But not Yvette.

She frowned at him askance, and with reluctance took her attention back to the TV.

"When do you want to check out the stock Tipton left behind?"

She took another long drink of her malt, finishing it off, then stood to gather up their empty wrappers. "I wouldn't mind checking it out right away, just so I know what I have to work with. Maybe sometime tomorrow." On her way into the kitchen she added, "I'll call Vanity soon, too."

Jumping right in. He liked her enthusiasm, especially since the more enmeshed she got, the better the odds of her staying on for good.

Cannon turned off the television and strode into the kitchen behind her. "I'll go with you."

She paused in the middle of putting the trash in the bin beneath the sink. "Okay."

A message beeped on her phone. Without looking at him, she went back to where she'd left it on the end table, glanced at the message and put down the phone without replying.

Her boyfriend again? Ex-boyfriend, he reminded himself.

"Everything okay?"

Looking a little guilty, she gave a bright but false smile. "Sure."

When she started around him for the kitchen again, Cannon stopped her. Seduction, he reminded himself, and he leaned closer, spoke lower. "So what do you have planned tonight?"

"Tonight?"

He touched her hair, smoothing it, then let his fingertips trail over her shoulder and down her arm. "Remember, I'm heading out soon to meet the guys."

Second ticked by, then she shook herself. "Catching up with old friends?"

That, and more. But he only nodded. "I'll be gone awhile." He put both hands on her waist and pulled her closer. "You plan to just stay in?" Hopefully she'd think about him, miss him a little.

She waffled. "I'm not sure yet."

Not the answer he'd been expecting. Where did she think to go? Not back to Rowdy's bar. Did she have other friends in town?

Or was she nervous about being home alone? Maybe he should cancel his plans and stick around. "If you'd rather-"

"I'd rather not be a bother. Go. Have fun." Phone in hand, she darted around him as if seeking escape.

Once more, he trailed her into the kitchen. Luckily the house wasn't large since Yvette seemed determined to make him chase her.

She'd set her phone on the table as she removed the garbage bag from the can. d.a.m.ned if another message didn't come in.

Yvette ignored it, so he tried to, as well. "You have some friends you're going to reconnect with?"

"Not really. After I moved away, I didn't stay in touch with anyone here." She tied the bag shut and shook out another to replace it.

Was she deliberately elusive? "Then where would you go tonight?"

"I don't know." Dusting off her hands, she steered clear of his gaze. "I could maybe take in a movie or something."

He should definitely cancel tonight. He'd never hear the end of it from the guys, but still, the idea of her sitting in a movie theater alone- Her phone rang.

They stared at each other until it stopped.

Cannon c.o.c.ked a brow.

Hefting the bag, she forged out of the kitchen.

He stopped her with a hand on her arm. "I'll run it out to the garage."

She didn't let go. In a tone far too surly, she growled, "I'm more than capable of taking out the trash."

Withdrawing his hands, Cannon held them up in supplication. "My apologies."

Blowing out a frustrated breath, she looked away. After three beats of silence, she regained her calm demeanor. "It's not a big deal, that's all I'm saying."

"Fine. Then let me do it."

Indecision had her scowling again before she thrust the bag at him. "Fine. Knock yourself out."

"Phrasing, honey. Never tell a fighter to get knocked out." He stole a quick kiss off her mulish mouth, then whistled on his way to the garage. The things that got her p.r.i.c.kly amused him, and the way she reacted each and every time to his kiss made him want to rush things despite his good intentions.

Rush them more than he already was, because seriously, he'd come on like a steamroller and he knew it. He should probably apologize-and explain that it was likely to happen again.

The can in the garage was already filled with the empty packages from her additional locks, reminding him of how difficult this would all be for her. He stomped the trash down in the can, dropped in the bag, replaced the lid and headed back in.

He found Yvette leaning against the counter, her phone in hand as she read a message.

"Who keeps calling?"

She actually jumped, then frowned in accusation. "When you said you'd run it out, I didn't know you meant literally."

Taking in every nuance of her expression, Cannon saw not only the fractious temper but the worry, too. "I didn't run. You're just distracted." He moved closer. "I'd really like to know what's wrong."

Her phone beeped again.

Yvette bit her lip. "He says he's coming to visit."

Uneasiness p.r.i.c.kled beneath Cannon's skin. "He who?"

"Heath."

Heath, her ex. "When?"

"I don't know. It might just be a threat." She sighed, then made a decision. "He's a little obsessive."

