Do Not Disturb (8 page)

He knitted his brows, looking confused.
"There's something wrong with Caroline?” He hopped out of his chair.  “Do
I need to check on her?"    

Allison smiled. "I guess I'd better be more
specific. Caroline started her first period."

He turned red, a charming shade of crimson.
"Oh...I...uh..."

Allison couldn’t believe he was tongue-tied. A man
she thought couldn’t be embarrassed.

She patted his arm. "Everything's under
control temporarily, but I need to buy some..."

He stopped her with his upraised hand. "I
understand. I'll go with you."

"You want to go with me?"

He nodded, his lips in a determined line.
"I'll need to know what to buy in the future and I think Caroline will be
less embarrassed if you bring me up to speed."

"That's probably true. Come on."

She was impressed. Stuttering one second and ready
to put his daughter’s needs above his discomfort the next.

Trailing behind her across the porch, he tried to
whisper, but his deep voice didn’t cooperate, his words coming out in hoarse
spurts. “Is she all right? I mean how do the other girls feel about this kind
of thing?”

“She’s fine. Actually the other girls are a little
jealous. She’s so grown up now.” Allison pointed to the back of the house as
they walked through. ”They’re all huddled back in Kelly’s room talking about
it.”

“Should I say something to her?” He glanced
nervously to the back, obviously paranoid about the thought of being sent into
a female wonderland.

“Not now.” She unlocked the front door. “Maybe
tomorrow after you’re home. I think the more you act like it’s an everyday
experience the better she’ll be.”

Brett sighed as he jangled his keys in his pocket.
“I sure wasn’t prepared for this.”

#

As Allison came around the corner of the porch an
hour later, she saw Brett hunched over his legs, his head in his hands, elbows
resting on his knees. Her heart lurched seeing him look so despondent.

She touched the top of his head. "You all
right?"

He wrapped his hands behind her thighs and pulled
her body between his open legs, laying his cheek on her stomach. "I feel
so awful about this." 

She shuddered as he ran his hands up her body,
resting them on the small of her back.

"You shouldn't feel bad. Caroline's
fine."

"But Allison." He eased his head back
and looked up. "Don't you see? I wasn't ready for this. What if it had
happened at home? I wouldn't have known what to do. I hadn't even thought about
this." He dropped his head, his forehead landing at her waist.

Taking his downcast head in her hands, she knelt
down in front of him. "You would’ve figured out what to do. You're a
caring, wonderful father." She rubbed the deep lines over his brows with
the pads of her thumbs. "You're being too hard on yourself. Remember, I
wasn't prepared either and I'm a woman with a daughter facing the same thing.
I’m the one who should’ve known better."

He wagged his head slightly. "But, Allison, I
didn't even think about it. I should have planned for it. Bought her a book. Had...”
He waved his hand in the air. “You know." He placed his hands on her arms,
his tension gripping her. "Was she scared? Is she upset?"

"Stop." Bracing his head, she kissed his
lips softly. "She's fine. I talked to her privately. Explained what to expect.
What to do. She can handle it."

"What am I going to do in the future? There
are so many things I can't help her with. Things she needs to know." Brett
slammed his hand on the chair arm. "Dammit. I can't believe her mother
didn't prepare her. That woman.” He stopped. “No. No. I can't blame her. It’s
my fault. I knew she wouldn't think about Caroline. I knew it was up to
me."

He clutched Allison's shoulders. "I'm so
grateful you were here to help her. I'll have to find a way to help in the
future. I know I can't be a mother to her, but..."

"I'll help any way I can.” Allison said
softly. “If there's something you want me to talk to her about, you and I can
discuss it first and then I'll take care of it. Okay?"

"You would?” His face relaxed. “I know it's
not fair to rely on you like this."

She laughed. "Don't worry. I'll expect
payment. Let's see.” She tapped the side of her face with a finger. “Maybe,
every conversation will earn me a home cooked meal on a night I'm late at
work."

Standing suddenly, he dragged her to a dark corner
of the porch, leaning her against the side of the house. Spreading his legs, he
placed his body against hers.

