Like a mother. “Just a dull ache.” He couldn’t think of a better way to ease it than relaxing in a hot tub with Vanity naked, wet, soapy, leaning back on him. His. “What do you say?”
Interest darkened her eyes yet again. “Go check the dogs,” she told him with a slow smile. “I’ll get the tub ready.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SOME DISTANT NOISE roused Stack, and as he went to stretch awake, his bruised arm protested. Disgusted with himself for getting caught, he opened his eyes and winced at the bright light sneaking through a part in the curtain.
He turned his head, found the other side of the bed empty, and rose to an elbow.
Eight-thirty.
What the hell? He hadn’t slept past five in forever. His routine included rising early, often starting his day with a jog. Sure, he and Vanity had extended the night with sex, but he was pretty sure they’d both passed out by midnight.
He threw back the covers, put his legs over the side of the bed, and listened to yet another unfamiliar sound. Barking, as if the dogs were outside playing, but in the front instead of the back.
The silence of the house made him more than curious, maybe even a little worried. He made a quick trip to the john, then pulled on jeans and his flannel shirt. Coffee awaited him in the kitchen. Through the window over the sink he saw a sea of white in the backyard.
Snow. Not just a sprinkling, either. The backyard glistened, unmarred by footprints, each tree branch layered in ice, tinkling with the breeze.
Carrying a mug of coffee, he went to the front room, lifted aside a curtain, and looked out.
Son of a bitch.
Bundled up like a sexy snow bunny, Vanity stood in the yard, her boots nearly covered. She wore a white puffy jacket, white fuzzy hat and white mittens. She held a shovel and the dogs bounded this way and that around her.
The walkway was shoveled clear and half the driveway...because Leese, with his own shovel, his back to the house and Vanity, was working on it.
A salt truck drove by—the odd sound that had awakened Stack. The winter storm had come early and unexpectedly. Not that Vanity seemed to mind.
Grinning, she set aside her shovel, then packed a snowball in her mittens. Drawing back, she sent it zinging toward Leese.
It hit him dead center between his shoulder blades, and he whipped around, incredulous, before dropping the shovel and bending to scoop up his own snow. Vanity squealed, lifting her shovel to use like a shield. When she peeked out, Leese lobbed the snowball at her face.
As she ducked, her laughter carried across the yard.
Stack opened the door and immediately drew their attention. He said nothing. Hell, he wasn’t sure what to say.
Elated, Vanity came clumping through the snow toward him. Both dogs, woofing happily, followed her.
“It snowed!”
“So I see.” He sipped the coffee and ignored the freezing air on his naked toes. “Having fun?”
“Yes. I love the snow. Isn’t it beautiful?”
She’d tugged the hat down to her brows, and her long blond hair tangled around her shoulders. A red nose and cheeks made her blue eyes appear brighter. “Very.”
“Usually I only saw it when we traveled, and then only to ski, not to play in. It’s amazing—oof.” She bumped into Stack, then whipped around. “Hey!”
Leese had thrown another snowball, and this one got her right in the butt.
Laughing, she dusted off her backside. “You’re fired!”
“Fine by me.” Carrying the shovel, Leese started toward them. He glanced at Stack and smirked. “I know you said he needed to rest, but now that Stack’s dragged his sorry ass out of the bed, he can take over.”
“His arm is hurt,” Vanity protested. “I’ll finish up.”
Before Stack could get the protest said, Leese slanted him a look—one that both quelled his objections and said there was more to the situation than he realized. “She did the walkway.” Leese shrugged while maintaining eye contact. “Says she enjoys it.”
“I do.” Vanity patted Leese’s shoulder. “You two go on in, and I’ll be there as soon as I finish up. You’ve almost finished it already anyway.”
Expecting them both to obey, to just leave her outside in frigid temps and a half foot of snow, Vanity headed to the driveway. Both dogs leaped happily after her.
“Get that evil glint out of your eyes,” Leese said low while stomping his feet to shake off the snow. “I came to talk to you.”
“Right. You wanted to see me, so instead you played in the snow with Vanity.”