A Taste of Temptation (Love Spectrum Romance) (14 page)

She brought his face back to hers. “You left me, Tim. Where were you?”

“A world away.”

“Can I be in that world with you?”

“There are a lot of complicated things going on in my life now, and I just don’t want anything to happen to you because of them.”

“What could happen? Whatever it is, we can deal with it together. Right?”

She didn’t get it, and he didn’t know how to make her get it unless he was bold and up front with her. “What I’m trying to say is that maybe we should continue to go other places instead of to my house like I promised. I mean…”

“What brought this on? I want to be alone with you, Tim. I think we can handle that now.”

“I know we can, but things are happening lately. The truck incident, me being attacked, the trashcan in my living room—something could happen to you.”

Something else was going on, but making him admit it was difficult. “What else aren’t you telling me, Tim?”

“Brandi, I…”

“There is something. What else happened?”

She was too smart for her own good, and he knew she could read him, so he came out with it. “There is something else. Racial slurs were spray painted across the back of my house. The first thing I thought about was your being in there and getting attacked.”

“Are you okay? You weren’t attacked, were you?”

“I’m fine, but my house is trashed.”

“When did this happen?”

“Before the game; that’s why I can’t take you there yet. I don’t mean for long, just until I find out who is doing these things.”

“How long are we talking?”

“Not long. I swear.”

“Tim, I don’t think anything will happen.”

“I don’t want to take that chance. If you were to get hurt, it would kill me. I really wish you would do this for me, just for a while. We can still be together.”

She moved into his arms again. “I know, but I want to be alone with you. I don’t want you handling this thing alone. I’ll help you.”

He had to smile. “You really care about me, don’t you?”

“You know this already.”

His lips engulfed hers tenderly; he could hardly believe a woman could care for him that much. “You’re right, we can handle this together. I just don’t want you hurt.”

“I won’t be. Now kiss me again before I pass out.”

“Whatever Brandi wants, Brandi gets.” His mouth covered hers in relentless passion, barely able to break from her long enough to breathe.

Moments into their kiss, they heard a voice coming from the hallway; startling them. “Brandi? Where the heck are you?”

CHAPTER 14

Brandi broke the kiss. “Oh, my God; it’s my Aunt Theresa! I forgot about her. I don’t want her catching you back here with me.”

“She knows about us, doesn’t she?”

“Yes, but…”

“You think she would rat on me being in here with you?”

“No, but she has loose lips. You being back here with me may get out accidentally. I just don’t want you in any trouble, Tim. You understand, don’t you?”

“Don’t panic. Everything will be fine. I’ll hide behind the lockers until she’s gone. Hurry and button your blouse before she gets here.” He gave her a quick kiss before ducking behind the last row of lockers near the mirror. His back pressed firmly against the wall just before Theresa opened the swinging doors. Perspiration dripped from his wet hair. With no towel in sight, he reached for the hem of his t-shirt. Having forgotten he’d taken it off, he cursed under his breath, realizing he’d left it on the floor.

Brandi saw the shirt on the floor and quickly stuffed it into her duffle bag as Theresa entered the dressing area. She smiled as if nothing was wrong, patting her half-buttoned blouse. “Wow, sorry I’m so late. I didn’t realize the time. These showers were acting funny; first, cold water, then all hot; hard to do anything without the right temperature.” She knew her temperature was on fire due to Tim making advances on her body—and mind. “I’m almost ready. Have a seat on the bench while I finish.”

“Just slow down; we have time, although I have been waiting over a half hour for you. I haven’t gotten in a word edgewise since walking in here; and you know that’s unusual for me.”

“Sorry. I’m just so rushed.”

“I’ve noticed. What’s got you in a tizzy all of a sudden?”

“Excitement from the game?”

“Maybe it’s excitement of Dr. Timothy Polaris.”

“What? No, it’s not that. Yes, he is a cutie, but I’ve got other things on my mind.”

“Who could have other things on her mind when she’s dating Timothy Polaris?”

“True.” Brandi was sick of the small talk. Her concern was Tim sitting in that cramped corner, aching to get the heck out of there. “Look, I just need to check my hair, then, we can go.”

“Mirror big enough for two?”

“Sorry, it’s a small one.”
Is she deliberately trying to destroy me, or what?

“Odd for a lady’s locker room.”

“Give me a second.” Brandi hurried to the mirror, looked around it and saw Tim in a huddle, practically sweating bullets. She whispered. “Tim, I’m so sorry about this. I know you’re dying back there.”

“It’s hot in here. You two hurry up.”

“I found your shirt on the floor and picked it up before she saw anything.”

“Don’t sweat it. It was all bunched up; could belong to anyone as far as she’s concerned.”

“You don’t know my Aunt Theresa. She scopes anything she thinks belongs to a man, especially you.”

He pulled her into him and kissed her warm lips. “Go on and get out of here before your aunt figures out something.”

