Do Not Disturb

by Lisa Ballenger

  "You can count on it," Brett called out.

  “He’s quite a looker,” Ruth whispered in Allison’s ear as she gave her a hug by the front door.

  “Mother.”

  “Come on, Ruth, leave Allison alone.”

  “You have a good time, honey.” Her mother’s laugh trailed behind her as she grabbed J.T.’s arm and kissed his cheek.

  "Time for your bath, Kelly." Stopping at the door to the family room, Allison looked at her watch.

  "Mom." Kelly groaned and rolled to her back on the floor. "It's Saturday."

  "And it's late." Allison tapped her watch with her finger. "Say goodnight to Mr. Tyler."

  Brett shrugged at her please help me look. "Sorry, kid, can’t help you."

  “All right.” Kelly dragged out the words and ambled to the back of the house. “I’m going to stay up sooo late when I get to college.”

  “Yes, dear, I’m sure you will.” Allison smiled at the joke. Kelly threatened to do all sorts of things when she went away to college, knowing Allison would just ignore her.

  As Allison strolled toward the couch, Brett reached out and grabbed her hand. "Come here." He pulled her down on his lap.

  Placing her hands on his chest, she tried to stand. "What are you doing?"

  He looped his hands around her waist, holding her down on his leg, allowing her back to rest against the chair arm.

  "You'd better keep your voice down if you don't want Kelly back in here."

  One look at his smiling face and her heartbeat doubled. Her knees rested against the inside of a muscled thigh, his strong hands pressing her against his body, her face now only a few inches from his.

  "You going to kiss me this time?" He leaned closer to her lips, his voice low and raspy. “Or do you want me to do it again?"

  She ached to touch his rough, unshaven face again. Trace the hard lines of his jaw, run her fingers over the thick, short, blonde hair. She’d touched him earlier, but hesitated now. This was different. A touch of intimacy, not comfort. Everything about him was enticing her, but she didn’t move.

  "I guess it'll have to be me again." His hand traveled up her back, shifting her head down to his.

  She closed her eyes as their lips met. A soft kiss. Then his head twisted slightly, angling into her. He parted her lips and pressed harder, slowly, encouraging her lips open.

  She slid her hand from his chest to his shoulder, then around his neck. The stubble of his beard scraped her skin as her fingers wandered around to his face.

  The small move sent Brett into action, his tongue invading her mouth.

  A jolt of pleasure raced from her mouth down her body. He massaged the small of her back, while his other hand positioned her head for a deeper kiss.

  Each touch by his hand or movement by his mouth flamed her desire. It’d been so long since a man had kissed her. And no man had ever kissed her like this. Brett seemed ready to devour her.

  She wanted more. Moving her tongue against his, she pushed her way into his mouth. She felt his intake of breath.

  He leaned back in the chair and slipped his hand up her back to press her breasts against his chest, holding her so close she could feel him panting.

  "Mom, I'm ready for bed."

  Allison jerked back so fast she fell out of his lap and onto the floor in front of the chair.

  "OK." She screamed, slapping her chest, gasping for air. "I'll be there in a sec."

  Brett lay with his head back in the chair, his eyes closed, his chest heaving, a smile on his face. He slowly cracked his eyelids and held out a hand. "Need help?"

  "How do I look?" Allison jumped up, straightening her clothes.

  "Like you've been thoroughly kissed." He sighed. "Beautiful."

  "Oh my god." She placed her fingers on swollen lips. "I can't go in there like this."

  He curved his fingers around her leg. "Sure you can. Kelly won't notice."

  "Are you sure?" she whispered. Her daughter was pretty perceptive.

  "I'm sure." Brett sat up. "Tell her we were laughing at something on television if she asks. That’ll explain your flushed face." He gave her leg a gentle nudge. "You worry too much, darling. Go say goodnight to Kelly."

  He was leaning with his back against the front door, one ankle crossed over the other when Allison returned through the hall.

