A Taste of Temptation (Love Spectrum Romance) (23 page)

She was disheartened by his non-reaction upon hearing his own brother’s name. She extended her hand. “I’m Brandi Miles.” As she stared back at him, she saw almost a replica of Tim, only darker and with green eyes. He was stockier than Tim but was still sexy in a pair of jeans and a torn t-shirt. She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until he took her hand.

“Brandi Miles, huh? You’re here about Tim, did you say?”

She felt rising anger over his apparent indifference to his brother. “Yes, I’m here about Tim.”

“Are you his social worker?”

“No, I’m his…

“Parole officer?”

“I’m his fiancée.”

“You’re kidding.” He put his hand on his hip, backed up, and looked her over with those intense green eyes of his. “He always did have great taste in women, ‘cept for Nikki, and of course, Charlotte, well, from what Mom has told me, but we all make mistakes.” He wiped his hands on a towel on the hood of the Mercedes. “So, what’s this about?”

She hadn’t expected such terseness from him; he was Tim’s brother after all. She had wanted so much to say something that would bring out his caring side, if he had one. But his words told her emotions were something he would have to buy at the local drug store. She got to the point. “Your brother’s in real trouble.”

“As usual. What’s he done this time that would bring someone so pretty all the way up here to see me?”

She couldn’t mask the disappointment on her face and in her voice. “He’s in the hospital.”

“What for, detox?”

His wisecracks were getting on her nerves. “I’m serious. He was injured in a fall, and he’s in bad shape. He wanted me to see if you could come down, but I can see that you’re too busy.”

She turned to leave so Greg wouldn’t see the tears welling in her eyes, but he took her arm. “I’m sorry. You’re so teary-eyed. There must be something you’re not telling me.”

“Your brother needs you, Greg.”

“Brandi, my baby brother hasn’t needed me in years. What makes now so special?”

She hated getting into it, but it seemed Greg needed the whole story to be convinced. She sat down on the chair near the garage door. “Tim and I were to be married, but when I found out about his past I took off, leaving him alone to pick up the pieces. And then with this hospital thing…he just sounded so hopeless, Greg, like he was giving up and not even trying to live. He told me to find you and tell you he was sorry. What has he to be sorry for? That’s what I need to know.”

“A lot, but I can’t get into it right now. I have this Mercedes to finish by six.” He looked around nervously. “He’s really bad off, huh?”

Streams of tears rolled down her cheeks, and he quickly handed her a clean towel. “I just don’t know how to fix him this time. He’s not really responding to me.”

His eyes softened at the sight of her tears, but even her pain couldn’t keep him from noticing how perfect she was, more beautiful than any woman he had seen in a long time. Then he remembered who that beauty belonged to—his damn baby brother!

Brandi gave him the towel and smiled sheepishly. “I won’t waste any more of your time. I know you have that car to fix, and I’m sorry about everything. It’s just that I love him so much, and I think I’m losing him.”

His voice betrayed a trace of emotion. “I can tell you love him. He finally got lucky.” His eyes lowered for a minute, then he remembered who he was—the unbreakable Gregory Polaris, whom emotions bounced from, or so he thought.

He moved to the door, facing her. “Look, I finish here around six, but where are you staying? Maybe we can get something to eat and talk about this.”

“Could we? I’d really appreciate that. I’m at the Savoy off the interstate, room 216.”

“Is seven good for you?”

She brushed her tears back. “That’ll be good. That gives me time to look human again. I know I look like the living dead.”

He wanted to brush away the fine strand of hair that fell against her wet cheek. He put that thought away, for he knew he would want to touch her elsewhere. He was known to be a fast mover, but this wasn’t the right time, or the right person. He held the door open for her. “I’ll be there by seven.”

After she left, he closed the door and leaned against it. He was vulnerable for once; someone had finally penetrated his tough exterior, and it was Brandi. Her beauty haunted him, but her unavailability was like a knife in his chest. His main priority should have been his brother, but he hadn’t had to think of Tim in such a long time he had actually forgotten how. But with Brandi Miles, well, he hadn’t been so beguiled by a woman in years—not since Destiny’s mother.

Gregory picked her up at precisely 7:00. He drove off at high speed and, for all Brandi knew, he could be driving her to hell and back. That was the kind of person he seemed to be, impulsive and fast. She didn’t understand how two utterly different people could have come from the same womb. But Greg’s fast life somehow attracted her; he was something different, maybe even a little dangerous. He was no Tim. Yes, she felt an attraction to her fiancé’s brother, a big taboo. He oozed heat and fire, as if he would sizzle even in the rain. The attraction made her uncomfortable, half-regretting she had made the trip up there; half feeling that she was cheating on Tim just by looking at his brother. Anyway, she was on a mission, and intended to see it though, no matter what temptation got in the way.

