did give her what the people in her life hadn't been able to do. And he hoped like hell he wouldn't be the next person to disappoint her.

HAVING SLEPT THROUGH dinner, Annabelle awoke to the delicious aroma of pizza. She was certain she was dreaming, conjuring up what her growling stomach desperately desired. But when she rolled over and opened her eyes, Vaughn stood by the bed with a pizza box in his hand.

"Dinner?" she said, her mouth watering at the thought.

"Not home cooked, but yeah." His cheeks flushed, obviously embarrassed by his good deed.

It wasn't his first nice act tonight, either. He'd catered to her insecurities and understood her feelings, all the while not flinching at finding her in his bed.

His thoughtfulness showed yet another dimension to his strong yet sensitive character. 'Thank you, Vaughn. You probably don't know this but I love pizza." She rubbed her belly and curled her legs beneath her.

He grinned. "Most single people do."

She shot him a wry glance. "Let me get dressed and we'll go to the kitchen."

He shook his head. "I'd rather eat here."

"Avoiding the company?" she asked.

He didn't reply, but instead sat on the bed and placed the box on the comforter.

"You really can't mean to eat in your bed."

"Hey, I don't mind if you don't."

"I'm easy" She opened the box and handed him a slice.

While they chowed down on the most delicious pizza she'd tasted, she turned the conversation to him. "What did the police have to say?" She asked about the lodge. "Any leads yet?"

He reached for a tissue on the counter and wiped his mouth. "None that are plausible."