Running From Love (13 page)

Trevor stood in the hallway.

“I asked you not to come here.” This entire day was too much. She didn’t want to see Therese and she didn’t want to look into Mimi’s judge-y eyes and right this moment she definitely didn’t want to see Trevor standing in the hospital hallway feeling sorry for her.

“Right … I know, but—”

“Really? First she thinks that I need closure and now you think I need emotional handholding? I’ve got news for both of you. I don’t need anyone.” Poppy stormed down the hall.

“Poppy, wait—”

Trevor started after her, but Poppy turned and held up her hand palm outward to stop his pursuit. “Don’t. Okay. Just don’t.” She backed away from Trevor. “And how about this time, you actually listen.”

He stopped. The look of hopeful helpfulness slid from  his gorgeous features.

Whatever. She turned and continued down the hallway. She was pissing everyone off today. Making them all disappointed with her show of emotion and her insistence on telling them all how she really felt, which was absolutely just fine. Poppy slammed into the elevator.

Who did she need? No one. Okay. She could be by herself and be a-okay. Hadn’t she managed to be alone for years? Hadn’t she made her way in the world?

Tears streamed down her face and she slammed her hand into the buttons, unable to see which one she pressed. Poppy leaned against the metal wall. The door slid closed and finally, finally, she was exactly where she wanted to be—completely and utterly alone.

Trevor let Poppy rush out of the hospital. He hadn’t even tried to follow. He did, however, meet Mimi. They had coffee together in the cafeteria before he headed to his mother’s house. Hours later and he still hadn’t heard from Poppy.

Anxiety quivered in his belly. He wasn’t going to call her. He’d already decided, after she blew by him at the hospital with her harsh words, he wasn’t going to chase her today. He’d made his intentions clear. He loved Poppy. He loved her with his heart, his body, his soul … he loved her with everything he had, and if that wasn’t enough for her to feel safe and to want to communicate and work through her fears … well, then his love simply wasn’t enough. He slipped out of his shoes and moved toward Robert, who was already standing on the mats in the giant home gym.

Trevor was ready to get his ass kicked. He craved the pain. He slammed his knuckles against his palm. He wanted to get some licks in as well. To quell this heat deep in his belly. Anger. Rage. Confusion.

Robert rolled his head on his neck. He appeared loose. He smiled at Trevor. A wicked shark’s smile. Trevor never ever made the mistake of thinking that Robert’s smile meant he’d take it easy on Trevor. No, the more he cared for Trevor, the harder he’d tried to kick Trevor’s ass, because as Robert had said a million times before tonight, “Me kicking your ass here in the gym means that some asshole out there won’t be able to.”

Trevor bounced on the balls of his bare feet and shook his shoulders. Loose and focused. Loose and focused. His gaze lasered in on Robert. They’d fight until submission. One man down and saying give. Their sparring had started just after Trevor’s father died. Trevor had been lean and gangly and undisciplined, and full of pain over the loss of a dad he’d barely known. Then he’d trained with Robert every damn day. In some capacity, whether it was an early morning run, weightlifting, or fighting. Robert had something planned for his physical well-being every day since the day after his father’s funeral.

“You’re looking a little angry tonight, Trev.”

Trevor cocked an eyebrow. Who the fuck knew? With Robert’s connections and spy techniques, he might have heard the entire episode with Poppy earlier that day.

Robert wove in close and took a quick jab at Trevor’s waist. Not painful, but enough to grab Trevor’s attention. Trevor stepped out with his foot and twisted. He grabbed Robert under the arms, and nearly took him down. Quick and fast, Robert escaped Trevor’s grasp.

“Nice.” Robert bounced away from Trevor, realigning himself. If Trevor hadn’t spent a decade fighting Robert, he wouldn’t have known just how rattled he was by that aggressive move.

Robert was rattled because he only bounced backward and shook his chin like that when he was. A tell. A simple tell that Trevor had noticed and now knew about his opponent.

A tell that also told Trevor Robert’s next move, because Robert’s mantra when fighting was always to go on the offensive when you nearly lost, and Robert had nearly been taken to the mat. Trevor was determined to strike before Robert could take his own advice.

Trevor bounded forward and with a grab, grasped Robert. He started to twist again, but this time Trevor stuck out his leg and took Robert to the floor. Robert rolled and tried to gain purchase with his hips and legs, but Trevor leaned his weight to the side and placed a forearm over Robert’s neck. Robert squinted and anger flashed through his eyes, but then a fast smile soon followed.

