Countdown - Iris Johansen [40]
“Very wise. Young men tend to want to challenge all comers, but I thought Mario was smarter than to do it with Trevor.”
“Mario’s a sweet boy.”
“If he was a boy, Trevor would have less trouble with him.” He put the platter down on the table. “I’ll go see what’s keeping Brenner with the coffee. I thought he was right behind me.”
“Not for me. I don’t want anything.” She turned toward the door. “I think I’ll go to my room. It’s been a long day.”
“Yes, it has. Perhaps that would be best. Sleep brings a clear head.”
“My head is clear, Bartlett.” She was lying. Her thoughts were in a turmoil and she couldn’t get the memory of Trevor’s words out of her mind. Admit it, she couldn’t get him out of her mind. Since the moment she had seen him outside the dorm, the sexual tension had been growing, developing, but she’d tried to ignore it. There was no ignoring it now that he had spoken that one sentence. It was there before her and she had to confront it and come to terms with it.
“I’m glad,” Bartlett said gently. “You look a bit disturbed. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No, I’m fine.” She forced a smile as she started for the door. “Thank you. Good night, Bartlett.”
“Pleasant dreams.”
The pleasantest prospect she could have would be no dreams at all. Not of Cira and her damned run through that tunnel. And not of Trevor, who had dominated too much of her thoughts since he had entered her life four years ago.
Jesus, she had worked so hard to block him out of her memory. When that failed, she had used the memory, lived with it, in an attempt to render it powerless. She had thought she’d succeeded.
The hell she had. He hadn’t even touched her and her body was tingling, alive, needing. . . .
No, she didn’t need him. She wouldn’t need him. The word indicated weakness, and she wasn’t weak. She didn’t need anyone.
She started to climb the stairs. She’d go to her room and take advantage of that hot shower Bartlett had waxed eloquent about. Then she’d call Eve and talk to her and gradually this turmoil would lessen or vanish entirely.
She was lying to herself. It would take more than a chat with the person she loved the most to quiet this disturbance. She’d have to do what she always did with a problem. She’d have to face it, make it her own, and then find a way to rid herself of it.
I’ve brought your coffee, Trevor,” Bartlett said as he opened the library door. “Someone has to drink it after Brenner went to the trouble of making it. He gets a bit touchy.”
“We wouldn’t want that.” Trevor watched Bartlett put a tray on the desk. “Two cups?”
“I didn’t get mine either. We were all too busy tiptoeing around trying to avoid your bad manners.” He poured coffee into the cups. “That display wasn’t worthy of you.”
“I’ve had my fill of lectures tonight, Bartlett.”
“He only wanted to impress her. Any other time you’d have ignored it. He’s not in your league.”
“I know that.” He sipped his coffee. “Or I would have been a hell of a lot harder on him. I was in a lousy mood.”
Bartlett nodded. “The green-eyed monster. It was refreshing to see you raked over the coals. I was very amused.”
“I’m sure you were. Why don’t you get out of here? Venable called while I was at dinner and I have to return his call.”
“After I finish my coffee.” Bartlett leaned back in his chair. “You handled the situation very clumsily. Jane was bound to be defensive of him. It’s her nature.”
“Now I have to take advice from a man who’s been divorced three times? Your qualifications suck, Bartlett.”
“I may not have been able to keep a woman but I was always able to acquire them.”
“I don’t want to ‘acquire’ Jane. When have you ever known me to want that kind of baggage?”
“Well, I’m sure lust figures significantly in your attitude. After four years of anticipation, it’s quite reasonable.”
“You’re off the track, Bartlett.”
He shook his head. “Oh, I know you’ve had other women since you left Herculaneum. I really liked that Laura person. She reminded me of my—”
“Out.”
He smiled and finished his coffee. “I’m going. I just wished