Part 29 (1/2)
”Oh.”
She knew of him? ”Your turn.”
”Vanity Baker.”
Ah, her friend from Cali. Wondering how much Yvette had told her, he said, ”Nice to meet you, even if only via cell phone.”
”The pleasure is all mine.” She made a whistling sound, then said, ”Is Yvette there listening?”
”Right here, yeah.” About as close as a clothed woman could get.
”The thing is...I have news about her a-hole ex, so do me a favor and stick around, okay?”
Cannon liked her protectiveness, but not her timing.
Or maybe that was spot-on. too, considering he'd just told himself to move more cautiously, which sure as h.e.l.l didn't include banging her against the wall with very little finesse.
”I'm not going anywhere,” he told Vanity.
”Yeah? Good to know.”
Yvette watched the exchange with minimal interest. Of course, she straddled his lap and was still breathing hard, so...he cupped her breast and watched her eyes sink shut.
She was every bit as turned on as him, evidenced by the way she kept squirming on his erection.
But, d.a.m.n it, he didn't want to leave her fractured with need. With regret, he arranged her s.h.i.+rt so that it fully covered her again.
Yvette groaned again.
”So, Cannon,” Vanity said. ”My girl tells me you're some bada.s.s fighter or something.”
He smiled. ”Or something.”
”You're also heroic, right?”
Yvette was starting to look suspicious, so Cannon suggested, ”Why don't you just tell me what's on your mind, Vanity?”
”Let me talk to Yvette first.”
”Hang on.” He held the phone down against the couch. ”It's your friend Vanity.”
Yvette started to move off his lap, but he wasn't ready to let her go just yet. With a hand on her hip, he stayed her, then caressed. ”I like holding you.”
She bit her lip, took the phone from him and lifted it to her ear. ”Hey, Vanity.”
”Why didn't you answer last night?”
Since she'd accidentally just put the phone on speaker, Cannon heard Vanity loud and clear.
Blus.h.i.+ng, Yvette said, ”I was...”
”What? What were you doing? O. M. G. You did the nasty, didn't you?” She squealed. ”Tell me. Details.”
”Vanity-”
She gasped. ”You're in bed with him now, aren't you? That's why he answered?” Another squeal. ”Was it hot? Have you been converted? Are you now among the musthave-it crowd?”
Yvette looked so fl.u.s.tered that Cannon grinned. Clearly Vanity knew some of the details.
”His voice is dreamy,” Vanity continued before Yvette could get a word in edgewise. ”Tell me the bod matches.”
Yvette rolled her eyes. ”He's ripped.”
She said, ”Yes!” like a victory yell.
Rus.h.i.+ng on, Yvette said, ”But we aren't... We haven't...”
”Well, d.a.m.n. Why not?”
”Mostly because you interrupted,” Cannon said. ”But I'll forgive you just this once.”
Closing her eyes, Yvette said, ”You're on speakerphone, Vanity.”
Silence. Then in a scandalized whisper, ”He was listening the whole time?”
”Yup.”
”Well.” Shaking off the awkwardness, Vanity said, ”C'est la vie. I refuse to blush. In fact, jump his bones, I say. He sounds worth it.”
”Vanit y.”
”That's her warning tone, Cannon, just so you know.”
Cannon liked Vanity more by the moment. ”Thanks.”
”And now here's mine-be good to her.”
”We already worked that out, didn't we?”
”Maybe. Yvette wouldn't let you near her if you weren't one of the good guys. Which is why old Heath got booted. But I meant s.e.xually. She deserves-”
”Vanity!”
Fighting off a laugh, Cannon said, ”Agreed.”
”I might visit.”
”You'd be more than welcome to stay with us.”
”Us?” More silence, and then, ”Yvette, you hussy. You moved in with him? Why haven't you called to tell me that?”