  "So how'd it go?"

  Stopping a few feet from him, she shrugged. "All she wanted to talk about was the pool party she's going to tomorrow."

  Brett slid away from the door and snagged her hand. "See. Nothing to worry about."

  He opened the front door and stepped out, taking her with him. "I'd better get going." He rubbed a finger along her lips. "Unless you want to kiss some more?"

  "You'd better leave. It's late."

  He looked to his left and right, then tugged her into a full embrace. "I checked. No neighbors looking and it's dark." He kissed her neck and ran his hands down her back to her buttocks.

  He moved his lips to her cheek, then tilted his head back. "Sure you don't want to neck some more?"

  "Neck?" Allison laughed. "Is that what we were doing? Necking?"

  "Well, it does sort of feel like we're back in high school again, doesn't it?" He smiled. "Always sneaking around. But this time we're avoiding our kids instead of our parents."

  "Strange isn't it?"

  "Yes. And I think it's time to find some privacy for us. No kids. No interruptions." Brett kissed her forehead. "What do you think?"

  She knew what he was saying. And what her body wanted. But...

  "Allison?"

  "I don't know, Brett." She bit her lip. "It's been so long and I don't really have time for a relationship and I'm not even sure I want a relationship..."

  "Hey." He pulled her head to his shoulder. "Let's just take it slow and see what happens. We've both been burned and we're a little scared."

  "You're scared too?"

  "Sure. A little. But not so much that I want to stop seeing you. I want to get to know you better."

  He released her, resting his hands on her shoulders. "I do think we deserve a little happiness too. We can't live only for our children."

  She sighed. He was right. She loved Kelly, her family, her job. And she was so busy. But being with Brett, experiencing feelings she’d only dreamed about when she was younger. And it was so different now. With a man. A man like Brett.

  "We'll figure it out, darling. Don't worry."

  He backed down the steps.

  She wanted to follow.

  CHAPTER NINE

  While waiting for her e-mail messages to load Thursday morning, Allison reviewed her calendar. If she shopped during lunch, bought the food, cleaned and cooked tonight, then everything would be ready when the girls showed up tomorrow afternoon for the party.

  Rolling her office chair around to the monitor, she started reading. A message from Brett?

  "I talked to Susie a couple of times this week and she told me your week was packed, so I thought I'd reach you this way. At least you can fit me in at your convenience. But don't delete me. It would really hurt.”

  Hmmph. She wasn’t that busy. Resisting a glance at her calendar, which would agree with Brett, her parents, and her boss, she kept reading.

  “Caroline’s excited about coming to Kelly's sleepover party Friday night. I can't believe you're brave enough to have a house full of pre-teen girls all night long. Should I be impressed or arrange to have you committed?”

  Committed, definitely committed, she decided as the memories of pre-pubescent giggles reminded her to add earplugs to the shopping list. She needed her sleep.

  “Anyway, I'm volunteering my company to help chaperone for a few hours. I'll bring the wine. Don't say no. And if you have a date with one of your jet setting boyfriends, just break it. See you tomorrow night. Brett."

  She smiled. He is persistent. And the man could really kiss. She touched her lips briefly. Not that there'd be any kissing with Kelly and her friends ho
vering nearby.

  She hit the reply button and typed a short message.

  "What woman can resist such a gallant offer? I'll have Roberto cancel his plans to fly in with a five-course gourmet meal from Rome and we’ll have some gourmet cheese and crackers to go with your wine. Allison."

  She pressed send and brought up the next message. Fifteen minutes later, when she’d finished reading her first group of mail, a new one from Brett popped up.

  "Guess you're at work early. Although, I can't say much since I'm working, too. But I bet I'm more comfortable in my shorts and bare feet than you are in one of those corporate suits and high heels. Have a nice day. Brett."

  Shorts and bare feet. She groaned. That’s an image she didn’t need drifting around in her head all day. She’d never get any work done.