“Give?” Trevor asked.

“Give,” Robert said and nodded. Trevor immediately fell back and jumped to standing. He waited for Robert to climb to his feet. They faced one another and bowed. A gesture of respect and admission of the worthiness of the opponent. For years, all the way to twenty, Trevor never won these bouts. Then for a long while he and Robert been nearly evenly matched, with Robert usually taking more wins. But recently, when Trevor returned from college and grad school and now Mesquale, he’d noticed he was now winning more matches than he lost. Though strong and smart, with reflexes still way faster than average, Robert was slower than he’d once been, and his balance was not nearly as keen.

“Now.” Robert grabbed for his metal water bottle and a towel. “Tell me what’s got you so angry.”

Trevor took a long swallow of water from his own water bottle. “Not angry.” Sweat dripped down his face. “Not even worried. Just …” He shook his head. “Just you may be right. She may always run.”

Robert nodded. Trevor turned toward the front of the gym and walked out into the main hallway that led to the front of the house and kitchen. Robert followed. There was a note on the kitchen island. “I guess we’re eating at eight,” Trevor said.

“Ah. I won’t keep you. I have dinner plans with Steph. Your mother actually gave her an evening off.”

“I don’t think Mom’s the problem. From what I gathered the other night, Steph would work all day every day. She’s just exactly like Mom.”

“And you?” Robert leaned his forearm on the counter. “What about you? Are you going back to Up Side to work morning, noon, and night?”

Trevor took a long pull of air. “I go back and forth.” An honest answer, though not the same as the one he’d given Poppy in Malibu. “I understand why Dad chose the business. I get it … kind of. Writing is my love and I can always do that, but being able to give my family everything they could ever want?” He swung out his arms in a gesture encompassing the house. “All this? I mean this is like a friggin’ fairytale, right?” Trevor set his water bottle on the counter. “I’d work every minute of every day if it would make Poppy happy and make her stay. “

“Damn, I’m sorry Trevor.” Robert patted Trevor’s arm. “You’re seriously in love with this girl.” Robert shook his head. “They drive you nuts when you’ve got it that bad.”

“Right.” Trevor picked up his phone and scrolled. No new messages.

Robert had never remarried after Steph’s mom died. Mom and Robert’s sister had helped raise Steph and Robert had helped get Trevor through adolescence. They’d been their own pieced-together family.

“You ready for the big party your mom has planned?”

Trevor looked up from his phone. Surprise in his face.

“Oh come on, you know she makes a big deal about birthdays. You didn’t think you’d get away without having some party? Especially for this one.”

“That day will either be the happiest day of her life or the saddest.”

“Naw.” Robert shook his head. “Your birthday will always be her happiest day. You know that, right? She adores you.” Robert patted Trevor’s arm. “Okay. Got to go. Need a shower and a quick change to take the daughter to dinner. You’re welcome to join us, if you want.”

“No thanks. I’m here tonight with Mom. Maybe if Stephanie is leaving early, Mom will actually be here for dinner at eight.” 

“Maybe.”

Trevor walked Robert to the front door. He looked out. “Wow, it is really coming down.” He opened the door and there, standing on the front steps, was a woman who looked like a drowned rat. Beside her stood one of the Brice family’s security guards.

“Mr. Brice, I was just escorting Miss Martin to your home. She says she knows you, but her phone isn’t working.” The guard cleared his throat. “And she isn’t on the pre-approved entrance list.”

Poppy tilted her head to the side. Even looking as though she’d spent the last three hours in a dunk tank, she still wore a half-amused, half-irritated look on her face. “Could we rectify that, Mr. Brice?” she asked. “Do you think I might have a spot on the pre-approved list?”

Trevor fought the urge to laugh. She was so cheeky. He absolutely adored her sense of humor. Damn. Wet, cold, and in custody, and she was making wisecracks.

“Please do put Miss Martin on the list. She is welcome here anytime she chooses.”

“Yes, sir.” The security guard turned and trotted down the stairs.

“Seriously?” Poppy cocked an eyebrow. “You have enough guys down there to invade a third-world country.”

“Not quite that many, but it is changeover for the guards.”

Poppy’s eyes slid from Trevor toward Robert. Her face burst into a smile.

