Hot Stuff (Hot Zone 1)

She threw herself into his arms and kissed him hard on the lips. Kissed him for a good long time until, finally, she pulled back, but her arms remained hooked around his neck.

"Tell me more. Tell me something I don't know. Tell me how we got to this point because I never thought it would come, you know."

He completely understood. "My mother came by looking for you. She had breakfast in one hand and a peace pipe in the other. So to speak, anyway."

Her mouth opened then closed again.

It was good to see he still had some surprises left for her. "She said you'd helped her approach me. I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful you protected me from your uncle even when I hadn't done a damn thing to deserve your faith."

Her eyes opened wide. "You know about that?"

Vaughn shrugged. "Your uncle isn't the discreet type. Anyway, I'm not really sure I can give you an explanation as to what changed except I missed you like crazy."

"I missed you, too."

He glanced into her warm, welcoming eyes and decided she was right. Now was the time to open that vein. "I'm still not sure I believe I'm worthy of you, but you seem to think I am and that's all that counts. Besides, without you, the lodge, my dream-it all meant nothing."

"Oh, Vaughn."

"And now that Nick's tied up with Mara, I had nobody to hang out with after work."

Laughing, she pushed him against the couch so they lay down, their bodies aligned. "I love you, Brandon Vaughn."

Knowing he'd found love and complete acceptance at last, he relaxed. His heart pounded hard in his chest but it was from excitement and desire, not anxiety over the future. Not anymore.

"I want to open up my huge house and fill it with our babies. We can live in the city and make the house our summer home. Or we can sell it and live wherever you want. Because I love you, too, Hot Stuff. And I always will."

EPILOGUE

YANK GLANCED AROUND the grounds of Vaughn's lodge, which had been open over six months now. The place was destined to be a huge success, filled with kids and laughter and love. Which meant he and his stinking bad mood ought to stay far, far away.

"You need to get your act together, Uncle Yank," Micki said, brushing by him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Nobody likes a sourpuss."

"And I don't like Spencer Atkins all over Lola." He pointed to the blanket they'd spread underneath a huge tree where they sipped champagne and held hands. Made a man want to puke, that's what it did.

"As I recall you let her go. Did you think she was going to crawl into the woodwork and die without you?" Micki pursed her lips. "It isn't too late to get her back, you know. It's not like they're married or anything. At least not yet."

Yank straightened his shoulders. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Micki shrugged. Always the coy one, she treated him to her dimpled grin. "I'm just saying that Vaughn and Annabelle got married this past June and now here we are in July and love is in the air." She swept her arm around to where many couples surrounded them. "You just never know, so if you don't like your life as it stands, you need to do something to change it. Now."

She strode off before he could remind her to do the same. After all, it wasn't like she was coupled off yet. None of the damn men she'd met and none he represented were good enough for his littlest niece. At least none he'd found yet.

And then there was Sophie, his Miss Know It All niece who bombarded him with daily advice and articles on his eyesight, who insisted on being the one to take him from specialist to specialist. She shouldn't be focusing on her uncle, she should be finding a good man to settle down with. But how could she have time for a relationship if she was so busy taking care of him? Yank and his condition were nothing but an excuse for Sophie to avoid a serious commitment.

Just like he was using his eyesight as an excuse not to deal with his feelings for Lola? He shook his head. He didn't want to travel that road, but how could he not when she was cavorting with Spencer, his best friend and biggest business rival, right under his nose?

Before Yank could figure out how to fix his messed up life, the sound of Vaughn's voice over a microphone caught his attention and he joined everyone gathering at a makeshift stage. He stood on the fringe of the crowd and waited.

"It's time to announce the recipient of the first Brandon Vaughn Scholarship," Vaughn said. "The winner will receive a five-thousand-dollar grant to be used at the college of his or her choice."

A round of applause followed.

"Hi, Uncle Yank." Sophie sidled up to him and put an arm around his shoulder.

"Hiya, honey."