Running for Love (The Armstrongs Book 10)

by Jessica Gray

  “Did you have a good day?” She sauntered up to him, the light of mischief in her eyes.

  “Just boring business stuff, and putting my feet up,” he answered, amused at the look of guilt in her blue eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “Don’t be. Ready to go?” Rock asked, taking charge of the situation.

  When she nodded, he put his hand on her lower back and escorted her outside. Into safety. If they lingered one moment longer inside her apartment, he might attack her and they’d never leave. But he had different plans. Tonight he wanted to make a good second impression.

  “Looks like I chose the matching color for your blouse.” He grinned at Vivian as he opened the passenger door of his royal blue Mercedes SL convertible for her.

  She cocked her head and slid inside. Then he walked around to the driver side and took his seat, eloquently handling his crutches.

  “You’re moving pretty good,” she commented as he got behind the wheel.

  “Thanks. I have to admit I practiced half the day, because I wanted to impress you.”

  Her answer was a bubbling laugh that tugged at his heartstrings. He quickly looked away and started the motor, thankful he’d chosen the automatic transmission when buying the car. He wouldn’t have been able to drive a stick shift with his cast.

  Rock stole glances at Vivian, enjoying the wind in her hair as they drove with the top down. About fifteen minutes into their drive Vivian asked, “Where are we going?”

  “Up to the lookout on the cliffs. I’ve packed everything we need for a picnic.”

  “Really? I don’t know that anyone’s ever taken me on a picnic date.” She tugged some unruly strands of hair behind her ear.

  “Sit back and enjoy then.” He drove them right up to the edge and then parked at the small parking lot. On weekends this place was crowded with tourists, but not this evening.

  She jumped out of the car and raced around to open his door, before he knew what happened.

  “Hey, that’s my job,” he protested.

  “Normally I’d say yes, but not with that cast of yours.” Her genuine smile warmed his insides and he pondered foregoing his initial plan to make a good impression and instead pull her down on his lap and kiss her senseless.

  He could still do that later. First things first. Rock reached into the back seat with one arm and pulled out a large basket with a blanket folded on top.

  “Hey! Let me carry that,” she said taking the basket from his hands.

  “Thanks. Now I’m feeling somehow useless.” Useless and absolutely elated.

  “That looks like a perfect spot,” Vivian said, pointing. He couldn’t help but imagine that tapered finger trailing down the length of his body.

  He followed her gaze and smiled. “It does. Let’s go.”

  She spread out the blanket and Rock maneuvered himself down without incident. Together they removed the goodies from the basket. His housekeeper had done an excellent job.

  There were several bowls of fresh fruit, two salads with all of the fixings, seasoned chicken strips, and a loaf of crusty bread. For dessert, she had included small cheesecakes, and he’d thrown in a bottle of his favorite wine. Real wine glasses, china plates and real silverware gave the picnic an upscale quality.

  “This is amazing,” Vivian said as they began to eat.

  “My housekeeper does a good job putting a picnic together. Another skill I didn’t know she had.”

  Vivian raised her eyebrow but didn’t insist and soon they were engrossed in a conversation. After packing away the uneaten food, they settled on the blanket with their backs against the rock, looking out over the ocean stretched below them.

  They sat in companionable silence as the sky changed colors from blue, to white, to yellow and orange, and finally red, just before the sun dipped below the horizon. It was a spectacle too beautiful to describe with words and Rock was thankful that Vivian didn’t disturb the serenity with constant chatter.

  As soon as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, it became chilly and when a gust of wind whipped across the top of the lookout, he sensed the beautiful woman at his side shiver.

  “You’re cold,” he said and slipped his jacket off to wrap it around her shoulders.

  “Thanks,” she murmured, her wonderful big eyes so soft he wanted to dive into them and never resurface.

  “Better?” Rock wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against him.

  “Much.” Vivian nodded and snuggled into his embrace.