Brandi returned to Theresa and picked up her duffle bag, “Okay, let’s roll.”

Theresa eyes her. “Not just yet.”

Oh, my God
! “Why? What’s up?”

“Don’t play with me, girl. You know I can’t leave yet.”

“Is something wrong, Aunt Theresa?”

“Sure is.” She walked towards the mirror and stopped in front of it. She patted her French roll and makeup. “Girl, you know I can’t walk out of here without making sure my hair is on-jam. Your boy Timothy could see me. I can’t be looking bad in front of his fine self. As I suspected, there is room enough in this mirror for two. I swear, you are so dramatic, Brandi Elaine Miles.”

“Can we go now?”

“Yep. Good as new now.”

“Wait! Let me see if the shower is completely turned off.” It was a ploy to see if Tim had been able to duck around to the other side. The stall was empty, so she knew he had made it out.

Hearing the women’s locker room door slam, Tim let out a sigh of relief.
I can’t risk getting caught like this again. This is too much for me
. He looked at his watch and realized the building would be closing soon. He looked out to see if anyone was in the vicinity. All clear. He washed up and left, his mind on Brandi, remembering how wonderful it was to have her in his arms.

After approaching his truck thirty minutes later, he was surprised that no one had done anything to it. He thought that maybe the heat was finally off him after he had contacted the police. Then he remembered that a patrol car constantly circled the campus at night.

* * *

That night, Brandi ran from the bathroom to catch her ringing cell phone. “Hello?”

“Hello yourself, sexy queen of my dreams.”

“Tim. I was just thinking about you. I wish you had been in that shower with me tonight.”

“I was near it.”

“Yeah, after the scare you gave me.”

“You recovered quite nicely.”

“You did, too. I see you made it back to the men’s side without running into trouble. That was a quick move.”

“I’m a quick guy, which brings me to why I’m calling. I can’t stand being without you now that I can actually date you. Let’s do something tonight.”

“You
are
quick. I can’t, though. I have some on-line work to do for my literacy group.”

“This is Friday night. You have the weekend.”

“I promised them I would get it done.”

“Enough said. Do your work but be ready for me tomorrow night, okay?”

“Yes, sir. Can’t wait to see you. Where are we going? Back to your house?”

“Brandi.”

“I’m just checking, Tim, although I doubt anything will happen to me.”

“I’ll make it up to you, and I’ll be creative. I’ll give you an evening you will never in your life forget.”

“I have that every time I look at you.”

“The compliments! You make my life. The very idea of you refutes every negative thought I have ever had about relationships.”

“That’s quite a compliment.”

“I mean it. Dream of me tonight, and wait for me tomorrow night.”

Shivers ran up and down her spine when she thought about being with him the next night—in his bed if he would just give in to going to his house. That would be a perfect ending to a perfect night.

Brandi saw his truck pull up in front of her house. “Mom, he’s here.”

“Good. Invite him in.”

The look on her father’s face normally would have upset her. Instead, she warned. “Dad, whatever you think Tim did in the past, that was a long time ago. He’s a man now, and I’m asking you to be civil, because I plan to have him around for a long time.”

“Did I say anything?”

“No, thank God!” Before opening the door, she looked at her father. “I mean it; don’t ruin this for me.”

“I will never ruin my baby girl’s love life.”

“Good.” When she opened the door and saw Tim’s face, a feeling of unease gripped her. “Tim? Are you okay?”

“Yes. Why?”

“You look sad.”

He greeted her parents and then helped Brandi with her coat. “I’m fine, really. It’s been a long day. Let’s just go.”

Once inside of his truck, she turned to him. “Okay, what’s really wrong? You’re being very quiet and you barely spoke to my parents.”

“I just didn’t have a lot to say.”

“You’re usually a chatterbox, especially with my mother.”

“There’s a lot on my mind today.”

“Such as…?”

His visit with Claire earlier that day hadn’t gone as smoothly as in the past. The visit, for once, wasn’t about Brandi, but about his brother. Tim wasn’t in the mood for talking about Claire or his brother, so he tiptoed around the subject. “I miss Madison already. This time of year is really hard on a person who is not around family.”

“You have me. You can come over here for the holidays.”

“Come on, Brandi. Your Dad and I exchanging gifts and sharing a brandy by the fireplace isn’t exactly going to happen. As you probably know by now, he knows my past. I remember him being the arresting officer way back when.”

“What did you do to get arrested?”

“Fights mostly.”

“Like plenty of other youths. It’s common for people that age—sometimes.” She noticed the persistent sadness on his face and decided not to harp on the topic. Her voice softened. “I
could
come to your house.”

“That’s not going to happen either; not right now.”

The sad look on his face made her heart ache for him. There would be no one for him to be with for Christmas. They always had to go out in order to be together. That wasn’t exactly the happiest way to spend the best holiday of the year. She took his hand in hers. “You want to go somewhere and talk about it?”

