Tough Love
Page 96
“I don’t know yet.” She gave a watery laugh. “I have to work up my nerve, especially since he told me long ago to kick Phil out. Stack has it together in a way I never have. I... I know I’ve hogged the limelight, but damn it, it’s so easy for him. He wants something, and he makes it happen. Me, I just screw up. Over and over.”
“So,” Vanity said gently, “now you’re going to stop screwing up. Now you’re going to make things right.”
Tabby nodded, and more tears fell. “Oh, Vanity, why didn’t I listen?”
“You gave your marriage a chance. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I think it’s admirable. Just as it’s admirable for you to make your own decision on whether or not to continue the marriage.”
“I’m ending it,” Tabby assured her. She gripped Vanity’s hands. “Just...just not yet. Not while my mom is staying with me. Please don’t say anything to Stack, okay?”
“I promise I won’t.” Vanity sighed. “A baby. It’s funny, because we’ve only just met, but I’m excited.”
Tabby sniffled, but her smile slipped into place, too. “You are?”
She nodded, in awe of one fact. “Stack is going to be an uncle.”
“Yes.” Tabby actually laughed. “The best uncle in the whole world.”
* * *
IN A VERY short time, it seemed they fell into the perfect routine. For the past three days, he and Vanity went about their days doing whatever needed to be done, and then came together again at her house. Sex generally preceded dinner.
It also preceded breakfast more often than not.
Every night they slept together, and they stayed in touch throughout the day.
Stack had to admit, the security system at her house made him feel better about her being without him. And now that she also had the extra cell phone—the bat signal as she had them all calling it—he had little reason to worry.
Nothing had come from pressuring the guys who’d jumped him. Neither of the men had been approached for a repeat performance, and until they were, they wouldn’t know anything new. They’d been hired and paid by a nameless thug. End of story.
He hoped.
With his arm now healed, Stack felt less inclined to keep chasing the problem. Leese hadn’t seen the woman again, and nothing more had happened. They’d all keep an eye out, Vanity wasn’t at risk, so what did it matter?
He had better things to concentrate on—like the woman sleeping beside him.
For once he’d awakened before her, so Stack rose to an elbow to look at her. He’d never tire of seeing Vanity like this, relaxed, at her ease with him.
Naked.
In public, Vanity was comfortable with her body, but still somewhat modest. She didn’t dress for sex appeal as much as comfort.
In private, however, she reveled in a lack of inhibition.
For years, he’d wondered how a woman could ever fit into his life. Being a fighter brought its own challenges to a relationship. Women, in his experience, could be needy. For time, attention. And not overly understanding, not with the hours it took to train, and the travel involved in competing.
Vanity didn’t fit any of those preconceived notions.
She might look high-maintenance, but she had no problem getting sweaty at the gym. She put her all into her workouts, and got along great with the other fighters.
He couldn’t imagine a woman more delicate than her, but her independence rivaled his own. She wanted him, but she didn’t need him. Somehow that felt more complimentary.
She had talent that she discounted. Money that she didn’t flaunt.
And she was honest with him, about everything. No doubt about it, Vanity was one of the hottest women he’d ever seen, but it was her bold tendency to speak her mind that he found most appealing.
“Hey.” Drowsily, she scooted closer, slipping an arm around his waist and hooking a leg over his. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
“No reason to.” His fingertips sought her silky skin, trailing over the arm she had around him. “It’s early still.”
“But you’re awake,” she said sleepily. “So I want to be awake with you.”
Going to his back, Stack pulled her over him. They had sex every day, often twice a day, and still he didn’t think he could ever get enough of her. “What do you have planned today?”
“Hmm...” Her murmur faded away to soft, warm breaths against his flesh.
It took so little for her to scald him with lust. He thought of her, and he strained with need.
“So,” Vanity said gently, “now you’re going to stop screwing up. Now you’re going to make things right.”
Tabby nodded, and more tears fell. “Oh, Vanity, why didn’t I listen?”
“You gave your marriage a chance. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I think it’s admirable. Just as it’s admirable for you to make your own decision on whether or not to continue the marriage.”
“I’m ending it,” Tabby assured her. She gripped Vanity’s hands. “Just...just not yet. Not while my mom is staying with me. Please don’t say anything to Stack, okay?”
“I promise I won’t.” Vanity sighed. “A baby. It’s funny, because we’ve only just met, but I’m excited.”
Tabby sniffled, but her smile slipped into place, too. “You are?”
She nodded, in awe of one fact. “Stack is going to be an uncle.”
“Yes.” Tabby actually laughed. “The best uncle in the whole world.”
* * *
IN A VERY short time, it seemed they fell into the perfect routine. For the past three days, he and Vanity went about their days doing whatever needed to be done, and then came together again at her house. Sex generally preceded dinner.
It also preceded breakfast more often than not.
Every night they slept together, and they stayed in touch throughout the day.
Stack had to admit, the security system at her house made him feel better about her being without him. And now that she also had the extra cell phone—the bat signal as she had them all calling it—he had little reason to worry.
Nothing had come from pressuring the guys who’d jumped him. Neither of the men had been approached for a repeat performance, and until they were, they wouldn’t know anything new. They’d been hired and paid by a nameless thug. End of story.
He hoped.
With his arm now healed, Stack felt less inclined to keep chasing the problem. Leese hadn’t seen the woman again, and nothing more had happened. They’d all keep an eye out, Vanity wasn’t at risk, so what did it matter?
He had better things to concentrate on—like the woman sleeping beside him.
For once he’d awakened before her, so Stack rose to an elbow to look at her. He’d never tire of seeing Vanity like this, relaxed, at her ease with him.
Naked.
In public, Vanity was comfortable with her body, but still somewhat modest. She didn’t dress for sex appeal as much as comfort.
In private, however, she reveled in a lack of inhibition.
For years, he’d wondered how a woman could ever fit into his life. Being a fighter brought its own challenges to a relationship. Women, in his experience, could be needy. For time, attention. And not overly understanding, not with the hours it took to train, and the travel involved in competing.
Vanity didn’t fit any of those preconceived notions.
She might look high-maintenance, but she had no problem getting sweaty at the gym. She put her all into her workouts, and got along great with the other fighters.
He couldn’t imagine a woman more delicate than her, but her independence rivaled his own. She wanted him, but she didn’t need him. Somehow that felt more complimentary.
She had talent that she discounted. Money that she didn’t flaunt.
And she was honest with him, about everything. No doubt about it, Vanity was one of the hottest women he’d ever seen, but it was her bold tendency to speak her mind that he found most appealing.
“Hey.” Drowsily, she scooted closer, slipping an arm around his waist and hooking a leg over his. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
“No reason to.” His fingertips sought her silky skin, trailing over the arm she had around him. “It’s early still.”
“But you’re awake,” she said sleepily. “So I want to be awake with you.”
Going to his back, Stack pulled her over him. They had sex every day, often twice a day, and still he didn’t think he could ever get enough of her. “What do you have planned today?”
“Hmm...” Her murmur faded away to soft, warm breaths against his flesh.
It took so little for her to scald him with lust. He thought of her, and he strained with need.
