Hot Stuff (Hot Zone 1)

He smiled. "Hi yourself."

"I see you've got yourself some company." She reached out and scratched Q-Tip under his chin.

He laughed. "He seems to like me. Go figure."

She eased herself to a sitting position. "Yeah go figure," she said, her solemn gaze meeting his.

"What's with the afternoon nap?"

She shook her head. "It just seemed the lesser of two evils." Her gaze darted toward the far wall, away from his.

"The other one being?"

"Thinking," she said simply.

He sensed it was anything but simple. He'd coined home expecting to share the police theory about his ex-wife with Annabelle, but instead he realized she had something deeper on her mind. "Thinking about! What?" he asked, digging for answers.

When she remained silent, he tried another tact. "Why'd you come in here to rest?

The dog wriggled out of his arms, jumped to the mattress and snuggled in beside Annabelle.

She absently stroked his head as she said, "I feel better in here."

"Because you don't feel alone." He understood that in here she sensed his presence and it gave her comfort.

"That's part of it," she admitted.

The irony here was great. "You're a successful businesswoman, someone your family turns to when they're in need, yet you feel isolated." He reached out and stroked her cheek.

She nodded, tears welling in her eyes. She wiped her damp eyes with the back of her hands.

"Here use this." He handed her the corner of his comforter to use and she dabbed at the moisture.

"Thanks," she said, chuckling. "I just wish the simplest things wouldn't evoke deja vu."

"What happened?" he asked, his concern for he all encompassing. More important than figuring out if Laura could really be responsible for the problems around the lodge.

Vaughn wasn't used to caring so deeply for another person, especially a person he had to let go. And still he couldn't turn Annabelle away. He listened as she detailed a conversation she'd overhead between Lola and her uncle, one that had left her sobbing like a child and retreating to bed for comfort. To his bed.

In response, he gave her the one thing she needed more than mere words. He lay down beside her and held her in his arms, until her breathing became deep and even and she'd fallen back to sleep, knocked out from emotional overload.

Vaughn let out a long sigh. It was a good thing she hadn't been looking for any words of wisdom. He'd have had none to give. While he wished he could tell her that the unconditional love she sought existed on some level, he couldn't. Nobody could give her that kind of security or guarantee. Hell, he hadn't found it in his life, either, so who was he to give advice?

But he understood now that the animals did give her what the people in her life hadn't been able to do. And he hoped like hell he wouldn't be the next person to disappoint her.

HAVING SLEPT THROUGH dinner, Annabelle awoke to the delicious aroma of pizza. She was certain she was dreaming, conjuring up what her growling stomach desperately desired. But when she rolled over and opened her eyes, Vaughn stood by the bed with a pizza box in his hand.

"Dinner?" she said, her mouth watering at the thought.

"Not home cooked, but yeah." His cheeks flushed, obviously embarrassed by his good deed.

It wasn't his first nice act tonight, either. He'd catered to her insecurities and understood her feelings, all the while not flinching at finding her in his bed.

His thoughtfulness showed yet another dimension to his strong yet sensitive character. 'Thank you, Vaughn. You probably don't know this but I love pizza." She rubbed her belly and curled her legs beneath her.

He grinned. "Most single people do."

She shot him a wry glance. "Let me get dressed and we'll go to the kitchen."