Tough Love: Back to Buckhorn

by Lori Foster

  Done cleaning the dogs, he stood and threw away the paper towels, then refilled their food dishes. At least Norwood and Maggie looked tired from their snow play. They grabbed a few bites of chow before collapsing near a ray of sunshine coming through a window.

  Smiling at the exhausted “huff” Norwood gave as he half rested on Maggie, Stack went to Vanity. She had hat hair, a red nose and a wary expression. “Coffee helping?”

  “Yes.” Both hands curled around the mug, she sipped again.

  “So, what do you think?”

  “Shoveling snow is hard but fun. The cold is great, until it seeps into the bones. Overall, it’s pretty cool.”

  Stack grinned at her. “You know that’s not what I meant.” He ruffled her hair, loosening it up from the smashed-hat look. “Your nose is as red as a cherry.”

  “Is it cute?”

  He and Leese both said, “Yes,” at the same time.

  Stack resisted the urge to tell Leese to shut it.

  Taking the coffee from her, Stack set it aside and pulled Vanity up against his chest. “You can steal some of my heat.”

  “Thank you.” She burrowed in. “Is there a way to dodge reporters without being rude?”

  Relieved, Stack hugged her. “Sure.” Looking over her shoulder to Leese, he asked, “Mind giving him a statement for us?”

  Zipping up his jacket in preparation to go, Leese said, “No problem.”

  “Just say we’re glad we were there to help out. Neither of us was injured, and we’re thrilled the others weren’t either. If the reporter has more specific questions, tell him I can give him a call—from the rec center number. Just find out what day and time is convenient for him.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Vanity pulled away to give Leese a quick hug. “Thanks for the snow shovel. I’d never even thought about it, but today it was the perfect gift.”

  Leese returned her hug one-armed, keeping it as casual as a man could. “My pleasure.” He jeered at Stack, “Next time, kick him out of bed earlier so he can help.”

  Stack didn’t mind the ribbing, especially since Vanity was already back in his arms.

  They walked Leese to the door, cautioned him to drive carefully, and then, finally, they were alone again.

  Breathing in her now-familiar scent, made crisper by her play outdoors, Stack asked, “What do you have planned today?”

  “In a couple of hours I need to get the paintings to the shelter, and then I’m getting my hair and nails done.” Vanity smiled up at him. “How soon do you have to go?”

  He should have been out the door hours ago, but in his head he’d already been rearranging his schedule. “Depends. What’d you have in mind?”

  “Sex.”

  Enjoying how freely she threw that out there, he grinned. “Love the way you think.”

  She flattened a hand on his chest, stepped into him until that hand had slid up and around his neck. “You’re here, looking like you look and being so sweet with the dogs, and last night you told me we were officially an item. How could I think about anything other than getting you naked and back in bed?”

  Definitely, he loved her honesty, the direct way she spoke her mind. With Vanity he didn’t have to worry about her misunderstanding or, thankfully, lying to him. She was the most up-front woman he’d ever known.

  Stack gathered her closer, his heart already punching hard—and her phone rang.

  She touched a finger to his lips and said softly, “Hold that thought.” Then she darted away to the kitchen to answer her landline.

  Joining her in the kitchen, Stack refreshed both their mugs of coffee just to give himself something to do.

  After her initial greeting, she said, “Oh, I’d forgotten all about it.” She laughed. “Yes, good thing you called!” She listened, nodded. “I know. I was shoveling snow, too...No, it’s not a problem at all. That will actually be better for me. Thank you again.”

  After she’d replaced the phone in the cradle, she turned to Stack with twinkling eyes and a twitchy smile. “You see what you do to me?”

  He pulled her against him, ready to get back to business. “I make you forget things?”

  “Everything except you.” She went on tiptoe to plant a quick kiss on his mouth.

  “You had another appointment?” Hopefully not more modeling of the risqué variety.

