Tough Love
Page 62
“Hell.”
“Yours is really nice. All the ladies think so.”
He groaned.
“But for now—” she moved both hands down to clasp his sexy backside “—this ass is mine.”
He grinned with her. “I have no problem with that.”
“No, you just have a problem with me having friends.” Before he could get his anger going again, she moved away and then pointed at him. “We’re the same. We both appreciate good eye candy.”
His lip curled. “Men are not eye candy.”
“That is the dumbest, most sexist thing I’ve ever heard. Men are totally eye candy—especially when we’re talking buff fighters. But my point is that, like you, I can admire without crossing a boundary. And so can Leese.”
“Not the same thing at all. Leese would be in your pants in a heartbeat if you gave him any encouragement.”
“I...” She closed her mouth, because that one stymied her. Would Leese be amenable to that? Sure, she admired him physically. But he wasn’t for her, not that way.
Stack crossed his arms, waiting.
Rolling her finger in the air, she said, “Rewind. Do you think Leese is honorable?”
His jaw worked before he gave a grudging confirmation. “Yes.”
“And an honorable man wouldn’t overstep, especially among friends. Right?”
A pulse in his temple throbbed. “Depends on how well he understands the circumstances.”
“Well, there you go!” She threw up her hands. “I’d already told Leese we were hooking up after the wedding.”
Cold disbelief washed over his expression. His whispered “What?” sounded worse than a shout.
But given her own annoyance, Vanity didn’t care. “And this morning I told him that we’d extended things. Believe me, Leese understands because I explained it to him.” And he’d been happy for her.
Stack’s eyes burned. “You gossiped about us to Leese?”
Retrenching a little, Vanity turned her tone reasonable instead of defensive. “Talked, not gossiped. He’s a friend. Friends share things.”
“What exactly did you tell him about us?”
A knock sounded on her front door, followed by the manic barking of the dogs.
Expression lethal, Stack stepped aside, giving her a path to the living room.
Glad for the reprieve, Vanity hurried her step, nudged the dogs aside, peeked out, and then wanted to groan. She rubbed her face, mentally braced herself, and opened the door to Armie and Justice.
“Hey, doll.” Catching Maggie’s collar so she couldn’t get out, Armie bent to put a kiss to Vanity’s cheek and stepped in uninvited.
Restraining Norwood, Justice followed him. “Vanity. How goes it?”
She knew Justice, but not as well as the others. She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. A veritable behemoth at six feet five inches tall, his dark hair hacked into a mohawk, his goatee untrimmed, Justice might intimidate most people. But Vanity knew he was friends with the others, and that told her he was one of the good guys.
“It goes well.” She closed the door behind them. “What’s up?”
“On our way to the rec center,” Armie said, while giving the dogs a few pets. “Figured we might as well swing by to see if you need anything.”
Justice held up a pack of colas. “And I needed to replace these since I helped myself during the football game.”
Reminding the dogs of their fresh chews, she said, “Maggie, Norwood. Look what I have.” Enthused all over again, the dogs gave up their adoration of the guests and went back to snacking.
With that accomplished, Vanity said to Justice, “I wanted you to make yourself at home.” She prided herself on being a good and generous hostess.
“And I want to repay.” He turned to head to the kitchen and tripped over his own feet. “Stack. Whassup, man?”
Armie glanced that way, too, then did a double take. “What the hell, man. Someone steal your favorite toy or kick your puppy or something?”
Stack’s narrowed gaze transferred to her.
Oh, great. So he wanted her to explain? Fine, she would explain. “We were discussing life and relationships and the differences between men and women. Some of my insights have left him less than pleased.” She pushed past everyone and headed through the kitchen for the basement door. “I’m touched by all this sudden concern, and the revolving door visits have been fun, but now I really do need to get to work.”
Again, Stack caught her as she passed, pulling her in for a kiss she assumed would be quick and...wasn’t.
“Yours is really nice. All the ladies think so.”
He groaned.
“But for now—” she moved both hands down to clasp his sexy backside “—this ass is mine.”
He grinned with her. “I have no problem with that.”
“No, you just have a problem with me having friends.” Before he could get his anger going again, she moved away and then pointed at him. “We’re the same. We both appreciate good eye candy.”
His lip curled. “Men are not eye candy.”
“That is the dumbest, most sexist thing I’ve ever heard. Men are totally eye candy—especially when we’re talking buff fighters. But my point is that, like you, I can admire without crossing a boundary. And so can Leese.”
“Not the same thing at all. Leese would be in your pants in a heartbeat if you gave him any encouragement.”
“I...” She closed her mouth, because that one stymied her. Would Leese be amenable to that? Sure, she admired him physically. But he wasn’t for her, not that way.
Stack crossed his arms, waiting.
Rolling her finger in the air, she said, “Rewind. Do you think Leese is honorable?”
His jaw worked before he gave a grudging confirmation. “Yes.”
“And an honorable man wouldn’t overstep, especially among friends. Right?”
A pulse in his temple throbbed. “Depends on how well he understands the circumstances.”
“Well, there you go!” She threw up her hands. “I’d already told Leese we were hooking up after the wedding.”
Cold disbelief washed over his expression. His whispered “What?” sounded worse than a shout.
But given her own annoyance, Vanity didn’t care. “And this morning I told him that we’d extended things. Believe me, Leese understands because I explained it to him.” And he’d been happy for her.
Stack’s eyes burned. “You gossiped about us to Leese?”
Retrenching a little, Vanity turned her tone reasonable instead of defensive. “Talked, not gossiped. He’s a friend. Friends share things.”
“What exactly did you tell him about us?”
A knock sounded on her front door, followed by the manic barking of the dogs.
Expression lethal, Stack stepped aside, giving her a path to the living room.
Glad for the reprieve, Vanity hurried her step, nudged the dogs aside, peeked out, and then wanted to groan. She rubbed her face, mentally braced herself, and opened the door to Armie and Justice.
“Hey, doll.” Catching Maggie’s collar so she couldn’t get out, Armie bent to put a kiss to Vanity’s cheek and stepped in uninvited.
Restraining Norwood, Justice followed him. “Vanity. How goes it?”
She knew Justice, but not as well as the others. She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. A veritable behemoth at six feet five inches tall, his dark hair hacked into a mohawk, his goatee untrimmed, Justice might intimidate most people. But Vanity knew he was friends with the others, and that told her he was one of the good guys.
“It goes well.” She closed the door behind them. “What’s up?”
“On our way to the rec center,” Armie said, while giving the dogs a few pets. “Figured we might as well swing by to see if you need anything.”
Justice held up a pack of colas. “And I needed to replace these since I helped myself during the football game.”
Reminding the dogs of their fresh chews, she said, “Maggie, Norwood. Look what I have.” Enthused all over again, the dogs gave up their adoration of the guests and went back to snacking.
With that accomplished, Vanity said to Justice, “I wanted you to make yourself at home.” She prided herself on being a good and generous hostess.
“And I want to repay.” He turned to head to the kitchen and tripped over his own feet. “Stack. Whassup, man?”
Armie glanced that way, too, then did a double take. “What the hell, man. Someone steal your favorite toy or kick your puppy or something?”
Stack’s narrowed gaze transferred to her.
Oh, great. So he wanted her to explain? Fine, she would explain. “We were discussing life and relationships and the differences between men and women. Some of my insights have left him less than pleased.” She pushed past everyone and headed through the kitchen for the basement door. “I’m touched by all this sudden concern, and the revolving door visits have been fun, but now I really do need to get to work.”
Again, Stack caught her as she passed, pulling her in for a kiss she assumed would be quick and...wasn’t.