"Anything you want. Just let me know."
He kissed her cheek and then moved to her ear. "You’re an incredible
woman." He kissed her mouth urgently, all of the emotion and stress of the
last few hours flowing from his body.

He moved one hand to her waist and ran the other
up her side, resting for a moment below her breast. Deliberately, he spread his
fingers up over her breast, until his hand covered her.

He grew hard against her stomach as he ground his
body into hers. His fingers teased her nipple, creating a burning sensation
sweeping from her breast throughout her body.

"Brett," Allison gasped. "We have
to..." She wrapped her fingers around his neck and pulled his head into
hers, encouraging his mouth to assault hers. Feeling her body catch fire, she
knew it was time to stop. 

"Brett." She pushed him back.

He rested his forehead against hers, his breathing
fast and short. "I know. I know."

They stood, their bodies inches apart, panting
heavily. "I can't believe you do this to me." His voice was raspy.
"I act like I'm sixteen. I can't seem to stop."

"I know what you mean." She smiled.
"It's nice isn't it?”

He hugged her quickly, then released her. “It’s a
lot more than nice and we’re going to have to find some time alone. Really
alone. Soon.”

“Well, I guess we can’t sneak around forever.”

He grasped her arms. “So you’re ready?”

“Perhaps.” She moved away from the wall. “I’m
thinking about it.”

“Well you keep thinking and I’ll keep trying to
convince you.” He snatched her hand. “Come on and walk me out while I’m
temporarily decent. Otherwise, I’ll start kissing you again and have to slink
out in the dark.”

#

"What’s this?" Allison asked.

"Thank you gifts.” Brett handed her a cup of
coffee and a bouquet of flowers as he stood on her front stoop the next
morning. Dangling from his other hand was a brown paper bag, the top rolled
down and wrinkled under his curled fingers. “Am I too early to pick up
Caroline?"

"No. They're finishing breakfast in the
dining room.” She waved him in the front door. “The other parents should be
here soon, too."

She sipped as they walked into the kitchen.
Hazlenut. Nice. "You’re spoiling me with this coffee. I’ll start expecting
you to drop by every day before work."

"Maybe I could just stay over and make it in
the morning,” he whispered.

“Hmmm.” Now that’s an enticing thought. Fresh
coffee and the man who made it first thing in the morning.

Opening a cabinet above the refrigerator, she
searched for a vase. “Can you reach that for me?” She pointed to a dusty glass
flute.

“Sure.” He grabbed the vase and followed her to
the sink.

"And where would the girls be during this
evening over?" She cut the ends of the flowers, rinsed the vase, then
fussed with the arrangement, keeping her hands busy.

“Oh, I don’t know. A baby-sitter, maybe?”

“Oh, a baby-sitter.” Wonder if that would be
coffee in bed. "You know you didn't need to bring the flowers." She
looked over her shoulder, as he stood close behind her. "But I love
them."

She set them on the edge of the counter. Flowers,
coffee, kissing. Maybe there were a few things she’d been missing working so
hard the last ten years.

"Let me show you something else I bought this
morning." He unfurled the top of the bag, now limp from his damp palms,
and slipped out a slim paperback. "Do you think Caroline will be
embarrassed if I give her this?"

She thumbed through the book ‘Growing up a Woman’,
Brett craning over her shoulder. Pictures, frank discussions, everything
Carolina needed. Everything Kelly needed, too.

He lifted his head, his forehead deep furrows of
concern. “Well?”

She closed the book and slipped it back in the
bag, folding the paper, smoothing the creases. "This is very thoughtful of
you." She kissed his cheek. "She's a lucky girl."

"Thanks.” Red spots dotted his cheeks, the
same ones that had appeared last night on the porch. “I feel better today.
Still nervous, but better."

"I stay nervous. It's tough raising a child.
Especially alone." She imagined him in the bookstore, befuddled by the
volumes of choices, no one to talk to, but loving his child enough to plow
through his embarrassment. She knew James would’ve never been able to handle
it. Even being a doctor, he would have crumbled at the thought of dealing with
such a personal issue.

Brett’s serious gray eyes peering over the vase of
flowers reminded her...all men weren’t like James.