  “Security installers were due here shortly. Good thing the weather threw them off. Otherwise we might have been—” she gave him a heated look “—occupied, when they knocked. They said they’re behind schedule because of the snow.”

  Stack’s brain reeled. “Security installers?”

  “Afraid so.” She wrinkled her nose. “This means I need to get the paintings to the shelter soon, so I can be back before they get here.”

  Stack shook his head. “Why are you meeting security installers?”

  “I figured it was a good idea to get my house wired. You know, alarms for the doors and windows. One of those setups where the police are called if anyone breaks in.” She slipped a hand up under his shirt, her palm on his bare skin. “What do you think about a quickie? I’m game if you are.”

  Stack ignored that, just as he ignored her provoking touch. “What’s going on here? Why are you suddenly worried about a break-in?” He thought about the night before, when he’d heard something in the yard. A deer...or had it been?

  “I’m not worried, exactly,” she denied. “But as a woman alone, I figured I should be more cautious.”

  He agreed, but if anything had happened to spook her, he wanted to know. “You don’t have to be alone.”

  “No?” She grinned—and hooked her fingers into the front waistband of his jeans. “Are you suggesting I move in some random guy?”

  Hyperaware of her touch, he stared down at her. “When I can’t stay with you, you can stay with me.”

  Her eyes rounded and her smile went slack. “You’re not serious.”

  Shit. Yeah, he was appalled at himself, too. No way had he meant to say that. Not yet, not so soon. Floundering, he tried to retrench. “It’d be nice here and there.”

  She searched his face, maybe looking for the truth—a truth he hadn’t yet acknowledged to himself. Rather than dig the hole deeper, Stack said nothing. He didn’t trust himself.

  She withdrew her hand but only to lock her arms around his neck. “When you’re around I don’t get much sleep, but you always make the tiredness worthwhile.”

  The vise on his nape loosened. Not only did Vanity skip past his invitation, she lightened the moment, letting him off the hook.

  And that, too, made her special. “So you do get tired? And here I was beginning to think you had more stamina than a champion fighter.”

  “Mmm.” Her fingers sank into his hair. “My stamina has improved with all our bedroom...exercise.”

  Before she totally distracted him with sex, Stack nodded to Maggie and Norwood. “The dogs could be considered protection.” The reason fucking Phil first claimed to get them.

  “No.” Vanity scowled at him for making the suggestion. “I don’t ever want them to be in a position of having to protect me. They could get hurt, and then I’d never forgive myself.” She turned to the dogs with a fond smile. “Plus, they aren’t mine. I know eventually your mother will want them back.”

  “They’re Tabby’s dogs, not Mom’s.”

  The look she gave him spoke volumes. “F’ing Phil may have gotten them for Tabby, but they’re your mother’s dogs now.”

  True enough. “About that quickie...”

  This time it was her cell that rang. Vanity laughed at his crestfallen expression, patted his chest and located her purse on the counter. She dug out the cell. The second she answered, she looked guilty and turned her back on him.

>   Stack worked his jaw, fighting the surge of jealousy. He had no reason, he reminded himself, so to give her privacy, he picked up his coffee and left the room.

  * * *

  VANITY ONLY HALF heard Tabby’s invitation. She was too busy wondering if Stack’s departure meant he trusted her, that he didn’t care if she spoke to another man, or that she’d offended him when she turned her back.

  Truthfully, despite the amazing progress they’d made and his request that they be exclusive, she still felt very unsure about things. This new facet to their relationship was tentative at best, and she didn’t want him to read too much into his sister’s call. If he wasn’t feeling as full steam ahead as she was, he might get spooked by her rapidly growing relationship with his family.

  “So, what do you say?” Tabby asked. “Want to see a movie with me tonight?”

  “I can’t. I have to get my hair and nails done, and then I’m seeing your brother again.” Saying it aloud made it all the more real, and she couldn’t keep the fat smile at bay.

  She and the awesome Stack Hannigan were a couple. Her heart danced as she thought of it.