They drove to the restaurant in silence, except for a casual word here and there. But there was nothing polite about him. He was just as rough around the edges in a Ralph Lauren sports jacket as he was in that greasy t-shirt.

After the waitress to took their orders, Greg searched her face and saw signs of her emotional day: eyes puffy from crying; brow creased with worry; lips tight with apprehension. He took a deep breath and plunged in. “Let’s get to the good stuff. What happened to my brother?”

She decided it was now or never. “There are two things. First, he was in a fury and devastated by a co-worker’s betrayal. He was angry with me, too, so he wouldn’t let me console him. He started down his stairs to the basement to get away, and, well, he fell to the cement floor. He has a concussion.”

“A really bad one?”

“Is there a good one? Yes, it’s very bad. Look, he needs you to be there. I thought that hearing of his condition you would want to be there, too.”

He changed the subject. “What’s the other reason you’re here?”

His lack of emotion after hearing about his brother’s accident was killing her, so she kept her own voice cold and unemotional. “I’m here because of his bad family life when you both were kids. It has tortured him for years. Anyway, it finally caught up with him, and I don’t feel that I’m helping the situation.”

“What do you mean?”

“I bolted after finding out about his life, but I came back because I do love him, but I can’t fix the real problem. You can, however. He needs someone other than me to be a stabilizing force in his life, Greg. I didn’t know what else to do, so I came here.”

“What has he told you?”

“Everything.”

“Then he told you that he killed someone? That kid was my best friend, the only person who was ever there for me. Tim took that all away with one punch. So, I don’t know how I can help either you or him.”

“But Tim was
your brother
. You could have stuck with him, and you two could have had one another.”

“But I never really had him. He was always in trouble for as long as I can remember.”

“And why was that? He apparently needed someone, and wasn’t getting it from home—where he should have been loved. The death of that boy was an accident; he would never willingly do that to anyone. You have to know that.”

“You think you know so much about what went on in our lives, don’t you? Well, you don’t! I know my brother, Brandi, and I know what happened; you don’t, and I think we need to drop this.”

“I can’t drop this. This is about a man I plan to spend the rest of my life with, Greg. What was a friend of yours doing bullying
your
brother in the first place?”

“That was just his way. He was a kid.”

“Your friend’s ‘way’ was to knock the hell out of your kid brother? How can you sit here and say that?” She had to calm down before she exploded.

Greg’s voice was beginning to shake with anger, but he controlled himself. “Look, I was not there, and I was also not his or Tim’s keeper. Neither one was my responsibility. I couldn’t have stopped him, anyway. I wasn’t there.”

“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.”

“He’s just scared, and doesn’t want to get hurt again.”

“But he doesn’t mind me feeling the pain, huh?”

“This may be little consolation to you, but you still have me.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard lately. Oh, speaking of news, Derrick came by yesterday and told me Monica was arrested.”

“That’s great! Also a little sad. I thought she had more sense than that.”

“You never know people. She tried taking away your scholarship, destroyed computer and student files, and God knows what else. Anything she could do to break us apart, she tried.”

“Unsuccessfully.”

“That’s the awesome part, because I still have you.”

Thank God!

“I can’t wait to get out of here and finish the last few days before the semester ends.”

“I think the people handling your classes are more than prepared to fill in for you for the next few weeks.” His eyelids began to get heavy, and she gently kissed his lips. “You go back to sleep. I’ll be back later today. All I want now is to crash on Aunt Theresa’s spare bed and sleep.”

“Why there?”

“Tell you later.”

* * *

The elevator doors opened, and out stepped Greg and Destiny. Brandi could hardly believe it; he was the last person she expected to see in Queens. “Greg?”

He flashed a sheepish grin. “Yeah, it’s me and the rugrat!”

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“What can I say? Your words really made me think. I need my brother, and he needs me.”

“I’m so glad you decided to come.” She hugged Destiny. “You finally get to meet your Uncle Tim.”

“He’s all Dad talked about in the car.”

Greg pulled Brandi’s arm, looking at her with sad eyes. “I don’t get a hug?”

“Of course you do.” They embraced one another with a heartfelt hug. Greg pulled back, smiling. “Are you and Tim on better terms?”