“Not really. It won’t solve anything.” He leaned across and kissed her cheek. “I’ve got a better idea. Let’s get something to eat, then maybe take in a game of bowling or pool. Have you ever gone bowling?”

“I rolled a forty-five one time. Is that good?”

“It stinks! Let’s do the pool hall. You’ll like it.”

“Cool, so long as a big strong man shows me how to play.”

“I’ve got your back…and everything else if you’ll let me.”

“I’ll let you, all right.”

They pulled into the parking lot of Mason’s pool hall. Brandi looked around at the surroundings. “This area doesn’t look like one you would frequent.”

“I know it looks a little rough around here, but I grew up on the streets. My brother and I, well, let’s just say me for the time being. I had a ball playing pool.”

“That’s good. Let’s go inside.”

The minute he and Brandi walked into the hall, all eyes were on them. Men stared at Brandi and women smiled at Tim as if wanting to reach out touch him.

Tim paid for a table in the corner and escorted her over to it. Men at a table next to them leered at Brandi’s tight jeans and midriff sweater. She overheard their comments and began to feel a little self-conscious. Tim saw her expression. “They’re okay, honey. Ignore them.” He handed her a stick. “Know how to work this?” handing her a pool cue.

“Are you kidding?”

“It’s easy. All you do is hold the stick and
poke
. Get my meaning?”

That got her attention. “I know how to hold
your
stick, if that counts for anything.”

“It counts for a lot, and from what I remember, you held it quite well.”

“We could recapture the moment at your house tonight.”

“Don’t get me started with you. We may have to put on a little display here tonight if you keep egging me on.”

“Wouldn’t those chumps like that?”

“Yeah, a live display; that would get the joint rolling, wouldn’t it?”

“You are such a nut, Tim.”

He handed her the stick and leaned in behind her. “Now, just relax and let the stick slide across the green.”

The thought of his erection pressing against her mid back made her ache for the seclusion of his house. She loved the feeling, wanting to be with him more than ever.

After two miserable games of pool, Tim went to pay for another game and brought her a soda and a stein of beer for himself. While he was gone, the taller man wearing a leather jacket and torn jeans put his pool cue down and approached Brandi. He sat on the edge of the table, taking her by surprise. The very idea of him leering at her made her mad. “Can I help you, sir?” She knew that he wasn’t there to offer her pool advice.

“You certainly can help me, young lady. I’m Ike, and you’re putting some moves on my libido.”

“Sorry. It was purely unintentional.”

“I think it wasn’t. I saw you looking at me.”

“You saw wrong, now if you don’t mind, Tim,
my man,
will be back shortly. I don’t think he’ll think kindly of your being here.”

“So what? Tim, huh? Now I know the wimp’s name. He looks like a sissy twitching around in them tight jeans.”

“But you thought enough of him yourself to watch how he looks in those jeans. Go back to your little table with the rest of the boys. You can all check out Tim’s tight jeans together.”

“Trying to say something?” His arms wrapped around her hips.

“Get off me, and I’m not
trying
to say anything.” She looked over his shoulder and signaled Tim.

Within seconds, Tim came back, staring at the stranger. “Why’s he here?”

“He won’t leave me alone.”

Tim faced him. “Take a hike.”

“I will, but with your girl on my arm. She’s a little confused about something.”

“I don’t think so, but you are.”

Brandi pulled at Tim’s sleeve. “Let’s just leave. Don’t fight with this crack head.”

“Don’t worry. I would need an actual opponent to have a fight. Get lost.”

“Your girl has a color problem, and only a real man can help her overcome that.” His buddies egged him on.

Tim was in the mood for a fight, having been upset about practically everything that day. But he didn’t want Brandi seeing that side of him. “My girl already has a man, now if you don’t mind.” He put the cue stick back into Brandi’s hand and helped her aim.

A cue stick crashed across Tim’s back, forcing him and Brandi onto the table. He stood, pushed Brandi aside and picked up his stick.

“Tim, let’s just go. He’s an idiot.”

Ignoring Brandi’s plea, he pulled away and faced off with the man. “You want to fight? Fine, let’s do it. That’s the only thing I seem to be able to do well.”

“He’s not worth it, Tim. Let’s go.”

“You’re right.” He laid the stick down and followed behind Brandi. Midway through the pool hall, the man followed them, plunging a fist in the middle of Tim’s back. Tim turned and landed a left hook across the man’s face, dropping him to the floor, where he passed out immediately. Tim sank to the floor in pain.

Brandi screamed. “Tim, what’s wrong? What is it?”

A large crowd was forming around them as the manager approached, holding the rest of the men at bay. “Sir, are you okay?”

“I think I broke my hand.”

Brandi helped him to his feet; tears rolling down her cheeks. “Let’s go. We need to get to emergency. That hand is swelling.”

Once outside, Tim reached into his pocket for the keys and Brandi automatically took them. “You can’t drive like this.”