  The silence hung between them, interrupted only by the crashing of the waves onto the sand and her breathing. With every ragged inhale, her chest heaved up and down. An admirable sight. Rock battled with his need to touch her, when she raised her voice.

  “My brother’s girlfriend has been following the news about your rehab center. She’s pretty excited about it.”

  “She is?” he asked with pride swelling in his chest.

  “Yes. Linda works with therapy dogs and wants to open her own practice. She said your new center was the best countrywide.”

  “That’s a lot of accolades for a place that doesn’t even exist yet.” Rock shrugged it off. But while he certainly appreciated the praise, he also felt the weight of the expectations – and the need to raise the required funds.

  “Linda is terrific. I’m sure you’d like her. And her dog. Courage is such a darling. She’s doing such terrific work him and other therapy dogs. You should definitely meet her.” Vivian snuggled tighter into his arms and his heart melted.

  “Are you out to get her a job?” he teased.

  “Oh, no.” Vivian turned to look into his eyes and he almost lost it right there. “But she is awesome.”

  Her lips were mere inches away from his and he wanted to kiss her so badly. But their last kiss was still branded into his memory. There was no way he would be able to stop.

  She seemed to notice his inner turmoil and asked, “Tell me more about your foundation and the rehab center.”

  Rock grew silent for a moment. It was something he was passionate about and usually he loved talking about his cause. The cause. Not the reason.

  “Please,” she pleaded and how could he say no to her?

  “I founded the charity after seeing how inadequate the current services were for the military men and women returning from war, missing arms and legs, sometimes both…it was appalling to me that we as a society couldn’t offer them anything better. I decided to do something about it.” Rock rehearsed the mission statement he’d crafted for the Rock Solid Foundation, but left out his true motivation.

  Tristan.

  The grief about his friend’s suicide was buried deep down in his soul. A place where it would stay. It was too painful to deal with it.

  “It was personal for you?” she asked, her voice indicating she knew there was more to the story.

  He finally nodded, “Yes. I had a good friend lose a leg and an arm in an accident.” Which was my fault. And then he committed suicide, which again was my fault. “That’s what first alerted me to the problem, and the more I researched it, the more I discovered the gross deficiencies that exist in this type of rehabilitation. I wanted to help.”

  “That’s very noble and must be very satisfying at the same time.” Vivian smiled at him, but he couldn’t decipher whether she believed there was more to his story than he divulged.

  “I’m making a difference. That’s why this year’s fundraiser is so important. We need money to start building the rehab center.”

  “I’m glad I’m getting to be part of it,” Vivian answered with honesty in her voice.

  Rock squeezed her shoulder again. “Me too.”

  And then he kissed her. Soft and caring. He traced her luscious lips with his tongue, tasting wine and chocolate on them. Her mouth opened and he explored every crevice of it. Taking his time to discover, tease, lick, and nibble. He sensed her breathing becoming ragged and her pulse ratcheting up and intensified the
kiss. His mouth became demanding and rough, crushing her lips until they were both panting for air.

  Meanwhile the night had fallen, the city behind them casting an orange glow at the sky that turned into black far away over the ocean.

  “We should return,” he said. “You have to work tomorrow.”

  Vivian nodded and helped him get up and carry the picnic basket to his car. On their drive home she was very quiet. Rock hoped she didn’t regret their kiss.

  “I should warn you. My brother, Chuck, he’s a private investigator and has threatened to do a background check on you,” Vivian announced.

  Rock grinned. She’s told her family about me. “That’s a sensible thing to do, don’t you think so? I could be some pervert.”

  Vivian boxed him in his side and groaned. “What? Are you on his side? Those are the exact same words he used.”

  “Well, this is L.A. And I’d do the same thing for my sister. If I had one.”

  “You have only brothers?” Vivian asked.

  “No, I’m an only child. I take it you have more siblings?”