"Maybe we can help each other out sometimes."
He leaned in, kissing her lips lightly. "Share war stories and all."

She stood very still, surprised at how flowers and
a small kiss made her light headed. No, it was more. It was the man, the
father, the caring person that was making her melt. "Sounds like a
plan."

"Dad, I didn't know you were here."

"Just got here a few minutes ago, Caro."
He turned to his daughter. "Ready to go?"

"Let me get my stuff." She ran toward
the back of the house. "Kelly, my dad's here. I gotta go."

"Talk to you later." He touched the side
of Allison’s face with his fingertip. “Think about me.”

Brett’s e-mail message was the first of twenty
waiting for Allison Monday morning.

"Good morning. There’s a new movie Caroline
wants to see Saturday afternoon. I suggest we drop the girls at the theater and
then stop by the closest house for a few hours of uninterrupted time together.
Check your calendar. Brett."

Allison reached over to adjust the vase of flowers
she’d brought from home. She had almost left them behind this morning, not sure
she was ready for the stream of questions from Susie. Even Mr. Carson had
whistled as he strolled by her office a few minutes earlier. If she was worried
about comments on flowers, was she ready for two hours alone with Brett.

Flashes of Friday night’s passion on the porch
sent her mind reeling...and her fingers racing over the keyboard.

She was more than ready.

"I do have an opening this Saturday
afternoon. Let me know the time. Have a nice day. Allison."

She sent the message and sighed. It was going to
be a long week.

#

“All right, tell me what’s going on,” Joan Bennett
whispered the second she crossed the threshold of Allison’s office door.

Allison grabbed the padded cloth visitor’s chair
across from her desk and tapped the back with her fingers. “Sit down before you
fall.”

Joan ambled over and sank slowly, carefully
holding on to the chair arms. She laughed as she rested her hands on her
bulging belly. “Let’s hope I don’t fall, it would take a crane to lift me back
up.”

Sitting on the edge of the matching chair across
from her friend, Allison reached out to pat her arm. “You aren’t that large.
Besides, what do you expect when you’re eight months pregnant with twins?”

“I didn’t know what to expect, but it sure wasn’t
this.” Joan slipped her swollen feet out of her low-heeled pumps. “Ahhh. That’s
better.” She rubbed one foot over the other. “Of course I may never get them
back on.”

She paused to look at Allison. “I must be crazy
getting pregnant at thirty-five. I should’ve left this to the younger set.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Leaning back in her chair,
Allison looked toward the picture of Kelly on her credenza and smiled. “I don’t
remember it being so easy in my twenties..” She glanced back at Joan to find
her staring, her mouth in a thin line. That determined look she’d learned to
recognize so well over the last ten years. Something was on her mind.

Allison and Joan had started at the bank around
the same time. Both single with similar career aspirations. They completed the
year-long management-training program together and remained close friends as
they rose through the ranks at the financial institution. Joan was now an audit
manager with a promising future.

After a seven-year relationship with a loan
officer at another bank ended, Joan met her husband at a singles resort and
they were married within four months. He owned a company that booked bands,
including the small jazz ensemble he played in. Joan and Brad were complete
opposites but as crazy about each other today as they had been when they’d met
two years earlier.

And now Joan wanted information.

“Enough small talk, Allison. What’s going on with
you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean. Sure the meeting
was boring and heaven knows I couldn’t sit still, but I have never,” Joan waved
her arms to emphasize her point, “never seen you distracted.” She stopped to
point at the notepad Allison had in her lap. “You were actually drawing on your
pad while Carter was talking. There is something serious happening, I just know
it. But you don’t look upset, so it must be good.”

As the week had passed and her date with Brett
drew closer, she’d become more and more confused. She desperately wanted to be
alone with him. Thought she was ready for more. But...

“And flowers on your desk. That’s certainly...”
Joan pushed herself up straighter in her chair. “It’s a man.”

Allison jumped at Joan’s declaration. Was she that
transparent?

“Tell me.” Joan prodded. “And don’t leave out a
single detail. I’ve been too large to do anything with Brad for so long I
almost need someone to remind me what it’s like to be hugged.”

