Hot Stuff (Hot Zone 1)

His groin hardened and the desir

e to have her now, on the lawn, in front of Nick, Mara and the wide blue sky overwhelmed him. "You realize we have an audience?"

He nodded toward his best friend and his assistant. Although in truth, Vaughn didn't know whether they were watching or engaged in their own version of foreplay.

"Why don't we go somewhere we can be alone?" Annabelle's eyes glittered with excitement and he wanted nothing more than to agree.

Unfortunately he couldn't. "I need to go home and shower." He leaned forward and nibbled on her mouth. "You can join me," he suggested.

"Actually I have a better idea." She stepped back.

"What?"

"It's all here." She held a piece of paper in her hand and playfully turned it from side to side.

He tried to grab the sheet but she snatched it away, still teasing.

"Are you coming, Annabelle?" Mara asked.

Vaughn glanced over in time to see Mara sweep a hand down Nick's cheek and walk away, his^ friend's hungry eyes following the movement.

Nick had it bad. Not that Vaughn was one to talk.

"I'm coming," Annabelle told Mara.

"Where are you going?" Vaughn asked her.

She pulled on the waistband of his shorts and dropped her note into his pants. She was all sex appeal but in her eyes, he thought he caught a glimpse of something more. Something that made his breath catch and his heart nearly stop.

"Meet me tonight," she said in a husky voice.

He caught her wrist in his hand. "What do you have planned in that mind of yours?"

She grinned. "Something just for you in a place where we're guaranteed not to be interrupted," she promised him.

"Last taxi is pulling out now." Mara's voice interrupted them.

Annabelle waved goodbye to Vaughn with a wiggle of her fingers and a seductive twist of her hips as she took off with Mara.

Nick let out a slow whistle. "Who'd have thought wine coolers could have such a potent effect on women."

Vaughn laughed. "I take it Mara was flashing her wares at you?"

Nick looked up at the heavens. "That's one way of putting it."

"You trusting her now?" Vaughn asked.

"I'm trying."

"You?" Nick asked.

"I've got no reason to worry about that. Annabelle's job will be done and she'll be gone soon."

Nick kicked his sneakered foot against the dirt. "Yeah sure, buddy. That's what we tell ourselves, when we're trying not to fall too hard." He slapped Vaughn on the back. "Just be careful, okay?" "You looking out for me now?"

He smirked. "Actually you can take care of yourself just fine. It's Annabelle I'm worried about." But Vaughn caught the lie in his friend's gaze.

They parted ways in the parking lot, Vaughn's mind on the note in his shorts from Annabelle, when a distinctive blue Chevy pulled into the space beside him.