  “I’m the only girl in a family of six children. Even though I dearly love all my five brothers, I wish they didn’t watch over me all the time.” She giggled. “Let me know if you ever want to borrow, one or three. I’ll send them your way and they can boss you around for a change.”

  “No thanks. But seriously, I think it’s nice that your brothers are looking out for you. That’s how it should be.”

  Chapter 13

  Vivian liked this Rock. The one that wasn’t arrogant and demanding, but romantic and sweet. He could be nice, if he wanted to. Maybe they’d just started their relationship on the wrong foot and there was hope?

  As he drove her home, she glanced at his legs and asked, “Is it even legal for you to drive with a cast on one foot?”

  “I guess since I’m doing it, it’s got to be okay. And this is an automatic. I don’t even need my left foot.” Rock shrugged. “Tell me about your job. Is it interesting?”

  Vivian grinned at his not-so-subtle attempt to change the topic of conversation. “Sometimes. As a court reporter, I never know what the day is going to hold.”

  “You don’t sound enthused,” Rock commented.

  “Yeah, I know. Lately, there is so much negativity. It can be really draining.” Vivian wrinkled her nose. “I studied journalism, and then took the exams to become a court reporter. It sounded exciting, and paid relatively well – compared to my previous job as a freelance journalist for one of those obscure local papers.”

  “But it’s not what you want to do?” Rock asked as he pulled into her driveway.

  “No. Turns out it has nothing to do with being a reporter. I just sit in court and write down every word that is said. We’re basically glorified typists.”

  “So, what would you do if you could do anything you wanted?” he asked, getting out and hobbling around to open her door for her.

  She slid from the vehicle and waited for him to arrange his crutches before they walked together to the front door of her apartment building. She sighed. She’d had big dreams in college, but reality had turned out different.

  “I want to do investigative journalism. You know, doing real stories. Big ones that have the ability to change the world.” Vivian rummaged her purse for her keys and then unlocked the door.

  “Wait,” Rock nailed her with his gaze. Within moments he’d transformed into the arrogant, distant man she disliked so much.

  “What?” Her neck hair stood on end as she held his stare.

  “So…I have to ask…did you intentionally run into me for a story? Has this all been a setup?” Rock pressed through tight lips.

  “Of course not! How dare you even think…” Vivian had a good mind to slam the door in his face. Rock saw that he’d crossed a line and immediately apologized.

  “I’m sorry. Let’s just say I’m jaded by past experiences. Forgive me?” he asked with his best puppy dog expression.

  “Okay.” Vivian squinted her eyes. Her brother Preston had recently been set up by his ex-fiancé Sandrine for a big story. So yes, this kind of thing did happen. It probably was the price for being rich and famous.

  “Want to come inside?” she asked him.

  “I would love to,” a sexy grin spread over his face, making her body tingle. “But I better let you go to sleep.”

  She must have made a very disappointed face, because he leaned his crutches against the wall and wrapped her in his arms.

  “If I come inside, I won’t be able to restrain myself. I want you so much, baby.” He murmured the words against her mouth, and as he finished, his lips crushed over hers.

  Vivian sank into the magic of his embrace and kissed him like it was the last time. She went on her tiptoes to get nearer to him and wanted to crawl into his skin. The sound of footsteps broke them apart.

  “Would you like a tour around the rehab center, sometime?” Rock asked.

  “Really? I thought it wasn’t built yet?” Vivian tried to rein in her scrambling thoughts.

  “Well, it’s under construction, but there’s enough walls up to get a general idea of what it will look like when finished.”

  “I’d love to.”

  “Great. I’ll speak to the site manager and arrange it. Talk to you tomorrow?”

  Vivian nodded and handed him his crutches, but not before stealing another kiss from him.

  Chapter 14

  Rock woke the next morning with a painful erection, after dreaming the entire night about Vivian and their explosive kisses. She’d clawed her way deep into his heart without even trying.