  She glanced at her desk clock. So he's working at seven-thirty. What does he do on his computer so early in the morning? She examined his email address and signature line. No indication if this was a work or personal email account.

  Scrolling back to the first message, she saw it’d been sent at eight the night before. So, she thought, tapping the screen with her pen. He's on his computer a lot. All hours.

  This Friday you're telling me what you do, Brett. No more skirting the subject.

  She leaned back. He didn’t say whether he had on a shirt...

  "I think we're safe there." Allison pointed to the far side of the back porch. She set the wooden tray loaded with cheese and crackers on a small glass topped table positioned between two webbed porch chairs.

  Brett poured the wine into matching crystal goblets and placed the bottle on the floor under the table. “Fancy glasses, Allison. I’m impressed.”

  “You should be. They’re my finest yard sale stemware.”

  “Ahhh. Only the best for us.” He sat down and held his glass up for a toast. "To another adventure together."

  "May we survive until the girls are in college." She clinked her glass against his. "The time when we won't know what they're up to."

  “To future peace of mind.”

  She placed a slice of cheese on a cracker and offered it to him. He popped it in his mouth.

  “How was Caroline's trip?"

  Looking out the porch screen, his gaze rested on the palm trees in the back yard. "OK, I guess,” Brett answered, his voice taking on the same edgy tone that surfaced each time he spoke of his ex-wife.

  He took a sip of wine and waited so long before speaking again, Allison wondered if something bad had happened. What she thought was an innocent question had dismissed Brett’s carefree mood.

  “She’s usually quiet about their visits. I think they stay busy. Shopping. Eating out. Movies. Anything her mother can think of to avoid talking. Watching them together it's sometimes hard to believe they're related."

  He continued to stare straight ahead. "I gave up trying to understand her mother a long time ago."

  She could identify so well with what he was saying. Was it really that hard to find a relationship where the couple did understand each other?

  "Did she change much after you got married?"

  He shifted in his chair, his discomfort visibly increasing.

  I'm sorry." She touched his arm. "You don't have to tell me anything."

  "I don't mind.” Placing his hand over hers, he pressed it into his arm. “It's just embarrassing that I married someone so wrong for me."

  "Everyone makes mistakes," Allison said softly. But at least she didn’t marry James. One mistake avoided.

  "Is that what happened to you?" He turned to look at her. "Did you marry young and pick the wrong person?"

  She held her breath. What should she say?

  "Allison?” He tugged on her hand. “Is something wrong?"

  Why was she hesitating? He didn't have a perfect past. But admitting to Brett...She sorted through her thoughts. Maybe she could talk about some of it.

  "Kelly's father and I met when I was a junior in college. I stayed at school over the summer for an internship and he was in medical school. We were both so focused on school most of our dates were at the library. I know now that the only thing we really had in common was our overachieving personalities."

  Everything from her disorderly past tumbled around her logical brain. Yes, his past wasn’t perfect, but hers was...

  He rubbed his thumb along her fingers. "Go on," he encouraged, his voice soft with comfort.

  "My social life in high school was fairly limited. I had friends, but very few dates." She motioned up her body toward her head. "The guys liked girls they didn't have to stand on a box to kiss. And I was very much into good grades." She leaned her head back and sighed. "I had such plans then."

  “I don’t need a box to kiss you.”

  She smiled. Where was he when she was so alone in high school?

  “I think we fit together rather nicely,” he added.

  The fit of his body against hers and where they lined up...yes, they did match up physically.

  “But we’ll test that some more later. Keep talking.”

  Kissing would be much more fun than talking. And easier.

  “Allison.”

  This was harder than she’d thought it would be. She’d never talked about her past to another man, other than family or her boss. And even they didn’t know most of what happened. Just the results. Kelly.

  “I want to know you.” His deep voice rumbled his sincerity.

