Rush of Redemption (Rush Series #2) (13 page)

“I’m not after his money,”
she replied simply.

“Then why didn’t you sign
the 
prenup
?”

Anger rose up in her until
she thought about his words… why 
didn’t
 you sign… not
why 
don’t 
you sign… meaning he thought there was one to sign
and she’d refused. “It’s never come up.”

He eyed her levelly then
slowly shook his head. “Man. That boy must be running more scared than even I
thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I assume that since
the contract has been drawn up, he’s now so afraid you’ll take the baby away,
he’s afraid to ask you to sign it. It’s a tough position to be in,” he said in
mock sincerity. “How else would he feel? You’re pregnant, then you’re not, then
you show up and bam, you’re pregnant again. You played him well, I must admit.
You’ve got him running scared.”

Folding her arms together,
she let his words wash like ice crystals over her skin. “I can assure you that
if Rush gives me the forms I will gladly sign them.” Moving to stand at the
edge of the couch, she said quietly, “I really think it’s time for
you to leave now.”

Rising from the couch, he
stared at her for a long moment. “You may think that I’m being harsh, but
remember I know your family and what’s its capable of.”

All her righteous
indignation fled at his words. While she couldn’t forgive him his part in what
happened when he’d inserted himself, through Rush, into her life, he wasn’t
wrong. Her father’s crimes were much more devious and grievous. Instead of
answering, she gave him a small nod of acknowledgment.

Trinity’s knees bucked the
instant Rush’s grandfather walked out of the front door. She sat with her
elbows on her knees and her face buried in the hands. Is that really how Rush
felt? That she’d barter Blake for money? While she didn’t have near the amount
of money Rush’s family had, she wasn’t poor by any measure. Her mother had been
from a moderately wealthy family and upon her 
death,
 her
trust fund had converted to Trinity. A fact she was sure her father hadn’t
foreseen.

She sighed wearily as she
vaguely remembered how happy she’d been prior to Drew Drayton’s visit. She sat
back heavily and looked around. Irrationally, it hurt her a little that Rush
would have had a 
prenup
 drawn up at all.
She knew it was the most practical thing to do, but still, a small part felt
irritated by the thought that he’d even remotely think she’d wanted his money.
Her drawing from earlier crinkled beneath her leg. Dispassionately now, she
picked it up from where she’d shoved it. Looking down at the water scene, she
slowly balled the paper up. She rose from the couch and moved to the kitchen
where she pushed the 
kickplate
 on the
trashcan which opened the lid and threw the discarded drawing away.

She wanted to go home… her
home… hers and Blake’s. She needed to discuss this with Rush. He wasn’t going
to take it well, she knew. But she just wasn’t ready for all this… no one was.

~*~

“Is something wrong with Anna’s spaghetti 
bolognese
?”
Rush asked, as he sipped his ruby red wine.

Trinity jumped a little at
his words, so lost in her own thoughts. “No, it’s good.”

“Are you angry because I
was so late getting home? Look, I’m sorry. Things are just a little hectic
right now. But they’ll calm down soon, I promise,” he said reassuringly as he
laid a hand against her.

She stared down at the
massive hand covering her. Why couldn’t things just be simple? There just
seemed to always be so many secrets, lies, and half-truths between them.
Slowly, she slid her hand out from underneath his and balled it into a fist in
her lap. His eyebrows drew together in confusion. “What’s going on, Trinity?
Radcliff told me 
Boppa
 was by today. Did he
do or say something to upset you?”

She cleared her throat and
replied softly, “No. He was ever the gentleman.”

He studied her for a long
while. “I find that hard to believe. Are you upset because I picked out 
all the
 baby’s stuff? What?” he finally ended sharply,
exasperation evident in his 
voice.

Taking a deep breath, she
raised her eyes to meet his. “I want to go home.”

He sat back quickly as if
she’d struck him. “This is your home,” he said in deadly quiet.