  An invigorating swim would not only cool his blood, but also work off some excess energy. He made his way to the pool house to don swimming shorts, when reality came roaring back.

  Rock stared with disdain at the cast on his left ankle. How could he have forgotten that this stupid thing wasn’t supposed to get wet? Maybe because all your brain cells are occupied daydreaming about an auburn vixen.

  He sank down onto one of the loungers and thought about the day before. Vivian seemed to be an honest woman. He truly wanted to believe that her running into him had been an unfortunate accident, but he had to be careful and couldn’t be too trusting. She’d admitted herself that she wanted to come out with a big story. He was still pondering the question when his cell phone rang.

  “Hello?”

  “Rock! Good, you’re awake. I’m calling to remind you that you’re set to meet with Carla Dawson for lunch.”

  “Shit!” Rock cursed low,

  “Something wrong?”

  “No. But I totally forgot all about meeting her.” And I don’t want to go.

  “Guess it’s a good thing you have me to remind you,” Tommy said, chuckling into the phone.

  “If that’s true, why does this whole thing feel so wrong?” Rock scratched his tightly cropped beard.

  “Come one. Since when do you refuse getting up and close with a hot babe? You’re a lucky guy; half the city wants to bang her.”

  “No interested. This is just a business meeting.” Rock shook his head. It felt so wrong. The press would assume they were a couple. If he’d slept with only half of the women the press had attached him to, he’d rival the performance of a porno star.

  “Whatever. Just tell me you’ll be there on time,” his friend said.

  A thought attacked Rock like lightning and he almost dropped his phone at the impact. I have to tell Vivian. He knew Tommy and was one hundred percent sure that he’d leaked information to the press, about a possible romance between Rock and the actress. Normally he didn’t mind. He’d been coupled up with women he’d never seen in his life and every time he talked to one for longer than five minutes, rumors of marriage made the rounds. This was just the way it was in Hollywood.

  But Vivian. If she saw the news, she’d jump to the wrong conclusions – and be pissed. And rightfully so. Rock’s heart constricted at the chance that she might never tal
k to him again due to a publicity induced misunderstanding.

  “Rock?” Tommy questioned, reminding him he was still on the line.

  “Yeah, I’ve got it. I’ll be there with a smile on my face.”

  “That’s my man. Call me later.” Rock hung up and called Vivian. It went straight to voicemail. He didn’t leave a message. That kind of news was better told in person.

  Carla Dawson’s agent had chosen the venue, and as Rock arrived at the posh Beverly Hills restaurant, he already regretted this stupid idea. But there wasn’t any other way to get the needed publicity for the fundraiser.

  Rock was ushered to the reserved table front and center in the restaurant and had just taken a seat when a gorgeous blonde who must be Carla waved at him and walked over.

  He put on a good face, but didn’t get up to meet her.

  “Hello, Rock. Isn’t it great we finally get to meet? I’ve been a fan for such a long time,” she said, her voice dripping honey as she batted her eyelashes at him.

  “Hello, Carla.”

  She bent down to kiss his cheeks and lingered long enough to allow him a good view into her generous décolleté. He’d never been picky with his women and appreciated bare, braless skin like any guy would, but today it turned him off. What’s wrong with me?

  When he didn’t make any attempt to stand up, she furrowed her brows and took a chair in a ninety-degree angle from him. Then she put her small, perfectly manicured hand on his.

  “Much better, isn’t it?” The eyelash-batting transformed into a baffled expression as she noticed the crutches he’d leaned by his side. “What’s that?”

  What does it look like? “They’re crutches.” He answered after swallowing down his snide remark. He wanted to keep up appearances.

  “How can you run with them? I thought you were a big sports star?” Her eyes widened with surprise. It was almost cute. Almost.

  “I had an accident and I can’t run with them. That’s the exact reason why we’re here. My foundation needs a star attraction for the upcoming triathlon.” Rock sighed, wishing he could beam Tommy up just so he could strangle him.