  Bummed, Tabby said, “Oh. Okay. I understand.”

  Inspired, Vanity ventured forth an invite of her own. “Want to join me at the salon? We can get the works together. Mani, pedi, facial, all that.”

  Tabby heaved a long sigh. “Oh, God, that sounds so amazing. Like heaven. Absolute heaven. But I can’t afford it. It was stretching the budget just to consider the movies.” She laughed. “I should be buying laundry detergent, but I really wanted to see you, so...”

  “It’ll be my treat.” Really getting into the idea, Vanity said, “Let me, please. You’d be doing me a favor, keeping me company during the whole thing. The salon can be so boring. Please? Will you join me?”

  A moment of silence, and then: “Seriously? You’d do that for me?”

  “I would love it, I promise.”

  “Are you sure you can get an appointment? What if they can’t fit me in?”

  “Trust me. They’ll love the idea as much as I do.” And if she had to promise triple in a tip, she would. “So, what do you say?”

  Tabby screeched, making Vanity laugh as she held the phone away from her ear. “Yes! I say yes, yes, yes! Oh, thank you. It’s been forever since I’ve gotten pampered. Oh, my God, I have goose bumps. Goose bumps!”

  Gratified by that response, Vanity told her what time and where to meet her, then she ended the call and tapped in the number for the spa. Her stylist was more than happy to arrange things for Tabby, especially since another stylist had the opening.

  With that done, Vanity went to look for Stack.

  She found him in her bedroom, standing at the window and looking out at the yard.

  Without a word Vanity skimmed off her jeans and socks, then her heavy sweatshirt, T-shirt and cami. To gain his attention, she closed the door with a click.

  Stack turned, sucked in a breath at finding her naked, and stared heatedly. “Done with your call?”

  “Yes.” She could tell he was curious, but on a gut level she knew Stack would object to her picking up the tab on his sister’s salon visit.

  “Anyone important?”

  Well, shoot. Apparently he wouldn’t let it go without knowing. “It was Tabby.”

  His brows came together. “Why is she calling you?”

  Here she stood, naked, and there he stood, on the other side of the room. Unacceptable. “She invited me to the movies with her. I would have loved to go but couldn’t. Hopefully, we’ll make it another evening.” Leaving out part of the truth wasn’t really a lie, she promised herself. He’d eventually find out, but then it’d be too late for him to spoil her fun or Tabby’s excitement.

  To shore up the arguments she’d just given herself, she grinned at him.

  Suspicious, he crossed his arms.

  And it was then she noticed his erection. Nice. So he wasn’t unaffected, just being alpha.

  “I hadn’t realized you and Tabby were getting so cozy.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No. It’s just that you two are totally different.”

  Hmm. So he didn’t mind that they were friendly. Perfect. “I’d love to have you expound on that—later. Right now I have other things on my mind.” She gestured at her naked body. “I’m beginning to think I should re-dress.”

  “I much prefer you like this.” While striding to her, he asked, “How much time do we have?”

  “Thirty minutes, tops.”

  “Hmm.” He stopped before her. “I can do a lot in thirty minutes.”

  “I was counting on that.” She looked him over, then met his gaze. “Strip.”

  “First, let me see your arm.”

  Heaving a sigh, Vanity said, “I don’t understand you.”

  “I know.” Carefully, Stack opened the bandage and gently touched her skin. “Stay still while I rewrap it.”

  Until that moment she hadn’t noticed the ointment and gauze wrapping he’d brought to her room and put on the nightstand.

  “You’re making me feel foolish.”

  He didn’t look up from her arm, but he asked, “Why?”

  “I have this teeny tiny burn that most wouldn’t look at twice, while your arm looks like it went through a five-round fight and lost.”

  The corners of his mouth tipped up. “Burns are serious. They can get infected. Bruises can’t. And they’ll fade quickly, I promise.” He finished tending her, kissed her arm through the wrap, and said, “There. All done.”