Allison smiled at Joan’s ranting, knowing her
friend was exaggerating. She’d seen Brad and Joan together last week and he
couldn’t keep his hands off her.

“Yes, I’ve met someone–“

“And you haven’t told me.” Joan slapped the arms
of her chair. “After I spilled every bit of my whirlwind romance with you.”

Allison held up her hand. “We haven’t known each
other long and it started as a committee for our daughter’s school.”

“He has a daughter, too?”

“Yes, about the same age as Kelly.”

Joan twisted in her seat, tugging her maternity
top out from behind her. “What luck. Tell me everything.”

After ten minutes of bringing Joan up to date on
Brett, she paused. Joan was her closest friend, but this was difficult to talk
about. It was all so new. On the other hand, Joan had gone through this with
Brad in her thirties.

“We’re going to be alone tomorrow, really alone,
for the first time,” Allison blurted.

“And?”

“And, I’m scared.”

Joan leaned forward, but her stomach stalled her
progress. She gave up and sat back. “Of course you’re scared. This is a big
step. Especially for you, since you’ve avoided men like the plague since
James.”

Allison hopped out of her chair and walked over to
her window. “I have not avoided men.”

“Please, Allison.”

She could hear the exasperation in Joan’s voice.

“How many dates have you turned down? How many
times have you refused to let Brad set you up? This Brett must be really
special to even get this far.”

Allison rested her hands on the window ledge and
looked out, not seeing anything outside her head. Instead, she saw Brett’s
face. And that intense look in his gray eyes right before he kissed her.

He was special.

“You may be right. Although I haven’t consciously
avoided dating, nothing ever seemed right.”

“Until now,” Joan suggested.

“Until now.” Allison could remember exactly what
Brett’s lips felt like. His arms. Hear his laughter. He was very special.

Hearing a rustling behind her, Allison turned to
see Joan lever herself out of the chair and waddle toward the window.

She lay her hand on Allison’s arm. “Then don’t
worry about what you should do. You’ll know.”

Allison sighed, smiling at her friend.

She sure hoped so.

#

"I can't believe we're alone," Brett said.

At the click of the front door lock, Allison moved
quickly to his den, stopping to run her shaking fingers along the pictures
dominating the sparsely decorated room. They were all Caroline and Brett. Him
rocking her as a baby. At Christmas with Santa. Even one with the Easter bunny.
"Nice pictures."

His arms wrapped around her from behind.
"Let's not talk about anything or anyone but us for the few hours we
have."

A chill ran down her body as he whispered in her
ear. The thought of Brett wanting to be with her, concentrate only on her...

"Sit on the sofa while I put on some
music." Brett backed away, his fingertips trailing down her arm.

She crossed her arms against her jumping stomach
and backed toward the couch.

Brett knelt beside a wooden entertainment cabinet
filled with a compact disc player, a large screen television, stacks of CDs in
no apparent order, and impressive stereo speakers. "How about Otis
Redding?" 

Otis singing ‘When a Man Loves a Woman?’ She
rubbed her palms up her forearms, trying to smooth out the goose bumps. “Sure,
fine with me."

She dropped to the navy and white striped couch,
sinking into the overstuffed cushions and waited. Glancing around, she tried to
find something to focus on, anything but what was going to happen in a few
minutes.

She zeroed in on the navy rug covering the
bleached hard wood floors, then slowly moved her gaze to the newspapers, books
and magazines piled under the end table. She relaxed just a tad, just thinking
about the effort Brett had obviously put into trying to clean up for her visit.

"Did you bring the furniture with your from
Virginia?"

He hesitated a second as he contemplated the
tracks on the display. "No, we bought it after we got here." He
motioned to the television in the corner as he stood. "That's all we
brought. And of course, the pictures." He plopped down next to her,
draping his right arm along her shoulder.

The goose bumps multiplied, spreading up her arms.
"You never told me why you decided to move this year."

His body tensed, his fingers digging into her bare
shoulder.

"Well..." He picked up her hand,
separating each finger as he talked softly. "I'd been wanting to move for
a while, but I thought I should keep Caroline near her mother."

"You had custody of Caroline in
Virginia?"

"I've had custody since the divorce."

