Part 23 (1/2)
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
o f all the... More than a little furious at being dismissed, Yvette went through the interior door into the house, but resisted the urge to slam it shut. She didn't want Mindi to know she was bothered.
Choosing not to wait for Cannon to finish his private talk, she went into her bedroom, locked the door, then into the bathroom for a cool shower.
He could talk to Mindi for as long as he wanted. She didn't care.
Or rather, she didn't want to care. d.a.m.n it.
Knowing she'd never look as elegant as Mindi, she didn't even try. After drying off, she put on lotion, took her long hair out of the braid and dressed in an oversize logo T-s.h.i.+rt and cutoff shorts.
When she left her room, she found Cannon in the kitchen cooking, also freshly showered and dressed in shorts and a T-s.h.i.+rt. They were both barefoot. But that was where the similarities ended.
Unlike her s.h.i.+rt that fell loose around her body, his fit his muscled torso to perfection.
Whereas her cutoffs resembled Daisy Dukes, his cargo shorts went down to his knees.
With the braid out, her hair hung in long ripples. He'd finger combed his wet, inky black hair, leaving it rumpled.
Given how smooth his jaw looked, he might have shaved.
As he chopped an onion, she watched the movement of muscles in his back and shoulders. It was seriously unfair that any man could look so good.
”Come on in,” he said. ”I'll have dinner ready in a few minutes.”
Yvette headed to the fridge for a cola, but when she saw his big icy pitcher of sugarless tea, she chose that instead.
His good habits were contagious.
”Pour me one, too, will you?”
”Sure.” Trying for a note of diplomacy, she asked, ”So. What did you and Mindi have to talk about?”
”Told her I had to renege on her rain check, that's all.” He used the edge of the butcher knife to push the onions off the cutting board and into a hot skillet with olive oil.
”Uh-huh.” Giving herself a minute to think, she poured the tea, set his beside him and took a long drink of her own. ”A rain check for what, exactly?” He'd told her he wouldn't see anyone else, so unless they had some important business to discuss that- ”s.e.x.”
Choking, she put the back of her hand to her mouth and wheezed for air.
Cannon glanced her way. ”You okay?”
Nodding hard, she gestured for him to continue.
”She hit on me at Whitaker's office when I first got home.”
Finally able to get a strangled breath, she rasped, ”At the lawyer's office?”
”Yeah. Whitaker had to take off for court, we were alone, she was interested and didn't mind saying so.” He hitched one shoulder in disinterest. ”I gave her a rain check, though, because, well, you know, I was pretty banged up, and the idea of Tipton leaving me half his stuff really threw me off stride. Then I met up with you again and...” His gaze dipped over her, sticking a moment on her thighs. ”Not interested in Mindi.”
Swelling with umbrage, Yvette plunked her gla.s.s down onto the table. ”She's still interested.”
He flashed her a grin. ”Yeah, I know. She said so. Got all grabby and stuff right out there on the sidewalk.”
Both hurt and furious, Yvette stared at him. Pride took over. ”I hope you didn't turn her down on my account.”
”You know I did.”
Fighting herself more than Cannon, she said, ”I told you I couldn't-”
”I remember what you said.” He began to dice a tomato. ”You offered to accommodate me.”
Did he want her to do that? Now? And if so, why'd he sound so curt when bringing it up?
Her heart felt too heavy to stay in her chest. ”Yes. But that was nearly a week ago.”
”You've changed your mind?”
Resenting that she had to offer again, she lifted her chin. ”No.”
”Good, because I only want you.”
Then why was he still waiting? ”You're sure about that?”
He laughed. ”Positive. So why would I mess around with Mindi?”
Maybe because Mindi didn't have any hang-ups?
”I wouldn't,” he said, answering his own question. ”But apparently she hasn't caught on to that yet, so now seemed like a good time to clear things up. I didn't see any reason to be cruel about it, especially after I let her think I might be willing. Before you.”
”So you explained it to her?”
He nodded. ”She understands now.”
Yeah, sure she did.
The silence stretched out until Yvette felt compelled to say something. ”What can I do to help?”
”With Mindi? I took care of it.”
She gnashed her teeth. ”With dinner.”
Barely suppressing his humor, Cannon quirked a smile. ”Oh, right. Gotcha.”
d.a.m.n it. It was too hot to cook and she was in no mood to be teased. ”Forget it.” She put her empty gla.s.s in the sink and would have walked out, but Cannon forestalled her temper by wrapping those strong arms around her and trapping her against the counter.
”You're killing me, you know that, right? These shorts... You could be lethal.”
He pressed his hips in against her denim-covered behind.