  “Your arm doesn’t hurt?”

  “Not much.”

  She was still naked, and he wasn’t, but she couldn’t help asking, “Is that why Leese came by? Did he have news for you about the guys who jumped you?”

  That startled him. He tried to hide it, but she saw it in his eyes.

  “Stack, I keep telling you I’m not dumb.” He and Leese were friendly but not really friends. For Leese to stop by, especially during a snowstorm, he had to have reason to talk to Stack.

  “You also told me you wanted a quickie, and we don’t have time for me to regale you with details of an insignificant incident and give you a screaming orgasm.”

  How he said that, the look in his eyes, made her stomach flutter. “Screaming?”

  He stepped closer. “And groaning. Maybe even begging a little.”

  She inhaled, exhaled and nodded. “Okay, enough. Clothes off.”

  Saying nothing more, his smile smug, Stack reached back for a handful of his shirt and stripped it off over his head. His jeans were already open, so he dragged down the zipper, but he didn’t take them off.

  “Stack,” she protested.

  “Shh, trust me. Taking off my pants might encourage me to jump the gun, but I want to ensure you come all nice and hot for me first.”

  Vanity shivered. Hard to argue with that logic, so she again agreed. “Okay.”

  “Rest back on the wall. Yeah, like that.” Taking her hands, he crisscrossed them over her chest so that she covered each breast. Looking into her eyes, he said huskily, “Hold these for me, okay?”

  Beyond words, she nodded.

  Smiling his approval, Stack gave her a small kiss. She wanted more, but he went to one knee in front her. “Open your legs.”

  Heartbeat frantic and breath rushing, Vanity braced her feet apart.

  Stack looked up at her and whispered, “Wider.”

  He hadn’t even touched her yet, and already she felt her body warming, softening. She bit her lip and widened her legs.

  “Mmm. Perfect.” He cupped his hands low on either side of her hips, his long fingers curling around to her bottom cheeks.

  Keeping her eyes closed, she waited—and jumped when he opened he
r with his thumbs. She felt his breath and heard his smile when he said, “You are so pretty.”

  Knowing where he looked at her, her face went hot.

  The first touch of his tongue made her lock her knees. Less than three minutes later she gave a soft moan.

  Five minutes after that she wasn’t sure she could continue standing. “Stack!”

  His hands held her backside more securely, supporting her while his mouth continued to eat at her, licking and sucking until her muscles all clenched in a powerful orgasm. Crying out, she grabbed the doorknob with one hand, and tangled the other in his hair.

  He maintained the rhythm, and when the last of the trembling sensation drained out of her, he shot to his feet, hooked one of her legs in his arm, and before she could even catch her breath, he was in her.

  Against her cheek, while thrusting hard and fast, he whispered darkly, “You taste so fucking good.”

  Vanity held on to him. “I bet you’ll taste good, too.”

  He went still for three heartbeats, then gathered her closer with a harsh groan, and she knew he was coming.

  She coasted a hand down his damp back, solid with tensed muscled, all the way to that tight, sexy butt.

  When he slumped against her, satisfaction kept her smiling. Satisfaction, and love. So much love.

  She hugged him tight. “You are so good at this.”

  His ragged laugh shook them both.

  “Careful,” she said. “I’m barely keeping myself upright. If you drop, we’re both going down.”

  He heaved a deep breath, levered back the length of one strong arm, and smiled so tenderly at her, she almost choked up.

  He kissed her mouth, her cheek, her neck. “I would love to take you back to bed just to hold you awhile, but I’m already late.”

  “I know. It’s okay.”

  “Have you ever driven in the snow? I want you to be extra careful today.”

  “As a matter of fact, I have, in other countries. And, yes, I will be.”

  “If anything happens, if you need me for any reason, call.”

  His concern had to count for something, and that buoyed her hope. “I will.” Pretending to pout, she added, “I’ll just have to do a regular old call though. No bat signal for me.”