Vet's Desire (2 page)

Crossing his
own legs, he let his gaze drift down to her cleavage.
“Delightful.”

“And to think,”
she said brightly, “My parents and I will be attending your
mother’s party on Saturday night and we’ll meet you there. But
better yet, I have an idea.”

Tim was pretty
sure he didn’t want to hear it, the bells were going off in his
head like out-of-control ringers.

“How about you
pick me up on Saturday night and we can go together?”

And there it
was. They’d only known each other for less than twenty minutes and
she was eyeing him as though mentally measuring him for the groom’s
suit at their wedding. Maybe that’s what the alarm bells were – the
ringing in her head transcending time and space to clang inside
his.

He shuddered
mentally.

Time to nip
this in the bud, and fast. “Well, it’s been nice meeting you,
Sassy. I’ll have to introduce you to my girlfriend.”

Her smile froze
on her face. “I beg your pardon?”

“My
girlfriend.”

“You have a
girlfriend?”

“Yes, and
she’ll be delighted to meet you.”

“A girlfriend
here?”

“Yes.” Man, he
really was an arse sometimes, Rick was correct. But at least his
arse was his own and not in the cold hands of a gold-digging harlot
who’d sell her soul for his old family money. “Did I forget to
mention her?”

Sassy stared at
him for a few seconds and then her eyes narrowed. The woman was on
the scent like a bloodhound on a poor fox’s trail. She looked
around. “And where is this girlfriend now?”

“Coming.
Shortly.” He glanced around as well. “Any second in fact, so I
better head back to the bar. Nice meeting you, Sassy.” Tim got up
and walked back to the bar with her eyes burning a hole in the back
of his shirt.

Rick was
chatting to Cindy, and he looked up as Tim took the bar stool
beside him. “What happened? Did you luck out?”

“She was
mentally measuring me for the wedding suit.”

“Let me guess,
she recognised your name.”

“And monetary
connections.” Tim nodded to Miranda. “Another beer.”

“So how did you
get out of it?”

“Told her I was
here with my girlfriend.”

“And she didn’t
throw her drink at you?” Rick shook his head. “I’m impressed.”

Cindy, standing
silently beside him, didn’t look impressed at all. In fact, those
big blue eyes were studying him closely. “You picked up a woman and
then dumped her?”

“Gold digger,”
he explained. How could she not get it?

“From what I’ve
been told, they’re just your type.”

Tim’s brows
rose. “Who’s been telling tales? Rick?”

“Maddy,” Rick
replied. “And Mike.”

“Mike wouldn’t
talk.”

“You’d be
surprised what he tells Maddy.”

“No, I
wouldn’t. What is it with you and Mike? Get a ring on your woman’s
finger and it’s magically through your nose as well.”

Rick
grinned.

Cindy placed
one hand on her generously curved hip. “That’s disgusting
behaviour.”

“Trust me, I
can get worse than that.”

“You seem proud
of that fact.”

“You seem
disapproving.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“No wonder you
haven’t got a woman yet.”

“Oh, I had one
all right. For all of ten minutes before she was planning on
walking down the aisle with my money.”

“Money isn’t
everything.”

“Says you.”

Cindy’s eyes
narrowed.

“Whoa.” Rick
looked at Tim. “Mate, not cool.”

“It’s all
right.” Cindy moved between Rick and Tim’s stools, which placed her
really close to Tim. “I can deal with him myself.”

Several things
hit Tim straight away – she smelled nice, and she had her dander
well and truly up. It made her eyes sparkle.

Or maybe that
was just the beer swimming inside his body.

He raised one
eyebrow. “You think you can deal with me?”

“Most
assuredly.”

“Lady, you
don’t know me that well.”

Her eyes
narrowed further. Maybe the sparkle was enhanced by the artfully
applied eye shadow and eyeliner. That had to be the
explanation.

“I might not
have known you long, Clarke, but I know your kind.”

“
My
kind?”

“And I know
your reputation.”

“Oh my.” He
splayed one hand on his t-shirt, which tellingly had
Stud for
Hire – Cheap,
emblazoned on it. “I’m famous.”

She opened her
mouth but before a word could leave it, a voice purred huskily over
his shoulder, “Where’s your girlfriend, Tim?”

Shit. It was
Sassy. Tim glanced at her over his shoulder to find her looking at
him triumphantly. She knew perfectly well he didn’t have a
girlfriend here. This could turn messy. He didn’t like messy, and
this promised to get messy.