“I have my Tim back. Does that answer your question?”

“The joy on your face tells it all.”

Brandi pointed down the hall. “He hasn’t been sleeping long, but I know you’re anxious to see him. Destiny can’t go in, though.”

“You know the routine, Destiny.” He pointed to the waiting room. “The only way I could bring her up here was to promise the nurse I would leave her in the waiting room…that and dinner with her tonight.”

“Is she cute?”

“Not my style.”

“Really? What is your style?”

You.
“No one, lately.” He turned in the direction of the room. “I guess I had better do this.”

Brandi sensed his hesitation. “Don’t be afraid of your brother.”

“I’m not.”

“You are. I can see it on your face.”

“I’m just a little nervous. After all, I haven’t seen him since he was about eighteen or something. I just don’t know how he’ll react to me.”

“There’s only one way to find out. Open the door and go in.”

“Will you come with me?”

“Sure, but don’t you want to spend some time alone with him?”

“Brandi, I don’t know how to be alone with him. I mean, when he wakes up he’s not going to want to see me, a stranger. He’ll be looking for you. I’m probably not what he needs right now.”

“You’re exactly what he needs, so stop second-guessing yourself.”

He slowly walked in, approached the bed and looked down at his brother—wanting to smile, wanting to hug him for the first time ever. Then he noticed the bruises. “Still a fighter, I see.”

“He got those from the fall.”

“Right.” He inspected Tim a bit longer. “We really do look alike, don’t we?”

“The eyes and personalities are different.”

As if not hearing her comment, he kept talking, half to himself. “He really grew up on me. No more baby brother; look at those arms.”

“No, he is not a baby. He turned thirty in January.”

“I remember, January ninth. What I don’t remember is what he’s like. It’s been so long, you know.” He felt so ashamed getting that kind of information on his own brother from a relative stranger.

Brandi leaned over Tim and smoothed his hair back. “He’s wonderful, kind, a good man. He always tries to do the right things, always sees the good in people despite how they act, at least until they betray him.”

“That’s a professor for you. Where does he teach?”

“Columbia. He teaches English lit there.”

“Columbia! I knew the guy was smart, but I didn’t know he was that smart. I guess I’ve let too many ghosts keep us apart.”

“So you really didn’t read any of his letters.”

“No, that’s why I don’t know my own brother.”

“But you will. You’ll have plenty of time to do that. Speaking of that, where are you and Destiny staying?”

“Nowhere! But if you don’t think he would mind, I’d like to stay at his house.”

“Are you kidding? He would love that. Tell you what, after classes today I’ll go over and clean up, have it all ready for you two. I’ll even make dinner. But just stay here and visit with him; he’ll wake up soon.”

“Can’t you stay?”

“You need time with him. There’s so much to know, and you might as well start today. When you get to the house maybe I’ll have everything done. Hey, maybe I’ll invite my aunt. You’ll like her.”

Greg smiled, and then turned back to Tim with a concerned expression on his face.

After the dinner dishes were cleared, and Destiny shipped off to play on Tim’s computer, she and Greg started talking, getting to know one another better. Greg sipped his piping hot coffee. “I’m glad you’re in his life. Maybe you can give him something our family never gave him. That’s why I’m here; I want a brother again. I actually missed the guy.”

“He wants the same things. Didn’t he tell you that today?”

“He didn’t wake up. But like I said, I was trapped inside a ghost and it was hard getting away from it. As kids, we were taught to avoid emotions at all costs. Entertaining a humorous thought just wasn’t done, but Tim was always a little different, always a free spirit, from what I remember. I guess our lives finally caught up with him, though. That’s why I was actually glad for him when he turned eighteen and entered Princeton. I thought he could finally be happy, but I understand he wasn’t.”

“He’s getting there, but it’s a slow road, Greg.”

“I heard his marriage to Charlotte was a sham.”

“From what he told me, yes. I just hope I can make him happy. God knows he’s had his share of disappointments.”

“I can already tell by the look on his face as he sleeps that he’s more at peace, and I think you’re the reason.”

“I want to be.”

“The only time I remember being truly happy was when Destiny was born. She was so beautiful and perfect, and I knew it was my task to take better care of her than our parents had us. She is really all I have; But at twelve, she can really be something.”

“That’s a tough age for girls. I was hell on wheels at that age.” She leaned back in her seat, her coffee mug held between her hands. “I guess I’m still boy crazy—but over one boy. I can’t believe I almost lost him. Thankfully, I grew up, enrolled at Madison and got the scholarship.”