  She plunged ahead, suddenly wanting him to understand where she’d been, where she was going. "I got a scholarship to Duke. I loved college. Dated more then. I was no longer the smartest in my class, but I was still goal oriented and didn't want a relationship to interfere with my plans. Until James."

  She stopped. "You don’t want to hear this. It's really boring."

  He squeezed her fingers. "I told you, I want to know you and your past is a part of you."

  "He was the first guy I knew that was more into his future than I was. Older, on his way to being a doctor. My first real crush I guess."

  She tried to remember them together. It seemed more like an old movie that she’d seen over and over, but never been a part of. It was difficult now to identify with that college student. She picked up her glass and held it out. "I’ll need more if I'm going to keep talking."

  She watched his large hand on the wine bottle as he filled her glass. There was no memory of James’ hands, only the feelings of a terrified young woman.

  "We dated that summer and fall. By Christmas of my senior year I was pregnant." She glanced at Brett, his face still visible as the sun set over his shoulder. Concern shading his face, but no shock.

  He grabbed her hand, not caring that it had turned clammy and cold. "Oh, darling, I'm sorry."

  "Yeah." She nodded, then looked away. "Not very bright for someone who graduated at the top of her high school class was it?" She shook her head. "I was on birth control pills, but that December I was stressed out taking exams, staying up late. Somehow I missed one pill.” She clenched her fist, her nails digging into her palms. “Just one."

  Silently he waited for her to continue.

  She could still see the package, the foil intact, the pill resting there staring at her. She’d taken it immediately, rushed to the medical library and spent hours searching for the reassurance she desperately needed. And found it. The odds of getting pregnant were very low. She believed she had beaten the odds. Even when her next period was almost non-existent, she convinced herself it was fine, just nerves. But she couldn’t deny the truth of her second missed period.

  “I found out in March.”

  He lifted her hand and pressed it to his heart. "Did you get married then?"

  "No." She sat up straight. "We’d broken up over Christmas, but James said we'd get married when I told him. I even agreed, though I was fairly sure I didn’t love him. Just seemed the right thing to do.” She gritted her teeth. “I was just so devastated. I couldn’t think. Couldn’t believe how stupid..
.” She stopped again, taking a deep breath.

  She’d made the vow that day at the student medical clinic. Never to lose control again. To set her goals, plan her life and be sure of the outcome.

  He continued to rub the tops of her fingers, the bottoms warm under his touch and the heat of his chest beneath his shirt. His heart pounded under her palm. A strong caring beat.

  “Anyway.” The words spilled out, breaking free after being pent up for years. “I told my parents. One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. They’d been so proud of me. The scholarship. Me being the first one in the family in college and everything...but they were so supportive. Whatever I wanted to do they were behind me. But...” Her voice cracked.

  “Allison.”

  “James’ parents definitely had a different opinion.” She shook her head slowly. “There was no way their precious son was going to be trapped by a girl who didn’t fit into their social circles. How could he even think about marrying the daughter of a...a...mechanic.” She turned to Brett. “They acted like my family was in prison for murder. All because we didn’t have a lot of money, I wasn’t good enough for their only child.”

  “What did James say?”

  “He didn’t know what to do.” Crossing her ankles, she slid them under her chair, balancing her body on the edge of her seat. “As I explained, James is different. He’s very, very smart and focused on medicine. But he doesn’t have a lot of...” She shrugged. “I guess it’s common sense. His parents have always pretty much told him what to do. And he does it.”

  “So he just listened to them rather than marrying you?” Brett’s voice was edgy, tight with anger.

  “He might have gone against them if I’d pushed, but deep down I knew the marriage would’ve been a mistake.”

  “And what are they like now?”

  “Now?” Her brows arched. “Who knows? I’ve never met them and neither has Kelly.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  She felt him tug involuntarily on her arm. He seemed more shocked at this news than her pregnancy.

  “They paid child support until James finished medical school and could take over. I always felt like they were paying me to stay out of his life.”