"About you?"

"About everything. It's part of his personality. He wants to keep going over stuff and I don't, so I've been ignoring him."

"His phone calls?"

"And his texts and email and Facebook messages. That's probably why he says he's coming here. To get me to talk to him. I doubt he means it. He's just hoping I'll cave and reply."

"He makes you nervous?"

She shook her head hard. "I'm not afraid of him."

"Okay." She was so defensive about not being fearful anymore. "Take it easy."

"I just..." She set the phone aside and rubbed her temples. "I don't want to rehash the past. We've already done that several times. It's over whether he accepts it or not."

"Hey." Cannon took her hands away, replacing them with his own. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

She laughed, leaned in against him and gave him a tight hug.

Folding his arms around her, Cannon tried not to get turned on. She wanted affection, not an erection.

It was nice, having her initiate contact this time. Hopefully, like him, she'd begun to feel comfortable, as if the three years apart had never happened.

He'd feel better about things if he knew exactly what was going on between her and her ex. "Why'd you split from him?"

She shifted against him, but didn't move away. "I broke things off with Heath for the same reason I can't start anything with you."

"We're not starting anything," he gently explained. "We're picking up where we left off."

On a soft groan, she put her forehead to his chest and stared down at...well, maybe his fly, but more likely her own feet.

In a barely there whisper, she said, "That'd be ground zero, then, because there was never anything between us."

No way could he let her slide on that; there'd been almost too much for him to comprehend until he'd seen her again and it had all came rushing back. "I know you've been through a lot, but-"

"Cannon," she whispered, interrupting him. "Will you please do something for me?"

In such a short time, he was beginning to think he'd do anything for her. "Sure."

When she leaned back and looked up at him, she wore a sincere smile. "Promise?"

G.o.d, what this one woman did to him. "Yeah."

"Please, go see your friends. Go and have fun. And don't worry about me. Just...just pretend I'm any other woman. Not the woman who was threatened and hurt. Not the girl who cried and let herself be a victim." He started to speak and she put a finger to his mouth.

And even that turned him on.

"Don't a.s.sociate every thought of me with the past, okay? Can you do that for me?"

Why didn't she ask for something easy-like the moon?

Holding her waist, he lifted her up to sit on the counter. She grabbed for his shoulders to steady herself, and he stepped between her legs, then slid his hands down to her slim hips and snugged her up close, groin to groin, b.r.e.a.s.t.s to chest. "I'll go. And I'll try not to worry. But, honey, no way can I think of you as any other woman. Like it or not, you're special to me."

She got that "aww" look in her eyes again.

Seduction, he had to keep reminding himself. Maybe with Yvette it came more naturally than he'd realized, because she sure as h.e.l.l looked seduced.

"Will you promise me something, too?"

"All right."

"Promise you'll tell me if Heath becomes a problem."

"I can handle him."

Acknowledging that with a nod, he said, "Promise me anyway."

"All right."

"I'll keep my phone on me. Call me if anything spooks you."

She touched his throat, his collarbone. "How about I'll call you if I actually think there's a threat? After I call the police. Will that work?"

Meaning she often got spooked and wasn't confident about her instincts anymore. "I could be late. Midnight, maybe one."

She faked a yawn. "I'll long be in bed by then."

Cannon could tell she was up to something, he just didn't know what.

"You could let me know when you get in, though. Just so I don't hear things and think-"

He took her mouth, far from brief, far from as much as he wanted. "I'll let you know."

Slightly dazed, she stared at his mouth, then shook herself. "You should probably quit doing that."

He gave her the truth. "I don't know if I can."

Her smile flickered into place, and she surprised him by saying softy, "I shouldn't be, but I'm sort of glad."

His heart leaped. To h.e.l.l with leaving. If she was willing- Pressing against his chest, she said, "Now go."

d.a.m.n. Cannon didn't tell her that she was shoving him out the door an hour earlier than necessary. She claimed there couldn't be anything between them, but she'd gone all soft and willing from a simple kiss. He wanted time to think, and she looked as if she wanted some privacy of her own.

He set her back on her feet and went down the hall to change. When he came back out, she was at the kitchen table with papers spread out.

"Your grandfather's stuff?"

She nodded. "I didn't find what I needed with what the lawyer gave us, but I remembered that Grandpa always kept the paperwork in the hutch."

Over her shoulder, Cannon saw the wrinkled yellow receipts and a few torn pages.