"That's unusual isn't it?"

He nodded. "She stayed with both of us when
she was five, during the year of separation. You know, shuttling back and
forth." He stopped talking briefly still playing with her fingers.
"But her mother wanted to put her in boarding school when..."

"Boarding school?" Allison sat forward.
"Put her in boarding school?" That woman really was selfish.

He smiled at her reaction. "Yes. I was
shocked too. But her mother was planning to remarry by then and she didn't want
to be bothered with Caroline."

"I can't believe that." She sank back on
the couch. "I've never known anyone who sent a six-year old to boarding
school."

"I was willing to have full custody and
responsibility, so her mother agreed. Easily."

She twisted her body toward Brett, pulling her leg
onto the couch. His arm dropped to her waist. "That is simply
incredible." She placed her hands on his leg. "So how did you end up
here finally?"

"Remember the friend I told you about from
Tampa?"

"The one you went to college with?"

He nodded. "He was killed in a car accident
in January."

"How awful." She clapped her hand over
mouth.

"It really shook me up at first." He
smiled gently. "But his wife told me he’d been happy and that I shouldn't
feel bad. He’d lived exactly the way he wanted and the only thing he regretted
was me not moving down here to work with him, because he knew I belonged
here."

Tears welled in her eyes as his voice became raspy
with emotion.

"So I decided I wasn't going to wait any longer
to do what I wanted. Caroline spent so little time with her mother anyway.” He
shrugged. “It didn't matter where we lived, so I sold my place in Arlington and
we moved when Caroline got out of school."

"I'm so sorry." She touched his cheek.
“About your friend.”

"Don't be.” He leaned into her hand. “I miss
Rob, but I'm now living where I want, thanks to him. I might have just drifted
along in Virginia, unhappy, but I'm not anymore."

"It took a lot of courage to do what you
did."

Brett smiled. "My parents and ex-wife think
I'm crazy."

"No." She rubbed the lines on his jaw
created by his smile. "I think it's great. Deciding what you want and
doing it. And starting your own business, too."

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he tugged her
body down, stuffing a pillow under her head. "You're sweet, Allison."

He pulled her legs onto the cushions as he lay on
his side against the sofa back. "Haven't we talked about me enough? I'm
bored with myself."

Capturing her lips with his, he kissed her deeply.
He bent his leg, his knee moving between her legs, then up her thighs. The hair
on his leg tickled the smooth skin below her shorts, the friction causing a
flow of warmth to run from her breast down her body. She needed more.

She slipped her arms around his back, lowering
them to the top of his buttocks and then slowly further down. He straightened
his leg and rolled on top of her. The hardness of his erection replaced the
position vacated by his knee and Allison arched against him.

He tugged her shirt free from her shorts and ran
his fingers up her side until his hand covered her breast, clothed in a thin
cotton bra. Arrows of pleasure shot from her nipple as he rubbed it between his
two fingers

"Brett...oh..."

He slid down her body and kissed her breast where
it formed a mound above her bra, then tilted his head back briefly as he
searched for a hook. He reached under her back, released the garment, then
kissed each space of skin until he reached her nipple, shoving her clothes out
of his way as he went.

She ached with need.

"Allison?" He raised his head, the
question in his eyes.

It was time. She nodded.

He sat up, taking her with him. "Let's go in
the bedroom."

The phone rang.

"Oh no. It can't be." Brett moaned.
"Let's just let it go to...no we can't. It might be the girls." He
dragged her with him to the kitchen, holding her close as he answered the
phone.

"Hello." His eyes closed, despair
replacing desire as he listened.

"Don’t worry. Just wait. Bye." He
dropped the phone on the counter. "Are we ever going to be alone?” Putting
his other arm around her waist, he leaned his forehead against hers. “It was
Caro. The electricity went out at the theater and they need to come home."

Allison giggled, then threw her head back
laughing.

"It's not funny." He placed her hand on
his still hard body. "Am I destined to live like this forever?" She
gasped as he rubbed her palm down his erection.

"It looks like there won't be any help for
you today." She increased the pressure as he groaned. "But soon.
Let's make it soon. I'm beginning to suffer too."