“You’re the infamous Poppy,” Robert said.

“And maybe I should guess by the clothing and the rosy complexion that you’re the security guard who’s been kicking Trevor’s ass since he was only fourteen?”

“Smart girl, this one.” Robert smiled. “Sure she’s not CIA, or maybe working covert ops for another country?”

“That’s right. We’re after the recipe of Up Side’s secret sauce. Figure it’s worth something.” Poppy cupped her hand next to her mouth. “There’s a rumor it can be used as rocket fuel.”

“Ha! That wouldn’t surprise me, knowing your mom, Trev.” Robert walked out the front door. “Still raining.” He flipped up his jacket hood and walked down the stairs to his car. “Nice to meet you, Poppy. Hope to see you again.”

Robert slipped into his car. Trevor grasped Poppy’s arm. He pulled her into the house, shut the door, and pressed his lips to hers. Her mouth opened and her body melded to his. He grabbed her waist and pulled her close to his hard maleness. Her tongue trailed the seam of his lips and he opened his mouth to her. He wanted to devour her, to force her to stay, to quell the fear and the sadness that he knew she masked with her wicked sense of humor. They slowly pulled apart. His gaze remained on her eyes. She glanced away from him and surveyed the grand foyer. 

“So this is where one of the world’s wealthiest men grew up.”

Trevor fought the urge to scold Poppy for not calling, and for making him worry, but he didn’t. “Leave your shoes here and I’ll make you some coffee. You need to get out of those wet clothes and into a shower.”

“That sounds lovely. You’re this good to me, even after the way I behaved earlier today?” She shivered and crossed her arms over her chest.

Any anger or irritation that remained drained from Trevor’s body. “I won’t say that I wasn’t angry, but I am pleased that you’re here now.” He took her hand and wove his fingers through hers. “Come on. You’ll get sick. You’re wet and you’re cold and I won’t stand for that.” He pulled her close and walked her up the staircase, down the long hall to his childhood bedroom.

Poppy’s eyes widened. “Fit for a prince.” She spun around his room.

“A time capsule of my youth.” The room was huge, containing everything he’d ever wanted as a teenaged boy and then a college student. Lakers and Dodgers paraphernalia adorned the walls. If he actually stayed here more than a few nights a year, he might have changed the decor.

Poppy drifted along his dresser and looked at the wall. Family photos of him with his grandparents and parents opening new stores and traveling around the world. His prep school and college and M.B.A. diplomas all fantastically framed and hung on the wall.

“Very impressive.” She stopped and picked up a picture from his dresser. “This you with your dad?”

Trevor nodded. He knew the picture, as it was one of his favorites. The only time they’d taken a long family vacation away from California. Over Christmas, he and his had gone to Maui during Trevor’s freshman year of high school, just months before his father had died.

“You two look a lot alike.” Poppy’s eyes met his. “Except for the blond hair.”

“That’s from Mom,” Trevor said. “Hers is grey now, but she was a blonde.”

“So she’s the knockout in the evening gown?” Poppy pointed to another picture. 

“Inauguration.”

“Of course,” Poppy joked. “I hear everyone is going.”

“Enough with the smart mouth, let’s get you out of those clothes and warmed up.” He pulled her close and her body pressed to his. “I wish you’d stop this running away thing that you do.”  He walked toward his en-suite with his arm around her.

“I know.” She shivered.

Of course she was cold, her clothes were soaked all the way through. He flipped a switch on the wall to warm the tile floors.

“Whoa.” Poppy’s eyes widened. “
This
is a bathroom.”

Trevor smiled. This looked more like the spa at Mesquale than one person’s bathroom. The giant steam shower with glass walls and multiple showerheads was large enough for five people.

“You won’t be cold long.” He walked to the shower and turned the faucets to get the water nice and warm. He glanced into the mirror. Poppy’s wet clothes clung to her curves. She would soon be naked, and wet, and very much in his arms. His sex hardened.  He turned back to her reflection. “Let me help you with those clothes.”

He lifted her shirt and raised it over her head. Her flesh pebbled with cold. He tossed the damp shirt into the hamper. He reached around and unsnapped her bra. Her breasts sprang free. Her nipples pert and tight. He bent forward and pulled her nipple between his lips. Like sugar. Spun sugar, sweet and lovely. Her hand clasped the back of his head and pulled him even closer.