His gaze fell
on Cindy, who was watching the woman behind him with amusement in
her eyes. Oh yeah, she just had to be happy with this outcome. She
-

Oh yeah.
Oh
yeah!

“Oh, no,”
groaned Rick. “Tim-”

In one smooth
move, Tim hooked an arm around Cindy’s waist and pulled her between
his thighs. Giving her a smacking kiss on her lips, which had
partially opened in surprise, he said, “She’s right here!”

And her lips
tasted like strawberries.
What the hell…?
His gaze dropped
to those luscious lips and the shine on them had him realizing that
she was wearing flavoured lip gloss. Rather yummy, really.

Cindy was
staring at him as though he had a screw loose, one of her hands
braced against his chest and the other on his thigh just above his
knee. The rings she wore on nearly every finger sparkled in the
light.

“
This
is
your girlfriend?” Sassy asked in disbelief.

“Cindy is my
girlfriend,” Tim affirmed.

“I most
assuredly am-” Cindy began hotly, only to be stopped by Tim leaning
in quickly to give her another quick kiss and whisper, “Back me up
and I’ll owe you.”

She looked from
him to Sassy peering over his shoulder, and what she saw in the
brunette’s eyes must have made her change her mind, for she relaxed
suddenly, melting into Tim, her luscious curves suddenly pressed
against him, her soft stomach nestling between his thighs.

Whoa, and
didn’t that just produce the most interesting sensations?

“Cindy,” she
almost cooed, putting her arm around Tim’s side under his own arm
so she could shake the slack-jawed Sassy’s hand.

Her breasts
pressed against his chest and Tim almost swallowed his tongue when
he glanced down to see those plump pillows pushing against the low
neckline of her top.

Sassy shook her
hand with obvious distaste.

Tim raised his
gaze to see Rick’s amused expression.

“
You’re
his girlfriend?” Sassy asked disbelievingly.

“I know, isn’t
it a shock?” Cindy smiled widely as she picked up Tim’s glass and
sipped from it. “I’m not his usual type, I know, but I guess
there’s just so much more of me to love.” Placing the tip of her
nose against his, she rubbed it gently. “Right, Timmy?”

“Right.” Two
could play at this game. Tim lowered his hand and settled it firmly
on her rounded bottom. “Just so much more to love.” He squeezed one
buttock.

He was rewarded
with a flash of her eyes and a slight stiffening of her lush body,
but his smirk was lost when her fingers above his knee dug in to
the nerves. Mouth open in a silent yell, he couldn’t miss the
hilarity on Rick’s face over Cindy’s shoulder. He could only thank
God that Sassy was sitting behind him and couldn’t see his
expression.

Pressing
closer, Cindy rested one arm on his other side and settled her chin
on his shoulder so that she could see Sassy. “So,” she said to
Sassy, “Where did Tim try to pick you up?”

What the
hell…?
Tim stiffened.

“He’s such a
wanderer,” Cindy continued happily. “I’ve considered having him
neutered to mend his ways.”

Sassy actually
laughed. Cindy patted his back fondly and Rick had to turn his head
away.

“Without his
Lassie,” Cindy continued, “Timmy would get into a lot of trouble.
Wouldn’t you, Tim?” Pushing back, she lovingly looked up into his
face and patted his cheek harder than needed.

Boy, she was
really pushing it. “What are you doing?” he mouthed silently to
her.

“Yes sir, he
needs a lot of help.” She beamed at him. “Take this slogan on his
shirt, for example.” She patted his chest. “
‘Stud for Hire –
Cheap’
. My goodness me, never has a slogan been truer!”

“Okay.” Tim
finally found his voice. “Let’s not bore Sassy.”

“I’m not
bored.” Sassy laughed.

“Oh honey.” All
fake concern, Cindy patted his cheek again. “Did I embarrass you?
Poor baby.” She settled her chin comfortably on his shoulder again
and nestled really close, her hand sliding up his thigh.

Tim could feel
every warm, lush curve of her, and his body was sputtering to life
as surely as his temper. Both for different reasons.

“So anyway,”
she continued happily, “His wandering has been a problem, but after
we got him treated for his last STD-”

Rick choked on
his Coke.

“Okay!”
Grabbing her by the shoulders, Tim pushed her back to stand on her
own feet. “Enough of that now,
honey
. We don’t want to go
into medical conditions, do we?”

