A Taste of Temptation(48)

“But you knew about it.”

“So did the staff, but they didn’t fix the problem, either, and they could have.”

Brandi smoothed the napkin on her lap and changed her tune, sensing there was nothing Greg was going to do about seeing Tim. “Well, it seems I have to fix things on my own.”

“Now, don’t go there, Brandi. I just don’t know what to do to help him. He’s a part of my life that I’d rather not revisit. I have a good business, a little girl I have to take care of, and I just can’t go back to that!”

“It’s okay, Greg. I know where you stand.”

“Let me finish. I hardly see my mother because it reminds me too much of how she fell apart when both Tim and my father were no longer a part of her life. When Tim was with us, she mistreated him, blaming him for everything that went wrong in her life. That’s all I heard as a kid. I know it’s a stupid excuse, but it’s all I have.”

“Greg, I can’t know how hard it was for you too, because you were also a child but…”

“Only someone who’s lived it can know.”

Their food arrived and they dropped the subject but Brandi was too sick over the situation to eat. She sat and watched Greg devour his salmon; her own steak sat untouched on her plate.

Greg spoke up again. “I can’t see Tim and that’s that. Besides, who’s to say I won’t remind him of the same awful things? He doesn’t need that, either. Eat your steak.”

The only thing she had left was her determination to help Tim by whatever means possible.

After he finished his chocolate cake, she asked him to take her back to the hotel. Not what he wanted to hear, but he honored her wish. He wanted to get to know her, to see the real Brandi as a person. He knew she wouldn’t allow it as long as he refused to deal with Tim.





CHAPTER 23

The ride back to the motel was silent, cold. Neither had any inclination to say anything, there was nothing left to say. Tim was still in bad shape, Brandi was losing her mind with worry, and Greg…was still Greg, and nothing was going to change that!

They pulled in front of the Savoy and Brandi quickly opened the door to flee, but he stopped her. “I’ll walk you in.”

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine.”

“This is a bad area, and I’ll feel better walking you inside.”

She was not in the mood for a walk to her room. All she wanted was to go inside and have a good cry. She couldn’t do that around him; he wouldn’t understand. It seemed he hardly understood anything beyond his own life. Apparently, their father had stripped him of humanity. She was thankful that Tim was different. Tim was a bit headstrong, but had compassion nonetheless. Greg, on the other hand, seemed to have an empty hole straight in the middle of him where compassion used to live.

They walked to her room. She hated that they had accomplished nothing. Greg was adamant about not getting involved in the turmoil swirling around his brother.

To Brandi, it seemed as if he would never leave; he was comfortable around her. She didn’t want Gregory Polaris comfortable around her, because he was of no help to her. Sure, he was sexy, but there was that empty hole in his being that she wasn’t about to fall head first into.

The more she tried to entertain him, the heavier her heart became. Finally, she became so overcome with pain that she broke into tears.

He took her hands into his. “Everything will be okay.”

“How will it be okay? His life is just so mixed up, and it’ll take more than what I can do to turn him around.”

Greg didn’t know what to do. Crying women made him feel awkward. He remembered his mother crying over his father, and then Tim, and he had not known how to handle it. All he knew was that he was always the one left to try and pick up the pieces. Now, there were no pieces to collect-just Brandi. He didn’t know whether to hold her or walk out. In the end, he gently wrapped his arms around her.

She needed a shoulder to cry on and willingly moved into his arms. He was so soft and warm, and he smelled so good…like Tim. Her own emotions were so intense that she had forgotten where she was or who he was and tenderly whispered, “Just hold me. Hold me, Tim.”

Greg found himself in an awkward position, but he did what she asked and held her. She melted into him. Her scent intoxicated him, and he felt all control slipping away. He felt her skin against his, his lips against her neck. It felt so incredible that his body moved into hers, feeling her warm thighs, her slender hips; hearing her soulful voice as it tickled his neck. “I love you, Tim. I love you so much.”

He stopped suddenly, realizing he was going way too far, taking advantage of a desperate woman. He brought her face to his then slowly backed away, dropping his hands to his sides.

Her eyes flew open. “What…what have I done? I’m…I’m so sorry, Greg. I didn’t mean to…oh, God! I think I’m losing my mind, losing touch with reality.”

“You didn’t do anything, and I really need to get out of here before something does happen.”

“I wouldn’t let it.”

“Somehow I know that. I need to get back to Destiny before her Uncle Chris has a coronary.” He smiled that famous Polaris smile. “Don’t worry, Tim will be okay.”

“Then that means you’re coming to see him?”

He raked his hands through his silky, dark hair. “I…I don’t know. Maybe.”

He was in a cold sweat by the time he got back to his car. He pounded the steering wheel. “Damn! Great move, Polaris; making moves on your brother’s girl.” He knew going to Queens was out of the question now, because a temptress would be there.

Brandi was on her bed, the pillow wet with tears. Nothing had been accomplished. She had cried in Greg’s arms, and still his heart hadn’t softened. The only thing left was to go back to New York and face Tim’s dilemma. Whatever happens, happens.

* * *

Brandi thought Tim might not want to see her, but she felt compelled to sit in his room and talk things out with him, if he would listen. She had driven without stopping to get back to him. She had changed a flat tire, and gassed up at shady looking stations with no one knowing where she was, aside from Greg. To get help for Tim, she’d gladly do it all again. She was tired, more tired than she had ever been. When she arrived at the hospital, Tim was sleeping peacefully; she collapsed into a chair and was out like a light.

Tim tugged on the hem of her skirt, waking her up. When she opened her eyes, he whispered, “Where the hell have you been for the past two days?”

She managed a smile. “Tim, I know you don’t want me in here.”

“I do want you in here.”

“You were so mad at me, and with good cause.”

“I’ve had time to think. Look, honey, I had no right to turn on you the way I did, and I’m sorry.”

“You were right. I overreacted as usual. You had every right to be mad.” She straightened his covers and kissed his damp forehead. “I know I look a fright to you.”

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s why I love you so much. You always see the positive in me. You make me feel beautiful when I know I look like hell.”

“You’ll never look like that.”

“You think maybe we can work this out?”

“I want that. Maybe starting over is a good idea. We both know where to start; we can make this thing work for us.”

“That’s all I want, Tim, another chance to make things right with you.”

“I couldn’t have expected you to remain calm after hearing the gory details of my life. I should have told you sooner.”

“That’s in the past. Now that I have you again, the only thing I want to concentrate on is the future. Can we do that?”

“We can do anything we want, as long as we do it together. You didn’t answer my question, though. Where have you been? I wanted to apologize to you.”

“If I tell you, you’ll only get mad.”

“I’m through being mad at you. I was worried, thinking you went off somewhere never to return to me.”

“I went to Schenectady.”

Schenectady? “Why there?” Though he had a good idea that Greg was in the picture somewhere.

“The truth is, I went there to see your brother.”

“I’m sure that was a bad move, because literally nothing is there.”

“There is something there.”

“What did you find, other than someone who hates me?”

“I found a man there who is just as scared as you are.”

“I doubt that.”

“He is scared, Tim. I was so distraught that I thought Greg was the only answer, and I didn’t tell you because I thought you wouldn’t listen to me. You would have told me not to go.”

“Right, that’s exactly what I would have said. Now, did you make any headway, or was it a waste of gas?”

“Not really.”

“Figures.”

“He isn’t coming down, but I had to try. He said he was sorry about everything, but can’t deal with it.”

“Isn’t that just like him?”

“He does love you, Tim.”

“Funny way of showing it. He hasn’t seen me in over twelve years.”