She didn’t break eye
contact with him, but slowly shook her head. “No, it’s not.”

“It’s not safe for you and
Blake to be at your condo alone right now,” he said adamantly.

“We’re going to have to
leave the safety of your walls eventually,” she replied.

“Maybe, but not yet,” he
said with finality.

She sat a little straighter
in her chair. “You don’t get to make that decision.”

Rush ran the tip of his
tongue against his lips thoughtfully. Anger began to burn in the pit of his
stomach. He was running on little to no sleep and his overseas projects were
going to crap. He was going to be forced to leave tomorrow for the Caymans and
now Trinity wanted to bolt. He struggled to understand what had set her off. He
assumed it had something to with his grandfather, 
what,
 he
didn’t know yet, but he’d find out.

“I have to go to the
Caymans tomorrow. I want you and Blake to fly out with me. We could stay
through the weekend and get married by a Justice of the Peace on the beaches
there. It’ll be beautiful and just us… you, me, and Blake.”

She blinked rapidly at his
request. She was trying to put separation between them and he was trying to
hold tighter to her. “I… I don’t know. That’s really quick.” she said softly.

“Not quick enough for me,”
he replied.

“I… I think…” her response
was cut off by the fierce wail of Blake via the baby monitor. She placed her
napkin on her plate and started to rise.

Rush placed a hand against
her arm. “Sit down and finish dinner. I’ll go get him. I haven’t seen him all
day,” he said lightly.

Running a hand through her
long, dark tresses, she sat stiffly while she waited to see if Blake would
actually calm down.

Through the monitor she
heard Rush enter the baby’s room. “Hey 
ya
,
buddy. What’s wrong? What’s with all 
racket
?
How’s daddy’s little man doing...?”

It seemed no matter how
Rush talked or bounced the baby, he wouldn’t stop crying. Finally, not able to
stand it any longer, Trinity rose from the table and headed towards his room.
She turned into the hall when the crying suddenly ceased. She hesitated, but
curiosity got the best of her. Creeping to the door of his room, she peered in.
Her heart melted at the sight of Rush holding Blake’s tiny body in his huge
hands. Their faces were nearly close enough to touch and Rush was singing a
soft lullaby to him as he bounced him in soft, smooth movements. Blake was staring
up at him with his huge, blue eyes.

Trinity leaned a hip
against the doorjamb. Blake deserved this. He deserved to have a life with
parents who loved him. 
Parents who lived together in the
same house, not being jostled between homes.
 She couldn’t do that
to him… she wouldn’t do that to him. To alleviate everyone’s minds, she would
agree to sign the 
prenup
. She didn’t want his
money, so what did it matter?

As she turned, she rolled
the muscles in her neck and shoulders. Her body was stiff from her partial night
on the floor. The hot tub loomed in her mind. Looking back in at Blake and
seeing he was okay with Rush, she headed down to the gym, grabbing the baby
monitor from the dining room just in case Blake woke up while she was down
there.

After adjusting the
controls, she quickly disrobed and carefully began stepping down into the
water. A sound behind her had her pausing and glancing behind her. Rush was
standing as she herself had been standing just a few minutes before – with his
hip leaned against the jamb.

“Want some company?” he
asked quietly, as he raked her naked body with his eyes.

She gave him a small
smile. 
“Always.”

With economical movements
and grace, he slowly peeled his clothes from his gorgeous body. The body which
from the very beginning had made her gasp – then burn. She loved the display of
his muscles as he lifted his shirt up and off his massive shoulders. He smirked
when he caught her staring at him. He knew what he did to her. “I like what I
see also,” he told her.

Slipping into the steaming,
frothing water, he settled down across from her. “We’ve been here before.
Remember? It seems a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?” he said in a soft voice
dripping in sexual memory.

“It seems we’ve come full
circle,” she replied, as desire burned like fire against her skin at the
sensual quality of his voice. His velvety, smooth as silk tones, drew her in,
keeping her captive.