“We don’t?” She
looked at him in innocent bewilderment before her eyes widened.
“Oh, I am sorry.” She switched her gaze to Sassy who, no doubt, was
watching avidly and more than willing to spread whatever gossip she
could around. “He’s a little sensitive about his wiener.” Cindy
simpered, actually
simpered
. “Or, as we like to call it, Big
Hammer.”

Oh God!
“Time to go, sweetie.” Tim slid off the stool and wrapped his arm
firmly around her waist, forcing her to move with him. “Nice
meeting you, Sassy. Rick, I’ll see you later. You.” He bared his
teeth at Cindy in more of a snarl than a grin.

“Yes?” She
batted her lashes at him.

“Home.”

“Of
course.”

Thank God for
small mercies. She came willingly, but then she stopped and neatly
slid out of his arm, turned and hurried back to the bar. Tim almost
ran after her but then he saw that she spoke to Rick in low tones
and wrote something down before returning to Tim’s side, tucking
the piece of paper into her tiny beaded purse.

“Ready when you
are, lover.” She slid up against him and he sucked in a breath when
her hand slapped his backside heartily.

With a tight
smile on his face, Tim wrapped his arm firmly around her and almost
dragged her through the crowded club. Once outside, he yanked her
to the side and snarled, “What the hell was that about?”

“Hey, just
playing the part, Tim. I did enjoy it.”

There was no
doubt about that, her eyes sparkled and laughter lurked in the blue
depths.

It didn’t ease
his annoyance. “You do know that everything you said will get back
to my mother, don’t you?”

“Well, maybe
you should have thought of that before you pulled me into your
crazy scheme.” Pulling a mobile phone from her purse, she pressed
speed dial.

“Who are you
calling? The cops?”

“No, the loony
bin. For you.” She raised one brow. “Why would I call the
cops?”

“Because I’m
about to kill you?”

She
laughed.

Tim took a deep
breath. “I asked for help, not for you to spread nasty gossip.”

“Oh, you mean
about Big Hammer and your STDs?” She put the phone to her ear.

“I don’t have
an STD and never have had, if you must know.” He glared at her.
“Damn it, couldn’t you just lie a little like a normal girl?
Couldn’t you-” He stopped when she held up one finger.

“I’m at the Vic
pub on Spencer Street,” Cindy said cheerfully into the phone. “If
you could send a taxi to pick me up and take me to 17 Bella Way,
I’d be grateful. You can? Great. Yes, it’s Cindy. I’ll be waiting
near the sign.”

“Finished?” Tim
asked sardonically as she clicked the bejewelled phone shut.

“Well, I think
so.” Cindy waved the phone under his nose. “I’ve only been using
this for particular brand for two months, so I might not have
completely got it right yet.”

Disgusted, he
folded his arms.

“So.” She
smiled widely. “You were saying about Big Hammer…?”

“I was saying
nothing about Big Hammer. I – Damn it, I don’t call my penis
anything, understand?”

Dropping the
phone into her purse, she nodded. “Dick with no name. Got it.”

God, she was
infuriating. “Thanks for nothing.”

“Hey, you
begged for my help and I gave it.”

“You call what
you did ‘help’?”

“Sure. What do
you call it?”

“How about
aggravating?”

“No. Really?”
And she laughed merrily.

Oh no, Cindy
couldn’t laugh delicately, she had a full-bodied, happy peal that
drew all eyes and a few smiles from passers-by. Even her giggles
were merry. He’d have found it smile-inducing himself except that
the hilarity was at his expense.

“Remind me
never to ask you for help again.”

“Oh now, don’t
be like that.” She patted his arm. “I
did
save your hide,
after all.”

“Thanks for
nothing.”

Placing one
hand on her ample bosom, her eyes sparkling, she replied happily,
“Your heart-felt thanks is received and will be treasured for
life.”

“You’re drunk.”
With that biting retort, Tim started to walk away, but a sudden
thought popped into his head making him stop and turn back to her.
Maybe hilarity wasn’t the only thing making her eyes sparkle.

“Seriously,
are
you drunk?” He leaned a little closer and eyed her
closely. Okay, she might be an irritating bit of goods, but in all
good faith he couldn’t just walk away and leave her until her taxi
arrived. She was Maddy’s best friend, and Mike was Maddy’s husband,
and Mike was one of Tim’s best friends, and that meant…crap, he
felt a bit of responsibility for Cindy.