Tough Love
Page 76
“I could call her—” Cannon tried to offer.
But Stack noticed that Vanity already had both her arms wrapped around one of Armie’s.
And damn him, Armie just let her, smiling in a way that just might lose him a few teeth.
Leese looked at each of the men and started snickering.
“They’re pathetic, right?” Armie said.
“They’re something,” Leese agreed. “Not sure what.”
“You two losers are just jealous,” Cannon accused.
“Yeah,” Armie said, patting at Vanity’s arm. “So jealous.”
Denver growled when Cherry cozied up to the other side of Armie, and even Yvette smiled as she followed along, all of them heading to the locker room.
The men stared until the group was out of sight.
“I’m going to have to punch him,” Denver said. “At least once.”
“Get in line,” Cannon told him. Then he pointed at Leese. “Not a word out of you!”
Trying to bite back his grin, Leese got started mopping.
Damn, Stack wondered, did Vanity enjoy making him nuts? And unlike Cannon and Denver, he couldn’t protest as much as he wanted because, though he’d thrown out some signals, he and Vanity weren’t official.
Fuck.
The door chimed, and they all turned to see Merissa breezing in, her long dark hair blowing out behind her. She had a stack of yellow papers held securely in her arms.
Cannon all but pounced on her. “Do me a favor, honey, will you?”
Suspicious, she reared back to look at him, then at Stack and Denver. “What’s going on?”
“The ladies insisted on a shower, and Armie, the ass, is down there playing watchdog.”
“And listening,” Denver added, which got Leese snickering again.
Hip cocked out, Merissa glared at the men. “So, what do you expect me to do?”
With evil delight, Cannon said, “He’s watching the door, so I want you to watch him.”
“Um...”
“Tell him I sent you. Tell him he’s to stay put in case any guys wander down that way. He wouldn’t want you to deal with that any more than I do.”
“So...”
Hands on his sister’s shoulders, Cannon said, “But you can deal with him, right?”
Looking very unsure, Merissa shrugged. “Sure.” Her gaze scanned each of them. “I only stopped by to drop off the new forms Harper wanted me to copy.”
“Great. Thanks.” Cannon took the stack of papers from her. “Since you’re here, why not stick around and keep Armie company so he won’t get an opportunity to eavesdrop on anyone?”
Merissa looked toward the hallway that led to the lockers. She looked at her brother’s smiling face. She took in Stack and Denver’s expectant expressions. With a quick inhale and great determination, she hiked her purse strap higher on her shoulder and nodded. “Consider it done.” Her smile long gone, she marched away.
Stack whistled. Talk about payback... He almost felt sorry for Armie.
When Cannon turned back to them, Denver grinned. “That was mean.”
Cannon clapped him on the shoulder. “I love Armie like a brother, you know that.”
Cannon never hesitated to talk about love. He was the most comfortable guy Stack had ever known. And his ease with emotions put others at ease, as well.
Stack and Denver nodded.
Satisfied, Cannon told them both, “I wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t for his own good.” And with that, Cannon headed toward the reception area with the papers.
Scratching at his scruffy chin, Denver asked Stack, “What the hell was that about?”
Stack shrugged. “No idea.” But as long as Armie wasn’t listening to Vanity while she showered, he wouldn’t spend too much time stewing on it.
He had better things to think about—like getting Vanity alone again tonight. Getting her naked.
Getting her under him.
He hoped she showered quickly. He was so far off the deep end, he didn’t think he could wait much longer.
* * *
SMIRKING, ARMIE STOOD with arms folded, his shoulders against the outside wall on the other side of the locker room entrance. He could hear the women talking about their respective men.
Funny shit.
Only Vanity seemed unfazed, but then Stack was dragging his feet about stating the obvious. After tonight, he expected Stack would remedy that.
The women—all of them as nice as nice girls could be—were pretty awesome. He was happy for his friends. Not that he wanted the same for himself. Hell no.
But Stack noticed that Vanity already had both her arms wrapped around one of Armie’s.
And damn him, Armie just let her, smiling in a way that just might lose him a few teeth.
Leese looked at each of the men and started snickering.
“They’re pathetic, right?” Armie said.
“They’re something,” Leese agreed. “Not sure what.”
“You two losers are just jealous,” Cannon accused.
“Yeah,” Armie said, patting at Vanity’s arm. “So jealous.”
Denver growled when Cherry cozied up to the other side of Armie, and even Yvette smiled as she followed along, all of them heading to the locker room.
The men stared until the group was out of sight.
“I’m going to have to punch him,” Denver said. “At least once.”
“Get in line,” Cannon told him. Then he pointed at Leese. “Not a word out of you!”
Trying to bite back his grin, Leese got started mopping.
Damn, Stack wondered, did Vanity enjoy making him nuts? And unlike Cannon and Denver, he couldn’t protest as much as he wanted because, though he’d thrown out some signals, he and Vanity weren’t official.
Fuck.
The door chimed, and they all turned to see Merissa breezing in, her long dark hair blowing out behind her. She had a stack of yellow papers held securely in her arms.
Cannon all but pounced on her. “Do me a favor, honey, will you?”
Suspicious, she reared back to look at him, then at Stack and Denver. “What’s going on?”
“The ladies insisted on a shower, and Armie, the ass, is down there playing watchdog.”
“And listening,” Denver added, which got Leese snickering again.
Hip cocked out, Merissa glared at the men. “So, what do you expect me to do?”
With evil delight, Cannon said, “He’s watching the door, so I want you to watch him.”
“Um...”
“Tell him I sent you. Tell him he’s to stay put in case any guys wander down that way. He wouldn’t want you to deal with that any more than I do.”
“So...”
Hands on his sister’s shoulders, Cannon said, “But you can deal with him, right?”
Looking very unsure, Merissa shrugged. “Sure.” Her gaze scanned each of them. “I only stopped by to drop off the new forms Harper wanted me to copy.”
“Great. Thanks.” Cannon took the stack of papers from her. “Since you’re here, why not stick around and keep Armie company so he won’t get an opportunity to eavesdrop on anyone?”
Merissa looked toward the hallway that led to the lockers. She looked at her brother’s smiling face. She took in Stack and Denver’s expectant expressions. With a quick inhale and great determination, she hiked her purse strap higher on her shoulder and nodded. “Consider it done.” Her smile long gone, she marched away.
Stack whistled. Talk about payback... He almost felt sorry for Armie.
When Cannon turned back to them, Denver grinned. “That was mean.”
Cannon clapped him on the shoulder. “I love Armie like a brother, you know that.”
Cannon never hesitated to talk about love. He was the most comfortable guy Stack had ever known. And his ease with emotions put others at ease, as well.
Stack and Denver nodded.
Satisfied, Cannon told them both, “I wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t for his own good.” And with that, Cannon headed toward the reception area with the papers.
Scratching at his scruffy chin, Denver asked Stack, “What the hell was that about?”
Stack shrugged. “No idea.” But as long as Armie wasn’t listening to Vanity while she showered, he wouldn’t spend too much time stewing on it.
He had better things to think about—like getting Vanity alone again tonight. Getting her naked.
Getting her under him.
He hoped she showered quickly. He was so far off the deep end, he didn’t think he could wait much longer.
* * *
SMIRKING, ARMIE STOOD with arms folded, his shoulders against the outside wall on the other side of the locker room entrance. He could hear the women talking about their respective men.
Funny shit.
Only Vanity seemed unfazed, but then Stack was dragging his feet about stating the obvious. After tonight, he expected Stack would remedy that.
The women—all of them as nice as nice girls could be—were pretty awesome. He was happy for his friends. Not that he wanted the same for himself. Hell no.