Lifting a hand, he pushed
the heavy length of her hair behind her shoulder before running his hand down
the back of her arm until he lifted her fingertips to his lips. Sucking a
finger into his mouth, he bit gently, causing her to gasp.

“What am I going to do with
you,” he asked softly. He tugged her hand and she came willingly to him. He
settled her on top of his muscular thighs. He ran his hands down over the backs
of her shoulders, down to her waist. He leaned forward and pressed his lips
softly against hers. “It seems I spend half my time running after you. Can you
explain that to me? Why do you keep running?” As he spoke, he trailed kisses
over her jaw, down her neck, and licked along her collarbone.

“I’ve stopped running,” she
said as she tilted her head up to provide his lips access.

“Have you now?” he said as
he ran his fingers silkily against the sides of her full breasts. “I’m glad to
hear it.” As he sucked her lower lip into his mouth and nibbled against it
gently, he asked, “And what brought about this change of heart, might I ask?”

Trinity brushed her hands
over his short, dark hair and pressed herself more fully against him. “Because
I love you… I want to be with you… I want you to be with Blake. He deserves
that… you deserve that,” she said in between kisses.

Gripping her hips firmly
within his hands, he lifted her and spun her around, standing her up. Moving up
behind her, he placed their clasped hands against the wall of the hot tub. In
one quick stroke he filled her. She gasped and trembled at his complete
possession of her body. As he pressed his body tightly against her, she sighed.

Kissing and biting gently
against her shoulder, he murmured, “You deserve that also. I love you. Come
with me… come with me to the islands… say you’ll marry me… marry me this
weekend,” he said as he stroked smoothly into her body, over and over.

She struggled to take in
his words. The majority of her focus was on the connection of his body to hers
– the feel of his weighted thrusts, the silky slide of his wet, hot body
against hers, the feel of his teeth and lips against her skin, along with the
feel of the bubbling, jetting water. She tilted her hips and the next thrust
buried him even deeper within her and she groaned. “Yes, oh yes. Like that,
keep going like that. Rush… oh, Rush,” she mumbled incoherently.

On his next thrust, he
jammed himself as deep as he possibly could and stopped, supporting her with
his straining thighs. “Say it,” he whispered against her ear.

Her head lolled against his
shoulder as she tossed it side to side needing him to continue. “Please, Rush.
Don’t stop, I’m so close,” she begged.

“Say it,” he growled, the
strain evident in his voice.

“Say what?” she cried in
impatience.

Rocking his hips side to
side in a slow roll, he rasped, “That you’ll come with me… marry me… this
weekend.”

“Yes, God, yes,” she
muttered in exasperation.

He exhaled in a quick
breath indicating his pent-up tension and also his uncertainty of her answer.
With renewed effort, he plunged into her body, in and out, up and down. Moving
his hands down to her hips, he held her tightly as his thrusts became ferocious
and wild.

“That’s it, baby. Come on,
baby. 
Mmm
, you feel so good. I’m so deep, do
feel you that?” he mumbled against her ear.

The sensations rippling
through her body made it difficult for her to remember the simple things: like
holding onto the wall of the hot tub; and breathing. She struggled to do both.
Electricity and lightning seemed to be zipping through her veins looking for an
outlet. She could feel the volcano buried deep in her belly starting to bubble
and threaten to erupt. She wiggled and rubbed against him as best she could.
His thrusts were more aggressive, lifting her off her feet. And just when she
thought she’d never endure the pressure and pleasure of his thrusts for another
moment, she went off, gasping and trembling against him, then sagging nearly
weakly against his massive chest. He thrust into once, twice, and then on the
third time he clutched her even tighter against his body as he finally found
his release. The relief he felt rushing through his body was two-fold: relief
from the physical needs of his body and relief from the mental strain of losing
her… again.