Hot Stuff

could see in her eyes she was protecting you, not that you deserve it you lowlife, sorry excuse for a-'

Vaughn held up a hand to stop him. 'I think we've been here before. And I'm not going to argue with you this time either. I just want to make things right.'

'Just how do you propose to do that?' Yank asked.

'By going after Annabelle. But I had to come to you first.' Embarrassed but certain, Vaughn shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. 'You're like a father to me and I'm sorry I screwed you all those years ago. I'm grateful to have you back in my life now. To prove it, I'd do anything you asked of me except for one thing. I can't leave Annabelle alone. I love her, I need her and I want to marry her,' he said in a rush, getting the words out before he lost his courage.

Yank rose and strode up to him, glaring. 'You won't leave her alone. Well isn't that swell.'

Vaughn's mouth grew dry. The last thing he wanted was to make a choice between his mentor and the woman he loved but there'd be no contest as to who would win. Unlike the beginning of their relationship when he'd sworn to himself he'd keep his hands off Annabelle, Vaughn refused to walk away from her now.

'I have one question,' Yank said, sounding good and pissed.

'What?'

'Who the hell asked you to stay away? As I recall, I told you my niece needed a good man. One who'd care for her and not abandon her because that's her greatest fear.' Yank shoved Vaughn's shoulder with-one hand, pushing him hard. 'When I said those words I meant that you were that man. But true to form, you didn't see yourself that way. Never have, never will.' He snorted and shrugged. 'Actually that's probably what makes you such a decent guy.'

A good man. Vaughn shook his head in disbelief. 'Are you saying you want me with Annabelle?'

'Give the man a cigar,' Yank said laughing. 'It takes you a while but at least you aren't permanently dense. So are you going to sit here talking to me all night? Or are you going to rescue Annie from that baseball player who isn't out of diapers yet?'

Vaughn narrowed his gaze. 'What baseball player?'

Yank shrugged. 'All I know is she was dressed to the nines and her twins were hanging out.'

“Twins?' Vaughn asked but he was afraid he already knew what Yank meant.

'Urn, juggs, boobs, breasts, for God's sake,' Yank muttered. 'This is my niece so can we keep it clean?'

Vaughn rolled his eyes. He'd seen Annabelle dressed for big-time events and knew exactly what her uncle meant. 'I'm guessing she's gone out with a client, so just give me the address, okay?'

He remained calm because he knew better than to think Annabelle would go out with another guy so soon after leaving him. But that didn't mean he liked her attending anything with another man, especially with her twins on display.

Yank handed him a sheet of paper with the address. 'Go get her, son.'

Vaughn choked up. He'd waited years to have Yank call him that again.

Yank pulled him into a bear hug and when Vaughn stepped back, he grabbed Yank's arm. 'I love you, Pops, and I want you to enjoy your life, not sit around alone at night feeling sorry for yourself. So if I'm going to go after Annabelle, you'd better go after Lola.'

Yank shook his head. 'I had my chance years ago and I blew it.'

'Stubborn old man. I'll deal with you later,' Vaughn promised. 'Right now I have a lady to rescue.'

And that lady had captured not just his heart but everything Vaughn was.

As he headed back for his car, he replayed his talk with Yank in his mind, one part in particular. His heart pounded hard in his chest as he recalled Yank telling him that Annabelle had defended him to her uncle.

Vaughn couldn't get over that fact. She'd told Yank she'd broken up with him when it was completely untrue. Yeah she'd left him in Greenlawn, but he knew damn well it was because she wanted to avoid an awkward goodbye, because she also knew he wouldn't be asking her to stay. At the time she'd have been right. Yet knowing Yank would skin him alive if he knew Vaughn had hurt her, Annabelle had looked out for his relationship with her uncle anyway.

Vaughn hadn't been looking for proof of her love or commitment to him. He'd come to New York without either and he would have laid his soul bare for her and risked all the protective barriers he'd spent years erecting on pure hope alone. He still planned to do just that, only now he had some proof that Annabelle loved him as much as he loved her.

He just hoped love was enough and that he hadn't finally, irrevocably pushed her away for good.

KEEPING A FAKE SMILE pasted on her face was getting more difficult by the minute. The charity event wasn't the problem. Annabelle liked mingling with other industry professionals. She enjoyed meeting the athletes, models and actresses also attending the event. She also liked the fact that Oakley sportswear and sunglasses was sponsoring such a good cause- the Lighthouse Foundation. And she was definitely enjoying the champagne punch. Unfortunately it was her client, Russell Bruno, who had her on edge.

The man had huge teeth-made brighter thanks to the contrast with his black tuxedo jacket-a huge smile and an even bigger ego. To make matters worse, he also had large, groping hands and he liked to settle his palm on her ass. Clearly the man didn't understand the term professional association. She was tired of it and tired of him. So tired she was ready to go home.

Unfortunately she'd let Russ, as he liked to be called, pick her up from The Hot Zone and now she was stuck here until he was ready to leave. But she was loathe to call his attention to her since he was finally, blessedly involved in conversation with someone else. A pretty brunette soap opera actress who was obviously impressed with his physique and pretty-boy face.

Annabelle motioned to the bartender and he refilled her punch but before she could take a sip, she yawned and a loud sound escaped from the back of her throat by mistake.

Russ turned around fast. 'Oh, I’ve been ignoring my date.' His attention back on Annabelle, he shot a regretful glance at the other woman by his side.

'Not a problem for me,' Annabelle muttered.

Russ chuckled clearly not taking her seriously. 'I get carried away telling the story of how I was called up from the Minors, but I'm back now,' he promised_: Annabelle and followed up his comment with a bold slide of his wandering palm from her back to her bottom.

His other female companion took off in a huff.

Russ let out an exaggerated exhale of relief. 'I thought she'd never leave. I'm so sorry, sugar.'

Annabelle gritted her teeth but kept a smile for appearances. First thing tomorrow she was informing her sisters that this stud muffin was officially Annabelle's ex-client and could be shuffled to the new PR person The Hot Zone had yet to hire.

In the meantime, he was still her problem. 'Russ, either you take your hand off my ass or I break your arm. The choice is yours,' she said with saccharine sweetness.

'You heard the lady, Bruno.'

Uh-oh. Annabelle knew that voice as well as she knew her own. Her heart soared but she immediately squelched the emotion, reminding herself she had no idea why he was here.

'Brandon Vaughn, well I'll be damned!' Russ quickly removed his hand and extended it so he could greet the football legend.

But a quick glance at Vaughn's strained expression and Annabelle knew this wouldn't be an easy, friendly how do you do. 'Russell Bruno meet Brandon Vaughn.'

She performed the perfunctory introductions but doubted it would make Vaughn soften.

She was right.

He ignored Bruno and his outstretched hand. 'Time to go home, Annie.'

She raised an eyebrow. Going home, and with Vaughn at that, seemed like the best idea she'd heard all night. However she wasn't about to let him show up out of nowhere and call the shots as if he owned her. Especially after he'd been silent and out of her life for the last week.

He certainly knew how to make a re-entrance. Wearing denim jeans, a black T-shirt and sport jacket, he was completely underdressed compared to the tuxedoed men surrounding them. Still he was the sexiest, most gorgeous sight Annabelle had ever seen.

He was also royally ticked off.