Touching Lace (Vaughn)

Blade must have heard her displeasure. Good thing, too, because she was a hair’s breadth away from hanging up on him. She had done that more than once with Blade. He was just so infuriating at times. Lovable, but infuriating.

As his words registered, Lacey paused. He sounded unsure, and Blade Vaughn was never unsure. Curious, she asked, “Oh?”

“Candice Warner. You know her.”

Lacey was still lost. “Yes, I do. What’s your point?”

“She works out at your gym, isn’t that right?” His voice turned harsh, when he continued. “I’m damned attracted to her and I’m not sure what the hell to do about it.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Blade, nervous? About a woman? “Candice works for Merrick. Or, rather, Chloe. She’s her assistant.” Lacey thought of Candice and frowned. “I’m not sure if you should get involved with her, Blade.”

Blade sighed. “Yeah, I know. But my body doesn’t agree.”

“There are things you should know about Candice. She’s not really a casual sex sort of woman.”

“I gathered that when I went to Merrick’s office the other day to pick him up for lunch. She went real quiet and blushed a lot the minute she saw me.”

That was putting it mildly. If Blade only knew the half of it. “Uh, yeah, she’s shy all right. Not your usual speed, I’m betting.” Then something else occurred to Lacey. Maybe Blade was just the guy to get Candice to open up a little. “Then again, maybe she’s exactly what you need to get you back among the living.”

That put steel back into Blade’s voice. “I’m plenty lively, dammit.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Then tell me this, when was the last time you spent more than a single night with a woman?”

She heard him curse a few times. “You know, for someone who hates their family meddling you sure do your fair share of it, baby girl.”

It was her turn to laugh. Blade only called her baby girl when she was getting to him. “You’re just angry that I’m right.”

“You don’t know everything.”

“What’s there to know?” Then it dawned on her. Maybe there was more to the attraction that he wasn’t telling. “Unless there’s another reason you’re so hesitant to get together with Candice. Is there more than mere chemistry here?”

He muttered something about little sisters who didn’t know what was good for them, forcing Lacey to pry further.

“What is it, Blade? Out with it.” Lacey grew more curious by the second. After all, Blade had never even acted remotely interested in a serious relationship before. Candice must have really done a number on him.

“I don’t know if there’s more to it than chemistry because I’ve not been able to get within ten feet of her.”

She let her silence speak for her. Little sisters did indeed have their ways.

“She just seems…different to me. But it’s pointless anyway, because she’s too damn shy,” Blade muttered.

Lacey was beyond shocked. She’d never in her wildest imaginings known Blade to give up on a woman. She had a sneaky feeling that all he really needed was a little push in the right direction.

“Blade, you could look at this another way.”

“What other way is there? I’m going to have to see Candice and not touch her. That sucks, no matter which way you look at it.”

Lacey laughed. “You’re being too stubborn about this.”

His voice was once again hard and unyielding. “I don’t mess with women like her, Lacey.”

“Women like what?”

“You know what I mean. She’s nice and sweet, and I’m, well, not.”